Maybe In Another Life

Chapter 14

The game mostly consisted of loud noise, constant banter and a whole lot of mess. Clearly this wasn't an NBA tournament.

For the first time in a while, a smile was stretched onto Soren's face, and his chocolate skin glistened with tiny droplets of sweat under the sun.

Mavis, who had rolled her sleeves, tugged at the edges of the shorts pulling them up her knees while menacingly staring at Soren, who in turn, stared her down aswell.

He finally lunged towards her, his skin brushing hot against her's. He missed the ball by a fraction of a second as she had hastily threw to a random player.

The momentum of Soren's lunge had him crashing into Mavis.

Both bodies stumbled back, arms and legs entangling, before Soren regained balance at last. He slipped an arm around her waist, holding her tilted body up, ultimately, saving them both from what could've been a nasty fall.

With her chest pressed against his, Mavis heaved, blowing her fringe out of her eyes, only to meet his emerald ones.

Both erupted in laughter, Soren letting her go as Mavis playfully patted his shoulder, before returning to the game.

Eventually, all sprawled out on the floor, sweaty and roasting underneath the sun.

Team Callum had won the game, but the players were too out of breath to celebrate.

After a few moments of rest, a shadow was cast upon Mavis, who looked up at the silhouette towering over her.

"You did good." Cillian smiled, offering her a hand.

"You doubted me?" She raised an eyebrow, accepting his help.

He pulled her up with ease, her hand tiny and fragile in his calloused large one.

"Not one bit." He grinned at her.

The two headed back to his bag to change, followed by the rest of the guys who itched for a sip of water.

"Hey um, you've got an instagram?" Cillian hesitantly asks, running his fingers awkwardly through his red locks.

"Yeah I do." Mavis didn't share his hesitation. "But it won't be of much use now." She scoffs, picking out her clothes from the bag.

Cillian looks at her confused, and she spots Soren out the corner of her eyes.

"I um... I lost my phone." She gauchely grins at him.

"Oh." Was all he managed.

"I can still give it to you incase I remember the password when I get a new one." She lies through her teeth, her words rushed on purpose.

"Ready to go?" Soren sweeps in.

"Yeah, let me just change." Mavis hands Cillian his phone back.

The two boys glance at each other, avoiding Mavis who got into her skirt then pulled the shorts down from underneath it.

In the car, the three decided to head to Callum's apartment to freshen up before the party, after having said their goodbyes to everyone.

Mavis was the first to occupy the bathroom, ditching her turtle neck since she had soaked it with sweat.

After touching up her makeup, she walked out, zipping her bomber jacket just high enough to cover half her bra.

Next Soren went in, leaving Callum to entertain the girl with his trophies and flexing.

And finally, Callum disappeared into the bathroom, after Soren had sunk into the other end of the couch Mavis sat on.

The two remained silent, listening as the shower went on, and water echoed off the tiled walls.

"So..." Mavis drawls, stretching her arms over her knees. "This was unexpectedly fun." She said in hopes of breaking the silence.

"Yeah. It was not bad." Soren shrugged dismissively.

After a few more moments of silence Mavis spoke again, this time with more confidence. "Did I give you a reason to like me yet?"

With his head still facing the carpet, Soren's eyes snapped to meet Mavis's. He watched her, puzzled.

"You know... when I asked you why you hated me earlier today and you're reply was "I don't hate you, you just haven't given me a reason to like you yet". So... have I given you a reason to like me?" She repeats, straightening her posture.

Soren gulped uneasily, lacing his fingers together.

"Have you?" He avoids her gaze.

"Well I'd say I did pretty well back there. We did beat your asses by a whooping 6 points." She teases, trying to suppress her growing grin.
"That should count for something..."

Soren scoffed, slightly shaking his head, discreetly glancing at her in between the shakes.

"Oh come on!" Mavis grabbed a pillow, her mouth open accusatorially.

"I wouldn't say you did particularly well." He chaffed.

"Like you were any better! You missed the ball and almost tackled me to the floor. Like we get it Masalis, you're a boxer." Sarcasm dripped from her words.

So are you apparently.

He thought to himself, a ghost of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

The smell of pungent male body wash accompanied by a humid warmth crept onto both their skins, and they looked up to see Callum eying them skeptically.

"We ready to go?" Soren stood up, straightening out his pants.

"Sure..." His cousin dragged, squinting his eyes cynically.

•                                      •                                         •

It was still considerably early when Callum dropped the pair off back at juvie.

Both swayed with a light buzz, the pounding music of the party still reverberating through their bodies.

Despite them being there for only a short while thanks to curfew, each enjoyed themselves... in rather different ways.

They walked past the gates into the unwelcoming dark and cold territory. The windows were ignited some with white some with orange, and the bars outside of them made the shadows look all striped.

Soren walked a few steps ahead of Mavis, both haven't have spoken to one another since Callum's apartment...