The 10 Steps To A Boy's Heart

Chapter 13

Zander doesn't bother me for the rest of the game and my performance improves dramatically. I manage to score twice in the second round.

The evening sun has already begun to set, slowly disappearing over the horizon. A cool breeze settles amongst us and I can't help but feel that this evening has turned out better than I'd imagined.

Instead of sitting alone in my room, eating my take away in misery, I'm here instead, standing under the clouds playing cro-hockey with Luke and his family.

Luke playfully competes with me, trying to steal the ball before I make a hit. I'm laughing so hard, my ribs hurt. I push him away and make a pass for the hoop but it only dribbles off to the right, missing my target completely.

"You!" I point a finger at him, tears stinging my eyes from laughing so hard. "You should be disqualified!"

Luke simply smirks, his grin mischievous as he makes an attempt at scoring and is unsurprisingly successful.

I roll my eyes as he smiles at me victoriously. I don't know why I've never really noticed him before. I mean I've known of him, everyone in our state knows who Luke Bradshaw is but I'd never really known him.

It makes me realise that I want to spend more time with him, I want to learn more about the guy who's currently flaunting his croquet skills dramatically while his sister mouths off about what a show off he is.

I bite my lip, resisting the smile when he pretends to tackle Indica making her scream profanities.

I've never felt this way about a guy before.

The realisation sinks in slowly, like lead settling into my veins. In all my twenty years of life, this is the first time I've actually wanted to spend more time with a guy. I tuck the long handled mullet into the grass, letting its wooden hilt rest on my side.

Elizabeth would scream if she knew this. My heart tugs with a longing for my best friend, wishing I could share this with her. The corners of my lips lift, imagining her reaction to finding out I'm not an asexual, the term she's used for me for years.

Indica yells at me when the ball comes hurtling my way. I snap back to reality, going into full competitive mode as I reach my mallet out for it. Someone else comes charging, hoping to steal it off me but I out manoeuvre him, doing some bizarre dribbling that would make Pele turn in his grave.

Nevertheless, I make a throw and the ball tramples the grass, heading directly for the hoop ring to my far left. Everyone pauses and it's as if everything is moving in slow motion. The ball rolls forward, second by second and I hold my breath until it runs past the hoop, earning our team a point.

I jump up and down happily, screaming like I'd just lead my team to a Super Bowl victory. Indica, who isn't even on our side rushes up to me and hugs me happily. My team walks over, all cheering after my goal lead us to win this round.

"Not bad for a first timer," Luke winks, before he heads off to collect the hoops on the ground. Everyone gathers closer and even Zander congratulates me in a soft voice.

I thank everyone, beaming from ear to ear. Luke's father approaches and lifts up his palm. For some reason I tense so hard that my muscles lock in, body going rigid with fear. I hunch forward protectively, sucking in a breath as I wait for the slap but it never comes.

Mr. Bradshaw frowns in confusion at my reaction and I notice Zander watching me curiously. It is only then that I realise Luke's father was going in for a high five and here I am thinking he was going to hit me.

I quickly straighten up, blood rushing to my face just as Mr Bradshaw quickly lowers his hand.

"Good game, Danielle." He smiles at me cautiously and my pulse is racing because no one knows about my family dynamic. But Mr Bradshaw looks like he's putting the pieces together in his brain. "You should come over more often and play. It would be nice to have you over."