The 10 Steps To A Boy's Heart

Chapter 17

The weather is just too perfect. The sun's already beginning to set, fresh spring air making the grass dewy and the wind isn't too chilly. It would be a sin to pass on the offer to lounge outside and enjoy the evening.

Thankfully, Stacy has field practice today so it gives me just enough reason to sit on the bleachers and watch our athletes train. Of course, I have a particular athlete in mind but no one needs to know that. 

Daphne and I sit towards the back, the front rows already occupied by other students who have come to watch. 

I sip on my coffee and take a bite of the cookie we bought from the Orange Idiot. The barista there has always been obsessed with any concoction involving orange and today his special was Tangerine Cappuccino. It doesn't taste half as bad as I thought it would, unlike the Mandarin Latte he made last week which sent me running to the toilets. 

"I swear you're the only one who buys his weird drinks. Maybe if you stopped, he would stop making them," Daphne complains, taking a sip of hers. 

Ariel, the barista was so enthusiastic when I bought his special that he gave her a complimentary one as well. 

"You know you don't have to drink it, right? The dustbin's over there." I point to the large green dumpster by the end of the first row. 

Daphne gasps like I'd just told her to drop it on someones head. "I can't just waste this. It's almond milk, it's fresh, it's expensive." 

"Then don't complain," I point out, taking another long sip. 

Daphne mutters some profanities under her breath as she forces herself to drink and I stare at the group of cheerleaders practising their routine down by the tracks. The athletes who do track and field have taken up the other side of the field. I see some of them jumping over hurdles and the others sprint from one side to another. 

"Go Stacy!" We both cheer when our friend does a back flip and lands on the floor effortlessly. This is one of the easier moves she does but it still never ceases to amaze us. 

It's hard to resist but my eyes trail slowly towards the centre of the field, like metal to a magnet. The footballers have only just started warming up, a few trickling in slowly. They usually practice last when most of the other practices are over.

I catch Luke Bradshaw walking across the field, a sports bag hung over his shoulder. Is it just me or is his shirt extra tight today. The material sticks to his arms and back like second skin, leaving little to the imagination. 

I catch a few girls by the front pointing at him and giggling and bite down on the edge of my cup. I suddenly want to punch something.  

His light brown hair is soft and wavy as he runs a hand through it. I watch him greet the coach and they exchange a few words, both smiling happily. Coach Randy must be approaching his sixties but the wily man stands tall at six foot five. He played in the NFL and was a celebrated linebacker back in his day. 

He's been coaching Daltech for the past twenty years and we have come so far because of him. I watch him pat Luke on the back and point to a couple of spots on the field, most likely discussing plays with our star player. 

"Do you have some chocolate?" Daphne asks. She's jittery and impatient as she looks around her bag, looking like she wants to tear the thing apart. I sort of dragged her out of her comfort zone today and now she's acting like an addict on withdrawal. 

"Here," I hand her a bar that I keep whenever I need to cram for a paper. 

Daphne grabs the piece of chocolate, unwraps it and all but swallows it down.