It was the last match of the season. We postponed it after it was snowed out earlier in the season until everything had melted. Now, it was February, and most of the snow had melted into the dirt or crushed by our cleats at practice. There was flurries here and there, but nothing like the freezing snow that covered England only a month ago. The people smushed together in the stands were all bundled up, but I was doing just fine dribbling the ball with feet I could barely feel and occasionally blowing into my bright red hands to regain feeling in my fingertips. I wasn't about to let the whopping 2 degree weather ruin my night.

I was so pumped for the match. It was the last of the season against the best school team and I had something to prove. Nobody believed in me after I quit football. It was only for a month or two, but in that time, the entire team developed this mindset that I was the weak link. I knew I wasn't, but I now I had to prove to them I was just as good, if not, better.

After we warmed up, we waited on the bench for the match to start. Blake and I were off to the side while the others were in their own conversations. I didn't mind that they weren't talking to me, but I could see Blake did. When they got quiet when we walked into the locker room or how they'd pick us last for scrimmage teams hit him hard. I told him a few times that if he really wanted to, he could pretend like he still hated me. But each time I brought it up, he'd laugh.

"You are so much better than those pricks, Eli," he'd tell me.

It felt good to have him back.

"Alright, one quick change. Conway, you'll play defence and Rosen I want you back at forward," Coach announced. To my surprise, the only reactions I got were glares so hot, I stopped shivering. When we got on the field, however, Oliver didn't hesitate to take the piss out of me like old times.

"Must feel pretty good to play forward out of pity, yeah?" He snickered.

I shrugged. "I wouldn't know."

"Whatever, Eli. Just make sure your not too busy scratching up your arm to play."

I gave him the fakest smile I could manage and put my hand to my heart. "Thank you for caring, Oliver."

He snorted and flipped me off before walking to his side. Blake turned back and even in the dark, I could see the desire to kick Oliver's ass on his face, but I gave him a thumbs up, so he turned back around. Before I knew it, the match began.

Since the teams were evenly matched and both pretty good, the first half was eventful. I was always on the move, waiting for the ball to touch my mud covered cleats. Usually, the ball went straight to Oliver, but I had already racked up a few good saves before the first half even ended. At one point, though, Oliver got the ball and he was stuck in a sea of red kits all waiting to get it back. I looked around and realised nobody was open, so I decided to take charge. I spun away from the boy guarding me and yelled for the ball. Oliver looked at me through his dark fringe, but didn't make a move to pass. He kept dribbling between his feet, trying his best to keep the ball in possession.

"Ball! I'm right fucking here!" I screamed out maybe a thousand times. Soon enough, someone on the other team swooped in and stole the ball back, passing it all the way down the field to someone who kicked it right into our net. And with that disappointing play, the half was over.

"Are you bloody joking? Rosen was right open to pass to. We could've been the one with a point, but you're too selfish to play right," Coach barked when we went back to the bench. Oliver stared at him with pure fear in his eyes as our coach told him off, spit flying from his mouth onto Oliver's petrified face. It was almost funny, but I knew better than to laugh.

Then, the second half began. We were playing a lot harder. We were down by two, which meant every boy on the team had stopped joking around and decided they weren't going to let the cold or our shouting peers get under our skin. We had to put every ounce of effort and skill we built up the entire season into the last half.

Eventually, the ball made it back over to Oliver and he didn't hesitate to pass it over to me when he was surrounded again. The giant boy in front of me nearly stole it out from under my feet, but I used my heel to pull it swiftly out of his possession and back between my feet until there was nothing but me and the net. I saw my opening when the goalkeeper made the mistake of moving over to the left side where it was easiest to kick it in, but I wasn't going for easy. I kicked it like it was the last shot I had to make it on this team— because really, it was. It flew through the air and right above the goalkeepers head into the net with the most satisfying swish I ever heard.

The crowd clapped and yelled, but it was nothing compared to the roar of cheers that came after I'd made it in two more times by the last few minutes of the match, leaving us up by one. I was on fire, and my team could tell. Oliver kept passing it to me, and if I saw an opening, I didn't even hesitate to wind up and make the shot exactly where I wanted it to go. By the last two minutes, everyone on our side of the stands was jumping and screaming with every pass, and I'd get this overwhelming happiness every time the crowd rose to their feet and cheered. I felt like myself again.

Some of the boys on my team were not as ecstatic as I was. Despite the fact that he wouldn't even try to make it on his own, Oliver would still glare at me every shot I made instead of rush the field like most other guys. Across the field, I saw boys like Marcus and Alex mouthing my name and rolling their eyes every few minutes. It was unsettling knowing my name was in their mouths and I didn't know why, but I honestly didn't care, because that day, they were the only people who wanted to see me fail. Everyone else was on the edge of their seat hoping I'd do great.

We ended up winning 4-2 after I'd made 3 of the shots. Before I could run off the field and over to the huddle of boys hyped up on adrenaline and confidence, I felt a long, sweaty arm wrap tightly around my shoulders and pull me in like a snake.

"That was really odd," Oliver said.

"What was?"

"Seeing you play without having an anxiety attack and fucking everything up. It feels like that's never happened," he told me, fake sympathy dripping from his voice.

I rolled my eyes. "Oliver-"

"What's happening?" Blake popped up from beside me, staring intently at Oliver's arm squeezing the life out of my chest.

"Relax, Montgomery, I was just congratulating Eli on his once in a lifetime game," he said, patting me on the back so hard I thought he broke my spine. He turned to the stands and went to walk away, but stopped suddenly and snickered to himself.

"This is brilliant," he said to himself before shouting to the team, "hey, look! Eli's boyfriend came to watch!" He waved to Adam, who was standing in the front of the bleachers with two of his friends I only sort of recognised. He didn't wave back.

"Holy shit. You're actually shagging that guy, aren't you, Rosen?" One of the guys said from behind me.

"I called it! I swear I did," someone else shouted.

"Well, if someone on this team would turn out to be a fag it'd be-" Oliver started, staring me down with a cocky smirk as the team started to form a clump around me. I realised I was wincing like I was about to get a punch in the gut. I knew he called me that behind my back, but I didn't expect it to roll off his tongue like it was just a normal thing.

"-You are such an asshole," Blake cut in. Everyone standing close by— which was now the entire team and a few people from the opposing school— knew what he was saying, and that same feeling of humiliation and hatred towards everyone and myself came flooding back quick. Only this time, I didn't feel like letting it hurt me.

I put my hand on Blake's chest and held him back. "Listen, Oliver, I know you're just jealous. I mean, I did just show you up in your own position, but that doesn't mean you have to be a jealous asshole, yeah? So why don't you just leave me alone. Cheers," I told him, my voice as honeyed as I could make it.

His mouth popped open like he was about to come back with something really good, but all he did was stand there, dismayed along with the other guys on the team who would probably give Oliver a lot of shit later. I smiled to myself as I walked off the field towards the stands, Blake following close behind clapping me on the shoulder with a proud grin. I made my way up the stairs, Blake sort of pushing me towards Adam and his mates as my face coloured more and my palms started to sweat almost as much as they had been during the game.

"Hello," I said when we reached them. One of the guys by Adam's side whispered into the others ear and they both snickered. My breath hitched and I turned to Blake, who gave me a reassuring pat on the back.

"Don't worry about them," he mouthed to me. I nodded before taking a deep breath and turning back to Adam, who was glaring at his friends.

"Will you piss off? You haven't even met him yet and you're already scaring him," he huffed before turning back to me. "Nice game, Lij."

"Yeah, that was amazing! You should've seen the look on all your mates faces," one of the guys spoke up, his nasally voice making him ten times less intimidating than he was seconds before. He reached his fist out for me to bump, which I did. "I'm Brady."

"I'm Cade. It's so weird to finally meet you. Adam never shuts up about you," the other one said. The two of them looked a bit alike— the same deep brown skin and hooked noses— only Brady was significantly smaller and chubbier than Cade, who's thin frame towered over everyone.

I turned to Adam, cocking an eyebrow. "Really?"

He buried his face in his hands and groaned. "Time for you guys to leave. I'll see you later," he told them.

The two boys exchanged grins and waved to me before walking off to the concession stand nearby. Before he could say anything else, I stepped closer to Adam and wrapped him in a hug. He chuckled and squeezed me back. "You did play really well," he commented, speaking mostly into my hair.

"Thanks," I mumbled, not letting go. He didn't either, for a minute, until he coughed awkwardly and pushed me off of him, sending me stumbling backwards.

"What the-"

"Eli!" Blake choked out not-so-subtly, causing me to turn around to find him standing next to a very awkward Grace.

I let out an embarrassed chuckle and ran a hand through my messy curls. "Hi."

"I'm gonna try," she said, her eyes dancing back and forth between Adam and I. "I really want us to be friends."

Suddenly, the giant lump in my throat vanished and I smiled. "For real?"

She nodded. "Yeah. For real."

Then, she smiled, her baby blue braces as bright as ever. It was contagious. Soon, all four of us were smiling at one another, feeling okay for maybe the first time in forever.

I turned back to Adam, hoping he'd say something dumb or cheesy to break the silence, but he just gave me a lopsided smile and wrapped his arm lightly around my waist, pulling me closer to him. And that's when I realised: I was more than okay.

I was happy.

<><><>

Oooooh good things are happenin boizzzz

We got a squad, we got an asshole being put in his place, we got it all

Thanks for reading love y'all!!

~Teddy