Delia is still laughing, and so is Simon; I give them a look, shuffle past them to reach the stairs next to Simon, step down the first step and give them another look. Finally turning my back on them - let them laugh themselves into a coma - I dutifully and filled with dignity walk down the stairs while I scan the area for Ethan. There's no way I'm also going to stampede like a blooming heifer.

I spot him!

He is still on the field, standing bent over with James patting his back. I don't like the look of that! He must be utterly winded after that attack! Next to them, Barn, Jet and Lurch are arguing with a couple of guys from the other team, and the referee is having an argument of his own by the side of the field with the two teams' coaches and a couple of parents.

I'm surprised when I realise that one of the angry parents is Ethan's dad. I did not know that he still watched his son's games! I'm oddly happy about that, but I hastily turn my head, looking away from him. Certain that he couldn't possibly recognise me in this get-up, I jog past him, stealing a glance. He is too enraged to even look in my direction.

Good! Let the blind referee have it!

Oh, my word! There is just too much aggression to go around, and I'm feeling some of my own bubbling under the surface. That bully really hurt my boyfriend!

My what?! Pffft... ugh... no!

Once my feet touch the grass of the rugby field, I switch to a sprint, which is probably not such a great idea; I'm really not fit and am completely winded by the time I reach the boys.

"Are... you... okay?" I gasp, holding an opened bottle of water out to Ethan. His face brightens when he sees me... or the water... and grinning, he takes the offered bottle and pours water into his mouth. I watch him rinse his mouth a few times, spitting the water on the ground. I think there's some blood mixed into the stream he spits out. I clench my teeth, the fingers of one hand digging into the material of my skirt.

"I'm fine, thanks," he smiles, passing the bottle to James.

"Aren't you going to drink any?" I ask.

"I had a sip or two, can't drink a lot while I'm playing; it will make me nauseous."

"Bend over," I tell him, and he gives me a look before he gingerly obeys. Apparently, he has some trust issues. I have no idea why... He is the one always pranking me, not the other way around. Like the good girlfriend I am, I upend the other bottle over his head, making him gasp and splutter. He grabs it from my hand, standing up straight again.

"Why are you trying to drown me?' he gasps, his hair and face streaming with rivulets of water.

"Dell said to pour some over your head."

"Thank you," Ethan laughs, shaking his head, causing droplets to spray over me. Sometimes, I think he might be a big dog... a Labrador or a Border Collie. 

Oh! That would've been awesome! I'd much rather have a dog than a boyfriend. 

"Next time, try a drizzle instead of a flood," he tells me, but he's distracted by the argument near us growing more and more intense.

"First, you went for David twice, and these last three attacks on Ethan were bloody dangerous! Play the game, Marshall, or get off the f#cking field!" So, James is able to talk after all! I didn't even see him join his mates in their diplomatic talks with the enemy. He is really angry! I swear the tips of his wavy red hair are spitting actual fire.

"Didn't hear the ref blowing for it... so... prove it," Marshall smirks. "If the ref didn't see it, it didn't happen. Besides, was an accident; Fletcher is so f#cking slow..."

"Excuse me," I say, unable to stand the arrogant ass's condescending tone and overbearing, unapologetic behaviour one more minute. I felt that last shoulder smash he'd given Ethan straight to my bones, and besides, I hate bullies. They make me become somebody else. Somebody who says things.

"I'll excuse you all night long if you want," he grins, looking me up and down, his eyes taking their sweet time on their journey along the length of my legs. In my ignorance, I once would've thought this behaviour to be similar to the way that Ethan sometimes looks at me when he's messing with me or we're having an argument, but I now realise that I would've been wrong. Ethan's eyes usually have a spark of mirth and mischief in them; this guy's eyes hold only contempt and something almost lusty that makes my toes curl.

"The way you treat the other players is really rude and bullish, you know?" I inform him reasonably, keeping a tight rein on my anger. "I don't know much about rugby, but even I can tell that it's against the rules to do what you did to my boyfriend! You are being even more of a caveman than the average rugby player."

"Hey!" there's a chorus of protests from Ethan's friends, and I make large eyes at them, giggling nervously.

"I don't mean any of you, of course..."

I totally meant them.

"Is that right, and what are you going to do about it, Little One? Take me around the corner and teach me some... manners?"

Ugh, this guy is making my brain want to puke!

"No, I'm going to take you around the corner and fudge you up if you so much as touch Ethan again."

What the hell am I saying?! This guy is really making me mad!

"Fudge me up? Did you hear that, Guys? The little girl is going to fudge me up," he laughs, and his buddies join in. I roll my eyes because, seriously, are we in high school? Oh... wait...

Ethan's friends are laughing too, but at least they are trying to pretend that they're not.

"Is that like a kinky food play you-"

I feel someone drag me away from the hulking guy, and suddenly Ethan is standing between Marshall and me, and the arrogant brute wisely swallows the rest of his sentence.

"We're on the field now, Gibbs, but we're not going to be on the field all day... If you want to make this personal, I'm in." Ethan has recovered now; he has his steel back, and I can tell that he is mad, even though he's speaking in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.

"Maybe I would rather go get personal with your little girl," Marshall scoffs, and Ethan takes a threatening step towards him.

"Ethan!" James warns, putting a hand on his shoulder. "He is trying to goad you, don't let him."

Holding onto Ethan's rugby jersey, I peek past him to see if the Gibbs guy is backing off. He is still cocky and brave, flanked by two of his teammates, but something in his eyes has shifted; I think he is a little more cautious now.

"It's okay, Burlap," Ethan snorts. "I was just going to give the guy some tips on which parts to cover when he pisses Kicks off. I have looooads of experience in doing that."

That's true. I might have hit him in the groin with whatever I was holding a few times. Well deserved, I might add. He's really tall; I can't reach any other sensitive areas.

Don't judge me!

"Come on," Ethan says, putting his arm around my shoulders and steering me off the field and away from the opposition. "Fudge him up?" he laughs. "Does that mean you're going to make fudge?"

Ethan loves the fudge I make for them and my Dad. He always steals Delia's share, even when I make enough to give him a full bottle as well.

"You wish," I scoff, but I'm feeling a little shaky, upset by the encounter, startled by my anger.

"I do," he chuckles. "Say, I thought you liked seeing me get my ass handed to me."

"Only when I'm the one handing it to you." I suddenly realise that I am telling the whole, unadulterated truth here. I blush when Ethan laughs and suddenly hugs me closer to his side.

"Wait! Why is everybody coming back onto the field? Aren't we done? Didn't we win? Isn't this over yet?!"

"It was halftime," Barn informs me, and I can feel my spirits plunging drastically.

There's more?! Noooooooooo!

"Is... Is that guy going to try to hurt you again?"

"Nah," Ethan chuckles. "You scared him."

"Shut up."

I leave Ethan on the field and climb back up the bleachers to take my seat with Delia and Simon. I can clearly see Mr Fletcher standing by the side of the field, his fists clenched, his shoulders tense. He calls his son over, and after sharing a few words, Ethan is jogging back to his place on the field.

I glance at Delia, and she gives me a tight smile. She was also watching the interaction between her brother and father. She must be used to this kind of thing by now because she didn't run down and beat Marshall to a pulp using her bag, and I'm pretty sure she wanted to.

"I don't like this," I tell her. "I just told a guy I was going to beat him up for hurting my boyfriend... I'm turning into a rugby shrew."

"A what?" she laughs.

"It's a thing now... I've started a trend," I sigh, shoving my face into my hands. My cheeks are burning hot, and I'm not sure whether it is about all the stirred-up emotions I'm feeling or just sheer embarrassment. Some of the people around me heard what I said and are actually cheering me now.

I could just die. I don't like all this attention.

"Here, have some of my soda; take a breath," Simon kindly offers, leaning past Dell to hold his can out to me.

"Thanks," I almost take it, but I pull my hand back in time. "Oh, I can't. It's against the rules."

"What rules?" Dell and Simon ask me in unison.

"Ethan said sharing a boy's soda is the same as cheating."

"Huh?!" Delia takes the can, takes a sip and hands it to me. "I stole Simon's soda, so now you're sharing with me... is that okay?"

"Yes... Thank you," I giggle, gratefully taking the can so that I can wash away the dryness in my mouth.

"I don't' think Ethe had this in mind, though, Kira," Simon says, looking sympathetic. "I think he meant the kind where you share one can using two straws."

"Yeah," Delia elaborates. "Gazing into each other's eyes, moving closer, your lips touching now and then." She reaches up behind her shoulder and starts to stroke Simon's chin in a way that is making me swallow convulsively.

"People actually do that?"

Simon nuzzles Delia's temple, and she gives me a languid smile, raising her eyebrows.

"Ugh," I grunt. "You guys are so nauseating! There's no way I'm doing that... ever!"

"You know Kiki," Delia says, dropping her hand from Simon's face to take the can I'm holding out to her. "I'm starting to think that you don't have a romantic fibre in your entire body."

"Damn straight!"

♂♀