Tuesday. How does a guy apologise to his ex-girlfriend for watching her during her sleep then supposedly leaving but really didn't? That was the big question I had to figure out as i sat outside the boys change room tapping my foot on the tiles.

"Ross!" Coach Hendricks yelled poking his head out slightly. "Are you going to come in or what?"

Snapping me out of thought, I sat up straight, my eyes wide, and nodded my head.

"What were you doing out there?" Rick, a tall red head mutters next to me. I changed as fast as i could trying to avoid another yelling from Coach and jogged over to Rick on the field outside.

"nothing." i pant slightly. "just thinking."

he seems to accept my response and shrugs it off before starting his stretches.

"TODAY's THE BEGINNING OF FOOTBALL WEEK!" Coach yells after motioning for us all to get in line. His thick arms too small for his well built body. "AND BECAUSE THIS IS AN ALL BOYS CLASS I EXPECT A LOT OF INJURIES AND HARD COLD SWEAT!"

"girls can play just as well as guys!" a tiny voice calls out from the end of the line. Rick and I line up at the front so I lean my head down to get a better look at who dared speak out.

it was Nathan. A big guy who is too innocent to hurt a fly. the hot sun shines on my face making it hard to see his expression, but he looks scared. "i .. i mean, i have two sisters who play rough when they play football," he continues as i watch Coach walk towards him slowly like a hyena ready to pounce.

"and are they any good?" Coach asks coldly.

"y..yes..." Nathan replies hesitant, almost unsure of himself. Coach stops in front of him staring him down before saying, "Take a lap." and turns back towards the rest of us as Rick and I quickly step back into line a little straighter.

~

"ALRIGHT HIT THE SHOWERS!" Coach yells releasing us from the hell hole of a class. "I EXPECT YOU ALL TO BE HERE TOMORROW FOR EXERCISES!"

"Argh. I cant feel my arms anymore." Chris, a tan swimmer says walking past me while rubbing his shoulders. "Coach needs to lighten up."

"I thought the 200 Arm swing exercise wasn't that bad." i call after him regardless if he was talking to me or not. He turns around a look of pain on his face and rolls his eyes. "Well of course you do Lynch."

Ignoring his remark I walk to my locker and change eager for my next class. Latin with Laura.

~
Students shove past me in the halls a lot of them nudging my shoulder reminding me Chris was right. Coach needs to lighten up, my arms are killing me now.

rubbing each shoulder one at a time i walk quickly to Latin which isn't too far from my P.E class.

When i get closer to the door, I spot Laura just ahead reading a textbook. Of course. Forgetting about my arms I walk a little faster hoping to stop her from entering the room.

"hey!" i call out a smile on my face. She looks up startled with a scared expression on her face before saying; "oh. hi."

"hi." i repeat with the same smile on my face. She eyes me a little weirdly before attempting to step into class. but i block her.

"What're you doing Ross?"

"I want to talk." i say like a child.

"We can talk inside," she motions to the door behind me, other students glaring at me when i block their way too. I move aside, allowing others to head in but make sure to move Laura with me.

"listen, i wanted to apologise for yesterday." her eyes soften and she looks sympathetically at me.

"its okay Ross."

"Can we go somewhere after school? we really need to talk."

"we don't need to talk about anything." she says her expression hardening. she attempts to walk back into class but i block her again.

"please Laura." i plead making sure to look straight into her eyes. i can tell its a little uncomfortable for her when she starts to blush and looks away flustered.

"fine, whatever." she says quietly and I fist pump the air happily.

"Laura and Ross!" Mr.Moss scolds walking out of class. "The bell rung 3 minutes ago, can we canoodle another time." from the corner of my eye I can see Laura blush hard before quickly walking into class. Mr.Moss eyes me after Laura walks in and I raise my arms in defence. "I'm going! no canoodling."

~
The day cant end any faster. Bio is one of the most exhausting classes ever and here i was staring at the clock. One minute till' it rings.

deciding the universe hated me, i pulled out my phone and text Laura.

To Laura:
Meet at your locker?

after what seems like 40 minutes but really was only 3 seconds she replies.

From Laura:
Pay attention in class.

i cant help but Chuckle. She's in my class and yet we're texting. I casually try and sneak a glance towards her smiling.

To Laura:
Only one minute left silly😂 So ur locker?

From Laura:
a person can learn a lot in a minute.

To laura:
Whateverrrrr, so locker?

From Laura:
Yes Ross. locker.

I smile and the bell rings.

~
"Took you long enough!" i groan when I finally spot Laura walking towards me standing in front of her locker.

"the bell literally rang 6 minutes ago."

"Six minutes I've been waiting for you then."
she ignores me by rolling her eyes and gesturing for me to move.

after watching her sort out her necessities I drag her by the hand towards the entrance of the school.

"slow down!" i hear her tiny voice from behind me.

"you're such a slow walker!!" i yell behind me half teasingly.

"no." i hear her pout. "you're just a fast walker."

we reach my car and she reaches for the passenger door to get in before i stop her.

"what're you doing?" she asks puzzled.

"We're not taking my car." she stares at me as if to say 'You're joking right ' before realising i was serious and dips her head sighing. "fine. lead the way Lynch."

We walk in silence for about 10 minutes finally reaching a clearing up ahead. It's the one place i know we can get peace. nobody ever comes here.

We enter the clearing and i sit on a bench letting Laura take in the beauty of the place. Green everywhere.

"So.." she says taking a seat next to me. She's close enough for our shoulders to touch and for me to smell her perfume. Before getting here, i knew exactly what i wanted to say. i knew exactly what i wanted to talk about. but now that i finally have my moment with Laura, my mind goes blank.

a moment of silence goes by and i watch two ducks waddle by side-by-side which gets me thinking about the summer. "Why did you break up with me." i don't dare look at her.

"it's complicated." she says quietly. "Why do you care." she suddenly asks. "don't you have a girlfriend now?" and i flinch.

"what? what girlfriend? i don't have a girlfriend."

i look at her and notice a glimmer in her eyes. "you don't?" i shake my head confused on how or where she'd get that idea.

"but that girl i saw you with when we first saw each other at school.."

"gracie?" i ask, "shes just a friend from the private school i was at. she means nothing to me."

Laura doesn't say anything, instead stares at her hands in her lap.

"in truth," i begin looking away from her, " i still like this girl i used to like." and i see her look up, a hint of jealousy yet admiration in her eyes.

"Do i know this girl?" she asks following along with my tease. I pretend to think for a while before smiling. "Mm.. I think so."

"are we close?" she asks ironically leaning in closer to me. "Oh yes." i reply quickly. "Very close, almost the same person." and then she looks down sadly.

"Laura whats wrong," i ask wondering whether she understood who i was talking about or not. "you know i was talking about you right?"

she nods her head still looking down.

"laura i am so sorry-"

"At the beginning of the year," she begins to say quietly, "i wanted to be in your classes so badly. i wanted to see you and explain why i broke up with you. i didn't want you to hate me because i wanted to be friends." she looked like she was about to cry. i open my mouth to say something but instead shut it. "i really wanted to explain myself. but then i saw you with gracie and i thought you had moved on..."

"laura.." i mutter suddenly aware of the coldness.

"i told myself i had to move on too because you had moved on and that hurt because i .. still like you."

and just like that, a spark goes off and i feel electricity building off my happiness.

"so i told myself i had to move on which meant avoiding you and pushing you away. but now today, i realise it hasn't been working because I still like you, even more for that matter."

my smile grows the more she speaks and i find myself saying, "Laura, i like you too.. i still like you. its always been you!" i lean closer towards her expecting things to end well but then she says, "but we cant be together..." and then she gets up and runs.

+++
long update for you guys.
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