This game is huge. Almost the entire school is watching, and we have a mandatory team dinner afterward. Leah starts, and I run up the field.

In the first few seconds of the game, our team gets the ball to the opposing team's side, and Maddie passes it to me to score, but a girl blocks me, so I pass it back.

Two girls appear where Maddie is, and she keeps the ball for a few seconds before being forced to pass it back to Leah. A girl almost steals the ball from her, so Maddie passes it back to one of our defenders. But the other team's forward steals it and scores.

Disappointed but determined, we push harder. By halftime, we're tied two-two. Coach gives us a quick talk, telling us to focus on our speed instead of the pressure the opposing team's players keep putting on us.

She also mentions we need to receive the balls with our 'back foot', which is usually your non-dominant foot because that's the side of you that players will be least likely to guard. It feels like Coach is speaking directly to me, because she can tell I don't like using my left foot, especially since my injury the previous season.

We break, and I try what Coach told us when we return to the field.

Leah passes the ball to me, and the other team's defender approaches me. Instead of making the ball inaccessible to the defender, I increase my speed while dribbling, raising my left forearm to block her from advancing toward me.

When the other team realizes what we're doing, it's too late. We've already scored two more goals, one being mine and the other from Maddie.

I can sense the team's frustration, making them angry and sloppy. They score in the last six minutes, but I don't care. I already know we won.

The final score is four-three, and I jog towards Maddie and Emilia and high-five them.

Coach seems very happy with us, and I'm pleased as well.

Since today's game was so big, parents are allowed to come onto the field afterward. I don't expect my mom to come, so I hang back with Leah and her dad.

"Hey, good job, sport!" Leah's dad tells me. "You two together are a killer duo."

"Thanks," I grin. "I'm not ready for Leah to leave," I say, glancing at her solemnly.

Leah puts an arm around my shoulder. "I'm not ready to leave, either," she says. "But hey, at least you'll be captain."

"We don't know that for sure," I say, smiling along with them.

Leah's dad chuckles. "I think it's safe to say you will. The options make it pretty clear." I side-eye Leah, and her dad points behind him with his thumb. "Okay, girls. I have to meet your mom somewhere. You guys have fun."

We both give him a thumbs up and cheesy smile before returning to the crowd on the field.

I lose Leah as she weaves through the crowd, and as I search for her, my heart drops a little.

Hazel stands amidst the crowd, searching for someone or something.

I start walking over to her. Some people step in my way, blocking my view, but when I finally push past them, I stop.

Some guy is next to her, saying something into her ear.

He's blonde with a good haircut and is annoyingly pretty. My heartbeat quickens. Why am I feeling like this?

Jaw tightening, I watch them from afar. Am I jealous?

I can't be; I'm not a jealous person. I simply can't help but notice how Hazel always has so many guys all over her.

Okay, maybe I understand why, but I definitely do not appreciate that I know I'm no better than them; that I would be in the exact same position if I were them. But it's not my fault Hazel's so charismatic and gorgeous, and hot, and . . .

I think it's time for me to leave.

I still haven't talked to Hazel since I took her home from Emilia's. I saw her before school today and was about to wave to her, but the same blonde boy she is currently talking to came and swept her into a conversation.

I feel a strong, confident hand on my shoulder. Looking up, my eyes widen.

"You came?" I cry. Guess who it is.

The slightly wrinkled corners of her eyes (that she insists convey wisdom, not age) crinkle upwards as she grins. "I did."

I smile widely.

"I watched the whole thing. You're talented." My grandma says. I continue beaming.

"Thank you."

Grandma turns and looks straightforward. "Who are we staring at?"

"No one. Nobody." I say quickly, averting my eyes to the grass under my cleats.

She cranes her neck to peer over the people now blocking the view. "Hm," she says in response. Then she stops searching. "Oh. Ohhh."

"What?" I ask impatiently.

She turns back to me and smiles warmly. "She's cute."

Heat rises in my cheeks. "What? I don't know what you're talking about."

"Hm," she hums again. Then her arm leaves my back, and she steps toward Hazel.

"Where are you going?" I hiss.

Grandma looks back at me. "Are you not going to introduce me?"

"Why would I--No. No, no, no. I haven't talked to her in like, a week; that would be so weird."

Grandma raises her professionally done eyebrows. "And standing here staring at her is less weird?" She states.

I shift. "Well, no . . ." I say. "But she also thinks you're still a traitor. I kind of told her about Thanksgiving."

Grandma winces at my words. "All the more reason to reintroduce me."

I fold my arms like a five-year-old about to throw a fit. "I'm staying right here."

My grandma copies me and folds her arms as well. It's funny; my mother would never entertain my stubbornness. It's like the genes skipped a generation.

We returned to the spot where we'd last seen Hazel and the blonde boy, and, as expected, they were still there.

My heart beats rapidly in my chest, and I almost feel like running away. Sheesh, why am I so nervous? I've talked to Hazel a million times before.

"Um, hi," I say tentatively once we stand before them. They look up.

"Oh, hey, Casey," Hazel responds. The blonde boy looks confused.

Raising my left arm, I point to the middle-aged woman beside me. "This is my, um--"

"Aunt." Grandma finishes.

I stare at her, my expression a combination of furrowed brows, narrowed eyes, and mouth slightly open in disbelief; while Hazel smiles and extends her hand politely.

"Nice to meet you, Casey's aunt," she says, shaking my grandmother's hand.

My grandma beams. "Nice to meet you, too. And you are--?"

I internally roll my eyes. She can cut the act; she knows exactly who Hazel is.

Hazel blinks. "Oh! I'm just Hazel. Casey's, um, friend. I help her with math, sometimes."

"All the time." I correct her.

"Often," Hazel says, looking at me.

The blonde boy looks uncomfortable. He bends to speak in her ear, then leaves.

"Oh, you're Hazel," Grandma quips. "I've heard so much about you."

Her brows perk up and she glances at me, but I miss it because I'm glaring at Grandma. "Good things, I hope?"

"Of course." Grandma senses the awkward atmosphere slowly settling around us and breathes an exaggerated sigh. "Well, I've got to get going. Have fun kiddos."

She walks away. Looking at Hazel, I push my hands into my pockets. "So . . ."

Hazel blinks. "She's your grandmother, isn't she?"

"Wha--How did you--"

"You guys seem really close, yet you haven't mentioned an aunt before. And it looks like you still haven't gotten over the fact that she stood you up," Hazel explains, blushing when she sees me staring at her in amazement. "So, um, yeah."

"You're so . . ." I trail off, shaking my head when I realize I don't have a word to call her that I haven't already used.

Most of the parents have left, and there's a small crowd forming around Coach. Returning my gaze to Hazel, I nod toward the crowd.

"Are you coming to the team dinner?" I ask.

"Isn't it just for the team? I don't think I'm allowed to."

"Of course you're allowed to. We're all allowed to bring one or two people, and you're basically the whole team's friend, so . . ." I say with a hopeful smile. "Come with?"

She looks at me, then her face displays a funny smile. "Um, okay."

She walks with us to our cars, and she stands by mine as Leah, Maddie, and Emilia get in.

After surveying the situation, she says, "I'll ask my friend for a ride."

"No, it's okay. You can ride with us." I say.

Her eyes sweep over the car, then she looks at me. "There's no space. It's fine," she says, shaking her head. "I came with him, anyway."

Him?

"Oh, okay. See you there, I guess."

"Yeah," she says, turning around and walking through the parking lot.

To my dismay, she walks right up to the blonde boy I saw her with earlier. He's leaning against a truck I assume is his, folding his arms as she talks to him. I grit my teeth as he nods and opens the car door for her.

Turning back to the car in a huff, I reach for the handle. Then I stop.

All three girls are staring at me through the window, and Leah has an amused look on her face. I throw them a concerned and annoyed look before walking around the car to the driver's seat.

They're silent as I start the car and pull slowly out of the parking lot.

"So . . ." Emilia starts from the backseat.

"What?" I say impatiently after she doesn't finish her thought.

"Nothing."

Leah glances at them behind her, and then at me. "Jealousy isn't a great look for you." She says bluntly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I say, looking at the road. "I'm not jealous of anything."

Leah falls silent.

"You're mad, then. Mad Hazel chose to ride with Evan over you?" Emilia adds.

My grip on the steering wheel tightens. "I already told you. I'm not mad."

The car is silent again, and I'm beginning to get irritated. "Why are you all looking at me like that?" I exclaim, glancing at them in the rearview mirror.

"Um . . ."

Brows furrowing, I watch as they side-eye each other.

Leah pipes up. "There's no use in hiding it, Case. They know you like her."

My other hand rests on the glove compartment, and I move it to join the other on the steering wheel. "I . . ."

"Just tell her, Casey. Don't beat around the bush and have her figure it out herself." Maddie says.

Emilia nods in agreement. "I can tell she's fed up with your tendency to be confusing and indirect."

I glance at Leah, and she's nodding as well.

I snort. "Whenever I follow y'all's advice, it doesn't end well."

"That's because you barely put effort into it. It's obviously not going to work if you don't even try," Emilia continues.

Pausing to think, I run a hand through my hair as I make a right turn into the commercial property.

"What if I don't want to try? What if I want everything to stay where it is?"

"Then you'll keep feeling the same jealous way. Eventually, she'll tire trying to figure you out," Leah says, pausing before the word 'jealous'.

"And I'm fine with that," I say. We have arrived at the restaurant, and I pull into a parking spot.

Emilia rolls her eyes, and Leah looks at me before joining her and Maddie as they walk toward the restaurant.

When they reach the door, Maddie looks back at me. "You coming?" she asks.

I shake my head. "I'm waiting for Hazel."

She raises her eyebrows as if she's not surprised, then follows the other two inside.

A/N:

Vote!!!

<3