Page 7 of Matched Up

Sadie’s voice blurred into the night.Heartbeat in my ears, exhausted, desperate, scared to listen.But my name didn’t come.And Sadie must have sensed my disappointment, because she held me behind.

‘Keep going, Lex.Your effort isn’t going unnoticed.It’s just tough because you’re competing against Zoe for right back, and at the minute, she has the edge.’

I winced but I tried to hide it.Clearly not very well because Sadie put her hand on my shoulder.

‘That’s not to say she always will.Look, keep putting in the practice.I know how much you want this, OK?Busting your ass for something you want?It’s always a good look.For anything.’Sadie winked at me and I tried to smile back, but I could feel the pressure behind my eyes.

‘Thanks,’ I said, turning away and following the girls back to the changing rooms.I didn’t talk to anyone.I ignored the chat about the Birch High Spring Formal and our V-Ball.I just wanted to be alone or with Megan.Where was she?I couldn’t see her, so I walked towards the shower.Then I heard Zoe.

‘Hey, Lex, you still coming to my party?’She smiled as if she hadn’t been there when my dreams were stomped on by Sadie.

‘Sure,’ I managed to choke out.

She squealed.‘Awesome, and make sure to get Niall and Hunter to tell the boys’ team too.’She let her red hair down from its ponytail.It sat in fiery waves over her shoulders, and it just added to the pang of jealousy after my conversation with Sadie.

I had a shower.In the disgusting shower block that had barely any hot water.Nobody showered there so I knew I’d be alone.I let myself cry silently, tears disappearing into lukewarm water.By the time I’d finished, the changing rooms were empty.I pulled on my spare under-layers and my Westing hoodie, with a woolly hat over my wet hair.I looked in the mirror.Red-rimmed eyes, lips dark pink from biting them.I reached into my bag for some make-up and did the best I could.

I walked outside into the freezing night, and it felt colder than ever because of my wet hair.The boys were almost finished, and there was Megan, watching from the sidelines.

I got there just in time to see Niall score.He was playing out on the left wing for some reason.At least Sadie had never moved me from defence.There was something I loved about being the last man before the keeper, the thrill of getting a last-second foot in to ruin their play.

I sidled up beside Megan.

‘Oh my God, tell me you did not go into those gross showers?’She fingered my wet hair.‘You OK?Sadie doesn’t know what the hell she’s talking about; you’re by far the best defender on the team, Lex.’Megan sounded likeshewas going to cry.

‘I’ll be fine.’I forced a smile and focused on the pitch.‘How’s practice going?’I asked, changing the subject.

‘Check it out.’She pointed across the pitch to someone I didn’t recognize.The new kid, who’d been talking to Harrison, in a mismatched tracksuit, running rings round the rest of them.

And it was like someone had hit slow motion on the world.The way this kid played, it was beautiful.It was like he barely touched the ball; the tiniest move here and there and he was sending the other players completely the wrong way.Then he took a shot, hard and low – Fry was never saving it.

‘Jesus.’I’m not even sure I closed my mouth.‘Did you get a name?’

‘Shane something.He came from Ferndale United,’ Megan said.

My eyes drifted towards Niall, who I could tell was raging by the set of his jaw.

‘But Ferndale are crap!’I said, so confused that nobody had heard about this kid.Everyone knew the good players from all the local teams.The ones who stood out a mile and you half expected to see them onMatch of the Dayin a couple of years.

‘I know.Well, all apart from this guy, anyway.And he’s a striker.’Megan looked at me with concern because we both knew what this meant.

‘Shit, Niall,’ I said reflexively, that familiar lurch in my stomach when something bad happened to him.

‘Yeah,’ Megan agreed, as if she’d felt it too.

Harrison blew the final whistle.

I let my gaze fall back on Shane.He walked alone, aheadof the other boys, and as he got closer, I could see his face properly.His features were delicate but masculine at the same time.His hair, shaggy, longer at the front and shaved up the sides, almost black, but it was hard to tell if it was really that dark or the shine of sweat that made it that colour.

One thing I did know?He was beautiful.

I had to drag my eyes away from him because he was getting closer and there was no hope of changing the expression on my face.I turned to see where Megan had gone, and just as I did, he hopped over the fence beside me and knocked into my arm.

‘Don’t believe in gates?’I blurted out.

He turned to me.More than a head taller.Lean, quarter zip, zipped up to his chin, black track bottoms skimming overeverything.He smelled like sweat and body spray.I had to stop myself moving closer to smell him again because that would have been weird.But my God, he was gorgeous.

He smiled at me.His eyes were light.Blue maybe.‘There’s a queue.And I’m going to miss the bus.’

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