The championship.

This is what me and the whole team had been working for these whole six months of hard training, team bonding, and scrimmages. I didn't do all of the extra training in my spare time for nothing, and it sure would help me now. Just because I'm a skinny lock doesn't mean I can't deal a load or knock someone twice my size down.

"Oi, Allen! Ya' rea'y for this?" Ross shoved in his mouth guard as we squatted down, binding onto each other's shirts. My left arm went around him, it was covered in a full arm glove but no one cared about my arm. They embraced it just like they embraced me. I popped in my mouth guard too and smiled around it.

"'ell ya'," Ross smiled and slapped me on the back encouragingly. Louise gave me a pat too as he came in on the other side.

"That's the spirit!" He put in his mouth guard and we all moved into position, leaning forward hard at a 120 degree angle. On time at a party we even measured the angle of our scrum to see if we were doing it right. Rugby was our life so when we did it right we were always excited. We were inserted in position and all I could see was the grass and our neon cleats clashing with the green of the ground. My cleats were neon pink for a few reasons.

They are neon

Everyone knows they are mine

Ross and Louise made me

And I am gay.

"Crouch! Set! Bind!" We all pushed our weight forward and I felt that familiar tingling feeling in my stomach as we waited for the ball to be rolled in. "Set nine!" The shifting in weight of the players alerted me and the familiar shout of the scrum-half made me smile around the mouth guard as I lifted a foot and rolled the ball back to Derek and Sam. We waited in tense silence for the next move. This game would be my last with them and I would not make a stupid mistake now. They didn't call me the white-devil for nothing!

"Ball's out!" Instantly we scattered and the ball was traveling down the back-line. Fly-half. Inside center. Outside center. Wing.

"Suppor'!" The captain, Dylan, shouted around his mouth-guard and we forwards ran in a group behind the ball, following it as it passed between each player. I heard the back-line shout out as they reformed to support the wing, Clayton. The other team's players sprinted forward and a big back-liner tackled Clayton to the ground. I was the first on there and shoved the guy off, meeting with the next guy and forming a ruck.

Giddiness filled my stomach as I realized how weak this guy was and I pushed forward, regaining the ground and getting the guy back. I felt someone move behind me to grab the ball and I stood my ground until they shouted "ball's out" again. We quickly gained ground with our fly-half Kole pushing past the opposite team and sprinting down the field. Ross and I were quick to follow him, since we saw the big forward chasing after him at top speed, and we grabbed onto each other as we pushed him off of our fallen teammate. We stayed in position and held strong as two other forwards came at us in a similar position to ours and tried to push us off.

I felt Ross stagger a moment and it helped ignite my flame and push back even harder. Last season we had learned that I was very protective of my teammates and friends because whenever I saw someone trying to put them down in any way or saw them looking nervous I was quick to their aid and acted like a "mama bear protecting her child" as Dylan put it bluntly. It had made us all laugh and also brought us closer because that was also around the time that they found out that I was gay. Basically it was because I had a crush on this new older guy on our team until he started to beat-down on Ross and I retaliated hard, embarrassing myself when I said that I was "ashamed to have liked him romantically."

We scored our first try by the quiet full-back Jason with his head of sky-blue hair and we all went up and rubbed his hair like a good-luck charm, giving him encouragement and congratulations. He was new on the team this year and one of our smallest players in stature. Jason was still taller than me and Ross but he had an even slighter frame than me, and he wasn't nearly as strong as Ross, which was why he was put in the back, but he was fast and quick on his feet.

"Nice one, Jase. I knew you could do it," he gave me a smile as I reached up and he leaned down so I could rub his hair. In anyone else I would have been angry that they had to lean down for me to even touch their head but Jason was a gentle giant and never means any harm unless we are playing rugby. Our hooker, Lyel, kicked another try and we gave out high-fives to the stout Irish-man. The other team gave the kick-off and it was the back-liner Alec who caught it and we all quickly reformed as he ran forward, dodging tacklers and faking out other players. He was our other wing and again Ross, Louise and I followed him down the field. Sometimes the field felt tiny when in reality it was bigger than an American football field.

"Ou' a' th' way benda'!" Alec had been tackled to the ground and as I rucked over a stout forward slammed into me, pushing me back a foot and almost breaking over the staple Alec had formed but Ross and Louise came on behind me and helped me push the prat back.

"Oi! No one calls Allen tha', you arse!" Ross snarled and growled as we all pushed the guy back. It was probably my white hair or the scar or shoes that made him think something like that. At least he didn't call me a freak. It sure did put the team off at first but after explaining the accident but they all understood and reassured me they wouldn't let anything like that happen again. It was especially funny when some of them yelled at Cross for being a bad guardian.

The whistle pierced through the air as the ball was kicked over the side-line and we formed a line-out. The opposite team's props held onto the eight's shorts to lift him up and gave our team weird looks when our props didn't do the same. I smirked at them and rolled my eyes, pissing some of them off. Over the past year we had learned how to lift professionally after watching many games and getting many bruises and broken bones. Now the props could run up, the eight would run over and jump up, then the props would catch them around the thigh under our cycling shorts or spandex and push them up farther so we could gain extra height on most opposing teams.

The other team's hooker threw the ball and our eight Chase caught the ball. We formed a maul and I made sure to get in the front like we practiced so I could push against the other team my luck I was across from the "arse" that called me a bender earlier. He snarled and shouted insults into deaf ears as we pushed our way down the field. I stared at the ground with a blank face. I was used to getting called things like this but seriously, this guy was a real arsehole.

We easily won the first half of the game with forty six to fourteen and most of the players were rotated out except for me, Ross, Dylan, Chase, Lyel, Jason and Alec. We all said we were okay and I felt bad for Louise because the only reason he had to stay out was because he had hurt his ribs in a ruck when I wasn't able to come support him soon enough. Ross and him tried to tell me it wasn't my fault but I wasn't easy to persuade at things like this. So now instead of me and Ross next to Louise in the scrum we had the newbie Carlton or "Carly" as he was deemed when he let his hair from a bun to show the three-feet of golden-brown, silky, wavy locks that could put any girl to shame. We weren't as close and he wasn't as strong but the kid had guts and knew to stick close to me during games because he had opposed me once in a game after hearing about the "white-devil" from a friend.

The nickname had put me off at first but I came to like it but I never used it myself out loud because I was too embarrassed. Anyways, it wouldn't matter too much soon since after this game I was getting on a plane to move to America with Cross. I had been staying with Ross the past few days so I could stay for the championship game even though we technically moved out a fortnight ago. It was not really my cup of tea but Cross had to move for work again, whatever it is that he does, and that meant I had to go too. This little town of Shrewsbury, deemed healthiest town of England, was quite an interesting place and I was glad that we lived here for these short three years.

"Nice one Allen!" I was slapped on the bum by Ross after stealing the ball and scoring my first try of the game. I flushed and told him to bug off. He seriously had no sense of personal space, which was how they found out about my arm in the first place, but I couldn't not admit that I was a little attracted to him. I mean his brown buzz-cut, strong jaw, freckles, blue eyes and strong body that hovered over me by a few inches was very attractive, but he wasn't my type, more like a brother really.

"Aw is lill' Allen embarrassed?" I punched his shoulder hard enough to bruise, scoffing with a flushed face.

"You know bloody why you twit," he chuckled as we guzzled some water before returning to the game. We had less than five minutes left and we're definitely going to win this one, but that doesn't mean that I wasn't going to keep trying.

We were on the other side of the field now and far into the second half. We made the kick-off and sprinted down the field to intercept their beefy forward. He was fast but Carly caught him, bringing the guy to the ground. He rolled away and Ross and Derek pushed their ruckers over. I stole the ball before our scrum-half could come by and sprinted, darting in and out and around the other teams players. I felt some of them grab the edge of my shirt and I pushed them off before they could tackle me. Then as I passed their full-back I felt strong arms wrap around my middle, pulling me back but not knocking me down.

I still trudged forward, albeit at a slower pace since it would take more than one man to take me down. I felt arms around one of my legs and I kicked them off and shook from the grip around my stomach. Sprinting towards the try line I felt a smile come to my face but then a horrible force knocked me forward. I turned as I fell and was met with a cleat in the face. There was shouting as I moved so my team could have the ball, stretching my body across the ground like the professionals do, and I felt cleats smash down and dig into my back. I bit down on the mouth guard and looked up to see Ross rucking with the guy who was standing on me. More cleats grazed and hit my back and side and legs and I groaned in pain.

Ross must have heard because he placed a foot by my head and forced the guy back a few inches. The stress on my back was relieved slightly as I stared at the cleats around me while they fought in the ruck. I couldn't roll away and sighed as I was accidentally kicked in the head a few times before our scrum-half took the ball and scored our last try.

The ruckers all stepped back and Ross helped me up, clucking like a mother hen as he brushed me off and asked if I was okay. He grabbed my face with one hand and looked at the bruise I could feel forming across my cheek and nose. He touched the area around my nose, checking to see if it was broken and I winced slightly. Ross frowned and let go, taking his mouth guard out and wiping his hands on the jersey before moving two fingers on either sides of my nose. He wiggled it and I bit down on the mouth guard, wincing in pain.

"Looks like it's bro'en," he said and sighed. I popped out my own mouth guard and before I could say anything someone pushed Ross forward and he fell into me. Not expecting this I fell to a ground, closing my eyes as I expected Ross to fall on me. When he didn't I opened them and saw him kneeling over me with his hands on either sides of my head and a shocked look over his reddened face.

"Ge' ta' room benda's!" Someone shouted out and I saw something dark cross Ross' face. He stood up, pulling me with him and turned to the people who shouted.

"Don' you dare call Allen tha', ya' hea' me?" He shouted in fury and probably would have ripped the guy's head off but Dylan touched he shoulder, shaking his head. Ross scowled and pulled me by the arm to our bags. We all pulled off our jerseys and handed them to our Coach before he congratulated us on us winning championships. He invited us all to a party afterwards but a few of us declined, including me and Ross. Ross was going to bring me back to his house to gather my stuff and as we began to walk away from the field towards the bus stop when someone grabbed my left arm.

"Wha' ya' hide 'en 'ere benda'?" Some of the guys yanked me back and I tried to keep myself from freaking out. I pulled my arm away and kept a blank face as I heard Ross growl and step forward.

"None of your business," they laughed and I felt Ross pulling me away when the group of guys ripped the glove from my arm before their faces fell into looks of horror or hate.

"Bloo'y hell," I pulled my arm to me and turned on my heel, walking past Ross and towards the bus stop.

"You be'a run, ya' freak!" I heard laughter and Ross followed me as they kept shouting insults. I held the tears back and once they were farther away I stopped and pulled the jacket and short gloves from my bag. I pulled them on angrily and Ross took my bag as I did. Throwing it back over my shoulder I stomped ahead of Ross as soft tears ran down my face.

"Allen," Ross grabbed my shoulder and I let myself be pulled into a hug. I wrapped my arms around his chest and he leaned his cheek against my head as he rubbed my back. I cried silently against him. "I'm sorry 'bout tha'. Should of stopped 'em," I shook my head and pulled back slightly to look at him.

"It's not your fault. They were the pricks, not you," he smiled slightly and kissed my forehead. I was used to this because I found out at a party that he is very affectionate to those he cares about. He had fallen asleep and spooned me on the couch, not even caring when the team took pictures and laughed.

He kept an arm over my shoulder the rest of the walk and we waited on the bench for the bus to arrive. Ross pulled out his phone and clicked through it. I leaned against his shoulder and closed my eyes as I already began to miss him. Ross promised to visit us often in the states and said he would be there next weekend when I was going to start school. It was kind of embarrassing how much I depend on him and how our relationship is. These past few nights at Ross' house were kind of weird because instead of me sleeping on the floor in a bed roll, we shared his bed and always ended up cuddling. It's not like I didn't like it, but whenever I asked Ross about it he would just shrug and change the topic. And what made it worse was all the times people thought we were a couple. I would get all flustered and Ross would do something embarrassing just to get me even more flustered. Last time it happened was when I was making dinner at the counter at one of our rugby hang-outs and he came up behind me and just leaned on my head while hugging me, then they asked and he turned me around and trapped me against the counter before moving in and kissing my cheek. I had slapped him before storming off and he laughed but I was never mad at him.

"Allen," he nudged me and I sat up, opening my eyes to see the bus arrive. I stood up and stretched bringing my arms over my head and moaning. Ross laughed quick and short with a smile as we boarded the bus, passes at the ready. There were small dings as we swiped the passes. In our seats I stared at the pass sadly, I wouldn't be using this for a long time. Turning, I stared out the window and leaned against it, watching the suburban areas quickly turn to city life, the older buildings still looking new since they were constantly being repaired and restored, unlike the hole that was forming in my heart again. The hole that Ross and the team so carefully stitched closed and surrounded in warmth and love.

Ross' fingers brushed mine and when I didn't flinch away he held my hand in his loosely, squeezing it in reassurance. I squeezed back and didn't have to look to know he was giving me that look, that look of concern, that look that showed he cared for me. Sometimes I was fine with it but lately it had been annoying me. I think Ross knows but he also just wants me to keep from distancing myself from him even though I am moving. It hurts but I try anyways just to find myself coming back to him since I can't even go a day without some contact with Ross, physical or not. He promised that he would text and call and video chat with me everyday but it probably wouldn't last long. He would eventually forget about me or get bored with me just like all of the people I ever had to leave behind.

"I'm okay, Ross. Really," he knew that I was lying and pulled me close against him, I leaned my head against his shoulder.

"I'll miss you," I nodded and squeezed his hand. Ross kissed my forehead again and leaned against me. "Will ya' be okay on ya' own? Still gunna eat and sleep properly?" He used a joking tone but it was very serious. After an encounter with someone from my past at a game I had become incredibly depressed. Isolating myself, eating less, sleeping less, and going back to old habits that the team had tried so hard to stop. They were really worried about me, especially after a certain event.

"Yeah," I shook myself from my thoughts as he squeezed my hand again. "Cross'll make sure I do. Old bugger always on my arse about it," he laughed sadly and we stayed cuddled together on the bus. Both of us feeling a black pit slowly grow in our stomachs at the thought of not being with the one we had cared about the most in these past three years.

I'll be okay.

Really...