His hand shook in anticipation as he saw the high school ahead, legs buried in lacrosse equipment. "You will be fine. Just remember you know your stuff don't let fear cloud that." Aria spoke, "I will get you after school alright?"
He nodded his head before bowing his head to leave the car. She smiled and waved before driving away.
Mike walked in to his chemistry class, the final class of his day. "Hello thank you for being late please take a seat mr Montgomery." His teacher spoke bluntly. There was only one seat for him to sit in, making him drag his feet toward a stranger. The guy smiled at him, shifting his bag to the floor. He had a rude look on his face but it quickly left when the smile grew. He was so distracted on the others changing emotion he found his foot hooking into his shoe lace. His feet struggled to keep him upwards, skipping a few steps before plummeting to the ground with a loud crashing. Lacrosse gear laid spread out everywhere. he silently cursed to himself as people began to laugh under their breath. "Please do move at a glacial place." his teacher spoke waving a hand around as Mike struggled to his feet once more.
When he got to his seat the guy next to him said nothing. Did not even look at him. He had a hand holding his head up, eyes looking down as if he was in another world.
"Alright so this may seem like a dick move to everyone but these are your lab partners for the year no movesies of any kind. Now since this is your last class i am sure all of you would like to skip it. But this is your only warning, if you skip my class i will find you. You can take the rest of the class to get acquainted with your partners even though i know you will all just look at your phones."
Mike turned to the guy next to him and put on the best first impression he could muster through his social anxiety. "Hey I'm Mike." He thought he said kindly though the boy beside him gave him a quick look and said "Liam." then looked back down taking out his phone and reading a large paragraph. He tried not to read another persons messages but he could not help himself. He did not read all of it but it was enough to see things for this guy was not good.
Listen liam i know things are bad for you and dad right now but he will come through. This thing of yours is just different for all of us. We always though you would be the one having kids so i could go to colle-
The message was cut off when he turned off his phone. Both of them sat in silence for the remainder of the hour. Once the bell rang Liam immeditely sprang up and left. Mike was the last out after gathering all his things.
The field was large compared to what he was used to. He wasted up to a table where a player and man sat. "Hey i am trying out for the team." Mike said to them with a sprouted voice. "Cool man sign in here then run out to the middle of the field with the rest." Mike smiled and wrote his name and year. the student lifted the paper up, "alright Mike welcome to lacrosse try outs. You are a junior? I have not seen you before are you new?" "yeah actually just transferred." "nice well welcome can't wait to see you play." He took his things and moved to where the other try out players were. To the side there were the actual team members. Liam sat off to the side on the bleachers behind the others with his hands covering his face.
'Alright you have four trials that will determine if you get on the team and what you rank. Line up and begin." The players did what he said, completing each task. When it came to Mikes turn he held his lacrosse stick nervously. Everyone waited in silence. "Some time today!" a player off to the side yelled gaining a few snickers. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath then moving his feet to the correct stance. His arms swung up then threw the ball forwards. He opened his eyes to see it flying straight across the goalies stick and into the net. He saw one of the guy off to the side whisper to another. Mike smiled to himself.
He completed each task well, but not without struggle. Once it came to choosing the players everyone lined up again this time facing the older guys with sneered faces. Guys were waved away and some to the sneered faces with cheers and pats. It came down to Mike and another. "Now you two are basically tied, but one is just a little better than the other. Drumroll boys?" They began a strange mix of ooooing sounds and hitting of the legs which made his stomach turn. The man who spoke began moving his hands back and forth them both. He thought the other would be chosen once his hand slowed, but stopped when the boy he had met, Liam, came up and whispered something to him. The guy smiled down at liam with curiosity. "If you say so Dunbar. Mike right? You're in." He broke into an unbreakable laugh and sigh of relief. They all cheered and welcomed him in. Except for Liam who walked away but turned for a moment to make eye contact with Mike. Liam gave a small smile he rose his hand for a sluggish salute then turned away to take his leave. Mike was filled with many emotions when he entered his sisters car. Much happiness and excitement, with a tinge of curiosity and intriquement.
"Did you make it?" Aria asked gleefully. "I did, somehow." he smiled to himself, not helping the image of Liams grin and salute to fill his mind. "Thats great Mike! We are going out for pizza tonight so you can tell mom and dad all about it." They drove off into the street. A few blocks down she slammed on her breaks making Mike look up in a panic. Liam was crossing the street looking down at his phone with headphones in. He stared up quickly and immediately looked to Mike. He made the same grin with the same salute then walked away. "Do you know that guy?" Aria asked loudly. "Uh yeah, well no, sort of. He is on the lacrosse team." "Huh. Did you see the way he was looking at you. Weird." Mike did not respond.
The next day went by painfully slow. He was eager for chemistry. Eager to see what Liam was playing at. Eager to see why he would make sure he got on the team. Why he smiled almost sadly and saluted to him like he was a soldier going to war.
He walked, nearly ran to his chemistry class. When he sat down he half expected for liam to not even look at him. But he did not do that. He did not do that at all. "Hey sorry about yesterday. Not one of my best times. Can we start again?" he put his hand out. Mike was so taken aback he nearly forgot to answer. "Hi I'm Liam." "Mike" he forced a smile and shook his hand. The hand shake was strange. It almost lingered for a couple seconds too long, though neither of them seemed to mind. "Captain said you are new, where did you come from?" "Uh i transferred from this small town you wouldn't know it." This made Liam smile warmly, "well if its any consulation i was new last year." "Do you move around a lot?" "Yeah my dad, stepdad is a doctor so we are never in one place for a long time." They smiled at one another, as if in that moment they knew what they were both feeling. Embarrassed, new, lost, and a little hopeful. It was nice. Safe. A warmth began in his heart, unknowingly.