Senior Year

Chapter Three- The Aftermath.

Bella and Troy's kiss had finished the game of spin the bottle, thankfully. It was amazing how she and Troy avoided each other in the scarce barn for the rest of the night. Bella stayed close to her girls and Troy helped Sawyer dismantle the sound system. The party was finally over, and while the boys dismantled and did the heavy lifting, the others waited for their rides home. Bella, Pepper and Sophie sat on one heap of hay. The girls' skin were slick with sweat from the exciting night. Sophie passed around a packet of gum, just in case the stench of beer lingered on anyone's breath.

"Senior year is going to be killer." Sophie declared quietly.

Bella couldn't agree, she still had no inkling as to what she wanted to do-besides football. This year she would have to completely reinvent herself and face the grim fact that she may not be able to continue playing football. Right now, she didn't want to talk about school, or college or the future. She just wanted to bask in the now. And in the now, she was still recovering from that electric kiss with Troy. Who knew he could kiss like that? He kissed her like he needed her. She wasn't sure if that scared her more than the fact that she had liked it way more than she should.

As if he knew she was thinking about him, Troy looked back and their eyes met. It was a non-verbal conversation with their eyes, only Bella didn't know what was being said. She looked just as stunned as he did, but there was that underlying smoldering gaze that told her tonight would not be the last time they would kiss. She bit her lip with anticipation a moment before she came to her senses.

Bella peeled her gaze off of him, breaking their connection. "How are you getting home Pepper?" Bella asked, trying to distract herself.

"Sawyer said he would take me." Pepper replied.

Sophie and Bella wagged their eyebrows suggestively, teasing Pepper.

"Oh shut up." she scolded them.

Bella laughed shaking her head. "Why are you and Sawyer pretending you weren't made for each other. Face it Pep, all roads lead to Sawyer for you."

Pepper shook her head. "Are you crazy. When ever we're exclusive we argue like crazy. We don't work as a couple." Pepper said convicted.

"I don't know mama, senior year might surprise you." Sophie said.

"Sophie is right. We've all grown up." Bella said. That's why she wasn't going to let a stupid kiss with Troy scramble her brains.

Pepper shook her head denying everything they were selling. "Hey Pepper, could you come help me with this." Sawyer called from behind her. Even though Pepper's eyes lit up when Sawyer called her name.

Sophie turned to Bella as Pepper went over to Sawyer to help him take down the string of lights he had up.

"How long do you give them?" Sophie asked Bella.

Bella shrugged. "I say at least two weeks into the semester."

They were quiet. Bella and Troy talked more than anyone else, they usually had to talk over each other to get their point across but tonight, they were quiet. What had they done? At the time it seemed like a friendly game, now, she had her doubts. If their friendship was affected for a few blissful seconds, Bella didn't know what she would do. It felt like a dam had just been released, a dam of feelings she never even knew she had. Why could she still feel him on her lips? She almost rose her hand to touch her lips but caught herself and cleared her throat. They drove on in silence until Troy seemed to have had enough.

"Fun party." Troy said, the awkwardness was palpable.

"So fun. But I'm exhausted. I wanted to sleep for days." she tried back. The mood just wouldn't lift. The small space of the car was electric.

"I hear you." Troy replied. Bella almost audibly cheered when he turned unto her street.

"Later Belles, see you Monday." he said casually. Bella felt hope in that moment that they would be alright. Who was she kidding, it was Troy, her best bud. That's all.

"See ya." she said closing his door and running up the steps. He waited until she was safely inside and then drove away.

Thankfully her mother had already retired for the night. She probably looked like a convicted felon, guilty. She knew logically she shouldn't have; it was a game that everyone played. But she couldn't help but feel like she had betrayed Zach.

She dragged herself up the stairs and jumped onto her bed. She ignored the makeup she still had on her face and the fact that she was fully clothed. The slight buzz she had helped lull her to sleep. Her final thought before drifting off.

She didn't have feelings for Troy. That was final.

Bella felt better late Sunday morning. She had woken up, showered. Did some light chores around the house and enjoyed a quiet breakfast with her mother. Troy and the previous night had not crossed her mind at all and she knew then it was a fluke.

She was picking out a back to school outfit when her phone buzzed from her bed. It was Zach, he was outside. She ran down stairs and unlocked the door for him.

"Zach's here." Bella yelled to her mother and she Zach climbed the stairs to her room.

"Door open please." her mother yelled back.

Zach chuckled as Bella rolled her eyes.

"Excited about tomorrow?" Zach asked, once they were inside her bedroom.

"You have no idea." She closed her closet doors and climbed unto her bed waiting for Zach.

He kicked off his sneakers before joining her on the bed. They hung out every Sunday evening like it was their religion. Bella knew she had gone crazy to think there was something going on between her Troy. She loved Zach. She had loved him since middle. Over all those years, nothing had ever happened with Troy, not romantically anyway. Troy was only her best friend. He was there for her no matter what. He had seen her sweaty and gross after practice or a game and teased her about it. There was nothing going on. She chalked up her feelings that night to Troy being a good kisser. Nothing more, nothing less.

"How was the barn party?" he asked, sitting up against her pillows.

The first thought that flashed through her head was Troy wrapping his arms around her waist just before he kissed her. "Um, good. Fun." she said, hoping that's where his questions would stop.

"How was your bonfire?" she asked.

"Wicked awesome, I just don't think I can eat any more smores. Not for the rest of the year." Zach said patting his stomach. Bella giggled from where she laid on her stomach looking up at him.

"So," he started. His fingers were idly walking up and down her bare forearm. "You settle on any colleges yet?"

Bella groaned, the C word. She really didn't want to think about it. Ideally, she and Zach would have loved to go to the same college but that was beginning to seem like wishful thinking.

"Can we just not, please." Bella said. Zach clearly wanted to press the matter more so Bella reached up and kissed him. It was meant only to distract him. But oddly enough, while kissing the boy she had loved since middle school, her feelings for Troy had never been more clear. She abruptly pulled away from the kiss.

"What's the matter?" Zach asked as she touched her lips with her hands. Troy's kiss had felt nothing like that. It was like fireworks in her mouth. Zach, had barely gotten a spark going.

"Bella what's wrong?" Zach asked again. She realized she had been staring blankly for a minute.

"Nothing." She shook her head. "Everything's fine."

Things were the opposite of fine. Her head was about to explode with her racing thoughts about what she was going to do from here. How was she supposed to figure anything out when she was going to have see Troy everyday starting tomorrow?