Chapter 7: Winning and Losing

The guys had made it to the Gage courts just as the other game was finishing up. They all collapsed in the grass. Erik had wanted a drink from his water bottle when he realized he had forgotten it back at McElroy. "Damn, I knew I forgot something. Brittney had to kiss me didn't she?" he half groaned half chuckled.

"Here you can have some of mine," Nadir said offering him his water bottle.

Erik quenched his thirst and handed the water bottle back to Nadir. "Thanks I appreciate that."

"No problem. I'm surprised at how close you and Brittney have gotten over the past few days. In your last e-mail you sent me before school started you had vowed you would never fall for another girl again after Christine turned you down. What made you change you're mind about this one?"

Erik told him what had happened after he had left the bowling game. "I love her, because she is so different from the other girls. She's calm, innocent, and really wants someone to hear her out when she's feeling down about something. I want to be that someone Nadir. Besides have you not seen the way Christine yells at me lately? The feelings I still hold for her just don't seem to matter anymore. Plus she has the fop to cling to. She seems happy enough."

"Did you ever think she was using him to get you jealous?"

"She was never mine in the first place, so why would I be jealous of him except for the fact that he got her? Honestly I don't care for her anymore. I'm much happier with Brittney."

"Well that makes a lot of sense. I go to Persia as an exchange student and look at all I missed. I could have been a big help after Christine exposed you in the lunch room."

"Yeah, no kidding; that's the other thing that makes Brittney and Christine different. Christine shows me off to everyone and Brittney does her best to help hide me. Did I tell you what happened the other day when Brittney knocked my mask off on accident?"

"Yeah, you did, and how she had thrown you the pillow to hide yourself until she had retrieved the mask. That sounded very impressive to me. She's not taking any risks is she?"

"I guess not. Hey look it's our turn to play."

They all hurried onto the field and began some practice drills before the other team assembled onto the field. The game was vigorous and the G3 team ended up having their butts' whooped big time. They grabbed their things and left Phil behind, because he had a game up next.

"Well the girls won't like this," Nadir said as they walked back to McElroy. "We let them down big time."

"Yeah, and I thought we were doing really well," Raoul said wiping his arm across his forehead, which had sweat running down it.

"Oh, come on I'm sure they'll forgive us. We tried our best and that's what counts right?" Erik asked them.

They both looked at him and smiled. "Yeah, you're right. To them we're champions even if we didn't win," Raoul said putting his arm around Erik's shoulder.

Nadir joined in and right then and there the three of them vowed to look out for one another and the girls together. Yes a friendship like theirs was possible.

xxxxx

Brittney was sitting under the tree near the volleyball court watching the next set of games. Nestled beside her was hers and Erik's water bottle, which he had left behind in his haste to get to his game. She smiled at the thought of her kissing him being the cause of it.

The other girls had gone inside complaining that it was too hot, but Brittney had found comfort under the tree out of the sun. Finally the person she had been waiting for appeared around the corner of the complex, but hanging on him was Nadir and Raoul. He left them behind and hurried over to her.

"What was that all about?"

"Oh, let's just say that Raoul and I are finally on good terms with one another for a change." She gave him a confused glance. "We lost the volleyball game and decided that even though we did lose we will always be champions in the eyes of you girls."

"Aw, Erik that's so sweet. Here you forgot something," she said handing him the water bottle.

"Thanks for holding on to it for me."

"No problem," she said making room for him to sit down next to her. "Come and get out of the sun before you roast to death."

He took her offer and sat down resting himself against the tree. She leaned against his shoulder glad to have him back and to hear that he was getting along with his enemy. Who would have thought that a little game of volleyball was all it took?

xxxxx

They sat there together enjoying each others company waiting for the next game to start. Brittney started feeling the urge of sleep upon her and let out a yawn. Erik gave her a small shove. "Who said you could fall asleep? You have a game soon and I won't allow you to get tired."

"Just a short nap, please Erik. I'll be ready for the game I promise," she said nuzzling against him.

He pushed her up and glared at her. "I'm sorry my dear, but I can't allow you to do that. Do you want to cost our floor its chance at victory just, because you're tired?"

She shook her head. "Fine, I'll take a nap later," she said with a pout.

"That a girl. I knew you would understand."

She took the chance when he wasn't looking at her to reach up under his arm and begin to tickle him. He was laughing so hard that big tears had begun rolling down his cheeks as he finally got a hold of her hands. "What was that for?" he asked gasping for breath.

"Just, because."

"Why?"

"Because I can," she said wiping away his tears. "I guess I wanted to have a little fun."

"So that's what this was all about. Well in that case…" he said as he pounced her and began tickling her. Brittney was now letting out her own fits of giggles mixed in with pleas to make him stop. She hated being tickled, mostly, because she was ticklish everywhere.

"Gah, Erik quit it," she said in between squeals.

He finally eased off and she sat up panting. She glared at him for a moment before rolling into the grass and got caught in another fit of giggles. "You have no one to blame, but yourself. You started this," he mentioned to her.

"I guess so," she gasped her eyes wet from tears and her chest heaving. "Oh, my sides hurt."

He leaned over her and kissed her. "Think about the consequences before ticking me next time. Then this won't happen."

"You're just going to leave me down here?"

"Yep, you put yourself there so you get yourself back up."

She rolled over and sat up clutching her sides. "Hey look everyone's coming back."

Erik looked over to see Raoul, Nadir, Christine, Meg, and Vera coming from the complex towards them.

"Hey, Erik we thought for sure you would come back inside. But now we know why not," Nadir said looking down at Brittney, who smiled up at him.

"Sorry guys, I got distracted."

"You are watching the game to?" Raoul asked sitting down next to Erik and Brittney.

"Yeah, we may have lost, but the girls still have a chance to win it for G3."

Christine gave the two of them a strange look and got down next to Raoul. "Since when have you two been friends?"

"Since we lost the volleyball game over at Gage. Why does it matter, so much to you Christine?"

"I was only curious. Besides he was always mean to you."

"Well we cleared that up and it won't happen again. Relax, will you."

"Come on, girls it's our turn up," Meg exclaimed as the field became clear once again.

Brittney went to get up, but Erik pulled her back. "Erik, let go I need to go…" But before she could get out the word play Erik had started kissing her. She could have melted, but he pulled back and smiled at her.

"Now go win it for G3."

xxxxx

Half an hour later they were all sitting in the grass again. Brittney had her knees up under her chin and she looked disappointed. "I can't believe we lost. They're team was just too good."

"What happened to all the team spirit you had earlier? You are very encouraging out on the field," Raoul asked.

"I don't know what happened to it. I tried to keep it up as much as possible, but I guess I lost hope."

"Hey, at least we got to play," Vera said placing a reassuring hand on Brittney's shoulder.

Brittney felt better and smiled. "Yeah, that's all that matters right? Like you guys had said earlier. We may not be champions on the field, but we're champions in your eyes."

"You're one in my eyes," Erik said wrapping his arms around her and leaning his chin against her head.

She reached up and rubbed his cheek. Christine leaned against Raoul, who leaned down and kissed her, not realizing that she was upset about something. Meg, Vera, and Nadir just sat there trying to ignore them and start up a conversation.

"Can you believe classes beginin 4 days," Brittney suddenly spoke up.

"Yeah, I'm anxious to get started," Raoul said.

"Me too, but then we won't get as much time to hang out," Erik said sadly.

"Oh, of course we will. I know where you live," Brittney said slyly. "But I'll be nice and knock first just in case you're busy studying. I know how important school work is to you."

"Well I think for the first time homework won't be the only important thing to me."

"You're just saying that."

"No, I mean it. The bond you and I have is very important to me," he whispered into her ear.

"You know what I think?"

"Hmmm?"

"That even though we lost, we so totally won."

Okay if the ending was cheesy say so. Okay so Erik and Raoul are friends now, but will it last? At this point and time I want to show that Erik is changing from someone, who likes isolation and silence, to someone who wants to talkative and around people. Christine is the way she is, because she's jealous, and do Meg and Nadir have something brewing off to the side? Find out more later when I post another chapter.