Hey I know it's been a while since I have put out a chapter but it is finals season for me. That means a lot of studying and essay writing that needs to be done. I hope to get back soon but I wanted to let you know I am not leaving you high and dry without a chapter.
Enjoy :-D
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I was getting overly attached to Kyle more than I had wanted but there was nothing that I could do about it. Well there were things that I could do but I didn't want to do them because it wouldn't have been logical. Right now logistics were being thrown out of the window for my wanting to be with Kyle, especially after how sweet he had been last night.
Instead though, outside forces were keeping me from hanging with Kyle, as it had been all week. While Spring break was beginning to wrap up, we still had plenty of games to play over our Saturday. During this week down in San Diego it had become very clear to me how much I was not a fan of sand fields.
It was fun moving back and forth in the beach but when turf came to turf, I preferred my grass over beach any day. While some preferred sand over grass to avoid the whole rug rash, I was not enjoying how dusty I felt after each game. I didn't mind the mud and grass stains from diving out for those long or hard tosses but when it came to the same thing on the sand, getting a mouth full of dirt was not fun.
We had 4 games to play today and all of them thankfully early on. As we practiced for our upcoming games, Pike informed us of who we were going against: Bakersfield, Chico State, San Marcos, and UC Irvine. We had really wanted to go against Fullerton so when he read them off to us, we all got a little bummed that our rivalry couldn't foster. One of those teams seemed vaguely familiar but I didn't know which team. We had gone against so many teams throughout the week; I don't know why this set seemed different.
After hearing the lack of competition, I sent Kyle a text wishing him good luck on his day, making the note near the end that I was bummed that we wouldn't be seeing each other. Kyle surprised me by getting back quicker than I had expected, sending me a message that made my heart flutter. "Taking you out last night was more than enough for me :-D"
Wanting to play along but knowing my time was short before my game, I shot back, "It wasn't enough for me ;-)". Looking out at my team, I added to a quick message, "Hey I am about to play a game. Good luck with your day." Reluctantly tossing my phone into my bag, I went out to practice and prep. The urge to talk with Kyle was so strong my attention at times seemed distant; the want to check my phone seemingly always on my mind.
Our first game went really well, Bakersfield playing worse than either team had expected. They had a good reputation so when we started pulling away after the 5th point, their moral seemed to drop. Taking advantage of that, we maintained our lead over them. The game ended up feeling more like a practice for me, a drill here for the pivots a cut here for the runs.
Our final score ended up being 10 to 6, a final come back by them gaining a few points to end the game before the time limit was up. After shaking hands with them and moving off the court, the first thing I did was check my phone. Kyle had sent a small text back, "Good luck to you as well. We have a game right now as well."
Shooting him a text, I move to start stretching over with the team. "How did your game go?" Placing it back in my pocket, I move into the circle to talk over how we did. As was to be expected, Pike had high regards for our playing, happy with how we had started off our day. Growing impatient, I looked back at my phone but Kyle had not gotten back yet.
We had a short break to move to a different court for our next game, allowing us to take a breather. Gathering our sports bags and trudging through the sand, we slowly switched courts. During the trek, my eyes kept flicking back and forth hoping to see Kyle but his golden locks seemed to have melted into the sand, the sight of him going unseen.
The next two games seemed to go by a little faster, the thought of Kyle not always pressing onto my mind. I was able to concentrate more on my throws and pivots, the latter something that I really needed to focus on when it came to my performance. Out of our three games we were lucky to win two, but even still those two were battles for the points.
Taking a break during lunch, we finally were at our last game. It was bittersweet but time as well. Eating over our Subway sandwiches, we looked to see who our last team was, and then it hit me as I began to recognize them. Irvine. When Pike had talked about them earlier, I knew I had recognized them but I didn't know from where. As I scanned them over, I picked out the guy whom I was most interested in.
While I did not know him personally, or even on a first name basis, I knew that he meant a lot to Kyle and vice versa. He looked to be a good looking guy, slightly longer hair than I would have cared for but he made it work, the curls draping over his eyes in an unconventional way. He was shorter than the rest of his team but what he lacked in height he made up in muscle, he was toned. There was no denying the fact that this guy could defend not only himself but others around him as well.
As I peripherally watched Irvine settle into their section, I glanced around to see if there were any other supporters tagging along, and to my surprise, a large group was beginning to gather around. We were one of few teams still left to duke it out for the break, and with that, one of the most anticipated. From what I could tell there had to be at least five teams stopping by to watch us, and wouldn't you know it, Fullerton was one of them. Losing all focus on Irvine, I immediately locked onto our former opposition, trying to locate Kyle out of the cluster.
His blond hair stuck out against the team, one of few players to be not only tall but having the surfer hair that I seemed so attracted to. I wanted to get up and go talk with him but I knew that now was not the time; Pike probably would have forbid it anyways. I was supposed to have my head in the game and the arrival of Kyle would only screw things up.
`Aw fuck it' I thought to myself as I rose from my position, stretching my legs in the process. Kyle had moved away from his team to join up with Irvine, talking animatedly with a few of their players. He seemed to know them pretty well, his handshakes and hugs a clear sign of how well he had played with them.
Moving up from behind, I wanted to surprise him but before I could the group he was talking with started to go silent, a subtle message to Kyle that someone important was approaching. He turned around and instantly shot a smile onto his face, my mission slightly accomplished. "Hey Chris!" Moving up to hug me, he grabbed me firm and held me for a few seconds longer than I had expected. My eyes went wide as I saw his friends look at the two of us, an amused images reflecting on each of their faces.
Letting me go, he turned back to his former teammates and made the introductions. "Guys, this is Chris, a friend of mine." The words stung a little, the thought of being `friends' all over again bugging me. "Chris, I would like you to meet, Thomas, Gabriel, Quinton, and Kevin." Kevin was the guy I had seen Kyle with on previous occasions and as I shook each of their hands, Kevin's stood out as the firmest; his grip informing me of his strong relationship with Kyle.
Smiling at the team, I do my best not to be overwhelmed by the guys, the odd man out in this group of friends. "Hey it's nice to meet you guys. Good luck as well `cause you're going to need it." I joke around with them, hoping not to be too alien in the group.
Kyle looks at me and drops the grin, shrugging his shoulders in defeat. "I would have wished you good luck but I already told my friends. Sorry."
Not really bothering over it, I grab his shoulder and smirk, "Well, you'll have to make it up somehow then. Winking at him, I amuse myself as I let him ponder over whatever dirty thoughts he wants.
Before I could converse with them anymore, I heard Pike call me from my side, informing me to get back over for a short team talk. Waving as I left, I hustled back to my team, eager to play. This was going to be a good game- I could feel it in my body.
When Rachel threw off the disk, I instantly knew that something in this game felt vaguely familiar. I had wanted to cover Kevin since watching over him, especially since I might be able to get some details about Kyle from him. When he caught the disk on a toss, the motions of his movement slowly began to become clear to me.
It was not one just his flick of his wrist as he tried to break the disk past me or the pivot of his feet as he attempted to reach beyond me; it was everything he did that seemed familiar. Analyzing this all in my head, my senses connected the dots on where I had seen him perform before; in Kyle. Muttering to myself as he managed to throw it away from me, "You... you trained Kyle."
It made sense since Kyle seemed to look up to him in a way. I am just surprised because I had never heard of him before this tournament. Kevin seemed to have heard me, smiling at my utterance, my amazement amusing him. "Just figure that out Chris?" It was almost a taunt but playful in nature. As the disk worked its motions downfield, Kevin slightly switched to a different topic, "I've been watching you since the attack, I don't think I need to warn you about hurting Kyle but if we need to have `the talk' I WILL sit you down and lay it out straight."
I couldn't help but chuckle as Kevin did his best to keep a straight face. I knew he was being serious but he was too chill of a guy to mean any harm, even with the subtle threat veiled in. "My best friend already gave Kyle the same talk so I can't really object." The flashback of Michael being way more serious than Kevin made me wonder what all Kevin could say.
Before Kevin could start, the disk was turned over and possession switched to Long Beach. Taking off running towards the end zone, I lead Kevin on a goose chase as I cut back to make myself available for the disk. Terry backhanded the disk down the line to me, allowing me to catch it close to the zone. Before the play could be completed, Kevin appears out of nowhere, intercepting the disk from me.
Growling at myself at the lack of completion, I move quickly up to cover him, forcing a strong forehand flick out of him. As I stall, Kevin's eyes glance across the field looking for an open throw. Between the two of us though, a small one-sided conversation takes place. Kevin, looking quickly to Kyle, spills out, "You mean a lot to him Chris, more than you even know at the moment."
Stunned, I look over to Kyle. His attention was focused on the two of us, a mischievous grin plastered on his face. Kevin manages to find an open throw and tosses, taking off running in the process. Before I could react, Kevin has sprinted a few steps away from me, enough of a gap to annoy me. It is something that Kyle would have done as well, occupy my attention then use it to his advantage.
I was lucky that his teammates didn't pop pass the disk back to him, allowing me enough time to get back to him. "You just played dirty." I mutter to him as we hang waiting for the next play to start. He just grins as he catches his breath, staring at me with wolfish eyes. "How long have you known Kyle?" I ask, wanting to get a little more information about Kevin while also including Kyle as the topic.
Kevin takes off running towards the disk again, moving out of line when the pass does not go his way. Slowing to almost a walk, he replies, "Since middle school. We both wanted to stay near each other when college came around so we choose colleges based out of the LA area. We grew up in Santa Monica. He didn't tell you that?"
Trying to think of all the times we talked, and weren't pissed at each other, it began to dawn on me that I didn't know much about Kyle. Kevin drove that point home as the disk turned over. Sarah picked up and instead of me running, I decided to walk. "How well do YOU know Kyle?"
I felt ashamed at the thought of how little we had actually opened up to each other. "Not much," I waivered as we moved back towards the Irvine end zone. They were putting on a good defense and it was time that I got into the mix. Taking off running, I try to lose Kevin but he manages to stick with me the entire way.
Laughing out loud, he skeptically asked, "Really?" He almost seemed to not want to believe that Kyle and I knew so little about each other. It was a shock admission about me but just as much on Kyle as well.
Breathing intensely, I puff out frustration, "That's pretty much what makes this entire thing so complicated." I look around for the disk, trying to figure out who has it now. I know that possession is still in Long Beach but this is one really long point.
Kevin laughs as he locks onto the disk, positioning himself between it and me. "You two really do need to talk more. Thinking about it Kyle has been infatuated with you but he really hasn't told me much about you either... So what do you want to know about him?" He smiles at me with such a grin that makes me wonder what hidden cards he has up his sleeve.
Dropping my smile a little, I lay it out straight for him. "Thanks Kevin but I think this is probably something that Kyle and I should do on our own." Taking off running, I leave it at that as I cut long then break left to catch the open disk. It was an effective cut but one made at such a last minute that Rachel barely had time to notice me.
Playing against Kyle, er wait Kevin, was a trip, the entire game little hints here and there of how similar the two of them are. While we were going against Irvine, it was hard at times to distinguish the two teams, both having almost similar tactics at times. Even Pike picked up the similarities and played off of it, working it to his advantage.
While it was a long game, it seemed to go by super fast. It came down to a nail biting end zone hammer toss from Pike to Sarah, the disk almost seemingly suspended in air as it floated back down to earth. Irvine was rushing to swarm her and with the tall guys all around her, it became clear that she was not going to get it. Before anyone could snatch it, Zach managed to appear from nowhere, running clear across the group and using his baseball legs, pounced to capture it like a cat clawing a mouse. The end score was 10-9.
We were ecstatic! This was the last game of the break and to end it on such a high note definitely made everything worth it. Moving to shake Irvine's hands, Kevin's seemed to take longer than normal: the look in his eyes warning me to take care of Kyle. "Good game Chris."
"You too Kevin. Thanks." We part our ways as Kyle moves onto the field to hug his friend. I wanted to stay and talk but my team was starting to move back to their line, gathering everyone's supplies to head back to the hotel room.
Dinner that night was spent at the local pizza parlor. Pike had talked with Victoria before we left and wanted to have our two teams gather for a last minute eating. The two teams mingled with each other as everyone rehashed how much they enjoyed their break. Right before the pizzas arrived, Victoria took command of the groups. "As the season begins to wrap up, I want to remind everyone that there is only one game left. It is only two weeks and I challenge Long Beach to bring their best game." Smiling out over us, she pauses for a second then continues, "Even though we worked together this week, I want to see your A game."
It was a provocative dare but one that was on the minds of a few of us. I was lucky enough to sit near Kyle so when she spoke, the two of us unlinked our hands, moving back to our own spaces. Looking at him after she was done, I worriedly asked, "Now that we are rivals again, where does this leave us?" I didn't want to lose him this early, but from the way things were looking, the possibility was high.
Kyle leaned over to my ear and, while grinning, whispered, "Well you heard her; I want to see your A game." Moving back he wrapped his hand around my neck and gently kissed me on the cheek.
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Well that is the end of spring break everyone. It has been a blast writing it and reuniting Chris and Kyle... Don't think that it will be smooth sailing though because in every relationship there are rough patches and theirs will be no different...
Nifty is a great site to allow me to post this online so if you could help by donating some spare change to the website to keep it up that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot everyone.