Royal’s POV
I carefully got up and walked to the door hoping that my shaking wasn’t visible. Opening the door I pulled the newcomer in for a hug, “what the fuck, Jo?”
“You knew we were moving here… wait… why are you here?”
“No reason, let’s go,” I dragged her into the living room behind me and giving a pointed look to everyone in the room before sitting next to my mom on the loveseat.
“Jo! Hey! You know the Hugh’s?” Natalie spoke up first.
“Yeah, umm, I’m related to them,” Natalie turned her head at light speed to me.
“Seriously? Another one?”
“Shut the,” my mom smacked me, “shut up.”
“What do you mean another, Nat?”
“Oh, yeah. This is Royal’s best friend Jo.”
My mom looked between Jo and me over and over, “but she looks so pure, nice, innocent, and everything else Royal’s not.”
“It’s they, ma’am.”
“I am who I am nobody said you had to like it. Anyways you don’t have to be polite with her, chica… chico… um crazy”
“What does any of that mean?”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Are you sure?”
“Hmm.”
“Anyways… is this a day of history. I mean the Hugh’s and the Hawkson’s are together not fighting.”
“Two of them are definitely doing a lot more than not fight.”
“MAMI! Callarse la boca. No puedes decir cosas asi. Papá podrÃa escuchar, entonces todos estaremos en más problemas.”
“Nonsense, Royal,” everyone was looking between us, “oh, Royal uses Spanish whenever he’s feeling stronger emotions. I can’t really understand his words, but if you raised the boy you pick up on body language instead. Now who wants to hear the story of how his Spanish speaking got him in major trouble.”
“Ey! Mami.”
“Your… Vida, can hear embarrassing stories about you.”
“Oye.”
4 hours later
“Yes, yes, Mami, we heard all your stories, but me and Hugh here have a bus to catch for the game tomorrow,” my face was redder than a tomato, “Adios.”
After that I grabbed the bag I sped packed last night and we were off. We decided to take Cash’s car to the football field, where everyone would meet up on before getting on the bus, since I didn’t want to risk running into my dad grabbing one of my key sets.
“Are you sure you aren’t worried someone’s going to be suspicious?”
“I already have a plan…. If you hear ranting about you just know that I don’t mean most of it anymore,” he gave the ‘seriously’ look, “don’t worry about it, Vita, I’m only joking.”
“What does that even mean anyways?”
“Vita? It’s just a Spanish nickname like you call me honey, babe, and love. I call you amor, vita, and bello.”
“Ok.. we’re here so it’s time to pretend we hate each other,” he was about the door when I grabbed his hand.
“You’re not mad at me, are you? I mean you understand why we’re doing this, right?”
“Honestly? I don’t understand, but I’m keeping up the act because I love you. Now let’s go, babe,” he pushed open the door and we both walked in together.
“Boys, finally! Wait you’re here together?” Coach Black looked at us weirdly, “you know what it doesn’t matter the bus is getting ready to leave grab some supplies and load them up.
When we finally got done with that we all piled in the bus. I let Jasper sit next to Travis because the look he gave him when loading on the bus obviously means… something. Plus because of this I was “stuck” sitting next to Cash.
When the bus started moving I turned around in my seat and say backwards looking at my friends, “I’m bored sitting next to this bitch what are you amigos talking about.”
“Has Ivy been acting weird towards you?”
“No? Why?”
“She’s been acting really, really weird towards me and Jasp recently. Like giving up disgusted looks and also constantly talking about this guy she likes, but not telling us his name.”
I thought for a second before shrugging, “I don’t know. Maybe she’s going through something at home.”
“The worst struggle that girl goes through is not being able to find the right shade in the morning.”
I looked at Cash who I thought had fallen asleep after he put his head down against the window and closed his eyes, “what would you know, Hugh,” I tried to relay to him that I wanted him to stop being mean to my friend.
“For fucks sake, Royal, she’s such a pick me little bitch, but you three are too blind to see it.”
“I know we attack each other all the time, but ALL of my friends are off limits,” I was truly getting upset now.
Unfortunately, Marcus jabbed in from next to us before Cash spoke again, “they’re too blind too see it cause they’re all narcissistic assholes who crave attention.”
“Who was talking to you again?” Jasper stood up for me half getting out of his seat.
“Jasper, sit down. He’s not worth it.”
“Yeah, Jasper, listen to your boyfriend.”
He turned really red for some reason and fully snapped up lunging at Marcus. Luckily, I managed to grab and stop him before he reached Marcus. Unluckily, the bus decided to lurch itself just then landing us both on the ground hard.
When I dragged myself up I realized that the bus had stopped which is why it lurched.
“Boys,” even I came to attention when I heard the coaches voice, “we are not going to listen to your bickering the entire ride or so help me we will forfeit and turn this bus around.”
“You sound like a dad more than a coach right now.”
“Don’t give a damn, Hawkson. Now everyone sit your asses down. We are going to play some team building exercises.”
“The middle school games, Coach?” some quiet kid named Chase called out from the back. He was the water boy, so I usually forgot about his existence.
“Yes, Landon, the Middle school game. Cause you five are acting like kids so everyone has to be punished.”
“What did I do?” Tristan spoke up.
“He’s right, Tristan didn’t do anything except tell Jasper to sit down.”
“Stop being smartasses. Since there’s obviously tension we’ll play the ‘I Feel’ game,” silence. Even when I was younger I hated this game but I hate feelings. I used to not be, so good at hiding what I really feel, so whenever it was my turn I wouldn’t breakdown, “okaaay… I’ll start. I feel confident about our game.”
The game kept on going until Cash spoke up next to me, “I feel confused… someone I love wants to keep us a secret.”
“Don’t worry, dude, they don’t know what their missing. Maybe you should just drop them if they can’t realize how cool you are find someone who will.” sometimes I forget Cash is friends with Marcus.
“I wish I could, but I love them. Probably much more than they’ll ever love me. I mean just this morning most of his family caught us together and he nearly had a panic attack, which, okay his dad is a homophobic asshole that he’s obviously afraid of, but when he finally got over that his best friend showed up and he couldn’t even tell them,” I looked down.
“I know it’s not my place kid,” Coach spoke up, so I looked back up, “if this boy you love really grew up with a homophobic parent, who could easily turn violent, he may have internalized homophobia. This would make him hate himself and want to let less people know about what he thinks is evil. He could also just be afraid like you said before. The more people who know the more likely it’s going to slip out of someone’s mouth. Maybe he doesn’t know if his best friend is going to keep their mouth closed.”
“I guess…. Your turn, Hawkson.”
“I feel…” upset, jealous, unsure, scared, like a disappoint, any other negative feeling, “bored as fuck.”
Coach smacked his face and everyone laughed, “we can always count on you to be the same…. Thanks for bringing the mood up.”
Sure thing… I guess.
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