FicWad

I slowly walked to the soccer fields. There were a ton of kids running around wearing the proud colors of the school. I noticed Joe standing in front of the gate laughing with another kid. He had red long hair and dark thick rimmed glasses. He looked harmless enough. Joe noticed me in the distance and waved. I slightly waved back.

"Hey Izzy," he said as I got close to them.

"Hi Joe," I said clutching the blanket I brought in my arms.

"Izzy, this is Andy. Andy, this is Izzy," Joe said introducing us. Andy smiled warmly at me.

"Hi, Pete told me about you just moving here. Welcome. I moved here last year from Milwaukee, so I know how it totally sucks to be the new kid," he said being very friendly.

"Yeah, it certainly is something I don't wish upon anyone," I said laughing slightly.

"Well, shall we?" Joe asked leading us into the stadium. The boys were already warming up and they had a pep band playing in the stands.

"So, do you guys have a football team, or does soccer rule the school so to speak?" I asked knowing in Minnesota that football was THE sport for high school.

"Eh, our team is ok, but soccer definitely beats watching football," Joe said sitting down. I sat down on the other side of Andy, so the boys could talk.

"Pete told me that you've never seen soccer before. Where was it that you came from again?" Joe asked causing Andy to laugh.

"A small town in Minnesota. We couldn't afford to have a soccer team. We just had the basics," I said answering his question.

"Well, do you know hockey?" Andy asked. I nodded slightly because I had watched our local university a couple of times.

"It's kinda like that," he said trying to help me out a little. I just nodded again and turned my head to watch the boys warm-up. I spotted Pete immediately. He looked so cute in the uniform that they had to wear. He also didn't look too bad with the slight beginnings of sweat that was forming on his forehead. I didn't realize that I was staring until I noticed he was waving at me with a big smile planted on his face. I blushed fiercely and gave a slight wave back.

The game started shortly after and came to realize that Pete was really good. Joe and Andy were trying their best to fill me in as much as possible, but I was having a difficult time listening to them. I was too wrapped up in watching this boy play with such passion. He puts great passion into his words and his actions, it was almost mesmerizing.

"Are you even listening anymore?" Joe asked amused.

"What?" I asked noticing he wasn't speaking soccer talk anymore.

"You weren't listening to us!" he said laughing loudly. "Gee Wiz, Andy and I are taking time out of our busy schedule to help you poor dear learn more about the beloved sport of soccer, and you fail to listen to us. I don't know about you Andy, but I'm kind of hurt," Joe said sounding over dramatic.

"Joe, you wouldn't know a busy schedule if it smacked you straight in the forehead," Andy said laughing at Joe.

"I'm sorry guys. I guess I just got into the game," I said lying. The boys kind of nodded, but deep down I knew they knew exactly what I was into. That was completely embarrassing and I blushed again.

The game ended with a victory from the home team. I stood up and took a deep breath. I guess I didn't realize that soccer was so suspenseful. It was fun.

"So, now what?" I asked the boys who were quietly chatting to one another.

"Now we go talk to Pete, and then we wait for him outside of the locker room," Joe said simply walking down the bleachers.

I nodded and looked down onto the field. There was already an older couple standing by him and giving him high fives and hugs.

"Are those his parents?" I asked tensing up a little.

"Yeah, they come to all the games," Andy said walking more towards the field.

I was definitely not ready to meet anyone's parents, so I had to bail.

"You know what, you guys," I said getting their attention. "I was thinking that maybe I should just go. You know, let you guys hang out and stuff. Just tell Pete I said good game," I said and turned to leave.

"No way girl," Joe said grabbing my shoulder and stopping me. I tensed up even more and Joe noticed, so he let go.

"Pete will kill us if we let you leave. And I know you don't want to be held responsible for death of Joe and myself," Andy said simply. Joe just nodded in agreement. I looked back a forth between the two of them and came to the realization that they are in fact not going to let me leave. I took a deep breath.

"Alright, but I have to use the restroom, so I'll just meet you guys outside the locker room," I said trying to find any way to get out of meeting his folks.

Joe and Andy looked at each other contemplating whether they should let me go or not.

"Ok, we'll let you go to the bathroom, but if you are not at those locker room doors by the time Pete comes out, you have to answer to these guns," Joe said flexing his biceps. I had to bite my tongue to not laugh in his face. After all, I had just met him that day.

"Joe, honestly. The only feeling you caused for this girl is the urge to go to the bathroom more because she is obviously trying not to laugh at you. Intimidation is just not your game, especially since you have no guns," Andy said sympathetically placing a hand on Joe's shoulder.

I burst out laughing. The interaction between all three boys was quite entertaining.

"You think that's funny?" Joe asked shocked.

"Sorry, Joe," I said and turned to go use the bathroom.

"Hey! I wasn't kidding about these guns!" he yelled after me. I just waved without turning around.

I slowly walked to the bathrooms still giggling to myself. These guys reminded me a lot of my friends from home. It made me slightly homesick to think about it. After waiting in an enormous line, I finally made it to the locker rooms where there was a mass of people standing around.

"Hey!" Joe said sounding surprised to see me.

"What? Did you think I wouldn't show?" I asked him.

"I dunno. I guess I didn't realize the power that these babies possess," Joe said rubbing and kissing his arms.

I just started laughing again and Andy managed to ignore Joe's comments about his arms. I stood against the wall and looked down at my feet and waited for Pete. It sure was taking him a long time. Suddenly there was a pair of shoes opposite of mine. I looked up slowly and Pete was standing there smiling at me.

"Well? What do you think about soccer?" he asked still smiling at me. I melted at the sight of his smile.

"Very interesting," I said nodding and turned to leave the building.

"That's it? Interesting?" he asked and looked back at Joe and Andy.

"Hey man, we tried to teach her the game, but she refused to listen," Joe said holding his hands up in his defense.

"Yeah, I think she noticed a hot boy and focused all of her attention on him," Andy said cooing at me.

"Oh yeah? A hot boy?" Pete asked looking at me. I had put my head down in embarrassment. I couldn't believe this conversation was occurring.

"You know, I could introduce you to anyone you want to know on the team," Pete said simply. I looked up quickly. No one knew it was Pete who I focused all of my attention on.

"There was no hot boy, so that won't be necessary," I said and tried to keep the group walking. All the boys nodded their head as they walked behind me.

"And stop that head nodding shit, alright. There was no boy," I said turning around, still walking, and pointing my finger at them. All three pairs of eyes got big.

"Whoa, that was awesome. She has the mom eyes," Joe said sounding impressed.

"Mom eyes?" I asked.

"Yeah, eyes in the back of your head. Now we have to watch everything we do behind your back because from some unknown force you can see what we are doing...cool," he said sounding overly dramatic as usual.

"Yeah, be afraid. Be very afraid," I said playing along.