Chapter 4: It should've been me

"Are you alright?"

That was the first thing everyone had asked her upon her entrance in the school. She was currently getting cornered by a few of her friends in the hallway, asking her dozens of questions about the accident yesterday. As she answered their questions, she almost forgot that the incident was on the local news yesterday. No wonder they knew about it so soon. Just last night, her phone was full of unread messages from her friends who knew about her what happened and was concerned about her condition. But she was too tired to bother about it until this morning.

"Thank goodness Nick saved you just in time," her friend, Tiffany remarked. She nodded with a fake smile.Tell me about it, she thought.

"Yeah," Mark who had joined in agreed. 

"Of course you'd say that," Dianne barked. "You two are rather close. But it's truly undeniable."

Celeste quickly walked away from the group to avoid the unwanted attention. On her way to her locker, she had unintentionally passed by Nick, catching his attention.

She sighed tiredly when she saw him approach her. 

"What do you want?" She asked rashly as she opened her locker with a loud bang.

He shrugged. "Not much..." He said, studying her. "You actually dressed more like a lady now!" He laughed as soon as he saw that, instead of wearing her usual ripped-up jeans, denim jacket and baggy t-shirt, she actually wore a skirt. He didn't actually think she'd take his words seriously

She rolled her eyes. "Don't get me wrong," she hissed, trying to hide her embarrassment.

Earlier that morning, his words still sunk deep within her. Conscious about her appearance, she decided to dress more "like a lady".

And so she ended up wearing the clothes her mother had been persuading her to wear for a while now.

Celeste slammed the locker shut. "Well, what's wrong with what I wear? Yesterday, you randomly told me that I dressed and acted like a boy. And now that I wore something that opposes your criticism of me, your making fun of me?" She looked so frustrated that he laughed at her reaction.

Oh, so you think this is funny eh?

She walked away from him. But deep down, she was so flustered. I can't believe he actually noticed that.

But she brushed the thought aside knowing that there were greater things to think about than that. All morning, almost everyone, even the teachers were complimenting Nick on his bravery he showed yesterday for saving her. She was used to hearing praises for him all the time, but this time, it got on her nerves. This time was different. For some reason, she felt suddenly indebted to him even though she knew it was the other way around. But no one else knew that. No one else knew that he still owed her a grave mistake he had made ever since their childhood!

They were saying it as if she was the one who owed him! She knew that wasn't what they intended to do, but that was what they made her feel.

And that was so. Throughout the entire morning, Celeste had been trying so hard to avoid the topic. But it seemed like it was so grand that everyone would have a hard time forgetting that.

Fortunately, at lunch, the gossip had died down due to all the talk about the upcoming big game this Saturday. 

"Are you coming to the game?" Dianne asked her once again. "Please! My brother would be there and I don't wanna go alone." Her older brother, Kai McGree was playing in the game and he had to go earlier than she, due to make advance preperations.

,"What about Stacy?" Celeste asked, trying to avoid her eyes. She knew if she'd make eye contact with her she would have a hard time turning her down. That was always her weakness.

"She won't be coming since she's also preparing for a game in another agenda but on the same time...Remember? Oh please, Celeste?" Dianne pleaded.

Oh right, Celeste thought. Stacy Petersburg was going to have a Badminton match representing their school in the town hall. However, they couldn't come so they could support the Basketball team in their game which was being held within their school. It was that time of the year when they held their "Annual Intramurals". 

She sighed. "Oh, alright," she resisted. Dianne had left her no choice but to come to the game she didn't wish to. She would rather prefer to go and watch Stacy's match, since, after all, she was fond of playing badminton. She had no interest in basketball, but she already gave her word and she knew that there was no breaking it now. 

She continued to eat her lunch, listening to their conversations.

She, with her friends, ate lunch every afternoon on the same table. There were currently five of them, Celeste, Dianne, Jared, Ruehl, and Tiffany, who were comfortably eating their lunch as they speak.

"Of course, I'm sure it's either Kai or Nick who'll be bringing the trophy home," Ruehl said after sipping a glass of orange juice. He was also part of the basketball team and happened to be a close friend of Nick and Kai, who was their senior by just a year.

Tiffany nodded at Ruehl's remark.

"Yeah...from what I hear, the team's having a hard time deciding who next year's captain will be. Rickey, would be graduating this year, so they need a new captain for the next year. I wonder who they'll choose, though."

"How'd you know all that?" Ruehl demmanded surprise.

Rickey, as mentioned, was their current team captain. However, he was already in the 12th Grade and was to graduate this year. Because of that, they needed a new captain to replace him even before he was to be detained. And they were going to settle it with the old fashion way: by voting. As early as now, they had already nominated two candidates who they thought to be fit for the job: Nick and Kai. The two were skillful players, but everyone knew that it took great responsibility to lead the team in a winning streak.

"But if either Nick or Kai gets the spot, I'm sure the team would still be in good hands," Jared remarked. And no one could go against it, not even Celeste. Despite her hatred towards him, she knew that when it came to things like this, Nick proved himself to be very useful..

*****

He knew he always liked her. Even though they seldom talked, Kai McGree felt a strong feeling of attachment towards her. She was his sister, Dianne's good friend and they often hung out together. She, Celeste Johnson, often went to the McGree's to pay a visit to her friend, Dianne.

He still remembered the first time he'd first seen her, which was about three summers ago. He and his sister were in the park when she suddenly showed up. He then found out that she was a friend of Dianne's. Though he knew she was a year older than him, he couldnt help but be smitten by her beauty.

The sight of her wavy brown hair flying with the wind, the way her ocean, blue eyes glinted as the sun lit it, and how her smile brightened her face...it left him breathless.

He never forgot that day up until now. 

The memory flashed back in his head even as he was taking a break from playing basketball. He was leaning against the side bench he was on as he tried catching his breath. He was soaked with sweat as he drunk another gulp of cold, icy water. Beside him, his fellow friend, Nick was doing the same. 

"I'm tired," Nick muttered after he caught his breath. Sweat trickled down his neck and down inside his jersey. He kept his eyes on the court as a few of their teammates were sprinting up and down it. His eyes trailed back and forth at them when he suddenly caught sight of someone. He sat up to make sure if he'd seen it right. At the corner of the court, a few others had entered and was watching the team as they played. And he recognized one of them to be Celeste.

He perked up and smirked. What might she be doing here?

By now, Kai had also noticed them. Celeste?

He felt so happy when he saw that they were coming his way along with his sister and fellow teammates, Jared and Ruehl who were now in their jerseys.

He stood up to greet them but his main objective was to get in contact with Celeste, who was busy talking with Tiffany. 

Though Kai had stood up, Nick stayed put, knowing that if he drew near her, he'd only drive her away. He kept his eyes on the on going game, pretending not to notice them even though they were now in front of him.

Celeste frowned as Ruehl and Jared talked to Kai. She had no desire to come here, but she was forced to anyway. If she hadn't, she would've gone home alone and she knew her mother would not at all be pleased with that. Ever since the accident yesterday, her mom had forbidden her to come home alone. So she was now left with no choice but to come here. 

Both Tiffany and Dianne wanted to watch the team practice and, with the companionship of Ruehl and Jared, they were allowed.

"Oh, c'mon, Celeste!" Tiffany had said when they were persuading her. "Not everyone gets to come inside the Basketball court!"

That was true. Due to the upcoming championship this Saturday, the team were strictly asking everyone to avoid coming in and out of the court to prevent any distractions. Only a few, selected people could come in.

"What are you waiting for?" Ruehl barked, turning towards them. "Get yourself a seat if you don't want to get kicked out!" He threatened.

Tifanny playfully stuck out a tongue at him before she sat at a bench beside Nick's.

Celeste and Dianne trailed off beside her and obediently sat down beside her.

Kai and Ruehl walked towards Nick.

"What brings them here?" He asked. They were to busy talking to Jared to notice him staring at them.

"They just wanna tag along," Ruehl answered. "I mean, it wouldn't hurt..."

"Since when did you want to watch me play, eh, Celeste?" He called teasingly, catching her attention.

She rolled her eyes. Here he goes again, she thought, annoyed.

"Don't get me wrong," she reasoned. "I didn't come here for you!" Beside her, Dianne and Tiffany exchange surprised glances. Their friend seldom got angry.

"Oh?" Nick refused to stop. For some reason, he just wanted to hear her say that she did come for him, even though he knew there was no way she would.

She glared hard at him. Her words were supposed to end their conversation, but it seemed like he wasn't going to make that happen.

Everyone's attention was now fixed on the two of them. 

Seeing their sudden interaction, Kai eyed Nick carefully before giving orders to resume their practice. He didn't want them to converse any further, knowing it was bringing him a strong pain of jealousy.

Earlier that morning, his ears ached at how Nick had saved Celeste from getting run down by a car. He'd heard about it yesterday from Dianne, since she had paid her a visit at the hospital. Fortunately, she was discharged earlier than expected.

However, he didn't expect the whole school to go crazy about it.

Though he and Nick were very close, he couldn't help but be jealous of him. But he tried to hide it, not wanting ruin their friendship over such a foolish reason.  He knew that Nick had no romantic interest in Celeste.

But it shouldve been me, he thought as he, Ruehl and Nick were positioning themselves in the court. His gaze fell on Nick.

But anyone would've done it, he thought. Jared decided to stay back, since, he was, after all, a substitute. So he spent his time with the girls.

"That was...random." He remarked as soon as Nick and the others had left.

"Yeah, well he's always like that," Celeste said, noticing their suspicious look. Though they had never mentioned it, she always knew that they thought she and Nick had something together. They had never told her personally, but she'd overheard them talking about the two of them when they thought she wasn't around. She, of course, hated the thought. That was also one of the reasons why she wanted to get rid of the topic of the accident and of him saving her to avoid unwanted attention. But she already knew that they were already wondering more about them since the accident.

There was an uncomfortable silence between them.

Jared spoke up first, changing the topic.

"Want to stop at our restaurant on our way home?" He offered. "I'm sure my mom wouldn't mind."

Everyone accepted it. Jared's family owned a restaurant near the school. Usually, when they still had time, they'd stop by for a snack or an early dinner for free. Mrs. Stephens, Jared's mother, would usually treat them.

Celeste felt more at ease as soon as he changed the topic. Jared always knew when someone felt uncomfortable even though no one would say anything. She smiled at him greatfully.