APRIL 6, 2012 - 3 YEARS BEFORE

DESPITE THE FACT that going to a St. Mary's sports event by choice went against my instinctual desire to remain invisible, here I was. I'd long accepted that for some people, high school was an unremarkable era that came and went without all the extra adventures and fond memories that I read about so often, but as I crept closer to graduation, I found myself feeling a little more sentimental.

Maybe that was why I'd finally accepted Will's invitation to come to one of his games.

Since the afternoon we spent together in the waiting room, we'd seen a lot more of each other. I was growing used to his presence, and it scared me. Everything after graduation was one giant unknown, and I had no idea if my friendship with Will would extend beyond it.

But I told myself that was okay. This was what high school was meant for: to make memories, collecting them in yearbook pages and nostalgic photographs, and then move on.

The early evening air felt unseasonably warm, and I adjusted my position on the worn-out bleachers, feeling uncomfortable. I had my backpack placed in my lap, clinging to it like a crutch, my fingers toying with the pins decorating the front. Trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, I looked to my right, where Naomi Mizrahi was sitting with a gaggle of her friends. I'd ducked my head when I caught sight of her upon my arrival, and I didn't think she knew I was even here.

It wasn't as though I didn't like her—ever since we first met at Duncan's party, she'd always made sure to say hi whenever she saw me in the hallways at school, and her aura was warm, and friendly. I'd known if she'd spotted me, she would've invited me to sit with them. If it was just the two of us, it would've been alright, but anxiety churned in my stomach at the thought of being tethered to a bunch of strangers for the night, trying to fit in, and feeling like a complete outsider.

Coming to the game at all had been a challenge, I'd already done my hard thing for the day.

Surveying the field, I watched the players. The Marauders were facing off against the Eagles, Cape Vincent Secondary's team, and I found myself hoping that Claire would show up to support her school. I'd nearly invited her to join me, but I wanted to push myself, at least a little. I was always relying on someone else to feel safe. But if I could go to a house party on my own, I knew there must be other things I could do.

I really didn't know anything about soccer. I knew what scoring a goal looked like, and that there was a lot of running, but that was the extent of my knowledge. Even so, watching Will glide across the field made it all seem like a sort of strange magic. It was hard to look away.

Feeling my lips curve into a soft smile, I looked on as he and Duncan celebrated a goal, clapping each other on the back enthusiastically. I'd purposely arrived after the game started, wanting to come at a time where I wouldn't be making an obvious entrance. I hadn't even told Will I was coming at all. I supposed I wanted to surprise him, to do something that would at least slightly repay him for how much his presence had comforted me when I was waiting to hear Murphy's results. It paled in comparison, but it was something.

Movement caught my eye to the left of the field, as Will unintentionally tangled with one of his opponents, both in pursuit of the ball. The Eagles player stumbled to the ground, landing on his shoulder, and Will grimaced, offering him a hand, only to be rejected. The other boy waved him off aggressively, and Will held his hands up in surrender as a couple guys jogged over to help their teammate to his feet.

I frowned as the boy from the Eagles spit in the direction of Will's feet, casting him one last vicious glare before running off to rejoin the game.

From that point on, it seemed as though Will had painted a target onto his back. Throughout the rest of the game, the boy from the Eagles made moves to discreetly trip him or shove him whenever possible, and it made my stomach turn. It was his version of revenge for something that was an accident in the first place.

As the game progressed, it was clear to see the poor sportsmanship was making Will agitated. I found my eyes darting between him and the referee, hoping something would be enough to warrant a penalty. I didn't have to wait long. Will was dribbling down the field, making his way toward the goal with precision, when the Eagles player charged him aggressively, sending them both to the ground again.

I gasped, my grip tightening on my backpack, and the ref didn't hesitate to blow the whistle, whipping a red card out of his pocket. The player, a tall, stocky boy, donning a number five jersey, pushed himself to his feet.

"This is bullshit!" he shouted, getting in the ref's face, before being pulled back by his teammates who were no doubt trying to keep things from getting any worse.

I chewed the inside of my lip, looking back at Will, who was watching the spectacle with a pinched look on his face, still on the ground. Worry brewed in my belly.

Duncan materialized beside him, reaching out a hand to pull his friend up into a standing position. Will's face cleared slightly, and he smiled, though he looked troubled.

As he jogged to the corner of the field, I noticed he was limping.

The Marauders won by two.

It was hard to fully concentrate on the game, knowing that Will was injured, no matter how minor it was. And when it finally ended, he headed in the direction of the school without even looking at the bleachers. My heart sank. I'd hoped I'd at least get the chance to say hi once it was over, but maybe that wouldn't happen after all.

The crowd slowly dispersed, most of the spectators heading home, and I rose to my feet on the rickety bleachers, making my way to the bottom. I supposed I should leave, too.

"Vivienne?" I heard suddenly.

I turned around to find Naomi behind me, a surprised look gracing her beautiful features. I nodded timidly, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, and fixing her with a fleeting smile.

"I had no idea you were here!" she exclaimed. "I would've sat with you."

"Oh, that's okay," I stammered. "I came late, anyway."

She smiled brightly. "Next time, then." It faded a little, and she cast a glance in the direction that Will had disappeared. "Wild night, huh? Number five was a total asshole."

"Seriously," I agreed emphatically, grateful someone else shared my sentiments. "It was hard to watch."

"I can't stand guys like that," she continued. "Far too much testosterone. I hope Will's okay."

"Me too," I said, sliding my backpack over one shoulder and fidgeting with my fingers. "I was hoping to catch him before he left."

Naomi studied me, a calculated look on her face as she tilted her head to the side. Her eyes darted to the school again, before returning to mine. "You know, he might still be here," she offered. "You should go talk to him."

I let out a breathy laugh, feeling my cheeks warm. "Oh, I don't know," I murmured. "Maybe he doesn't want to see anyone."

"No, seriously," she encouraged, voice sincere. "I think he would really appreciate it."

I bit my lip, debating. She took a step back with a friendly wave, leaving me to make the decision on my own.

"See you around, Viv."

"Bye," I replied, waving back absentmindedly as she caught up with her friends, heading toward the parking lot.

Gripping my backpack strap tightly, I changed course, walking in the direction of the school with purpose, feeling a bout of nerves in my chest. I weaved my way through the few players who were scattered across the field, some from each team, stepping over stray water bottles and soccer cleats.

The closer I got to the school, the quieter the atmosphere around me became. The sun was low in the sky, and I stepped into the shadow being cast by the building, feeling the significant drop in temperature as I tried to work out where Will might've gone.

I was nearing the back entrance when I spotted a figure curled up on the ground. Squinting, I tried to make sense of what I was seeing in the dim light. When I took in the familiar tousled hair and number seven jersey, my heart did a nosedive.

My eyes widened and I quickened my pace, unable to swallow a sickly sense of dread.

"Will?" I called out once I reached him, and he sat up quickly, turning away from me. "Are you okay?"

He was silent for a moment, and I slowed down, stopping when I was a couple feet away. "Hey, Viv," he greeted, his voice sounding raspy. "I didn't realize you'd come out tonight."

The whole time he spoke, he didn't turn around, and my eyebrows furrowed as I dropped my backpack, sinking to my knees behind him in the grass. "Will," I said softly.

"Thanks for coming," he continued, as though his behavior was perfectly normal. "Sorry you had to witness that. Things can get ugly sometimes. I should get going now though, I'll see you at school on Monday."

He made to stand, but I reached out, placing my hand on his shoulder to stop him. His body went rigid.

"Will," I said for the third time, a frown etched into my features. "Look at me."

After another painstaking silence, he sighed wearily, turning and allowing me to look at his face for the first time. My breath caught, expression contorting in horror, when I saw the splotches of red forming around his swelling right eye, accompanied by a gash on his cheek. His lips curled in a rueful smile.

"Didn't want you to see," he admitted quietly.

"Oh my God," I breathed, one of my hands reaching out and hovering inches from his face. "What happened?"

He laughed shortly, without humor. "Guess that guy from the Eagles doesn't like me all that much," he quipped. "And here I thought I was making a new friend."

"This is serious. We need to tell someone—"

"Honestly, it's fine," he stopped me, holding up his hands. "It'll probably heal in a few days, anyway."

I pursed my lips together, displeased. "He still shouldn't get away with it."

"I'll tell the coach later."

I ran my eyes over the injury once more, my heart constricting painfully. "Are you going to go to the doctor?"

He laughed again. "I'm fine, Vivienne," he assured me, shaking his head. "It's not a big deal."

I maintained his crystalline gaze stubbornly. "Then you have to let me clean it up."

He raised an eyebrow. "Do I?"

I nodded firmly. "There's a first aid kit in the science lab."

Closing his eyes for a brief moment, he conceded, letting out another sigh. "Alright, fine," he agreed.

Feeling marginally better about the situation, I rose to my feet, picking up my bag and pushing open the heavy door to the school. Will silently trailed behind me in the hallway, seeming to be deep in thought. Despite his casual attitude about the situation, I could tell all of it bothered him, he just didn't want to admit it.

Luckily, the door to the science lab was unlocked, and I flicked on a couple of the light switches after we entered, lighting the room in a fluorescent glow. It felt strange to be here after hours, the empty classrooms created a somber atmosphere, and it was eerily quiet without the chatter of students to fill in the silence.

Once inside, Will hopped up onto a desk, as I located the first aid kit. After finding a cotton pad, I saturated it with water from one of the sinks, heading back over to him. It was odd to be at his eye level while I was standing. Pursing my lips, a frown of concentration formed on my face as I delicately lifted his chin, using the cotton to dab at his cheek gently.

At first, he kept his gaze riveted to the floor, but after several beats, I could see him watching me out of the corner of my eye. I tried to ignore it, changing out the cotton pad for a new one once it became stained with blood. I pressed it against the side of his eye tenderly, and he winced from the cool temperature.

"Sorry," I apologized, feeling my cheeks warm as I attempted to lighten the pressure of my fingers.

"S'okay," he murmured, his eyes returning to my face.

We'd never been this close before. I could see every line in his face, every eyelash, feel his warm breath on my hand. All of that might have been tolerable if it weren't for the way he stared at me while I pretended not to see.

"You never told me you were coming," he said, after a weighted pause.

"I wanted to surprise you," I admitted, trying to concentrate on my task.

I saw his mouth curve upward slightly. "I'm glad you're here."

My stomach fluttered. I paused, lowering my hand and backing away a little. I took the time to study his expression. It was less guarded than it had been outside; his eyes had softened, his shoulders relaxed.

"Are you really going to be okay?" I asked worriedly. "I noticed you limping earlier. . ."

"I just hurt my knee a little bit," he explained. "It'll be back to normal soon."

I watched him, unconvinced. "Are you sure?"

He smiled softly again. "Stop worrying," he scolded, poking my shoulder teasingly.

"Stop giving me things to worry about," I retorted, and he laughed, the sound smooth and gentle enough to make my lips twitch.

When his eyes returned to mine, they were like the glassy surface of the sea on a calm day. "Vivienne," he murmured.

I set the cotton pad down on the desk, suddenly feeling restless, my heart pounding in my chest.

Instead of continuing his thought, he lifted his hand, his fingers cupping my cheek with a feather-light touch, and I felt my breath catch. I swallowed, terrified to look anywhere but his eyes, trying to anticipate what would happen next. I wanted to say something, but my mind had gone completely blank.

He leaned in, closing the space between us, his lips meeting mine in a gentle kiss.

The gesture was tentative and meaningful, filled with feelings I didn't have the words for. It was brief, and my heartbeat thundered in my chest as he pulled away, my eyelids fluttering open to see the question in his expression. It was so quiet in the science lab that you could hear a pin drop.

My nerve endings were on fire, and mustering whatever courage I could, I kissed him again. An answer. His lips moved against mine carefully, and my toes curled, butterflies dancing in my belly.

After a while, I felt his mouth melt into a smile.

Will pulled back again, the crystalline eyes that I'd come to love taking in every detail of my face. He reached up to push a curl behind my ear, his fingertips skating across my cheek, leaving me with a tingling sensation on my skin.

"Vivienne Abbott," he remarked, his voice low. "I've got the biggest crush on you."

┅

song: such great heights - iron & wine

first kiss weeeeeeeee.

not gonna lie, that song paired with that last scene made me tear up a lil. i've had this scene in my head for forever and a day, and it feels strange and nice to actually write it down. i am full of emotions.

i really hope you enjoyed this one, and that it was satisfactory!

thank you for reading, much love ミ☆