Chapter Seventy

Sleep had done nothing to ease her conflicted emotions, but when she boarded the bus on Wednesday morning, a thought came to her. Going on a date with Theo was actually perfect. If Lila asked the right questions, he might be willing to tell her what he knew about the disappearing and reappearing money. He seemed to be a part of Livi’s group, but not an integral part of Daniel’s operation, at least, so it would probably be safe to ask him. Surely he knew something…

After a day of gruelling exams, Lila hadn’t felt more excited for lunch than she did today. Isaac and Asher were already waiting for her outside her locker when she arrived at the locker room. They seemed to be talking about something in hushed voices, but stopped immediately upon noticing her.

“Hey. Elise and Grace not here yet?” Lila asked, shoving her pencil case into her locker. She looked through her exam timetable with a furrowed brow.

“No. The terror of all sauce packets hasn’t arrived yet,” Isaac replied grimly.

“Boo!” Elise shouted behind Isaac. He jumped, emitting a high-pitched scream. Elise almost fell over herself laughing.

“Terror of all sauce packets and Isaac, reporting for duty,” Elise grinned, straightening up. She packed away her things and Grace showed up shortly after. Asher handed Lila her customary lunchbox and the group set off towards the library.

“Thanks again,” Lila beamed at Asher. He gave her a sideways glance and nodded. There was something off behind his expression, besides his strangely lifeless eyes, but Lila couldn’t pinpoint it. Was he burnt out, perhaps? Or something else?

Isaac began berating Elise again about destroying Jerry, with Grace joining in, as they passed numerous empty classrooms. Lila caught sight of her reflection in the windows and hiked up her scarf. The Asher in the window seemed incredibly broody, though Lila suddenly felt too nervous to look at the Asher walking next to her. Did he do badly in his exams?

“How’d your Bio exam go?” Asher eventually asked in a low voice.

“Fine,” Lila replied, her voice higher than usual. “How did your exams go?”

“They went pretty well,” Asher replied. She chanced a glance at him. He was looking at her intently and she looked back down at the ground.

“Lila!” a voice some ways next to her called. She turned towards the sound and saw Theo running to catch up to her. It seemed that he’d come from the direction of the science lab. Lila and Asher stopped walking. Elise, Grace, and Isaac turned around and slowed to a halt, expressions of puzzlement on each of their faces.

Lila watched as Theo struggled to catch his breath, his hands on his knees. After a few seconds, he took a deep breath and straightened up.

“H-Hey,” he said shakily, his face pink.

“Hey,” Lila replied, her body tense. Was Theo going to talk about the date? With everyone looking at them? Especially with Asher here?

“I completely forgot to get your number yesterday,” he said simply, pulling out his phone. “I’ll need it. Can I grab it off you?”

“Why do you need her number?” Asher asked stiffly, his eyes narrowed. Theo looked up at Asher for a moment, before turning his gaze to Lila.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Theo smirked. He adjusted his glasses and passed his phone to Lila, who took it tentatively. She could feel everyone staring at her as she entered her number into Theo’s phone.

“Thanks,” Theo smiled at her once she returned it. “See you later!”

He took off again in the direction he came.

“Well, that was weird,” Isaac said bluntly. “Ow, why’d you hit me?”

Elise glared at Isaac as she rubbed her fist. He gave her a look of understanding not even a second later and resumed the journey to the library, everyone else following behind.

Asher remained silent throughout lunch, and Lila didn’t feel like talking much either. She received a text from Theo towards the end of lunch and was relieved to see that he hadn’t contacted her when her number was plastered all over the school.

Hey, it’s Theo, it read.

Hey, Lila replied.

You all good for me to pick you up on Sunday? I’m thinking around 11, Theo replied.

Sounds good, Lila sent back. She gave him her address and turned her phone screen off with a sigh. She saw Asher glance at her and quickly look away again. Lunch was almost over, so Lila started packing up – she was not excited for her next exam, but she was excited to leave the oppressively tense atmosphere between her and Asher.

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Upon getting home that night with Asher and Daniel in tow, Lila sensed that Asher’s mood was worsening by the minute. As Daniel scurried upstairs, Lila pulled Asher aside in the entryway, almost causing him to tumble over the piles of shoes.

“What’s wrong?” Lila asked, uneasily adjusting her school bag on her shoulder.

“Nothing,” Asher replied lightly, straightening up his shoes. “Nothing at all.”

“It seems like something’s wrong. You’ve been all grumpy.”

“Grumpy? Me? I’m a picture of happiness,” Asher mumbled, making to move past her. She folded her arms and stayed put.

“I know sarcasm when I see it.”

Asher closed his eyes, pressing his lips together briefly. “I’m just worried about what’s happening. You know,” he cast his eyes upwards, towards where Daniel’s room was.

“Are you sure that’s it?”

“Positive.”

Lila narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously before letting him pass. “Alright. Hope your exams went well.”

“Sure did,” Asher replied loftily, slowly heading up the stairs.

The feeling that something was wrong persisted during Lila’s study that night, and even throughout dinner. Though Asher remained polite with her family as usual, he didn’t seem to meet her eye, even when she spoke.

After dinner, Asher did sit in her room but was absorbed in his reading. She could hear him grinding his jaw as he read, so she left him alone.

When Marlene arrived, Asher looked up at Lila, an unfathomable expression in his eyes. It was clear that he was still unhappy, but there was something else. It reminded her of the expression he’d had when he approached her and Isaac on the hill at the beginning of the year when Isaac was trying to comfort her – but with a different kind of intensity within his golden-brown eyes.

“Why’d you give Theo your number?” his tone was emotionless, and he broke eye contact as he stood up from her desk.

“He needed it,” Lila replied quietly, removing her school laptop from her lap.

“Why?”

“So we could talk.”

“What about?”

“Why do you want to know?”

Lila’s palms were growing sweaty, her heart trembling in her chest. He stared at her for a moment before turning around and grabbing his school bags. His expression seemed colder somehow.

“I don’t know,” he murmured before leaving her room. She scrambled to stand and followed him downstairs.

“You’re being very evasive, Asher,” Lila admonished him as he put his shoes on.

“That’s me. An evasive picture of happiness,” he muttered sarcastically, standing up. He unlocked the front door without much resistance today. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Lila.”

“Asher, did I do something wrong?” Lila questioned, a pleading note in her voice. His hand rested on the doorknob as he turned to look at her. He smiled, though his eyes didn’t match the smile. Was there sadness hidden within his irises?

“No, you didn’t do anything wrong, Lila. It’s… more a problem with me that I need to work out. You don’t need to worry. Goodnight.”

He left without waiting for a response, the door solidly clicking shut behind him. ‘Even so, why can’t he tell me what the problem is?’ Lila thought impatiently. ‘I could help.’

But she’d asked in several different ways already. If he wasn’t going to answer her, then what could she do?

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Thursday passed as the rest of the week had been – with Asher still coming over, sequestering himself in Daniel’s room, and then sitting at Lila’s desk after dinner. If anything, Asher was definitely a creature of habit. He still seemed off, but Lila decided not to push him any further. Clearly, he wasn’t going to be forthcoming with what was bothering him.

Friday, however, ended slightly differently. Asher rocked back on Lila’s desk chair, seeming more relieved than he had been in days, another one of Lila’s books in his hands.

“What’re you doing this weekend?” he asked casually, turning the page. Lila’s heart plummeted into her stomach. She’d been so busy with her final exams on Thursday and Friday that she’d almost forgotten about her date with Theo.

“W-Well, I’m going to Sandy Lakes tomorrow morning for hockey. Are you going there too?” she asked tentatively, unsteadily slowing her breathing so she wouldn’t hyperventilate.

“Yeah, we’re going there too,” Asher replied, glancing at her before looking back down at the book. “Hope we win again. And you guys too, of course.”

“Same here,” Lila smiled, though her stomach was still twisting in anticipation. “Why’d you ask?”

“Well,” Asher began, closing the book gently and turning the chair to face Lila. “I reckon I ended up making pretty good progress on it all. After the game tomorrow, I might end up being finished with the reworked version of the Banker’s books. So, I was wondering if we could celebrate on Sunday? Especially since exams are over.”

Lila’s breath caught in her throat. She wished she was free on Sunday. Of all the Sundays in the world, why was this Sunday, the Sunday that Asher asked to celebrate, the one that she had a date with Theo?

“I-I’m busy,” Lila replied, closing her eyes. It was so stupid, how life had worked out this way. It’d been going so well, her not telling Asher about the date. But she couldn’t see a real way out of this one besides telling him the truth. Unless, of course, he left it at that.

‘Nice try. No way he’s leaving it at this,’ Lila thought solemnly.

As if on cue, Asher asked, “Oh? What’re you busy with?”

Lila sighed. “Going… to the aquarium.”

“Nice,” Asher said excitedly. “Can I come?”

“I doubt you’d want to.”

“I love learning about animals,” Asher replied, sounding slightly offended. “Of course I’d want to.”

Lila shifted uncomfortably on her bed, weighing up the options between diving under the covers and pretending he wasn’t here, and just telling him she was going on a date.

“I-I’m going there for a date.”

Asher’s face paled, his eyes wide. “A what?”

“A date,” Lila repeated in a whisper, unable to look at him anymore. She instead looked at her lap.

“With who?” Asher’s question was slow like he was having trouble pulling it out of his mouth even though it was only two words. Lila shook her head.

“Please tell me,” Asher asked again, this time quicker, his voice quivering. Lila remained silent for a few moments.

“Theo,” she finally said quietly. Lila could see in her peripheral vision that Asher’s whole body had tensed up. It stayed that way for almost a minute, with Lila’s breathing unable to fully expand her lungs.

“T-Theo?” Asher’s voice sounded distant and wavered as if he was underwater. Lila nodded.

“When did he ask you?”

“Tuesday. After practice.”

“And you didn’t want to tell me?”

“… I know you don’t like him.”

“I-”

“And it shouldn’t affect you,” Lila interrupted him, staring at her hands as she picked at her nails.

Asher took in a deep breath before replying, “Shouldn’t affect me?”

Lila glanced at him. His whole body seemed to be trembling, his face still pale, and jaw clenched tightly. It… was an odd reaction to the news.

“I mean, it’s not like you’re going on the date with him.”

Neither of them spoke for a moment. The pause felt weighty, crushing Lila’s lungs. Why did she say that?

“Do you like him?” Asher’s voice sounded strained, as though he was struggling for breath. Was he affected by the atmosphere in here too?

“No,” Lila responded emphatically. “Not in that way.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure,” Lila said exasperatedly. “The reason I’m going is to gather info from him about whatever’s going on with Livi and the books.”

Asher turned back to Lila’s desk and reopened the book. “Sure. That’s the reason you’re going,” he said disbelievingly, his eyes scanning the page. Lila crossed her arms defensively, heat rising from her cheeks.

“Asher, it’s tru-”

“Sorry, Lila, but I’d like to read this.”

He turned another page of the book without looking at her. She watched him for a moment before standing up.

“I’m going to get a drink. Do you want one?” she asked, her voice harsher than she’d intended.

“No thank you,” Asher replied politely, still not looking at her. “Thanks for the offer.”

Lila left through the open door and stomped downstairs. Asher’s reaction to her going on the date, even though she was going to gather intel, was… well, she didn’t know how to describe it. Lila decided not to think about it too hard for now. She needed to calm down.

Her parents were watching a talent show in the living room, but she didn’t feel like joining them. She passed them without a word and went into the kitchen.

“You don’t look happy,” Clare commented idly from the kitchen counter, spooning some single-serve tiramisu into her mouth.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

“Funny that,” Lila replied tersely. She opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water.

“What’s wrong? I thought you’d be over the moon that Asher was in your room again,” Clare said, putting down her dessert. Lila sighed heavily and joined Clare at the counter.

“Did you guys have a fight?” Clare asked, eyeing Lila curiously.

Lila shook her head. “Not… exactly. But I guess you could say we did? I don’t even know.”

“What happened?”

“He wanted to hang out on Sunday.”

“That’s a good thing… right?”

“It is if you’re not already on a date.”

Clare began to splutter, the whole spectrum of emotions physically possible contorting her face in a matter of seconds.

“With who? What? When did this happen?” Clare managed to say after collecting herself.

“I dunno if you’d know him. His name is Theo. He’s in Grade 12.”

“I know of him,” Clare nodded. “Asian guy, right? The Dux of that cohort? Plays soccer?”

“That’s him,” Lila sighed again. “Thing is… Asher doesn’t like Theo.”

“Well, why does that matter?”

“I… guess it doesn’t. But…”

“Let me guess. You still have a crush on Asher?” Clare looked at Lila shrewdly, her eyes glimmering.

“Not so loud!” Lila cried, her face bright red. Clare began to laugh before settling down again.

“If that’s the case, what’s up with this Theo guy, then? You couldn’t say no or something?”

“I accidentally said yes, before I realised what I was saying,” Lila said, her shoulders slumped in defeat.

Clare took in a sharp breath. “Yikes. I’ve done that before,” she said sympathetically.

“And Theo seemed so excited, so I couldn’t take it back.”

“I’ve gone on a few pity dates myself, Lila, you don’t need to justify it to me. But, man, you really seem to be surrounded by Duxes. Wish I was that lucky. Shooting for the stars, are ya?”

Lila shot her a withering look and Clare laughed again, shaking her head. “So, what’s the problem?” Clare asked, touching Lila’s cheek affectionately. “You’re allowed to go on dates with people. It’s not like you’re dating Asher.”

“It feels like I’ve done something wrong, though,” Lila admitted quietly. “And I also feel like I’d be stringing Theo along, too. If he actually likes me.”

Clare looked at Lila seriously. “I still think it’s too soon for you to try anything with Asher.”

“I know. But like I said before, he doesn’t like me like that.”

Clare narrowed her eyes at Lila. “Lila, did you find out from Asher whether that’s what he actually feels?”

Lila shook her head. “I’m scared to.”

Clare turned her whole body to face Lila now. “I don’t think you need to be,” she said, taking Lila’s hands in her own. “The way he is with you – it seems he wants more, too.”

“You’re giving me mixed advice here,” Lila replied tonelessly.

“You can tell someone you like them without doing anything with it, you know,” Clare chuckled. “Even if the feeling is mutual, it doesn’t mean you need to be girlfriend and boyfriend or whatever. You can hold those feelings for each other until you’re both ready to commit.”

It had never occurred to Lila that that was an option. Her heart began to race as she thought it over. Did she really need to wait for him to be over Holly to tell him how she felt?

“Of course, there’s also the idea that maybe Theo will take you by surprise,” Clare winked. “Having options isn’t a bad thing. I know you feel guilty, but you could end up falling for him. You can also have a crush on more than one person. But if you get into a relationship with Theo and it takes off, then, of course, the whole Asher thing won’t matter so much anymore. The world’s your pearl or whatever. Sometimes that’s the fun part of being single. Or is it oyster? Clam? Something like that. Well, whatever, the world’s your chicken nugget, just order a box of 20 and enjoy life.”

Lila snickered as she took her hands back and folded her arms. She didn’t want to get involved with Theo, really. He seemed too different from Lila. Unapproachable, almost. They’d hardly had a conversation before and now they were going to go to an aquarium and dinner on Sunday. But… if she shut the idea down completely without giving it a chance, that would be disrespecting his feelings and, frankly, courage in asking her out…

A knock by the kitchen entryway startled Lila and she turned to face the knocker. It was Asher. He seemed out of breath and his face was pink. Had he run down the stairs?

“Marlene’s here,” Asher said after taking a few breaths. A sinking feeling weighed Lila’s stomach down. Had he heard what they were talking about? Lila glanced at Clare who smirked at her.

“I’ve gotta get ready,” Clare announced, standing up. “See you tomorrow, right?”

“Y-Yeah, I’ll be back tomorrow. After the game,” Asher replied, watching Clare walk by him.

“Are you both competing at Sandy Lakes tomorrow?” Clare asked, lingering at the edge of the doorway.

“Yeah,” Lila responded quietly.

“I can pick you up after your game then, Asher,” Clare offered.

“That’d be great,” Asher smiled at Clare, which she returned before disappearing.

Lila tentatively stood and met Asher in the doorway. He looked down at her for a moment before turning on his heel and heading towards the pile of shoes.

“Did I do something wrong?” Lila asked him in a low voice as she unlocked the front door for him.

“Not at all,” Asher replied shortly, a bite of frustration in his voice. “You can stop asking.”

“I’ll stop asking when it feels like you aren’t hiding things from me,” Lila responded, throwing open the front door. He stopped moving and stared at her with wide eyes, his left shoe half-on.

“What do you mean?” he eventually asked, adjusting the back of the shoe at a snail’s pace.

“Exactly what I said,” Lila replied, avoiding his gaze.

He rubbed his face before readjusting his school bags. “You’re hiding things from me, too,” he mumbled.

Lila’s heart pounded in her chest, the palpitations reaching her throat. He’d noticed. He’d picked up on her acting differently before, but she’d thought that she had managed to deflect him by saying she was worried about exams. Evidently, he’d seen through that.

Lila bit her bottom lip as she tossed up between admitting that she was hiding things from Asher, and saying nothing at all about it. She still wasn’t ready to tell him what she was hiding. Despite what Clare had told her a few minutes ago, now that he was standing here mere metres from her, she couldn’t tell him about her feelings anytime soon. Any shred of courage that she might’ve had after talking to her sister had vanished along with Clare.

“… I’ll see you tomorrow, Asher.”

“See you then.”

He left without a backwards glance and Lila closed the door. She stood there for what felt like hours, but couldn’t have been more than a few minutes. It wouldn’t be fair to expect Asher to reveal what he was hiding if he knew she was hiding something. It seemed that they were in a stalemate.

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Sandy Lakes High School was smaller than Forestglade College, though their oval was the same size. Many of its buildings were double-story and made of brick, with several wooden ramps winding between them. Despite the name ‘Sandy Lakes’, neither sand nor lakes were featured amongst the empty classrooms and outdoor landscaping that Lila had seen during her visits. After being dropped off in the carpark by the oval, Lila shambled across the field to her teammates and Ms Wright with a yawn.

She hadn’t slept very well the night before – her last conversation with Asher being the main culprit for this, though Clare’s words had featured in her anxious musings too. She hadn’t managed to reach a conclusion on how to handle the stalemate she found herself in with Asher that didn’t involve coming clean about her crush, and it bothered her greatly.

Lila wanted to wait a little bit longer, to see how Asher was feeling about his breakup with Holly before throwing that information on him. Given he still seemed sensitive about relationships, knowing Lila liked him would force Asher to consider a relationship, or not, with Lila… and if he was still sensitive, then the reaction she was picturing was anything but positive.

‘Now’s not the time to be thinking about that,’ she admonished herself as she half-listened to Ms Wright’s pep talk. ‘Get your act together.’

Once Ms Wright had finished, Lila followed some of the recommended warmups that Ms Wright was now demonstrating. She’d gotten about halfway through the routine when a voice called out to her.

Turning, she saw Theo jogging up to her.

“Hey,” he said breathlessly, brushing the hair out of his eyes. “How’s it going?”

“Same as usual,” Lila replied vaguely. There was no sense in telling Theo about what was actually going on with her - especially not in front of her other teammates. “What about you?”

“Yeah, yeah. Same. I’m looking forward to tomorrow, though.” Theo’s face broke into a cheeky grin and Lila couldn’t help but smile back.

“Yeah. I’ll see you tomorrow if I don’t see you later. Good luck with the game,” Lila said earnestly, her smile still on her face. Lila could hear a couple gasps proceeded by whispering from her teammates. Theo’s eyes slid from her face to the crowd behind Lila and he smirked.

“See you. I’m cheering you on.”

He jogged off again, past Lila and towards the Forestglade College Under 18s soccer team.

“What was that about?” Willow asked Lila, shuffling over and finishing the warmup routine next to her.

“Nothing,” Lila replied, looking determinedly at the grass. She could feel the blood rushing to her face.

“Seeing Theo on a Sunday doesn’t seem like nothing,” Alice, who had also shuffled over to Lila’s other side, laughed. “What happened with Asher?”

“What do you mean?” Lila asked, glancing at Alice as she lowered herself into a lunge.

“I thought you guys totally had a thing for each other,” Alice explained mid-stretch.

“Nah, not for each other,” Lila replied awkwardly. She saw both Willow and Alice’s eyes sparkle, and Lila turned to face a different direction. She didn’t want to get into it with them, and especially not here. The direction she’d turned to, however, was the wrong choice. Asher was standing exactly where she was looking, having not yet crossed the oval to his soccer team. His face looked entirely displeased. Had he noticed Theo talking to Lila just now?

Their eyes met and Lila hurriedly turned back to Willow and Alice. Getting into it with them was a better alternative than looking at Asher right now.

“Not for each other, aye?” Willow crooned, jabbing Lila with her elbow suggestively. “Did you friendzone him?”

Lila sighed. “No, not me.”

Alice gasped. “He friendzoned you?”

“Not exactly,” Lila frowned, finishing up her routine with some shoulder stretches.

“Then… how don’t you guys have a thing for each other?” Willow queried, her brow furrowed.

“Yeah. I’ve been seeing Asher get into the car with you after practice the past couple of times,” Alice added, looking intently at Lila.

“It’s… complicated,” Lila replied, closing her eyes. This… was exactly what she hadn’t wanted.

“Sure sounds it,” snorted Alice. “So, what’s happening with Theo?”

“He asked me to go on a date with him for tomorrow,” Lila said nonchalantly, sticking her mouthguard to her teeth. Willow and Alice followed suit, both looking thoughtful.

“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever heard any rumours or anything about Theo asking anyone out,” Alice said thoughtfully. Willow nodded.

“Must be pretty special, Lila,” Willow grinned, her words muffled by her mouthguard. She checked her watch before looking intently at both Lila and Alice, her tone shifting to one of resolute seriousness. “Guess it’s time to beat Sandy Lakes. Let’s go, team.”

The rest of Lila’s hockey team had begun assembling into a pre-match huddle, during which Erika Lang, the hockey captain, had her own pep-talk.

“Alright girls, we’ve won against them before and we can do it again,” Erika said seriously, her voice authoritative. “We’re on their home turf, but we will win today. I just know it. Let’s go, Forestglade.”

The team performed a rally cry before splitting off to their sections of the field. Sandy Lakes had just finished up their own rally cry before each girl settled confidently into their requisite positions on the other side of the field.

Lila flexed her arms as she held onto her hockey stick, waiting in anticipation for the game to begin.

The sound of sticks rushing through the grass before their sprinting wielders sprung Lila into action. Sandy Lakes were playing far more aggressively than their last match, having reached Lila’s zone within only a few minutes. Lila switched gears into defensive mode until she managed to intercept the ball. Charging down the field to the screams of her teammates, Lila passed it off to Charlotte, who continued their trajectory towards the goal.

It was an intense first half, with Lila constantly on the move. Defensive strategies were definitely most employed in this match. Working alongside the defenders, Lila had managed to thwart every attempt by Sandy Lakes to score a goal until halftime was called.

“God, what the heck is up with them today?” bemoaned Anette Simmers, taking her goalie helmet off aggressively. Ms Wright sympathetically opened a container of orange slices, offering them to Lila and her teammates.

“You’re doing well, girls. They haven’t scored a goal just yet,” Ms Wright said comfortingly, closing up the container.

“We haven’t scored, either,” Charlotte replied despondently before biting into her orange slice.

“I believe in you, Char,” Alice grinned.

“You need to pull your weight, too,” Charlotte retorted. Alice chuckled. Lila took a deep drink of water, her eyes straying to the Under 18s soccer game still in active play.

“Watching your boyfriend play?” Willow smirked, throwing an arm over Lila’s shoulder. Lila rolled her eyes.

“Don’t have one,” Lila reminded her, finishing off her orange slice. They both watched as the Sandy Lakes team dribbled down the field. Lila’s heart began to beat harder in her chest as she watched with keen interest. Surely Asher would save it. Sandy Lakes drew closer, both teams yelling. Asher bent his knees, seeming ready for their advance –

But he missed entirely.

Cheers erupted from the Sandy Lakes side, whilst Forestglade College groaned in disappointment. Halftime for soccer was called shortly after, and Lila watched as Isaac jogged up to Asher, who’d sunk to the floor.

“Looks like the boys aren’t going so well,” commented Charlotte idly. “Good,” she added after a brief pause.

Lila snorted. “Good?”

“They can’t do better than us,” Charlotte said gravely. “Wouldn’t be fair.”

They shared a snicker before heading off to the other side of the hockey field. The game resumed, and this time, Lila’s team had managed to push forward, scoring a couple of goals before Sandy Lakes could manage to encroach on Lila’s defence. Sandy Lakes did also manage to score a couple of goals, much to Lila’s chagrin. As the game ticked closer to finishing, Lila buckled down to bolster their defence further.

However, by the time the sharp bursts of the referee’s whistle called the game to an end, it seemed that Lila hadn’t needed to. Forestglade College had won again, this time by only one point. Lila and her team shook the hands of the Sandy Lakes team, collectively acknowledging how close the game was. Lila’s team then banded together for a celebratory cheer before collecting their things.

With a worn-out grin, Lila removed her mouthguard and drank some more water, absently watching the soccer match as her exhausted teammates departed the field. Given Lila had to wait for Asher to finish up anyway, she stood there for a moment, leaning on her hockey stick.

“Maybe you should go sit on the stands, Lila,” Ms Wright’s voice said on Lila’s left. Lila jumped, dropping her hockey stick in the process. Ms Wright laughed, and Lila scrambled to pick it up.

“See you next week,” Ms Wright said as she checked her container was firmly closed. “You played well today.”

“Thanks,” Lila smiled brightly. “See you then, coach.”

Ms Wright waved Lila off and Lila took her advice in sitting in the spectator stands. Lila wasn’t sure how much longer the match would go on, but it seemed to be in full force when she sat down. From this position, she could see Asher at the far end of the field, though she was too far to see any particular expression he may have had on his face.

As she watched, Lila had the distinct feeling that Asher wasn’t concentrating entirely on where the soccer ball was. Lila wasn’t sure whether he’d noticed her sitting in the stands owing to the fact that his attention seemed to be focused on Theo, even though the ball was nowhere near him.

‘Odd,’ Lila thought to herself as she watched Theo idle in his spot for a moment before launching into action, tackling the Sandy Lakes player with possession of the ball. Lila continued to watch as the Forestglade College team advanced towards the goal. Theo passed the ball to Harrison, who darted forward and kicked the ball straight into the goal. Forestglade College spectators cheered and whistled as Harrison fist-pumped the air. Lila politely clapped. She still wasn’t keen on Harrison’s behaviour outside of soccer, though she was pleased that a point was scored for her school.

The referee called game before the soccer teams could reassemble after the goal, and the Sandy Lakes team began whooping and celebrating on the field. It seemed that, despite Harrison’s goal, Sandy Lakes had won.

The soccer teams wrapped up on the field after their own sportsmanship handshakes. Lila remained seated as she watched Asher still on the field, engaged in a conversation with Mr Kovac.

Theo was about to pass her by when he doubled back, smiling up at her. “You watched us play?” he asked, adjusting his glasses. Lila smiled back.

“Yeah,” she said, standing up and stepping down from the stands. “Nice pass at the end there.”

“Thanks,” Theo replied. “Shame we didn’t end up winning.”

“Why’s that?” Lila asked curiously, leaning on her hockey stick again.

“Our goalie was off with the fairies,” Theo sighed. “Let a couple too many goals pass.”

“Ah,” Lila said shortly. Lila glanced over Theo’s shoulder and saw both Asher and Isaac approaching them, their faces looking equally ticked off. As if sensing the ominous presence behind him, Theo’s body stiffened, his face pale. He began to jog away from Lila, towards the carpark. “See you tomorrow, Lila. I’ll pick you up at 11,” he called with a wave, quickly glancing over his shoulder. Lila waved back.

Isaac and Asher both stopped short of Lila. Now that she saw them up close, it seemed that Asher was far angrier than Isaac. Which wasn’t quite so surprising, given it was generally a feat to make Isaac mad.

“What’s that about seeing you tomorrow?” Isaac asked Lila casually, briefly glancing at a scowling Asher. Isaac’s tone, though, made Lila think that Isaac already knew something. Plus, the terrible acting Isaac was employing in attempting to look both surprised and simultaneously unbothered made Lila suspicious of this fact. He just ended up looking constipated.

“None of your business,” Lila replied shortly. Isaac raised an eyebrow at her but didn’t press the point. Asher pressed his lips together before rubbing his face with a forced sigh.

“Is your sister here yet?” Asher finally asked Lila monotonously.

“Should be,” Lila replied, not meeting his eyes. He seemed cold again today, which didn’t bode well for their time together at Lila’s.

“Let me grab my bag, then,” Asher said, heading off to the changing rooms without waiting for a response. Isaac caught Lila’s eye and folded his arms. Once Asher was out of earshot, he began to speak.

“What’re you doing?” he asked Lila sternly.

“What do you mean?” Lila replied uneasily.

“With Theo.”

“Like I said, none of your business.”

“What happened to your crush on Asher? Now you’re going on dates with other guys?” Isaac sounded accusatory. And, as Lila had suspected, Isaac knew about the date.

“Whoa, whoa, I never s-”

“Cut the bullshit, Lila,” Isaac said exasperatedly. “We’re not playing that game anymore. I’d put it aside, your attempts at saying you didn’t have a crush on him, but we both know differently.”

Lila blinked at Isaac, trying to process what he’d said. He’d never spoken to her so harshly before. Before she could ask why, Isaac sighed heavily, staring at his foot as he drove it into the ground.

“Sorry,” he mumbled. “That came out a lot meaner than I’d intended.”

“… did something happen? With Asher?” Lila asked quietly. Though it was hard to make Isaac mad in most cases, Lila knew by now that things regarding Asher would be a surefire way to tick Isaac off.

“No,” Isaac replied, though his voice cracked. He winced before sighing again, placing his hands on his hips. “Fuck. Fine. Yes.”

“What?” Lila pressed, her voice laden with concern. The fact that Isaac swore hadn’t escaped her notice. Isaac looked at her through narrowed eyes before sighing in apparent resignation.

“Spent all night talking to him, after he left yours,” Isaac said slowly, folding his arms across his chest again. “All he could talk about was your date with Theo tomorrow. I don’t think we ended the call until, like, 2am.”

Lila’s heart stopped for a moment in her chest, her lungs suddenly breathless. A new feeling began to take hold, spreading from her fingertips to the rest of her body. Was it… hope? Just as quickly as the feeling arrived, however, it was washed away by a new one – overwhelming guilt. Asher had been up before a soccer game… because of Lila.

But then, another emotion interrupted this one, too. A broiling anger, steaming her from the inside. Looking at Isaac’s stupid face, as he looked at her with clear frustration, did nothing but stoke the flames.

“What do you mean?” Lila asked, her voice low and surprisingly steady. “Why’d you tell me that? Why should he care? You’re the one who told me that nothing was going to happen, that he just wanted to be friends. He’s not allowed to care about who I go on dates with.”

Isaac stepped closer to Lila, his eyes scrutinising hers carefully. “You’re so stupid. Both of you. It’s like you’re refusing to open your damn eyes.”

“W-What does tha-” Lila tried to say before Isaac cut her off.

“Not my place to tell. I’ve said too much already. Asher’s coming up behind you. See you next week,” Isaac said in a low, urgent voice. He then rushed off, towards the changing room as well, clapping Asher on the shoulder as he passed.

“See you next week,” Lila heard Isaac say. “Don’t worry about the game, man.”

Lila couldn’t hear Asher’s response and began to walk towards him. She was still seething from her conversation with Isaac, but laying her gaze on Asher’s tired, emotionless face cooled it down almost immediately. His eyes flickered to her face before he turned on his heel, striding towards the carpark.

“Time to finish off this accounting fiasco,” he said tonelessly. “Then… I’ll be out of your hair.”

“Not that you were in my hair,” Lila replied, attempting a joke. It seemed to land, as the corners of Asher’s mouth lifted slightly, though he didn’t say anything else.

“Besides, we have an investigation to do, don’t we?” Lila added softly, the sound of gravel crunching under their feet almost drowning her voice. He glanced at her, before scanning the carpark.

“Yeah. Guess we do.”