A/N hello everyone. i'm unsure why this chapter was deleted, perhaps a glitch on wattpads end. sorry about that, hopefully it doesn't happen again. if it does, let me know.
Sophomore year went by in a hurry and junior year was no different. I was well on my to graduating and Mr.Hugh's was pleased to hear I was passing. It was hard, the first year with out Dakota. People I had never spoken to had come up to me with questions I didn't have the answers to, or rather I didn't want to answer. And the inevitable question, were we still together.
It wasn't anyone's business but word spread like wild fire. Eventually Mr.Moreau had come up with the greatest of all explanations. You can imagine the fun Queenie had with that. She had graduated on time, not that I cared much, more so about the fact that she was no longer terrorizing the school and Alex, you can guess what had happened to him. After failing a whopping three times, the school had decided it was best for him to pursue a GED.
I only hoped no one would rise to take Queenie's throne, at least while I was still around. Things were looking up and I was moving on. That's what I had kept telling myself, anyway.
Mr. and Mrs.Moreau had still lived across the street, as if to taunt me but it gave me a small sliver of hope that he'd come back. Some days I'd see his bedroom light on but I gathered from the figure, it couldn't have been him. Maybe this was the year he would be back. I scoffed, who I am kidding?
"First day and the last year of high school, baby!" Michael said as he swung an arm around Gemma during lunch.
"What's the plan for after high school?" Jane asked me as she pushed her glasses up and tucked a piece of her dark hair behind her ear. "Football, scholarship, college." I said in monotone.
"I'm assuming the same for you?" Jane asked as she gestured toward Michael with a nod of the head. "You bet." He said before chugging the rest of his pop and tossing it in the garbage can not too far away.
"You're going to be so far away." Gemma said with a pout.
"Gemma, we're going to be in the same city."
"But not the same college." She said as she crossed her arms. I could see the water works starting in her eyes.
"Gemma, focus." Jane said after snapping her fingers in front of Gemma's face. Gemma nodded and took a deep breath. "I'm fine."
Michael and I exchanged a look of confusion before shaking ours heads in unison. The thought of graduating was bittersweet. On one hand, I was graduating. I'd be away from the small town I'd always known and I wouldn't have to be reminded of Dakota every time I walked outside my house. But on the other, we would not be graduating together the way I pictured it.
ð
I looked at myself in the mirror that hung in the locker room and took a deep breath as I stared at the big "C" on my jersey. It was a heavy weight to bare that I had been tasked with and I thanked coach every day for the opportunity to show what I was capable of. Scouts continued to offer me scholarships through out the seasons but there was only one I was interested in and where I knew I'd see Dakota again.
I chuckled to myself. It'd been almost three years and I still hung onto the hope that he'd come back and that I'd see him in college. I did tell him I'd wait, after all. I shoved my helmet over my head and took another deep breath before jogging out to the field.
"Let's hear it for the Warriors!" The announcer's voice echoed as the crowd cheered, giving me the rush I always felt before a game.
"Go Luka!" Gemma yelled from the sidelines in her cheer leading uniform.
"What about me?" Micheal asked with a grin from behind.
"And Michael!" Gemma cheered as she shook her pompoms. I chuckled to myself at her enthusiasm. I supposed it was a required trait if she were to be cheer captain. I glanced at the stands and could easily spot my parents in the crowd as they held up hand made posters with Michael and I's name, sat beside my parents was Mr.Hugh and a dozen other scouts who I'd turned down once before, they couldn't seem to get it through that no matter who offered, I'd chosen Mr.Hugh as my first and only choice.
"Alright boys, you know the drill. These yellow belly sons of bitches-"
"Coach." I interrupted as I cleared my throat.
"Knock 'em dead, boys." He said before blowing his whistle.
With every inhale and exhale, my lungs were set a blaze as beads of sweat soaked every inch of me. We were down 16 to 15 with only 20 seconds remaining. There was still enough time for us to tie but it'd had to be one mighty play. We couldn't slip up if we wanted to win.
It was the opposing teams ball, who kicked off short and the ball went high. All heads were pointed to the sky as the defense blocked the offense. I caught the ball, nearly missing it and I could feel the blood pumping in my veins. I ran to the right, flipped the ball to the tight end at the 25 yard, who threw it across the field to Michael.
The crowd jeered and I swear I heard myself scream as I watched Michael run the 75 yards, untouched down the left sideline before finally making it across the end zone line.
"Touchdown for the Warriors!" The announcer's voice echoed through out the field. The team ran to Michael and grabbed him by the legs before hoisting him up in the air, shouting his name in unison.
"We did it!" Michael said after his feet were back on solid ground and wrapping an arm around me.
"Yes, we did." I said with as my smile widened, ecstatic that we had won our first game as seniors. I looked to the crowd and I could tell by the smiles on their faces, my parents were just as happy as I was. They waved, making their way off the bleachers, assuming to get to the parking lot I waved back.
I was mere seconds from turning back to my team, when in the middle of the stand, there, I spotted someone familiar. I stopped, dead in my tracks as my arms fell to either side of me and time stood still. I could hear the strong beating of my heart in my ears and the fluttering in my stomach.
I moved forward, slowly and steadily, afraid that if I walked too quickly, he'd vanish and the image before me would disappear. My surroundings blurred the closer he came and I could feel a stinging in my eyes as his features became clear.
"Dakota." I said breathlessly, smoke escaped my mouth forming against the cold air.
"Hey, captain." He said with a wink.
His smile was as warm as I remembered, everything about him was just the same but also different from the years we spent apart. I moved closer, hesitant as I reached my hand out towards his. Soft and tender, just as I remembered.
"You're real."
ð
"When? How? What about-" I stuttered as I sat across from Dakota in the empty locker room, barely able to form a sentence as a million questions raced through my mind.
"I'm not supposed to be back until tomorrow morning but I wanted to see you." He said as he reached for my hand, caressing it with the other.
"He sent me to my uncle. It was shit." His voice gave out before he paused, as if remembering the times there. "I tried to get a hold of you, I swear. My uncle never let me out of his sight." I nodded, to show I was listening.
"I was home schooled, can you believe it? Fucking home schooled because my father knew I'd try to contact you. It was like he thought everything out." He scoffed before shaking his head.
"What's going to happen now? He just trusts you to stay away from me?" I asked.
"My mother convinced him to let me come back, or she'd leave him. Don't want to ruin the whole family image now, do we?"
"Where'd he tell everyone I was?"
"Football training in the city." I said as I rolled my eyes.
"So this, between us, it has to be a secret?"
"No, we just have to be, careful." He said with a smirk. I nodded, understandably.
"Come here." He said as he tugged on my arm, sitting me beside him, still sweaty from the game.
"You were amazing out there and I noticed all those scouts too." He said as smiled, staring deep into my eyes. I could see a twinkle in his each time he looked me, giving me warmth.
"I'm so proud of you Luka." He said before wrapping his arms around me, bringing me close and nuzzled his nose into the nape of my neck. I closed my eyes and squeezed him tight, afraid if I let go I wouldn't see him again.
"You're so big now." He said with a chuckle, grazing his hands over my back before facing me again. Without a word he leaned in close, parting his rosy lips before they met mine. The caress of his lips was tender, as supple as before. My knees felt weak and my head, light as his hands roamed my body. I could feel myself getting aroused, the blood rushing to my cheeks and making me blush at the simplest touch.
"I missed you so much."
"I missed you too Dakota." I said as I held him close. I wanted the moment to last forever but I knew all too well it couldn't.
A/N i highly suggest reading Victorian Boy by AudreyHornesHeart it's wonderfully well written and i definitely recommend it if you enjoy fan fiction.