No Pads… No Helmets… Just Memories!

"You coming to grab a slice?" Andrea asked as she dropped her bag on the bench by my side.

Looking up at her I thought for a moment whilst pawning my thinking off as I pulled the clammy shin pads from my legs, letting the imprints breath as I sighed. "I don't know... I'm sweaty and I'm tired!" I said with a groan as I kicked my mud covered cleats into the changing stall where my stuff covered the tiled locker room floors. Andrea groaned in protest. My thoughts un-phased as I began to pack, the cold seeping through my freshly bare feet, it wasn't a lie I was tired and felt sticky of sweat and grime, but I also simply just wasn't in the mood to socialize.

"If you are refusing to go because Alex will be their then shove a sock in it!" She said with a sarcastic spill as I scoffed. Not lifting my eyes to her while I continued to pack. "I'm sure he has seen you looking worse!"

"Thanks!" I muttered with a backhanded tone. "It's not even Alex; I just don't feel like being out." I told her honestly again as she rolled her eyes. I knew I looked horrible and even though it wasn't the main cause of my discomfort with the idea of being with people, it sure did add to it. My hair appeared as though I was mauled by a small tiger, my makeup smudged under my eyes as sweat licked my skin making me feel a little like Pig-Pen from Charlie Brown.

"But why?"

"I just don't..." I brushed. Shredding my sore legs of my shorts and reluctantly slipping into a pair of jeans that better protected me from the cold.

"Are you and Alex fighting?" She asked next as I rolled my eyes and shoved my cloths into my soccer bag. Snatching a hoodie that ironically belonged to the boy in question from the dusty top of my red gym locker.

"No." I said stubbornly and slid the oversized sac of a sweatshirt under my arm, leaving me in just my red practice jersey. "Not all my moods circle around Alex." I said with a hinted edge to my tone. Not trying to sound snippy but simply trying to make my point clear in that I was not in the mood to converse with anything living at the moment.

"Well, I know..." Andrea said quietly as she lightly tapped the leg of the bench bolted to the ground with her foot. My eyes rolling once again as I knew she didn't feel bad about what she had said, she didn't work like that. As much as I loved them both, Andrea wasn't as soft as Cass in that she never backed down at a switch in my tone. No, Andrea would continue to push me until a shoe was hurled and knowing so only made this inevitable argument even more unbearable. Maybe I was just hoping Hell would freeze over and I'd win for once.

"I'm not going."

"Yes you are..."

"No."

"It’s the least you can do seeing as you told Cass about what Alex said to you before and or without me!" She shot back as my eyes widened. Seeing Andrea's smirk my eyes dropped to slivers. She wasn't actually offended, she just knew she had an upper hand and used it. A quality I both admired and despised about her.

I let my arms drop to my side with a heavy sigh. I hated this. I didn't want to be around people yet here I was. "Fine..." I muttered, grabbing my bags with force as Andrea grinned and clapped her hands. The two of us soon spilling from the almost abandoned locker room and out to the student parking lot. Both of us remaining silent as we climbed into Andrea's "new" car which formally belonged to her elder brother and pulled onto the main road.

"Do you think we're going to suck next year, team wise?" Andrea asked, simply making small chat as I shrugged.

"We will need three new strikers because I'm the only one who's not a senior..." I said rolling my eyes at the prospect of having to argue with incoming freshmen for play time. Let's just say soccer senior year may not have been something I was as excited about as I should have been. I liked my team this year.

"Yeah, well at least you know you will be getting all the play time for the rally game at the end of the year seeing as all the seniors will have graduated!" She noted excitedly. Even though I saw many faults in that statement, I couldn't help the smile creep onto my face at the very thought of getting to kill Maryvale Prep once again.

"The seniors will still be there..." I reminded her which she promptly waved me off with her deep plum painted nails as she took a turn towards the town center.

"They won’t be getting played," she assured me as I rolled my eyes and rested my head against the glass. "They are done, and coach will want to play you as much as he can, seeing as Maryvale rubs you the wrong way!"

"Their bitches..." I gritted as I clenched my fist. Partially out of buried hatred for the rough housing team and partly to humor Andrea. The later shinning through as she laughed loudly.

"No way would he put a frosh in when you have scores to settle!" She smiled as I gave her the benefit of the doubt seeing the pizzeria we usually stopped into approaching and gave in. Grinning madly at her little victory, she pulled up front and parallel parked outside the pizzeria - well attempted to anyhow - before we both climbed out and headed inside.

We spotted the mass of our friends fairly easily by the explosion of noise and laughter the instant we entered as everyone pointed at Jack who had his back to us and by his movements was entertaining the group. They had pushed two tables together to cram everyone in and still had extra chairs pulled up to the paper plate and napkin covered disaster around them - and their wasn't even a pizza in sight yet. Cass was the first to notice us as she tore her eyes away from Rian long enough to see Dre and I headed their way.

Standing up, she waved. "Hey guys, you made it!" Andrea nodded and yanked a seat up between Matt and Jack as I teetered around the table, sending Cass an agitated grin as I did so. "Pull up a seat!"

"Nonsense..." Alex interjected as he lightly caught my hand when I slid passed him and Vinny and pulled me back towards him. "Pop a squat!" Alex laughed as he tugged me onto his lap and quickly wrapped his arms around my waist.

Groaning I rolled my eyes and held my arms up as if not wanting to be touched while saying "Lex, I just got out of practice, I'm hot and gross!" He laughed in response as he craned his neck and kissed my cheek.

"Hush, you're fine." He said as I groaned again and reluctantly fell back into his chest. Not wanting to fight and/or hold up my own weight anymore. "You always look good to me so get over it."

I pouted down at his arms as I laid my own over his. "I stink like mud and sweat, and I can't even hold my weight, I'm heavy."

Alex laughed again as he watched everyone return to the previous topic of discussion and began to explain to Andrea what Jack had done. "You are five foot two and weigh the size of a decent ninth grader, you are far from heavy!"

"Shut up..." I pouted as Alex laughed again and bent up to kiss right behind my ear sweetly.

"I clearly don't care if you stink you pooper... Quit pouting." He said with a smile in his voice as I rolled my eyes.

"HEY!" Jack butted in as he snapped a hand across the table. "You two done discussing how bad Alex is in bed yet so we can order!?" His comment making me blush profusely as Alex flipped his friend off and smiled up at the waitress. "What do you two want?"

"I don't care..." I muttered as Jack nodded and looked to Alex who simply told Jack just to stick with what was already ordered. The guitarist nodding and smiling a tooth grin at the pretty waitress and confirming his initial request for two large cheese pizzas for us all to split before she nodded, scribbling something on her little black notepad and disappearing.

I looked to Zack across from us to see him scowling at his phone. An odd sight to see from him as I sat up slightly, curious. "What’s up Zack?" I asked, gaining his attention as he looked up at me before processing my question with a groan.

"It's my mom, she is bugging me to get fitted for my tux for prom, but I don't want to go!" He told me as I nodded my head, his remark gaining a disgusted scoff from a Miss Cassadee.

"I can't believe you don't want to go!" She scoffed with an utter look of disgust mucked on her features making me giggle from my place.

"Well as of now I have to!" Zack argued as he waved a hand down at his phone before something dawned on him. "Hold up!" He said picking up his phone again as the rest of us exchanged odd looks.

"What you thinking Merrick?" Vinny asked as he leaned his elbows on the table, Cass leaning across from her seat and swatting them like the proper lady she is. I swear if she cared enough she could have been the greatest debutante north of Kansas.

I looked back to Zack to see him grinning like mad as he began to pump a fist in the air. "MY PROM IS THE SAME NIGHT OF THAT DUMN ASS PARTY WE HAVE TO PLAY AT!" Zack cheered, "I'M FUCKING FREE!"

"I thought we were going to find somewhere else to play so we can avoid Tammy?" Alex spoke up now from behind me. His worried tone more prominent then he probably had intended as he shifted under me.

"Or we can just blow it off!" Zack shot back with a grin still. "I could care less seeing as I don't go to school with that bitch, but my mom doesn't need to know I blew off either of them!"

"You evil boy!" Andrea laughed with a wicked grin as Zack shot the same and followed it up with a playful wink.

"She just needs to think I was tied up!" He laughed.

"HOW COULD YOU NOT WANT TO GO TO PROM!?" Cass gaped at him as he groaned, leaning back in his seat.

"It's dumb!"

"No it is not!" She retorted as Rian watched his girlfriend with an amused grin. "You only get one prom, why would you pass it up!" Cass seemed fairly offended at his decision which only made it more pleasurable for me to watch the exchange as Zack ignored her.

"Well that’s not always true..." Vinny pointed out as Cass scowled at the tiny Italian. "This will be Matt's second prom; Kendra took him last year when he was just a junior!" We all looked to Matt to see him cringe at the memory of his pushy ex, a breakup he was more than glad to accept and get over.

"Yeah, wait, Matt who are you taking to prom!?" Cass quickly flipped as Matt shifted in his seat, an adorable blush painting onto his cheeks as I sat forward in anticipation.

The boy tearing at his straw wrapper as he bit at his pierced lip. "Meredith..." He mumbled as all our eyes widened.

"Chambers!?" Vinny asked now as if in shock as Matt took a hard swallow and nodded his head. "Dude..."

"I know... It’s going out on a limb but we've been talking and-"

"No dude, she's so hot!" Vinny clarified as Jack nodded his head.

"She is so hot!" Jack agreed as Matt bit his lip, "you better hit that!" He laughed as we all began to giggle. Leave it to Jack. "Well it's true! If I'm not getting some, then someone better be pulling this groups weight in pulling ass!"

"You're a pig!" Andrea rolled her eyes even though her face held a smile.

"Well no offense, but Cass has Rian by the balls," Jack motioned to the pair as Cass grinned, Rian nodding his head half in shame half in agreement making me laugh. "And Gaskarth over here has yet to even try and 'do the dead'!" He waved as Alex shifted.

His arm tightening around my stomach as he fought with how to deal with the situation. The singer torn between my stiff body in his lap, the narrowing eyes of my brother as he warned his friend to watch his step, and his other friend who simply didn't see wrong in picking fun at our sex life - or in this case lack thereof. Swallowing Alex looked to Jack. "Well at least I have a girlfriend!" Was his careful snap as he shot back. Jack rolled his eyes as an awkward silence began to collect. "I'm going to re-fill my drink." Alex announced as he tapped my hip, signaling me to get to my feet.

Doing as he wished I watched him snatch his cup and pop the plastic lid to ready the cup. But as I went to claim the now empty seat, Alex tangled his hand with mine and pulled me away from the group and towards the fountain drink dispenser. "What's up?" I asked softly as he weaved through the crowd and reached the drinks with a sigh, dropping my hand.

"Can we just... Forget what Jack said..." Alex sighed in a partial groan as he ran a hand through his hair, clearly flustered with the previous exchange as I bit my lip. "God damn it..." Alex muttered as he tore his eyes from over my shoulder and got to work on filling his drink once again. It wasn't till I looked back over my shoulder to see Jack. The friend kneeling up in his chair as he stuck his tongue out and frantically humped the air, the sight egging on Alex as I began to giggle.

"Lex, don't worry about it," I told him as he fiddled with the lid of his drink. "It doesn't bother me."

"Well it bothers me!" He protested as my smile fell. Slightly hurt by his words till he looked up and shared a wide eyed exchange. "Wait- uh- that’s not what I meant!" He rushed as I awkwardly stood, tucking hair behind my hear as he fumbled with his words. "All I meant Jasey, was that it bugs me how they feel a need to be involved in our relationship!"

"Alex..." I rolled my eyes. "He's not telling you off for what we have and haven't done, he's just kidding around." Alex let out a slightly agitated breath as he pursed his lips and looked back over my shoulder. His gaze switching back to me only when I placed a hand on his bicep, demanding his attention.

"You just don't understand because you’re a girl!" Alex added as I rolled my eyes. His expression dropping slightly as he leaned a hip against the bench the soda dispensers sat on. "I mean it's not like I don't want to do... That!"

"Oh, I know!" I laughed as Alex let a puffed 'ha' and shook his head.

"I just, I don't know how the hell I'm just supposed to bring it up!" He expressed as I raised my brows and nodded with a jutted lip. "I mean it’s like a..."

"Awkward thing to talk about?"

"YEAH!" Alex lively agreed as we both began to laugh. His giggles followed by a sigh as he reached out and ran a soft hand up and down my arm gently. "I don't want you to feel pressured because honestly it's not something I even factor into being with you!"

"Well good," I said with a smile even though a nervous look hit Alex's eyes. Giggling I took a moment to speak again just making Alex hold into the thought of never getting any a moment longer before I sighed. "Because I don't feel pressured, but it's not like I don't want it either, I just... I just feel..."

"Like the right time hasn't come up just yet?" He offered, taking his turn to finish my thought now as I laughed and nodded my head.

"Yeah... Exactly!"

"Yeah, I feel the same way, I mean, it’s not something we can just set a date for because that would be..."

"Weird, right?"

"So weird!" Alex tailed as he laughed again. "Definitely, I would be too nervous if I knew it was coming!" We laughed at how we just kept one continuous thought bounced between us for that short time. The boy taking a step closer as he draped his arms around my waist, cupping them to my hips. "Can we just both agree that when we think its right we will approach it then?" Alex smiled softly as I crinkled my nose.

"Wouldn't talking about it ruin the mood?" I laughed as Alex dropped his smile coming to the same realization.

"Should we have like a word for when we know?"

"Alex, that’s as weird as planning it, no!" I laughed as Alex rolled his eyes. "I think we will both just... Know." I said as Alex smiled down on me. Taking the moment to soak my eyes in before leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to my lips - promptly gaining a hoot and whistle from Jack who had been watching side stage - before pulling away.

"But this means you can't get me worked up if it’s not!" Alex warned with a pointed tone as I rolled my eyes.

"Alex, your skinny jeans get you worked up, it doesn't take much!" I defended as Alex groaned. "YOU CAN'T BLAME YOUR INABILITY TO KEEP IT DOWN, ON ME!" I playfully laughed.

"Come on Jasey!" He whined with an adorable pout as I laughed. "Don't do this to me!"

I rolled my eyes, grinning as I slid my hands into the back pockets of his jeans. "Am I just that hard to resist?" I said, giggling like mad as his face stoned over, eyes locked on anything but me as I laughed. I pulled away a moment later, being sure to leave him with a little squeeze before parting for the table. His groan prominent and loud as I walked back to the table. "I HATE YOU!" I heard him yell as I hid my blush and sat down in his seat. The air cleared for now as I knew I was going to have some fun with him.

Notes