Affects him

I got up in the early morning and dragged myself into my bathroom to take a much needed cold shower. Half an hour later, I returned to my bedroom.

I reached for my towel, rubbing my hair dry, already planning how quickly I could get dressed and disappear from the house.

As soon as my hand clutched the bottle of lotion, there was a knock at my door.

The sound made my shoulders tense instantly.

"Come in", I called facing the door.

I didn’t bother turning around. I assumed it was my mother, maybe reminding me to eat something, maybe asking if I was leaving early.

The person who entered inside immediately made my anger to rise. It was no else but Sophie.

Why did she arrive so early?.

The sight of her standing there ,fully dressed, hair neatly done, suitcase probably already unpacked somewhere downstairs sent irritation flaring through me like a struck match. Too early. Too soon. Too close. I hadn’t even prepared myself to exist in the same space as her yet, and somehow she was already in my room.

I tightened my grip on the towel instinctively, irritation flaring the second I watched her hovering in my doorway like she belonged there. She froze when she took in my bare upper chest, eyes widening for half a second before she smoothed her expression into something carefully neutral.

“What are you staring at?” I snapped, adjusting the towel. “You’ve never seen a human being before?”

She scoffed at my words. “Relax. I was just checking on you.” Her voice sounded familiar and wrong at the same time. 

“Oh. That’s nice,” I said dryly. “Now bye.” I didn’t wait for her response. I turned away on purpose , walked to the bathroom, making it very clear the conversation was over. I closed the door and started to dress up.

She didn’t leave.

Instead, she walked in further and sat on my bed without asking.

That immediately made my anger rise when I walked out of the bathroom and saw her

I stared at her, jaw tight. “Up.” I gestured toward the door. “Get up.”

“Why?”, She blinked. " Just get out Sophie", I snapped. “You’ve changed,” She tilted her head, studying me. "Yes I did", I replied. Yes I was rude to her and it was her fault.  I didn’t like her at all because she played innocent in front of my mother and manipulative everywhere else.

Because she reminded me of everything I was pretending not to be.

“I left last time when we were in good terms, you used to talk to me. What happened?.” She asked.

“I don’t want company,” I said flatly. “Especially uninvited company.”

“Wow. Still charming,” she muttered.

I didn’t respond to her.

I grabbed my sweatshirt, pulled it over my head, and started packing my bag like she wasn’t even there. Phone. Wallet. Keys.

I slung my bag over my shoulder and left the room without a backward glance, already bracing myself for school

For Hudson.

For questions.

For pretending everything was fine.

And for the fact that Sophie wasn’t going anywhere.

As soon as I reached at school, I pulled my locker open with as little anger noticeable, I grabbed my gear and started to get dressed. I kept my ears closed, my mind elsewhere, so as not to get distracted by the players' worry and good intentions. I just wanted to play the game, maybe win it if we were lucky, and get drunk afterwards. I would still get drunk if we didn't win, but the win would be a bonus.

I had a lot on my mind and alcohol was the only solution.

"Hey," a discreet, almost invisible, voice softly floated into my ears from beside me. My eyes swiveled to the body leaning up against the nearby lockers and had to do a doubletake. I thought I would be another player, probably  Henry, or Desmond, but it was someone I least expected.

"Hudson" My voice was cold, distant almost to my own ears. That asshole was probably here just to make fun of me, to get on my nerves and I swear, I would have socked him straight in the eye, I would have, if it wasn't for the look on his face. If it wasn't for the understanding in his voice.

His dark hair was covering his brown eyes, but I could clearly see swimming in the murky surface everything but malice intent. His lips weren't pulled into a smirk, but were resting for now. His whole demeanor was flat.

He scooted closer to me, his crossed arms barely coming into contact with my torso. He was so close, I could see every freckle and every flaw marking his features. He was eye level with me, unlike usually when he's about three inches taller than I am. He was so close, his minty breath fanned across my face coolly. He was so close and I was speechless, heat slowly forming in my body.

"I see you stressed but whatever is stressing dont let it bother you." Hudson's voice was gentle, almost inaudible to my ears with the rowdy boys around us. I was still speechless, though, when hearing him speak to me like that. It was a side to Hudson I had never witnessed before... it was unnerving. It was weird. I felt weird.

I stared at him in almost confusion, but his understanding and difference in behavior had a reason behind it. He had a reason for being nice, but I didn’t know why yet.

Whispering like he did, I asked, "Why are you being civil with me?" He shrugged, a smile, not a smirk, coming to his lips slightly. " Everyone here knows your father's current condition but my mother has also ever been in such a situation , so I know what it feels like." My eyes were the size of UFO's at how well he could say those words without breaking down like I was about to do. Maybe he had time to adjust, with having and few years and all? Would I be able to adjust within a few years, if that?

Probably not. I wasn't him.

Hudson started snickering at my opened mouth face, but turned his attention to the center of the changing rooms as Coach Matthews started to enter. He wasn't close to me anymore, but at his locker. I was so shocked, I hadn't seen him move.

What was with him? What was with me?