Side Note: I Think I Love You (Side Notes Book 1)

Chapter 25 - Ian

"Hey, Bale!" Ethan catches up to me as I'm walking out the locker room. "The rest of the team's heading out to Suze's tonight. Wanna join?"

"Why there?" Most of the guys don't really go there to hang out after practice on account of how crowded it usually gets.

"I don't know about the rest of the guys but I'm going to embarrass Sierra while she's working." He chuckles. "You down to join me?"

I'll admit: it does sound entertaining. I would totally be up for something like that if I was even in the mood.

"Sorry, dude," I tell him. "Maybe next time."

My eyes unwillingly move to the bleachers. Ethan's head swivels in that direction. "Ohhh, I get it. Guess our quarterback is too good for some shenanigans now that he has a girlfriend. I swear you're turning into BJ."

I shake my head. "Never."

Ethan shakes his head and starts walking backwards. "Keep telling yourself that in a few months." He then turns around and starts his trek to the parking lot.

The stadium's parking lot isn't that big, so it's easy to find Ethan and a bunch of other guys hopping into their cars and driving off. I know I should probably hang out with them, it being the one year I have to make the most of, but I know there's always the next time.

I head over to the bleachers where I find Attie, sitting all by her lonesome. I noticed her during practice, when she's usually accompanied by one of her friends while waiting for me but I guess today's not one of those days. I sit down in front of her and she doesn't bat an eye. Probably because she's too focused on her arm.

She makes some strokes with a marker on her forearm before placing the lid on top. Attie doesn't notice me until she places the marker back in her bag. "How long were you sitting there?"

"Not that long." My eyes move to her arm, where she's drawn a pretty damn intricate, star-shaped flower with a few large leaves. I want to say that it's a rose because that's the only flower I know but I might be wrong. "No sketchbook today?"

She shakes her head. "I ran out of blank pages last night."

"That hasn't stopped you." I point to her left arm, which also still has the bracelet I made her earlier this week. "You're still wearing it."

She nods to my wrist, her cheeks turning pink. "I could say the same thing about you."

"Princess, I did tell you that I'm not taking this off." And I didn't. I hardly take it off my wrist these days. I only bluffed about it being a good luck charm but it's actually working for me because so far, nothing has turned to shit this week. I've been killing it at practice, I finished half of my college applications (side note: that's a high achievement since I'm applying to a lot of places this year), and—the best part—nobody's been on my ass about anything else.

"I know," she giggles. "I didn't think you were serious."

"Oh, I am always serious." I raise a brow Dwayne Johnson-style, which has her laughing and nearly falling off her seat. And because Attie's laughter is too contagious, I can't help but join her.

Eventually, our laughter dies down. "But seriously, how is running out of paper possible? Are your drawings too big?"

She shrugs. "I just used it a lot. I thought I could go a whole day without drawing but..."

"Impossible task, I presume?"

She nods. "You presume correctly."

It doesn't surprise me that she can't go an entire day without drawing. At least, not completely. Even looking at the flower, I can correctly assume she wasn't just born with the ability to draw. Talent like hers takes time to develop.