So it turns out that this Brooke chick didn't like Natalie because the school picked her to run the papers over Brooke. She was clearly still very butthurt over this and probably too bitter to explore anything else on the newspaper team. Not that I'm complaining though, I wouldn't have wanted her there anyway.

It was after school on Monday, Cyrus had soccer practice, and I was working on some shots for the paper ahead of time. Part of the news release for next week's paper required me to take pictures of the soccer team, so I had yet to ask coach if this was okay.

I decided to wait until after he was done yelling at the boys and seemed more available, so instead, I took some random shots of everything else in the vicinity. This mostly consisted of some very decorative shots of some insects I found.

I held the school's camera up to my face and positioned myself in a crouched position. I needed to get an angle so that I could get these bushes as a focus, but still get the clouds in the background of the sky.

And just when I was about to click the photo, I saw Declan through the camera lens.

I pulled the camera away from my face and he smiled at me. "Hey," he said.

"Hi, Declan."

"Wow, that's the first smile I get with an introduction."

"Well if you want to ruin it so bad I can always-"

"No, no I like this a whole lot better actually. You have a nice smile."

Shut the fuck up, he did not just compliment my smile. Wait, hold the fuck up. When did I start fangirling over men? Control yo titties Rowena, pull it together before he notices you're flustered.

"So, what are doing here? Aren't you supposed to be balancing a ball on your toes or something?"

"Coach made me run a few laps since I knocked him over the head with a soccer ball."

"Did you try telling him it was an accident?"

He snorted, "Yeah, but it wasn't an accident. It didn't matter anyway, he still made me run."

He looked at the camera I had in my hands, "That's cool, you any good with that?" He reached for it and paused to raise his eyebrows, silently asking for permission to take it. I handed it to him, not missing the brush of his fingers against mine, and he flipped the camera in his hands.

"Good enough I guess," I replied to his question, "I'm taking pictures for the school paper and I need to ask coach for permission to take some of the team."

"Hm," he hummed as he closed one eye and looked through the viewfinder with his open one. He pointed the camera at me and looked at me through the lens. "And, this isn't just some secret plan to get ridiculously good pictures of me to stick all over your walls is it?"

"Or maybe it goes with my plan to frame you for a crime you didn't commit by using my ridiculously perfect photoshop skills." I clicked my tongue pretending to just realize something, "Oh darn. I suppose the plans not so secret now, is it?" I smiled innocently at him.

I heard the distinct sound of a picture being snapped and I blinked in surprise.  Declan finally pulled the camera away from his face. "You know, it's a good thing you're kinda cute when you're evil," he said with a subtle wink. "Come on, time to meet coach."

I frowned at his back as he made his way towards the soccer field.

"Cute?" I mumbled to myself, "I'm not cute."

I had to speed walk after Declan to finally catch up.

"How long have you had this? It seems kind of worn out."

"It's not mine, it's school property. So be careful with it," I panicked as he tossed it in the air and caught it again. I just managed to snatch it away from him before he could repeat his actions.

"You don't have a camera? How are you a photographer who doesn't have a camera?"

"I'm saving up for one," I said defensively, "The school lets me use this one for the paper and I usually take my other pictures with my phone."

"Gotta start somewhere," he said in approval.

"Monty! Did you finish all five laps like I told you to?"

"Monty?" I questioned quietly.

"Apparently Montgomery is too much of a mouthful for him to say my whole last name, so he shortens it to Monty," he replied then turned to coach with an ass-kissing smile. "Yes coach, all five of them."

"Who's the short stack following you?" he asked as we got closer.

"I am average height, thank you very much."

"Coach this is Rowena, Rowena this is Coach Clarke."

Coach Clarke was a middle-aged-looking man. The only thing indicating his old age was the grey streaks in his hair. Otherwise, he had a healthy build and his face had very few wrinkles. I could only hope to age like him.

"She's here to ask-"

"I'm here to ask if I can take pictures of the team for the school paper?" I interrupted Declan to speak for myself.

"It's Monday. I thought the paper didn't meet until Wednesday," he replied grumpily.

"We do coach, I'm just getting some pictures to have ready by then. Cyrus is my ride home this week, so I have to stay after school anyway."

Cyrus snapped his head in our direction at the sound of his name. "Oh hey Row, what are you doing on the field?" Cyrus called, then made his way over. I pointed the camera to him and snapped a shot.

"That," I explained simply.

"Hey, I want in. What's my good angle?" Adam suddenly appeared beside Cyrus. He rested his arm on Cyrus's shoulder, forming his face like he was ready for a picture. He had his eyebrows raised, his eyes squinted, and oh my god he was biting his lip like an idiot.

"Definitely not that one Adam," Cyrus said, shoving his arm off of his shoulder.

"Are we doing the drills again or what coach?" said a new voice, coming over to see what the deal was. He was followed by a familiar blonde-haired boy, who I remember this time as Jeremy.

Which had to mean this boy with short-cut brown hair must have been Duncan. He stood tall with a firm expression on his face. Something about the set of his jaw told me he didn't smile much. Except when he was fracturing my best friend's nose, of course.

He gave me an impassive look for a moment before asking, "Who is this?"

"This is Rowena," Coach said, "She's here to take pictures of you fools for the paper, so don't embarrass me."

The next moment, coach put all his might into blowing the whistle that was strapped around his neck. "Now show me the drill again, all of you in your positions! Hustle, hustle, hustle!"

As the boys fled off to the center-field again, coach turned to me. "You're welcome to get as close as you dare, but I'm not responsible for any injuries resulting from this. Just don't get in the way, yeah?"

"Yes sir," I said with a single nod.

As I got to work, I learned a few things just from snapping a few photos.

One, Adam did his best work as a goalie. Shot after shot, he was diving and blocking soccer balls darting straight for the goal. He could also punt a ball with so much strength, I was convinced I could feel the force from where I was standing. 

Two, coach was an angry old grump. Boy, did he have a set of lungs on him. Smith, get your head out of your ass and try that again! Stewart, do you have two left feet, what the hell was that? Monty focus, damn it son where is your head at? And last, but not least, Rivers! Actually, Rivers that was pretty decent.

Three, Declan looked as good as ever doing what he had a talent for. Coach set up the team so that the boys could practice their free shots, and Declan was up first. I put myself by the goal post, ready to take a few shots.

He was leaning more on one foot than the other, his hands steady at his sides as he observed the wall of boys that worked to block his goal. Then, he used the bottom of his shirt to wipe sweat off his brow, exposing his toned abdomen as he thought of his next move. He dropped his shirt as he pointed to the field and said something to one of his teammates.

He stood up straight, readying himself to take his shot. But, before he did anything further, he focused his gaze on me from across the field, and for the second time that day, he winked at me.

And that was the last thing he did before taking a total of three steps towards the ball and slamming his laces against it with a heavy force impact. The ball was sent flying across the field, straight through the wall of the boys as they tried to block it, and then directly into the net of the goal, just barely knocking past Adam's fingers.

Which brings us to four. That was borderline fuckboy behavior and I had a mild problem with the fact that I was completely and utterly impressed.

A/N: Next update will be Friday the 26th!
❤️Thanks for reading❤️

Also,

Adam was really out here like ...