"Are you okay?" Gemma asked as we were on our way to the class we shared and it felt like the millionth time hearing that same question.

"Yeah. I'm fine." I faked a smile hoping it was convincingC so she would stop asking if I was okay. I didn't want any one feeling sorry for me. It wouldn't have made me feel better receiving anyone's pity so I continued to pretend that this was just another fight Dakota and I were having, like all the other times and eventually at some point, we would start talking again.

"You don't look fine."

"I am." I said to her as I sat down. I was fine other than the fact that I was grounded, unable to do anything except school and football practice.

"Alright, listen up. This here your new team mate, Michael Carina. It's a little late into the season but he comes highly recommended so take it easy on him boys." Coach said as he had me and the other football players huddled together. With the sound of his whistle we started the drills, and I began working alone, watching Dakota from across the field, keeping my distance.

I hadn't spoken to him since yesterday but part of me wanted to walk up to him and apologize even if it wasn't me who did anything wrong. It was starting to become clear that I always felt the need to apologize, when it was him that needed to be forgiven, not me. It was a bad habit that I needed to get rid of.

"You're Luka, right?" Michael asked as he walked up to me.

"Yeah." I nodded, arching my brow at his familiar face.

"Mind showing me a thing or two?" He grinned.

"Sure."

As we practiced I realized he was the boy that pulled Dakota and I apart the night we fought. He was from one of the big cities, and had family ties with coach. I didn't bother asking if he knew why coach was so out of whack some days, I don't think anyone knew why. We practiced together until the end, finding myself stealing glances at Dakota, wondering if he was looking my way. But he never was, at least not when I was.

"See you tomorrow?" Michael asked with rosy cheeks and a grin, and for a moment his eyes were similar to Dakota's. For a second I was taken aback, lost in his gaze. I shook my head, bringing myself back to the conversation.

"Yeah, of course." I smiled back, swinging my duffel bag over my shoulder. I watched him walk across the field and into the parking lot.

"Who was that?" I turned around to find Dakota standing behind me with crossed arms.

"No one." I muttered, walking away.

"You two look pretty close already."

"So did you and Eva the night of the party." I continued walking without looking at him.

"I only did that because I thought you a Gemma-"

"Gemma and I are friends, I've told you that. She was drunk, I wasn't going to just leave her there."

"I'm sorry, okay? I can't control this, whatever it is. When I seen you with her, like that, I lost it." He grabbed me by my arm, turning me around with tear filled eyes.

"Please Luka, I need you."

I could feel my eyes welling up, a lump forming in my throat at the sight of him. I wanted to give in, to touch him and tell him I forgive him. The desperation in his voice was toxic, like some spell that wanted me to fall under.

"I'm sorry, I can't." I grabbed his hand and loosened his grip on me. I walked up to my front door without looking back as I closed it behind me, part of me feeling empty for leaving him there. I cursed at myself for ruining this friendship, at Dakota too. It was doomed the moment we agreed to be more than that but there wasn't anything I could do. I couldn't continue to let him walk all over me.

The next day at school was just as bad as the last, with Gemma bombarding me with questions about Dakota and I during lunch as the suns hot rays shone down on us. I was thankful I hadn't bumped into Dakota all morning but it was inevitable with football practice.

"Give it a rest, Gemma." Jane interrupted, seemingly coming from nowhere, sitting down to join us on the bleachers. Part of me thankful for her coming when she did, I think I would've burst into tears if Gemma asked me one more question about Dakota, something I didn't want to do in front of her.

"Where have you been lately?" I asked her as I shoved a handful of chips in my mouth.

"Well unlike you two, I've been studying, doing school work, things you're supposed to be doing while in high school." She smirked, pushing her glasses up.

"Hey Luka." Michael said, walking up to me, his eyes that were almost identical to Dakota's reeled me back into his gaze, making me lost.

"Hey."

"I'm Gemma." She immediately stood up, batting her eyes at him the same way she did when we first met, holding out a hand for him to shake.

"I'm Michael." He shook her hand and took a seat on the bleachers. He gave her a half smile and turned his attention over to me.

"So, I was wondering if you'd want to come over?"

"Okay, sure." I said giving him a hesitant smile, unsure how to feel about being asked by someone other than Dakota to hang out. Not to say we couldn't have our own friends but most of the time it was just the two of us.

"After practice today sound good?"

"Sounds great." I smiled with a nod. He walked away, joining Alex and his goons across the field, along with Dakota and it didn't surprise me to see Eva and Queenie there too. I curled my fists at the sight of them. He went back to them because he knew it would make me angry, he was being spiteful now but instead of being hurt, it made me furious. Eva had her paws all over him as he stared at me from across the field. I glared back and bit my tongue, turning my head the other way.

"Michael, huh?" Jane wriggled her eyebrows with a smirk.

"It's not like that." I chuckled, shaking my head.

Football practice went by fast as I partnered up with Michael, who took my mind off of Dakota, who was standing across the field with daggers in his eyes the entire time. But by the looks of it, he had already moved on with Eva. She was sitting on the bleachers waiting for him, fixing her hair and caking on makeup that was still far too orange for her skin. If Dakota wanted to be spiteful, so could I.

"Ready?" Michael asked after I finished changing out of uniform.

"Yeah."

We walked across the field, heading towards the parking lot and I followed Michael into a very expensive black car that made me intimidated to touch. I sat in the back, with Michael in the passenger and his father in the drivers seat. He looked mid forties, a pepper colored beard and the dark hair to match.

"Luka, is it?" His voice was deep but clear as day.

"Yes sir, Mr.Carina."

"Call me Greg." He looked at me in the rear view mirror as I nodded.

"Michael told me about you helping him out the first day of practice."

"Yes, sir- Greg."
"I appreciate that."
"It's no problem."

After sometime of driving, we pulled up to a cul du sac home with two garage doors, deck that went all the way around the house and a balcony. It looked a lot nicer than any other house I'd seen and it made me wonder what his father did for a living to able to afford it.

"Are you hungry?" Greg asked me as we walked into the house.

"A little." I said, looking around the house, it reminded me of those houses you see in magazines, with modern furniture but extravagant decor to pull it all together.

"Hi hun." Mrs.Carina said before exchanging kisses with Mr.Carina.

"Is this your new friend?" She turned to look at me and it was easy to see where Michael got his looks from. Her hair was a deep golden blonde, and her eyes a piercing deep blue.

"This is Luka."

"Luka, what a wonderful name! I'm Lauren." She said as she smiled at me. She had the kind of smile that made you feel warm just by that alone. Part of me felt too intimated to look her in the eyes.

"Hi." I smiled sheepishly, feeling out of place and surprised by their friendliness considering I had only met Michael yesterday.

"Well dinner will be done shortly so you two go play or whatever it is boys do these days." She chuckled.

I followed Michael upstairs and into his room, it was modern like any other room with a huge bed that was way too big for one person but I didn't comment on it. Sporting trophies were displayed all around his room, along with football jerseys.

"You really like football." I chuckled as I sat down on the edge of his bed, admiring all the trophies in his room.

"It's my dad, he was a coach for a NFL team back home but that was years ago." He looked down to the floor, becoming quiet. I cleared my throat and spoke, breaking the momentary silence.

"That's amazing."

"I have video games if you want to play." He said as he sat down beside me.

"Sure." I nodded.

After half an hour of getting my ass kicked on Mario Kart, we were called for dinner. Steak, with potatoes and side of gravy, along with vegetables. My stomach grumbled at the sight of the food as I sat down beside Michael, only just realizing just how hungry I was.

"Help yourself Luka, there's plenty to go around." Mr.Carina said with a smile. I nodded and began to serve myself, piling my plate with potatoes and gravy.

"So Luka, you're co-captain, correct?"
"Yes sir."

"You know, I'm friends with a few scouts back home, I could give 'em a call and tell them to swing by next game."

"Sir, that would be great and very appreciated but you haven't even seen me play." I chuckled, shoving a piece of steak in my mouth.

"Next game, we'll be there." He smiled at me. I nodded, overwhelmed by their generosity. I wasn't half as good as Dakota, and for a second I thought about mentioning him but decided against it, shaking his name out of my mind.

"Thank you for dinner." I said, closing the car door.

"Anytime." Mr.Carina waved to me, along with Michael.

"See you at school."

I walked up to my house, opening the door and only then did I remember that I was grounded. I cursed under my breath, trying to make a quick escape to my room before I could get caught.

"Where have you been?" My mom said, emerging from the living room with a frown on her face, waiting for her to say something like the many times before.

"I completely forgot, it won't happen again." I said as I walked to my room.

"Another week is added to your punishment."

"Understandable." I nodded before closing the door behind me.

Since the night of the party, she'd been less hard on me. I was waiting for her to say or do something to mess up whatever this was. But so far we managed to stay civil with each other. But I wasn't going to keep my hopes up and waited for the moment that we'd go back to how we were before, expecting it.

I laid in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, thinking back to my visit. It's good that I'm making new friends, right? Michael and his family are something else, they made me feel somewhat different than what I'm used to at my home, it's a good distraction to keep my mind off of things.

I turned on my side, closing my eyes, hoping to drift into a deep sleep before my mind could think of anything else that would keep me up.

A/N vote, comment and tell me what you think!