I hate you - chapter 3.

After the ice cream we rushed back to the College to get in time to his floorball practice.

If he was late again, and now because of me, I would feel terrible. Fortunatel we could make it in time. When we entered the gym, we saw that there are much more people warming up on the field.  The Hornets seem to have a pre-match with us. Nate must have realized the same, because he let out a quiet growl. Then he moved to the field and said hello to the team mates.

• Ally? Ally Hart? - I heard a voice calling my name next to me.

• Josh?! I haven't seen you in ages! - I smiled back and looked down at his shirt. - Oh, you are a Hornet? And what is this pre-game?

• Did not you hear it? They pushed it over a week.

• Oh, I see. We have been practicing for a while, so get ready for the defeat! - I said playfully.

• You seem confident, girl, but you are on the wrong side. - he retorted cheerfully. Then he hugged me, gave me 2 kisses on the cheek. - Now I have to go, would you like to have a coffee or tea with me sometime? - he asked.
• Yes, sure! - I replied happily.

The game started within 15 minutes. You could feel the tension between the two teams, the coaches kept yelling at the players. Tommy and Holly also enjoyed the game next to me.

The first period ended, it was still a 0:0 draw. Our goalkeeper sucked today, it is definitely not Nate's day. Well, we still have 2 periods to go and we are pretty good at the offense, so this is not a lost game yet.

Sonie also played very well. The teams started to get off the field and head to the locker rooms, while Josh headed to me.

• You are pretty good, but this is still a draw - he said.
• Oh, so you considered changing teams? - I asked smiling.
• No ma'am. - he replied cheerfully.

• Allison, where is Tommy? - Nate asked rudely and looked at Josh with a grimace on his face.

• They are sitting there on the 2nd row. - I answered and I kept an eye on them all the time.

• I would be glad if you took care of them. I am not a robot you know. I am unable to do the goalkeeping and the nursing at the same time. - he retorted. He was close to make me angry again. But Josh was there and I did not want to loose my temper.

• I am taking care of them, you'd better watched out for goals! - I yelled back. Then he left.

• What the heck is HIS problem? - asked Josh.

• He is always like this. - I answered. Then Josh said goodbye and followed the coach to the lockers.

The Hornets won the game for 3:1. I gathered the kids next to me, so that people rushing out the gym would not take them off their legs.

• Ally, Tommy will go to the movies next week. Can I join? - Holly asked with a smile.

• Sure. - I replied but I was still looking for Josh at the field. He saw me and started to walk towards me.

• You are lucky that I will be there, because it will be R rated. - said Nate who got behind Tommy a second ago and I did not even notice. I was ready to retort back when Josh arrived and turned to me.

• So, when will we have that coffee? - he asked.

• Well, I don't know. What about next Tuesday? - I offered. Josh wanted to answer, but Nate retorted.

• She already has plans for Tuesday.

• What? - I asked back. - I plan to go and have coffee with him.

• Nope, you are coming to the movies. You have just said yes to your sister. 

• But I did not say yes to go wi..... - he caught me up.

• No, there is no BUT. Either find another day or you know what? I am going to take your sister and Tommy to the movies, because her sister does not have time to do it! - he yelled.

• Guys, I only wanted a meeting - Josh said peacefully.

• Josh, please let's do  it on Monday, ok? - I asked him and he nodded. He said goodbye and left.

• Or really? Nate asked.

• Yes, really! I am accompanying my little sis to the movies, you do not dare to say that I don't have time for her! - I yelled back. - Was it really necessary to make a scene? - I asked from him.

• I love when you are angry - he retorted and took Tommy's hands who was standing by my side.

• If you were using half of your energy to goalkeeping than to making me angry, you would not ever get a fucking goal. - I yelled again.

• If you had not been flirting with any guy who gets close while you had the task to look after two kids, I would have been able to protect my post! - he did not yell, just said it very calmly.

• They were safe and sound! And you know that! SO shut the hell up and go away. I am done with you. - I yelled back and took Holly's hands and rushed out of the gym angrily.

As if we were in the first grade, this is unbelievable. You don't even have to wait for another day to see the real Nate. I cannot understand even with all of my brain cells, what is wrong with the guy. His mood changes are worse than grls'.

• Ally, are you mad at me? - Holly asked sadly.

• No, honey, why should I? You did not do anything wrong. - I replied.

• Just because you have to come with us to the movies and you did not want to.

• This is not the story, Hol. I would take you anytime.

• But not with him - she replied. I was surprised how observant even a 4 year old can be.

• No, not him. - I relied with a smile.

• What about Josh?

• Hm?

• Would you prefer going with him?

• Err.. We will see.

Weekend passed very fast, mom told me that we had to put the lawn project off, because the snow made it all impossible. She was very sorry for that, of course.

On Saturday I joined my family and we went to the park, we brought our sleigh too, Holly enjoyed it very much. Me not that much because I was the one who had to pull the sleigh up to the top of the hill. I did not think it fair that going down the hill takes 1 minute, while pulling it all up is a rather 10 minutes panting. We had mom and dad go down the hill too, then the whole family sat on the sleigh, we were bursting out laughing, it was so funny. When we finally started to go downhill, I felt that the person behind me got off the sleigh and I heard dad laughing from a distance. He was laughing so hard, unable to speak. When I looked back I saw his hands up - signaling that he is all OK.

I started to get excited because of the "date" with Josh on Monday. I can only say it with brackets, because it was never actually settled if this is a real date or not. When we met last time a couple of years ago I felt some connection between us, but that was not yesterday. I did not know how he felt. I did have feelings for him back in time, and he also did, but we both had someone in our lives that time.

Sonie came over on Sunday and helped me pick some clothes for Monday. We ended up picking jeans and a sexy top, because it is all suitable for a date and for a friendly date as well. We were chatting the whole time.

• I can't belive he plays for Hornets! - said Sonie. - Since when did you see him last time?

• I have no clue, it must be more than 2 years.

• Nice. And is he moving back to town, do you know that? - she asked the obvious.

• I don't know Son, I have to get a lot of answers on Monday, and this is one of the questions I will ask from him.

We left the subject, because we could not even change anything. We have to wait till Monday to figure out the answers. Everything will be clear if Josh tells us his story.

On Monday the teachers had us write a couple of quick exams, and could not let us go even when the lessons were over. I heard my phone vibrate and I checked the text message from Josh - he explained that we would be meeting at Rosie's Pancakes - oh I love that place! We have been hanging out a lot there with the girls.

Finally the last lesson was over and I headed towards the Pancake. My heart started thumping more and more as I got closer. I was lying to myself when I could believe that I could survive the evening without my heart killing me. I am not good at dates. Or is it a date at all? Aaah, I have so many questions.

When I got there my eyes immediately started patrolling the place for him and I saw him at an isolated box in the corner. He saw me too and stood up to greet me, gave me a kiss on the peck. He had my coat in his hands and hung it over the rack.

The date went great, we were reaching so many old memories, I had a stomach ache from the laughing. After an hour or so we stopped talking, because apparently we passed all the memories we had together.. Let's move to the present.

• And what about the guys? - he asked unexpectedly

• I have no one. - I replied.

• Thank god Ally that you are saying this, I was afraid that you were hanging with that insane goalkeeper of yours. - he said with a heartmelting smile. Oh, I love that smile.

• Nate? No, of course not!

• You should have seen the way he looked at you. - he said... Did he sound jealous? I am sure he looked like...

• Come on, Nate..he is.. No, no way. - I said surprised. - So you are happy that he is not my boyfriend or you are happy that I am single? - I asked flirtatiously.

• Both - he said blushing. - Most of all I am happy you are single. Is it a planned celibacy? - he smiled.

• No - I said with a smile back at him.

• What if we left this place and go for a stroll? - he asked.

• I am in! - I replied.

After we ate our pancakes he paid and we left Rosie's. We were smiling a lot, and the way our hands we were so close to each other, made me melt inside.

• Did you move back to town then? - I asked the question I had in my mind most of the time.

• Yes, we did. I am studying at Hornets and I feel like this is my place. My family moved back 2 weeks ago, we had our furniture driven back to our new home and it took a while to settle down again. It is funny, because the moving out was not that profitable for anyone: my mom was unhappy for leaving her friends here, my father's new job was not as he expected, so it was a mutual agreement in the family. And here I am.

• That is good! - I replied instantly. I wanted to take it back, because Josh may think that I am pushing it too much. I was silent. He looked at me, smiling. I smiled back at him blushing. He put his hand reaching mine, to make me stop walking.

Josh stopped and I was right next to him, looking at his eyes. He put his hands to my waist, his touch was like fire to me, even wearing a coat. Looking in my eyes the whole time, he could not see anything stopping him, so he started to get close and I could feel his breath getting very close. We closed our eyes and started kissing. It was a very light, very polite first kiss, and after we finished it I went searching for his lips again and again.

• Can I walk you home? - he asked. Oh he is so sweet!

• Sure, mom would be very happy to see you again! I have to admit, you have been her favorite so far! - I said blushing again.

• Oh, really? - he asked back smiling. I got another kiss from him, a much more passionate kiss than our first.

When we got home, I was looking for my keys in my purse for 10 minutes... Maybe the fact that he was embracing my waist the whole time did not help me finding them at all. I got them finally and we entered the hall.

• Mom, I am home and I bro-... But my one and only mom was already rushing in the hall.
• Josh, oh my god, Josh!

• "brought someone" - I finished what I wanted, with a grimace on my face.

• Mrs Hart - said Josh back and he hugged my mom.

• Bryan, come, Josh is here!  - my mom shouted to my dad who was apparently upstairs. I heard his footsteps soon and he also greeted my boyfriend - such a great feeling to say this - warmly.
• I hope you will stay in time enough to get a revenge on canasta! - he said teasingly to Josh. He and my dad had this in common, they were playing a lot in the past. My dad loved him because he could never beat him. Dad was always sad and never understood how he could be beaten that many times by Josh.

• More than you ever want, because we moved back! - he told my dad.

• Oh, that is fantastic! I can go out with Emily again - said my mom happily. Emily was Josh's mom.

• I am sure she is missing those nights out too. Part of the reason we got back.

Then my mom looked at me with that strange look, the one saying that "I know what is between you two and I am totally supporting it", then she pushed dad away saying leave the teenagers alone and that they have plenty of washing to do in the kitchen.

• Well, it is getting late. I don't want you to be a sleepyhead tomorrow - he said nicely and gave me a kiss on the forehead.

• Okay, good night! - I said back.

• Can we meet tomorrow? Or sometime?
• Er.. I have to go to the cinema to watch that movie.. You know the one I have to attend...

• Yeah.. Nate.. - he said disapprovingly. - take care with him Ally, please.

• Sure, I will. But this does not mean that you and I can't meet after the movies. - I replied back and kissed him.

• Great, then we will schedule someting. I will call you after your classes. - he gave me a last kiss, and he stepped out of the door.