Chapter 4: Ted The Fox

《Jayden Nelson》

‘Three more days left before the soccer match.’

*sighs*

Mr Garret told us to come for training today so we could practice our team’s formation. I have to make sure that we will win this match, and get the Captain position which I always dream of since my freshman year.

"Pass the ball!" Mr Garret shouted at us from the across of the field. "Joji, watch your step! And Lee...*gives a thumb up*....good job!"

‘Ugh....not Lee again. He is not that good, but only faster than the others.’

That spiky hair was dribbling the ball towards the goal with Joji who was following him from behind. "Jayden!" He shouted for me. "Shoot now!" Joji tried to steal the ball, however, Seth eluded him and passed the ball to me.

The ball went straight into the goal as I shot it accurately according to my calculation as I could, even the opposite team could not catch it.

"Yosh!!!" I cheered happily while running back to my teammates. That brown hair jerk just gave me a glare instead, seemed like he was not satisfied with the score.

‘Like I care, huh.’

Mr Garret called us for a quick briefing before he dismissed the practice. The best thing of Mr Garret was, he will give us a break a day before the match even sponsored us to relax our muscles at the nearest spa and treated us with the nice food.

"Good job, guys," Mr Garret complimented us. "I want you guys to play just like this for tomorrow match. And you too, Joji, stop being a selfish, boy," he pointed his index finger towards Joji beside of me.

That dark brown hair guy just nodded as a reply.

"Alright then, good luck guys for the match!" Mr Garret gave us all thumbs up for the last time.

I heard indistinct chatting from the bleacher on my right side. And surprisingly, that voices were from Ivy, Amelia and….u-umm…that Jones’s girl.

‘Man…Amelia looks so beautiful today. Just look the way she flips her hair and her perfect cream face….ahhh….she really making me crazy about her.’

I snapped out of my thought as my eyes caught the brown hair girl’s figure. She looks like she is telling something serious to Amelia and Ivy. I could tell by looking at her expression and the way the other two girls reacted to her story.

’Wait!!! Is she trying to tell them about what happened between us?

My expectation turned to be true as the three of them turned at my direction simultaneously.

‘That girl!’

I quickly grabbed my Nike duffel bag from the bench near me and took out my black smartphone from it.

‘Kaytlyn Jones.....where is her number?’

I scrolled the whole of my contacts to find her number unfortunately, I could not find her number.

‘Where is it??? Where did I save it?’

’O-oh there it is...*taps on the messaging*... I forgot to save it, actually. Anyway, why should I? She's just.....ugh whatever.’

'Meet me behind of the bleacher in 10 mins. Privately'

I tapped the send button and waited for her to reply by staring on my phone screen without turning around not even once.

*buzzes*

Surprisingly she was one of the fast-responsive type of person.

‘Impressive.’

'Why should I?'

‘Ughh….What is her problem? Why didn't she just agree with me?’

'Just meet me there!'

I replied her while clenching my teeth, totally pissed off her.

'Fine!'

‘Good, now she listened to me.’

*****

I was leaning my back against the back of the bleacher while waiting for that Jones’s girl. The reason why I chose this place was because no one will come or even walk pass here except during the sports event or any other big events that occur at this field.

‘So, it’s quite lonely here and privacy.’

*rustles noise*

“What’s that?” I turned to my right side to check on the ‘rustle’ sound. I was sure that sound came from that bushes in front.

‘Maybe it’s just a rabbit though…’

"What do you want from me?" An angry girl voice suddenly approached me that made me jumped like a kid.

"Whoa!!!" My chest felt like it will explode any time soon. "You scared the hell outta me."

*breathes out heavily*

She knitted her eyebrow while staring at me before burst out of laughter.

"Why are you laughing???" I stroked my chest while looking at her.

"You should...*laughs*....l-look at your face."

‘Man, this girl is so....’

Both of my cheeks started to feel warm all of sudden. "Stop it will you?" I asked her while covering up my embarrassment.

"Wait…." Her eyes were on me along with her glasses which almost fell off of her nose bridge, revealing her beautiful chestnut color eyes. "Why are your cheeks turn red? Are you blushing? I bet you are…"

I quickly grabbed her right arms then pulled her closer to me. Both of my hands were on her waist, her very small waist to be more precise. Maybe around 22 or 23 in size. I never expected that she has a great….u-ummm….well, she always looked chubby with that loosen clothes though.

‘Eh...what am I thinking now??’

‘Man, this pervy side of me! I shouldn't be hang out with Pervy Uncle so often. Looks what happened now?’

I looked at her face; her eyes were so beautiful but I wonder why she always wearing that big glasses?

"What are you trying to do?" She snapped me out while trying to get away from me.

"U-uh...nothing," I quickly released her then scratched the back of my head; trying my best to avoid her eyes. "...*clears throat*....sorry about that."

"Pervert..." ‘Did she just called me.....’

"Wait a minute!" ‘I was not satisfied yet with her calling me a pervert’ "Don't you call me like that. I’m not a pervert, okay. You still don't know me, Kaytlyn."

She scoffs, "I don't want to know you either, Jayden." ‘She's quite annoying, isn't she? The way she’s making her face like that while talking to me…’

‘Ugh....Why she must be my wife? Why am I stuck with her….why???’

“Me too, I don’t want and I will never want to know about you,” I replied her while crossing my arms.

"Fine!" she even gave me squint eyes. "What do you want to tell me actually?"

‘Oh, I almost forgot about that.’

"Did you tell her about us?" I asked.

"To whom?"

"To Amelia of course."

"Why should I?" She sounded mad now. "Why are you accusing me like that? We already made a deal, remember?” ‘Why is she mad all of sudden?’ “I'm not that kind of person who will break any promise."

‘She seems like she really pissed off of me right now. Wait, whys should I care though?’

"It's good that you are not telling her," I said without looking at her even for once. "That's all I want to ask you actually."

"Ughh....you are so annoying, Jayden..." she grunted. “I don't like you!"

I scoff, "I don't like you either,” then stuck out my tongue a bit.

We both were turning away from looking at each other along with the 'Humph' sound.

*rustles noise*

"What's that?" Kaytlyn asked in panic.

"Nah,” I leaned a bit so I could grab my duffel bag on the ground. “Maybe it’s just the wind or something,” then slung the bag on my right shoulder.

Her soft hands suddenly grabbed my arm, making my heart racing in instant as her skin touched mine. “I know it wasn't the wind. It must be something else.”

"H-hey, don't worry, Kaytlyn," I tried to calm her down even though she just making me worse. I was stuttering again for god sake. "There's nothing there..."

*growls*

My heart pounded so hard as she suddenly hugged me tightly. Something behind the bushes made her frightened so much. Plus the growling was getting louder than before that made me hug her back automatically.

‘Well, I’m scared too of course!’

I looked down to my shoulder to check on her actually. She was indeed scared with that thing behind the bushes. Her hands even felt so cold and they were shaking too. Maybe she was having a trauma from the fox incident last time.

"…*clears throat*…Let me take a look first," I suggested her with my hand was intertwined with hers.

Her chestnut color eyes were looking into mine, "Be careful, Jayden." This time, her voice sounded soften, more to the sound of an angel to be exact. It was so beautiful especially when she said my name.

"I will, don't worry,” I replied her along with a smile which I was not sure why I did I do that.

I released my grip from her hand and took several steps towards the bushes without making any noise, so that I will not scare the ‘thing’ behind the it.

"Whoa!!!" I screamed a bit as an aggressive orange fox suddenly came out from the bushes along with a growl. His red eyes were looking at me furiously, maybe will attack me anytime soon.

"Jayden!!" Kaytlyn shouted in fear.

"I'm okay, just stay there," I instructed her while taking a precaution step towards the fox. I need to calm him down so he would not harm Kaytlyn.

‘It looks like his foot is injured. That’s why he becomes aggressive like this.’

"Easy boy...." I tried to calm him down. "I won't hurt you, I promise..."

His red eyes seemed to be calmer as heard me. Like I said before, there was something between us, like a bond or something. He seemed to be listened to me and stopped from growling and even laid his body on ground.

‘He’s actually tame, though!’

I crouched beside of the fox, examining his injury which seemed to be bleeding. There was something like a thorn stuck on his foot. “What happened to you?” I whispered to him while rubbing gently on his head. And to be more surprised, the fox just replied me with a weak sound.

"Kaytlyn," I called for the Jones girl.

"Y-yes...."

‘She’s still scared, huh?’

I laugh a bit as looked at her scare face, "Come here, he's really tame. Believe it!"

She shakes her head, "No..."

I click my tongue, "Come here, trust me."

She still hesitated, “B-but…”

“Believe me…”

She then grabbed my duffel bag on the floor and slowly walked closer to me and the fox before crouched right beside of me.

"Good girl….” I accidentally gave her a compliment along with a pat on her hair.

‘Whoa….did I just do that?’

But she did not say anything like a sarcasm or anything, instead just gave me her beautiful smile. A smile which I never have seen before.

‘Hey, wake up Jayden!!!’

‘You are in love with Amelia, don't you remember?’

Kaytlyn gasps, "Oh my God, he's injured."

I nod, "Yes and we need to help him."

"B-but, I didn't bring any...."

I cut her in, "Don't worry, I brought some with me." I took my duffel bag from her and my hands slightly touched her hands. But I endured it even though my heart started to race again.

“There it is….” I said while taking out a small lavender bag.

"T-that was...." both of her eyes widened as saw a small lavender bag in my hand.

I smile, "Yes, it was yours." Our eyes then met again, and I was sure my cheeks started to feel warm again just like earlier.

‘Am I blushing again? What's happening to me??’

"Jayden??" Her voice snapped me out from my thought.

"O-oh, yes, the fox..."

"Here, let me help you," Kaytlyn' soft hands accidentally touched my hand again and even making me jumped a bit.

‘My heart…..man, why is it pounds so hard. I never felt like this before.’

"Are you okay, Jayden?" She asked me in worried.

I nodded once while avoiding her eyes contact.

It took only several minutes to tend that poor fox’s injury and it was done all by herself. I just helped her pick the bandage and ointment from her small bag. She really did good job though. Besides, the fox never show any aggressive side to us instead just calm and really tame.

"All done," she said with a smile after done treating the fox’s injury.

‘Sincerely I said, she’s so great with the medical skill, but I wonder why she choose the Business program just like me.’

"Great," I replied while rubbing gently on the fox head. "You'll be fine, boy." And the fox seemed like he was happy and grateful as I rubbed him and gave him some affections.

"He likes you," Kaytlyn added while rubbing the fox too, and sometimes our hands even brushed against each other.

"I-I think so," ‘Geez, why I keep stuttering when speak with her??’

She looked more beautiful than before as her perfect skin was exposed with the sunlight and her eyes too, there were so gorgeous and sparkling.

‘Wait, did I just think she is beautiful?’

"Let's take him," she suggested while holding the fox in her arms. My heart beat faster as she pouted her lips while looking at me with those beautiful eyes; put so much hopes that I will agree with her suggestion.

‘Oh....my....God....what's really happening to me??’

"Jayden???" She tilted her head a bit. "Why your face is so red?"

"W-what?” I quickly looked away from her and even stood back on my feet. “No....no...I-I just u-umm...feel so hot." Then faked a smile to her.

"Oh, okay then," she smiled back while rubbing the fox’s head.

‘Why she acts differently now? She was all mad at me at first. But why she changed all of sudden? Is this just her acting or this is actually her true self?’

"So what do you say?" She asked again, waiting for my answer with her puppy looking eyes which I could not resist at all.

I scratched the back of my hair and looked at her then back to the tame fox again, "U-ummm sure then."

The fox wiggled his tail as if he was understand what I have just said.

"Aww...he's so cute….”she squealed in happiness while smiling widely.

‘Yes, he's really cute just like you….Kaytlyn.’