Hello everyone!

So Olivia finally comes clean to Neymar in this one. Instead of having her tell him in a few sentences what happened I thought I would write the story in flashbacks. Chapter 97 has flashbacks from when she was 16 and the next two chapters cover the next two years.

I hope you like this chapter and I'm so glad she (and I!) finally come clean about the secret! Tell me what you think about it and about *him* (you'll know who I'm talking about after you read it!) xx

16

"Michael! Michael!" I yelled at the top of my lungs to no avail as Michael's car disappeared. My idiot brother was supposed to give me a ride home after practice since ours and his ended at the same time. But no, that totally eclipsed his mind because he was too busy leaving with Kaylie, captain of the cheerleaders and all around popular girl. At first he took the breakup with Liza hard, but he had since moved on, a couple of times. He had integrated to our new school well, that was for sure, I thought as I started walking the 6 miles home. It would have been fine, had it not been so cold outside.

"Hey, do you need a ride?" I heard as a car pulled up on the side of the road. I looked inside and recognized a guy from my brother's team, whose name I didn't know.

"No, it's okay. Thanks." I said automatically.

"C'mon, it's too cold to walk." He insisted.

I sighed. I would have said no again but it really was too cold. "Thanks." I said as I got in.

"So who was that guy?" He asked me as I was about to introduce myself.

"What guy?" I asked baffled.

"That left you here. You were yelling after him just seconds ago?"

"Oh. That's my brother."

"That makes more sense." He chuckled.

"More sense than what?" I asked, looking at him.

"Nothing." He said infuriatingly. I hated when people did that. He was trying to be mysterious and it was annoying as hell. And I couldn't help but notice how handsome he was, with big bright blue eyes that lit up when he smiled. I knew I was staring but couldn't help it. "Anyway, I'm James." He said and I snapped out of it.

"I'm Liv. I mean Olivia."

"Nice to meet you Livvie." He said, looking at me.

I was about to protest, because I hated being called that. It was what my parents called me and Mike too when he wanted to annoy me. We were Livvie and Mikey to my parents and if you didn't know us you'd think we were still six years old. "You too." I said instead and he turned to smile at me. I was so caught up in looking at him that I didn't even tell him to keep his eyes on the road.

~*~

"Thank you Olivia. We will consider what you said and let you know what our decision is soon." Mr. Tate told me as he escorted me out of the conference room.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I walked down the corridor. It was up to them now. I heard footsteps behind me but before I could turn around to look, someone spoke.

"I heard you are trying to start a new football team. For girls. Is that true?" James asked me. He walked beside me, that stupid, ridiculously charming grin plastered on his face.

I nodded. "Hi to you too James."

"So it's true?" He repeated, ignoring my greetings.

"Okay, have at it too." I said annoyed. "Tell me what a stupid idea it is, how the boys' team is all that matters and blah blah blah. God knows I've been hearing this from your teammates all week now. Including my brother." I snapped at him.

"Well you should know by now that most of my teammates are assholes. Including your brother probably. Although I don't know if I should be telling you that." He said and gave me a wicked smile. "For what's worth, I think it's a great idea." He added, seriously this time.

"Really?" I stopped walking and turned to look at him.

"Really. I hope it works out. If it doesn't you're always invited to play with us."

"I'm not sure the rest of your team would be so welcoming." I said.

"You're right, probably not." He said, scratching his head. "We can play one on one then." He suggested. And I felt there was something in the way he said it. But maybe it was just wistful thinking. When I didn't say anything he patted my back, as he said: "Alright Livvie, good luck.", and then started to walk away.

~*~

"I'm telling you it's true. Demis told me."

"I don't care if it's true Samantha. It doesn't have anything to do with me!"

Sam gave me a pointed look. "Yeah right. So how does this look on me?" She asked me. She was wearing her favorite pair of jeans and was trying on tops from my closet.

"It looks great." I said about the one-shouldered black top she was wearing. "Like all the previous ones."

"You are no help." She sighed, trying on yet another top. "What are you wearing?"

I looked down at my clothes and then at her.

"You wore that to school." She said flatly.

"Listen, I was thinking, we don't have to go."

"He invited you!"

"He was being polite. I mean... my own brother forgot to invite me to his party. At our house."

Sam laughed. "I'm not sure he forgot. He just wishes you were still five."

"No kidding. We could go out. Call Helen and Audrey and make it a girls night out."

"Helen and Audrey are going to the party. And so am I! C'mon you have to come! I need you. Otherwise what are you gonna do, lock yourself in your room all night while everyone else is outside your door?"

She had a point. Since the party was happening at my house it would be kind of hard to skip it while staying in the house. Maybe I should go for a four hour walk. Or back to back movies at the cinema.

"C'mon Liv. I'm telling you James broke up with Daphne, it's over. And I think he broke up with her for you."

~*~

"Cool party." James said, approaching me.

"Yeah, thanks for inviting me." I said as he sat down next to me on the porch and we both laughed.

"Your brother is... something else." He said and I nodded. "So, your house is cool. And your room's nice."

"You've been in my room?" I turned to look at him.

"Yeah it's the designated coat room. I mean for now. Ask me again in half an hour."

"Agh, I should go lock the door." I said and started to stand up.

"How about that one on one first?" He asked and pointed at the football by the door. When I didn't say anything he continued: "I'm sorry the girls' team didn't work out."

"You're probably the only one." I said as I leaned on the porch balcony.

"They're idiots for not doing it."

"They just don't think it would appeal to an audience. Who wants to watch a bunch of girls kick around a ball? But boys? Now we're talking."

"I would. For what it's worth." He said.

"Well I guess it's volleyball for me. That's supposed to be girly enough right?"

James laughed. "Maybe beach volleyball? But what can you do? It's not easy to change these preconceptions."

"Maybe we should try." I said looking down at him.

His eyes looked distant and for once the color seemed dull, not the vibrant blue that always took my breath away. After a few seconds he smiled. "So how about that one on one?" He asked.

I chuckled. Just like that the subject was changed and we were back to the meaningless chit chatter. I didn't mind too much. "You don't want to do that. I'll kick your ass."

"Probably. But to be sure, play me and let's find out." He said and grabbed the ball. He started kicking it around before he kicked it to me.

~*~

"I'm so nervous." Sam said. She was biting her nails.

"Seriously?" I asked as the teams entered the pitch.

"Demis has so much riding on this."

"So you are one of those couples now? My best friend can't turn into a wag."

"What did you just say to me?" Sam turned to look at me, hurt.

I laughed. "It means wives and girlfriends. It's how people call the girls football players are married to or in a relationship with. And I just ended a sentence with a preposition."

"Well that doesn't sound so bad." Sam said. "I don't mind being a wag. I'll get together with all the other wags and bake cookies or something.

I chuckled deciding to drop the subject.

"So James is looking fine tonight." Sam said after a while.

"Sam..."

"I'm just saying."

"Don't." I said flatly.

"C'mon Liv. You guys are texting and talking in the hallways and he's coming to lunch with us a lot."

"We don't text that much. And the only reason he's coming to lunch is because Demis is dating you. And now we're all one big merry company."

"Are you afraid of your brother? How he'd react?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked Sam as the referee blew the whistle and the game started.

"I know he's practically worshipping James."

"They're friends."

"And you don't want to date his best friend. But... is that a good enough reason not to?"

~*~

"Great game." I said and James turned to look at me. He grinned and it was contagious.

"I was hoping you were watching."

"Oh yeah? Showoff. Don't forget I kicked your ass at that party."

"I haven't." He said and took a step towards me. "It was great." I realized that we were somehow alone on a parking lot that was full of people leaving the game a few minutes ago. Where was everyone?

"So... it looks like I might need a ride again. Don't know where Mike is."

"Definitely." He said and walked towards the passenger seat, opening the door for me.

"So, I think everyone's meeting at Jerry McIntyre's house for a celebration." I said when James started driving.

"I was thinking about a detour. Do you mind?" He asked me.

"No problem." I said. He probably wanted to stop by his house first and I could wait in the car, although I was interested in seeing his room. I'd only ever seen it once through Skype and it was bleary and dark.

"I know you've only been in town for a few months so I wanted to take you to one of my favorite places. I used to go there with my grandpa when I was little and then when I got my car I started going after every game, win or lose. Do you mind?"

"No." I said, my voice sounding hoarse. "But if you want to be alone..."

"No I don't. I want to go with you." He said as we pulled up.

"Is this a lake?"

"The Great Salt Lake."

"No it's not. That's in Utah." I said as we got out.

He laughed. "No it's not. It's a salt lake. But I think it's great."

I smiled. His eyes were sparkling and even though I knew they were light blue, at that moment they looked the same color as the water. He looked like a kid again. "Beautiful." I said, not sure if I was talking about the lake or him.

James looked at me. "Liv I don't know why this is so hard to put into words, so I'm just gonna go ahead and —"

I kissed him.

~*~

"I give up." I yelled from across the field. The sun was shining bright and it was too hot outside.

"Already baby?" James yelled back. "I need you!" I started walking towards the bench and he caught up to me.

"I'm dizzy." I said and his face turned serious, suppressing whatever teasing thing he had ready.

"Dehydrated dizzy or I'm gonna pass out dizzy?" He asked as he kneeled in front of me, taking my face in his hands. "You are hot."

"Thank you, you're not bad yourself." I said.

He laughed. "Let's get you home."

"No, I'm good." I'll drink some water and I'll watch you. Someone's got to tell you what you're doing wrong." I said as I unscrewed the lid of the water bottle and drank. "Oh, it's boiling hot."

"C'mon let's go. We'll buy a cold one on the way out." James said and quickly shoved all our things in our backpacks, putting both on his shoulders.

I got up and we started walking towards the parking lot. We made a stop to buy cold water and snacks before we drove off.

"So where am I driving to? My house, your house, the hospital?"

"Definitely not the hospital. I'm okay. And Mike is probably home so..."

"My house it is." James said and smiled at me.

It was still weird with Mike. When James and I first started dating he was surprised but he seemed cool with it. I think he thought we would break up soon. But when that didn't happen, he started avoiding us. He wasn't being impolite or anything, but he was in denial. When we were all at lunch together, or out on the weekend he wouldn't really speak to either me or James. At home he acted like everything was fine. I didn't mind too much, I thought he'd get around to accepting it sooner or later but James wasn't happy having to choose between us. Ever since Mike joined the team and before James and I got together they had become fast friends and James was probably Mikey's closest friend. But now, not so much.

"I think no one's home." James said when we pulled up in his driveway. "Saturday morning is shopping day."

"What about Jean?" I asked about his 9 year old sister.

"She always goes along. But get this, she asked me about you the other day."

"Yeah?"

"She's throwing a party next week. A sleepover. And she wants to invite you but she's not sure you'd want to go. Since you're so old and all that."

I laughed. "And so cool."

"So, so cool." James said, kissing me.

"Tell her to ask me." I said when we broke the kiss. James fumbled through his backpack for his keys.

"Although you being in our house and not with me will be torture." He said as he opened the door.

"But you're gonna like it anyway." I teased.

"The thought of you sleeping a few feet from me? I'll love it. But right now, we don't have to be so far apart." He said and pulled me to him. We went up the stairs to his room.

I still remember the first time I went inside. I don't know what I was expecting but it was a typical room, even a little too impersonal. There we no posters on the wall and it seemed like the few decorations were probably put up by his mother. When I asked him about it he said he didn't care much for idols, or putting posters on the walls.

Our rooms were exact opposites. I had every wall covered, trying to find a way to express myself but mostly failing. He didn't do all that. At first glance he might seem less passionate and more laid back and he wanted you to think of him that way. But as I got to know him better, I saw him reveal his true self to me and we were more alike than I first thought.

"What are you thinking about?" James asked me.

"You actually." I chuckled.

"You don't have to think about me. I'm right here."

~*~

"So James, the season seems to be going well."

"Yes, we're favorites to reach the finals." James answered my father politely. Since we had now been dating for a few months, my parents thought it would be nice to invite James for dinner officially as my boyfriend and not just as Mike's friend. Naturally Mike decided not to attend dinner and instead went out.

"It's all Mike has been talking about." My mother noted. "Liv, honey, you don't like the food?"

"No, it's great mom." I said quickly.

"Are scouts coming to watch you?" My dad asked again.

"I think so, to watch all of us."

"So son, what are your plans for next year?"

"Dad!" I yelled.

"What?" My dad asked me, amused.

"It's alright. I'm hoping to join a team."

"Not college?"

"If I can play football professionally then no."

"I don't mean to sound rude, and you're an excellent player, you know that, but being a professional footballer, it's... it's such a long shot. If you played in college you'd get a degree too, to fall back on." My dad said and he was very genuine about it so no one was really mad.

"I understand what you're saying, my parents think the same thing. But in four years I'll be 22 and it might be too late. The earlier you start the better. It's a risk I'm willing to take."

~*~

I was in James' lap on his bed and he planted kisses on my forehead, my eyes, my cheeks, my neck.

"Jean was so happy today." James said kissing the edge of my mouth.

"It was a great day." I said.

"Sometimes I think this could be the best it ever gets. And as it is happening, it's already becoming a memory."

"This isn't the best it ever gets. Not for someone like you."

"Someone like me?"

"Yeah. So amazing, kind, brave, thoughtful." I said, stroking his hair.

"I don't know if I can do this. Maybe they're right, maybe I'm deluding myself."

"If I could ever only believe in one thing, it'd be you."

"And us."

"And us." I repeated.

"I love you." We said at the same time.