TWENTY
s i m o n

It had been exactly a month since Dallas had left and today was the day she was coming back, but Simon had a match. If he'd been commitment free, he would have gone to see her, but here he was on the field clad in his kit with the football at his feet as he made his run to the goal.

Shooting, scoring and cheering. The win was theirs within the final dying moments of the match and, although it was only a friendly match, it still meant a lot.

But what really filled him with joy was turning and locking eyes with Dallas, wrapped up in her scarf and coat with a grin on her face and rosy cheeks. For a moment, he couldn't believe she'd come. When she said she wanted to come to his games, he didn't think she was being serious.

Just another one of her games, the things she said to make people like her, but it seemed like she was being genuine with him.

It's true what they say, distance makes the heart grow fonder. Simon knew it because as he was looking at her from across the pitch as the boys cheered all around him, the feelings he had for her all that time ago came rushing back. From her rosy button nose to her smile that reached to her eyes, Simon was in love with it all.

-

Simon rushed to get changed, telling the boys he had to get home quickly for dinner, but in reality he had a feeling Dallas would be waiting for him outside.

His suspicious were correct. As he walked out, bag swung over his shoulder, she was stood there with her hands in her pockets rocking back and forth on the heels of her leather boots.

"Hey," She breathes, her breath icy white in the air as it rose up and up. November was not kind to the warm hearted.

"You must be tired, you didn't have to come," Simon tells her, smiling as she takes one hand from her pocket and slips it into his hand.

"Your mum told me about it so I decided to come," She replies simply with a mischievous glint in her eye, which Simon misses.

"You spoke to her?"

"Yeah." Dallas smirks. "She invited me back for dinner, actually. She said she wanted to catch up after not seeing me for so long." And the way she says it implies that it isn't that big of a deal, when actually it was to Simon.

"And you accepted?" He asks, frowning at her slightly because honestly he expected her to laugh and say it was all a joke.

"Did you not want me to?" She looks up at him now with confusion written in melodies across her eyes.

"No, no, it's fine. I just didn't know you were this serious about it all," He says, glancing away from her as they walked.

"Serious about what?"

"About us being friends."

"Simon, I think we-" She cuts herself off. "I'm serious! I want to be your friend again just like it used to be. I don't need Allison. I don't want Allison, I want you."

"It's actually really good to hear you say that."

"It's good to finally say it."

-

"So," Simon's Mum begins as she places the plate in front of Dallas with a warm smile. "How was LA? I bet it's lovely over there."

"Yeah, it was really good. I got to see my dad and his side of the family again for the first time in ages, so that was nice." She steals a look to Simon, who was busying himself with eating his food. She didn't blame him. He must be hungry after the game. "It was nice to get away too. School's been a lot lately."

"Ah," She replies. "Well, I'm sure you'll be able to go and see them again very soon."

"I hope so. I miss him a lot when he's working." She pushes the vegetables onto her fork with her knife, taking the time between flakes of conversation to enjoy the food. "Oh my God, Mrs. Minter, I've missed your food," Dallas sighs dramatically, leaning back in her chair.

Simon rolls his eyes and looks to his dad with a look of pain, but his Mum laughs joyfully and says, "You should come more often! We would love to have you, you're a pleasure."

"I'm sure I can spare the time to come more frequently," She replies, slipping into the upper class speech that she was brought up with. She notices it before anyone else picks up on it and shovels another couple of forkfuls of food into her mouth.

Conversation seems to die out after that. Only the odd comment passed between them.

Dallas looks down at her empty plate, presses her lips together and folds her hands across her lap. "Well," She begins. "It was nice to see you all again, but I should probably head home else my Mum will be wondering where I've gotten to." She looks at Simon pointedly before drawing her chair back.

"Oh, of course!" Mrs. Minter says, pushing her chair back too and collecting all the plates into a pile. "Come back anytime at all, you're no hassle, Dallas, honestly!" She chirps as she carries the balance of plates into the kitchen, Simon's dad following closely behind after saying his goodbyes.

-

Stood on the doorstep, Dallas wrapped up in her scarf and coat once more. The evening had drawn in quick. Now, the sun was barely visible above the hills and the stars were beginning to come out, dotting the sky like musical notes to paper.

"It was good to see you again," Dallas says quietly, but he heard every single one of her words loud and clear, just like always.

"I'm glad you're back," He replies and a smile spreads across her lips. It was infinite. Brighter than all of the stars in the sky combined, blinding to all those who dared to look into the flame.

Infinite.

"You know," She breathes, stepping closer to him and curling her fingers around the fabric of his hoodie. And when she pauses, the gap between words seems endless. She looks up from her hands into his eyes and immediately she regrets it because in them she sees everything she couldn't resist. "I realised some things when I was in LA."

"Yeah?" He whispers in response.

"Yeah," She utters, lifting herself onto her toes and inching herself closer to him. Her breath tickled his lips; smelt of the chocolate cake his mother had baked for them and served with sweet vanilla ice cream that reminded him of summer days by the sea.

Her fingers curl into the fabric tighter as she, at last, presses her soft lips to his. The moment both of them had unknowingly been waiting for. Everything she didn't know she needed, but found fulfilment within.

His hand slips around her waist, onto the small of her back, holding her to him on his doorstep as their lips moved against one another as if they were about to come to a sudden tragic end.

Then his lips are cold as she pulls herself from him. Her forehead leans against his as she whispers, "You're definitely not just my friend."

And then she lets him go. Turning from him not bearing to see the way his eyes looked at her any longer and hopping down the step. Dallas stuffs her hands into her pockets as she walks down the streetlight lit pavement, littered with leaves and old litter.

He watches her go, wanting to ask her to stay but knowing that she wouldn't say yes, even if she wanted it so badly her chest ached.

But she had kissed him, that was a start.

A beginning of something new for him and for her.

Dallas might be ok just yet.

[END OF PART TWO]

-

fucking fuck me up