I was struggling at being completely rational. A girl could only smell hot and sweaty ball players, hear the sound of basketballs bouncing and feet running up and down the court, and stare at nothing for so long before she’s ready to combust. I was usually desperate to leave that equipment cage.
I was quite proud of myself.Īfter breakfast, I’d head back to the courts and man the equipment closet.Īiden came up a few times with things he needed for the team, and I’d do whatever he asked. I thanked each and every one in a polite, appropriately cheerful voice and a smile in my eyes-no extra weirdness or flaking out on my part. Most of the team still left everything at the tables, but after Reese started bringing his tray to the dish window, others followed suit. I’d start dishes when they began piling up, and do them throughout the meal. The kitchen was next for coffee, then breakfast prep with Owen and Hadley. One could’ve argued that everyone had a routine, but mine was up at five to open the courts. Over the rest of the week, I fell into a routine. I wasn’t quite sure what had happened, but I think, just maybe, someone had understood me without me saying a word about it? Maybe? I was in trouble, very real and serious trouble. His shirt was flapping in the wind, showcasing a good amount of skin and a tattoo running vertically under his arm, and my heart just did a backflip.Īll those flutters exploded in my stomach. I didn’t know how it happened, when it happened, but there was something there. The slight concern that I was just now realizing I had heard when he questioned me in the hallway. Someone tossed him the ball, and he was dribbling for his team within seconds, calling out the play as he went. He was almost to the courts when I followed him back into the gym. I saw that he felt it too, and I didn’t think it was my delusional side imagining it. He held his hands up, and I tried to ignore how I protested the loss of his touch.
He nodded, new understanding dawning in his eyes. “It’s taken a full year for me to get where I am now, so…” The therapist had been a little over six months ago. Technically, I didn’t talk to anyone about it.
It’s part of the tragically stupid thing from before, but I don’t even talk to my friends about it.” I gentled my tone, but I needed to let him know I meant business. A whole different form of storm was tearing me up inside, one that was way too fucking real for this conversation. Does it have to do with a guy?”Īnd just like that, the tornado alarms switched off. Reese was saying over my internal tornado alarms, “Just tell me. I started to go back, but Reese caught my elbow. Reese nodded to him, and after a questioning look at me, Aiden returned to the courts. Someone walked past the hallway, then backtracked. “Now you don’t have to be scared you’ll find me in your bed one night with a knife and hot wax.”
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