“Call me, if you need me. Otherwise, I’ll see you at the track in a few days,” he replies. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he hustles to the door. He opens the door and pauses. “If ‘us’ is too complicated, you can take us out of the equation. I don’t want to add to your stress and worries.”
And it’s a gut punch I wasn’t expecting. My eyes water, waiting for him to leave before the tears break through.
32
Javi
After I left Sophia at her door with that fuck knuckle, Perry, I headed down to the hotel bar. I am able to sit at the bar and see when people exit the elevator to leave, ordering a water. I was hoping he would be taking the same path soon. Riley, at the other side of the bar, comes to sit next to me.
“What’s the haps?!” he asks as he approaches, slapping my back and sitting on the bar stool next to me.
“Not much. What have you been up to?” I ask. My eyes don’t leave the elevators, taking a mouthful of liquid.
“Just finished hanging with Fleur and Cole. Since you started this motocross project with Sophia, I’ve needed to find other friends to hang with,” he jokes.
“Sorry, man,” I reply, completely distracted at the moment.
“Dude, what the fuck is going on?” he pushes. “I have no idea what’s happening here.”
I sigh. “It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
“No, something’s up. You can lay it on me. What are friends for? It might help,” he pushes again.
Groaning, I reply, “This just stays between us, all right?”
“Of course.” Riley’s focus is completely on me.
“Sophia and I have been kind of…seeing each other…through this season,” I whisper.
“I knew it was about a girl!” Riley whisper-yells, snapping his fingers.
“Yeah, well, her ex, Perry, just showed up and was waiting at her door tonight. He’s up there talking to her now. I’m here waiting for him to leave the hotel,” I say, my eyes rarely letting the elevators out of my sight while I talk to him.
“Argh, that guy is bad news. Grade A dipshit,” Riley says, disgusted.
“I know. I hate him so much for treating Sophia like shit, but she and I agreed to keep things casual. I can’t go in there and act like another egotistical asshole demanding a relationship from her,” I say, exasperated.
“Sounds like you should do that—but not in an egotistical way. You like her. I can see it. Why else would you be waiting here to see if he leaves? Does she not deserve to know how you feel?” he challenges.
“I saw what she had to come back from this year. I don’t want to add to her shit year,” I reply.
“Who said it would be shit?” Riley offers, somewhat sage-like.
My mouth opens to reply, but I see Perry exit the elevator and head outside. Geez, I want to sock him one.
“I’ll be back.” Getting up, I don’t both waiting for a reply from Riley, and rush to meet Perry. He sees me approaching and smiles, like a moron, at me.
“Hey Javi.” He outstretches his hand to me.
Taking it, I squeeze until I see him wince, not bothering to greeting him. I pull him in close and whisper, “Don’t fuck around with Sophia again. She doesn’t deserve your mind games. And if I hear you have hurt her, let’s just say I hope you don’t trip and bust your face open outside at the cab rank.” Releasing his hand, he steps backwards, mouth agape, in shock. I stare at him and he scurries around me to leave the hotel.
Dashing for the elevator and back up to Sophia, I knock and am impatiently waiting for her to open the door.
The door opens and she stares at me. Her eyes and tip of her nose are red, like she has just been crying. And I get annoyed at Perry all over again. I should have just punched him.
“Hey, I wanted to make sure you were okay. I was in the hotel lobby and saw him leave,” I say.
She motions for me to enter.
