I shake my head, placing the dishes in the sink. “No, it’s not. I don’t really care about trying to win him over anymore.”
“Is everything okay with Annalise?” She continues to prod. “I know she hasn’t been showing up to your games because she’s grieving, but did you two get in a fight?”
Turning on the water, I start rinsing off the plates and release a heavy sigh. “She told me she regrets letting me back into her life.”
“What brought this on?” Okasan asks, her voice full of concern.
Grabbing a plate, I start scrubbing it with a sponge. “Someone told the press that the reason we broke up back then was because I cheated on her.” I grip the edge of the sink, my chest heaving as tears fall down my face. “She’s the love of my life, Okasan. Life without her is meaningless. But if she doesn’t want to be with me, what am I supposed to do?”
Okasan turns the water off and wraps her arms around me, rubbing soothing circles on my back as I sob onto her shoulder.
“Oh, Masashi, I don’t believe that Annalise meant what she said. She’s in a vulnerable state after losing her grandpa, and seeing that post must have been triggering to her. I know she loves you very much. She needs you now more than ever, so don’t give up on her.”
Her grandpa’s words echo in my head.
“I can leave this world knowing she’ll be in good hands.”
I promised him I would look after her and take care of her when he’s gone, and I intend on keeping that promise. I can’t let him down.
My phone dings and I spring up from the couch, hoping it’s a text from Annalise—but it’s a text from Elijah, in our group chat with the team.
I sent her a bouquet of flowers last night in hopes that she would reach out to me, but she hasn’t.
Releasing a sigh, I sink back onto the couch. I don’t want to bombard her with calls and texts because I know that would only make her angry.
Tsuki walks toward me with Annalise’s pink scrunchie in her mouth.
She sets it on my lap and starts whimpering.
“I know. I miss her too,” I say, petting her soft fur.
I open Instagram and scroll through it. I haven’t been on it since The Daily Tea made that post. I switched my account to private and turned off my message requests, since my inbox was filled with hateful messages.
The fans didn’t seem to care back then when I was sleeping around, but the claims of me cheating have ruined my image. Multiple people unfollowed me, and I noticed there were less fans sporting my jersey during the last game. Unknown wanted to ruin my image, and he succeeded.
My feed is mostly filled with highlights from the last game and predictions about which team will win the championship.
I’m about to get off the app when I see a post from Bay City Marketplace. The post features a list of all the new vendors that will be there—Thorny Roses being one of them.
I glance at the time. The marketplace closes around five p.m., so if I leave now, I can swing by before practice.
This could go one of two ways. Either she’ll be happy to see me and will want to be with me again, or she’ll tell me to leave and then never speak to me again.
I’m hoping for the former rather than the latter.
“Come on, Tsuki. Let’s go outside before I leave.” Getting up from the couch, I walk to the door leading to the backyard and open it, letting her out.
I head to my bedroom and change into my clothes for practice. Grabbing my sneakers, I stuff them in my duffle bag.
I’m opening my drawer to find a pair of socks when I hear the front door creak open. “Okasan, is that you?”
Maybe she wanted to drop off some food for me before the game. I walk out to the living room and call out her name again, but there’s no response.
My heart hammers against my ribcage and goosebumps prickle my skin. The only other person who knows the code to get inside my house is Annalise, but I know it can’t be her.
As I fumble through my pockets, my fingers finally grasp the cool surface of my phone. My heart races as I begin to dial 911. Suddenly, a calm, almost chilling voice comes from behind me.
“Don’t even think about it, unless you want your walls to be painted with your dog’s blood.”
