The morning after the party, I come downstairs to find Nate, Archer and Miles all staring at me.
Archer pulls a stool out from the breakfast bar and orders me to sit. “Spill,” he says the second I park my butt.
“Spill what?”
“Guys, leave him be,” Nate says. His voice lacks conviction and I can tell he wants to know, too.
“Come on, just tell us what’s going on with you and the new guy,” Archer whines.
“We should probably stop calling him ‘the new guy,’ I can’t imagine it’s making him feel very welcome.”
“Did he say that?” Archer asks.
No, and I’m sure he wouldn’t. Doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel it though.
Before I can reply, Archer goes on. “I don’t say it to his face.”
“Shush,” Miles says, waving his hand in front of Archer’s big mouth. “Tell us about Elias, what’s going on?”
I feel their eyes on me. “Jeez, I haven’t even had a cup of coffee yet. Can I at least get my caffeine before you all start grilling me?”
Archer slumps in his chair as I make my way around the bar to the coffee machine and pour myself an espresso. I might need a few of these today.
With my back turned, I say, “Elias asked me out.”
Archer slaps his hand down on the counter.
“I told you! Miles, you owe me ten bucks.”
“You guys werebettingon this?”
“Since the day he walked into the locker room.”
Since day one? But Elias only started flirting with me last week.
“Why?”
Archer shrugs. “Thought I saw him checking you out.”
“You must have been mistaken.”
“Obviously not,” Archer says with a grin.
Miles rummages in his pockets and starts pulling dollars out and slapping them on the counter.
I notice that Nate has been quiet throughout this conversation. He tells Miles to keep his grubby money away from where we eat and I slip upstairs to get out of the way.
Ten minutes later, there’s a knock on my door and Nate steps in.
“So, you’re going on a date with Elias?”
I shrug. “Yeah, why not?”
He smooths the sheets on my bed before taking a seat. “Ben, are you sure about this? Elias is your teammate. What if it doesn’t go well?”
My throat gets tight. Does Nate think I’m going to screwthis up? That Elias will get bored with me? Even though this is fake, the thought hurts.
“I’m sure we can both be mature enough to still get along as teammates.”
