“Yes, sir. We’ll make it work.” I clapped my hands, pumped to get back into the swing of things. I didn’t like being bored and not active. “Oh, I’m running a half marathon in November.”
“Good but don’t break a damn ankle. Now get out.” He smiled at me briefly before looking at the door. Christopher Fitzpatrick didn’t express any emotion besides intensity and that was okay with me.
“Have a good day, sir.”
I’d expected something worse or an ass ripping with the pacing he’d been doing. I had zero complaints about the encounter. I sent a quick text to Zaria explaining the early meeting because it had worried her, too. It sucked I’d had to cancel my run with Callie, which had become my favorite part of the morning. We’d gotten into a nice rhythm of banter during the time and we had exercised together for a week straight. I knew it was crazy that I’d only known her a week and yet she’d snuck her way into my close circle.
I drove home and stumbled upon Jeff and Aaron playing a videogame with bags under their eyes. They were wearing the same things from the day before. “Assholes, did you sleep at all last night?”
“No way, bro. We have a bet going on.” Aaron didn’t even take his eyes off the screen. “Loser has cleaning duties for two weeks and has to be DD. This is too good to give up.”
“So, you’re going to play until one of you passes out?” I asked, more than amused. They were dipshits and my best friends. I took the free spot on the couch and watched them battle. Jeff fired insult after insult at Aaron, yet it made no difference. Tanner joined me shortly after with a handful of bread.
I pointed to it. “Where’d you get that?”
“Callie,” he said with his mouth full.
“What? I want to try it.”
“Hell no.” He held it out of reach. “It’s for helping move something for her.” He snarled at me and I backed off. Tanner went bat-shit crazy when it came to eating, as in, he never stopped. We were a rag-tag crew. Jeff and I were the pressure guys, built for our roles on the team. Aaron played the cocky-as-hell short stop who flirted with anything and everything. Tanner had different roles. His body rivaled a tank—huge, massive, solid. People assumed he played football rather than centerfield.
“Fuck you and your mother!” Aaron stood up and threw the controller across the room, knocking over a stack of plates they’d collected throughout the night. He marched down the hall to his room and slammed the door shut. I guess he’d lost.
“Sucks to suck.” Jeff stood up, yawned and fell face-first onto the blanket on the floor.
“Damn. Sucks for Aaron. He challenged Jeff, too. Dumbass. Jeff is undefeated in this game.” Tanner shook his head in disbelief and raised his eyebrows. “How was meeting with coach?”
“Not bad. Talked about this year and the draft.” As sophomores, we all had the potential to be drafted in the next two years, and although we were all competitive among ourselves, we all wanted us to make it. Like really fucking make it big. We were teammates for life and I had no qualms about discussing the future with them. Anyone else, hell no.
“I know you were torn. You make up your mind yet?” Tanner wanted to stay for a degree, too, which puzzled us, because with his hitting average, he very well might be drafted the first round.
“I’m staying until I graduate. I need to. I’d regret it if I didn’t and I want to win a pitching award the next three years. Get more experience down here.”
“Good for you, man.” He shoved the rest of the bread into his mouth and moaned a bit. I ignored the twinge of annoyance running through me. Fucking made no sense.
“Plans today?” I asked, hoping for something to do.
“Football game. Greta and Callie are stopping by. Aaron and I were planning to go with them.” He peeked at the clock. “Shit, they’ll be here soon. I need to shower.” He left the room and I went to Aaron’s with a sudden idea. I knocked three times, with no answer.
I tried the door, but he’d locked it. I knew Aaron pretty well and he couldn’t handle losing at all. He’d probably put on his noise-blasting headphones and passed out. Could I have tried harder to wake him up? Sure. But I didn’t. I saw an opportunity and ran upstairs to quickly throw on a jersey. Tanner walked out of his room and gave me an incredulous look.
“Dude, Aaron is not going. I tried getting him up but nothing.” I hoped that sounded truthful and not instead a ploy for Callie.
“Sure, sure.” He checked his phone. “They’ll be here soon and we’re going to head to my parents’ tailgate.”
“Thanks for the invite, asshole.” I ran downstairs and double-checked my reflection in the mirror to make sure I didn’t look like a total clown.
“You had a meeting. Plus, Aaron and I go all the time. It made more sense.” Tanner replied to a text and ran his hand over his jaw, pretending to stroke a non-existent beard. “Greta seems to think you’re only coming because of Callie.”
“It’s a part of the reason. And I like supporting our school’s other sports.”
“Sure, sure.” He grinned again and I wanted to punch his face. “Let’s go.”
I followed him outside, nervous to see Callie. When we ran together, conversation came easily and I knew what to expect. This felt different and Greta’s suspicions were spot-on. Tanner waved at the two of them walking down the road and I sheepishly copied him. “Do I look like a damn fool, Tanner?”
“Not a total fool, but a little off your normal swagger, yeah. It’s fun, though. I’m glad you’re joining us today. Normally, it’s me and dumbass Aaron. It’ll be a good time.” He clapped my back and I appreciated the action.
“Hey, guys!” Greta smiled at Tanner and it faltered a bit at me, but she smiled all the same. “Good to see you again, Zade.”
