“You know, you’re so very careful about these things. You could’ve easily made that shot,” I said about one of the plays that he deliberately missed.
“You see that?” He pointed to the screen. “That’s a defender. He’s right there. He would’ve stopped it.”
“No, he wouldn’t have. If you just bent your leg a little, got enough momentum in your body to kick the ball harder than youusually do, the ball would’ve flown right past him and hit the net.”
“I knew what I was doing. You don’t take chances like that at a championship game.”
“Iwould’ve done it.”
“That’s because you’re reckless.”
I stuck my tongue out at him and said in a sing-songy voice, “And you’re boring.”
That did not go over well with him.
Or it did go over well, if you count him fucking me into submission while the game played in the background and he won the trophy.
So I don’t know. I mean, I don’t think I’m good enough to play on a team, you know?
I can kick around a ball with him and talk strategies, but an actual team?
Yikes.
“You’re not good enough,” he murmurs, bringing me back to the moment.
“I, uh, I mean I don’t know. I’m not…”
“Did I say that?” he asks.
“No, Sarah…”
I trail off as soon as I say her name.
My sister’s name.
His ex-girlfriend, the girl who cheated on him, while I’m sitting naked on his stomach, my wetness probably slathered on his skin.
His jaw clenches.
That muscle on his cheek jumps out as well.
I didn’t mean to say that. I didn’t mean to bring her up. And I haven’t.
Ever since that night in our backyard where he told me about Sarah and Ben and how they’ve hurt him, I haven’t said a word about it.
I haven’t tried to talk to him further about what he feels.
I know he wouldn’t talk. Iknowthat.
I mean, he still hasn’t told anyone about the cheating. He’s so ashamed of it. Leah and everyone on his team still don’t know.
So he wouldn’t believe me even if I told him that he isn’t a failure. That Sarah’s mistakes and his breakup don’t mean thatheisn’t perfect. That being kicked off the team because of it is only a minor hiccup and that it’s okay to make mistakes and fall down.
It’sokay.
But maybe, justmaybeI should try again.
I should try to make him understand and…
