I knew he wouldn’t be. The thing is, he hasn’t called or come over here either. But I know why. Atlas likes to fold in on himself. I know he’s not contacting me to give me space, but I really do want to see him. I still haven’t told him about New York yet. Last week I called my agent, and I talked to the dean and sports director of Liberty State. The job is mine if I want it.
I look at Felix. “You should go over.” Felix smiles, cupping my cheek. “He’s your best friend and I know he’s upset.” The thing is, I haven’t wanted to let him out of my sight, but I know I can’t put this off forever, and I miss my friend. We need to talk.
Oli sits with us for breakfast until Andre calls his phone. “Hey, yeah, I’m with Grey. How are you feeling?” He grins wide. “Uh-huh. Told you you’d be sore.” He looks up. “Got to go. Grey is giving methe look. Love you.”
“I was not giving you the look. I don’t have a look.”
“What look?” Felix asks.
“Grey has this dad look when you’re doing something you shouldn’t and he’s judging the hell out of you.”
“Oh, I know that look.” Felix laughs.
“Ouch.” I clutch my chest. “I give you looks, but they are in no way fatherly.” I wink.
“Wow.” Oli sets his fork down. “Look at us, all happy and shit. Who’d have thought.” No one. I couldn’t have seen Felix coming if I’d tried.
We have a lot to do. Like packing. We told my sister last week, and although she cried at first, she understood and supports my decision. I haven’t let it all really sink in yet. All my life I’ve been everyone’s rock, everyone’s go-to person when they’re in need. Now I’m separating myself from them all. Oli, Alyssa, my niece, even Landon.
I don’t regret my decision. In fact, I’m excited.
My job starts on October tenth, two days after opening night for the Otters. I’m already in the process of buying a home near the college—a quiet little house up on a mountain away from the city and chaos. Felix and I are flying out Monday to look at it. I’m really excited about this next phase of our lives.
“What plans do you have for the rest of the off season?” I ask him.
“Lying in my bed or sitting on my couch as much as possible before camp. Andre signed an eight-year, one-hundred-and-eighteen-million-dollar contract. He’s my sugar daddy now.” Oli laughs.
“Do you want to go fishing or something? The three of us again. Before the summer ends.” Every day I get to spend with Felix is a blessing, but I miss my friends.
Oli smiles, but it’s off. “Uh, yeah, but you need to talk to Atlas first. I mean it, Grey. He’s not doing well. Talk to him first, and then we can make a plan.”
Atlas livesclose to the arena in an upscale apartment building in the city. His doorman lets me up, and I wonder what state of dishevel he’ll be in. I go up to his place and knock on the door. He’s home, Oli said, but I wonder if he’s now asleep.
After a minute the door swings open, and my heart sinks. It looks like he hasn’t slept in days, or showered for that matter. His greasy black hair is matted to his head, and his eyes are red. I’m not sure if it’s from lack of sleep, drinking, crying, or some cocktail of all three. “Grey?”
“Hey.” I try on a smile. I want to be angry, but how can I? “Can I come in?”
He takes a deep breath, looking back inside his apartment. “Uh, yeah, I um... it’s a mess, though. I uh?—”
“You know I don’t care about that.” He lets me in, and yeah, this place is a disaster, but none of that matters more than seeing the empties on his coffee table. “Grab me a trash bag.”
“Grey, no.”
“Atlas. Now.” He scowls but gives me a trash bag. He tries to help me, and I shake my head. “Goshower. I got this.”
“You don’t have to do this anymore. I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine. Go shower. I’ll clean up.” This isn’t the first time I’ve had to come here and help him. There is a cleaning service his apartment provides, but when Atlas gets like this, he doesn’t let them in. He’s too embarrassed. “Get your ass in the shower.”
He flips me off before going into his bedroom, and I look over his living room. His place is pretty bare bones. A wraparound couch in front of a big TV mounted on the wall. The number of times I’ve stayed here with him is countless.
I clean up all the recycling, putting it in one bag, then work on the food containers. After everything is thrown away, I wipe down his table and move to the kitchen to load his dishwasher. It makes a pretty good size dent in the mountain of dishes he has.
I clean up his counter and put on the wax melt he has here in the kitchen before going over to one of the windows and opening it for fresh air. I hear footsteps and turn around to see Atlas walking in wearing a white T-shirt and black sweats. He’s also trimmed his beard. A huge improvement. He looks around his place, shame in his eyes.
“I would have gotten to it.”
“Now you don’t have to.” I go to his kitchen and grab two mugs, then pour some of the coffee I made. Reaching into his fridge, I grab his creamer, and decide to give myself a splash of it. Then I walk over to his couch and sit down, and he follows me, thanking me for his cup. He nearly groans with the first sip.
