He continues walking, as if I never spoke.
Closing my eyes briefly, I breathe in, before walking to my position.
Blinking the sweat out of my eyes, I run, I defend, I tackle and I pass. Switching my brain off, I go into autopilot. Weaving in and out of players, I slip through a gap and take off at a sprint. The wind whooshes over me as I pick up speed, until a body crashes into mine, sending me flying through the air. I hit the ground so hard, the air is knocked out of my lungs. I’m motionless for a second, trying to catch up with what just happened, when suddenly Zayden appears over me, his hand extended. Hesitantly, I reach for him, letting him help me up. He pulls me to my feet.
‘You good?’ he asks.
Swallowing, I nod, pointing to my chest. ‘Winded.’
‘That was a fucking hard hit,’ he says. ‘Are you hurt?’
I lethargically wave my hand. ‘Fine.’
‘Okay.’
‘Nice to know you care.’ I smirk.
Zayden side-eyes me for a moment, the corner of his mouth twitching with the slightest of movements, before heading back to where he was.
A small smile finds its way onto my face.
We scraped in the win.
Just.
I tap my fingers on the steering wheel as I drive. There were murmurs of a campus party, but I’m too tired to be out and about tonight. I don’t think any of us are in the mood – even Zayden, which is saying something.
My brows pull together when I recognise Zayden’s car pulled over on the side of the road. Swinging in behind him, I get out and wander over. Zayden is leaning back against the head rest, staring out at the road.
‘Well, this is tragic,’ I say.
Rolling his head to the side, he pins me with a narrowed stare. ‘Oh. It’s you.’
‘It’s me,’ I confirm, scanning the car, then spotting the very flat tyre. ‘Having fun?’
‘Loads,’ he replies. ‘No spare.’
‘I did tell you to replace it.’
‘I don’t really feel like a lecture right now.’
‘Fortunately for you, I have one.’ Zayden glares at me. ‘A spare, I mean. Not a lecture.’
Zayden huffs, and I head to my car’s boot. Silently, I get the tyre out and walk over to him, feeling the light patter of rainfall on my skin. Zayden glances up at the dark sky, scowling.
‘I got this. Thanks.’
‘I’ll be quicker,’ I mutter.
‘Because you’re just so much better than me?’ Zayden snaps.
‘Stop being a fuckwit for two seconds, will you?’ I retort. ‘I’m here because I love you, man. I miss you, and I fucking hate that this is what we’ve become. Can you just talk to me, so we can sort this out?’
Zayden stares ahead, stony-faced.
Exhaling, I drop to the ground to begin changing his tyre.
Zayden is silent for a long moment. He looks defeated and exhausted.
