“Ahhh!” Paul and I respond in unison, and I think David is about to collapse under the table. He’s now pressing his fistagainst his mouth, and his upper body is shaking. “You want the same drink! Just say so. Gin and tonic, coming right up!”
My super-friendly tone is one step too far for Ey-Man. “Ey, you all can kiss my ass! There are other bars in this shitty place!” And with that, he storms out of the Chillout Lounge. On the way, Ben has a few words for him, and I just see him raising his hands defensively.
“Ey, kid!” Paul raises his hand for a high five.
“Ey, dude!” I laugh and slap his hand.
“Are you allowed to treat customers like that?” Surprised, I turn to David, who is still grinning.
“When they piss me off that hard. We don’t have to put up with bullshit. And it was funny.”
“So you play handball?”
Oh, spontaneous change of topic. “Um, yeah.”
“What position?” As if he didn’t know.
“Pivot.”
“Fits your build.” I can’t help but smile. Shit, he’s cute.
“You know your stuff?”
“Yep. Where are you playing today?”
“North-West Gym.” The air crackles between us. I didn’t realize how sexy talking about handball could be. It wasn’t like that in the past. His gaze doesn’t leave me for a second.
“How about we skip breakfast today and I come to your game instead?” Is he serious? My stomach tingles nervously. Do I want that? Can I do that?
“Okay. Uhm, 4 p.m.” Ah, damn it, my mouth was faster than my brain.
“Are you free after?”
What is he up to? Screw it, I’m feeling brave today. “Yes.” Just that one word and his face lights up.
“See you later then.” He puts twenty euros on the counter and leaves.
Okay,that was new. He just set a date for us, right? He would’ve never done that when we were younger; he would’ve given up rather than ask.
***
My gaze keeps drifting toward the stands. He’s not here, or I haven’t spotted him yet. There are quite a few people around today, maybe he’s standing behind someone.
The warm-up is done and we’re getting ready for the game. Just as I’m jogging onto the court for the first throw, I see him. Immediately and completely unprompted, my mouth breaks into a smile. I’m beaming, I can feel it myself.
Super cool, Louis, respect.
I raise my hand briefly and he waves back. It’s been a while since David has seen me play and I’m more nervous than I’ve been in a long time on the court.
Chapter 35
David
25 years
I stare at the court, spellbound, following the ball as it moves quickly between the players. I haven’t seen a game in a long time, just as long as I haven’t played one. I still practice, but not with a team that has any ambitions. That’s why I chose the team I did.
Handball hurts, handball was our thing, Louis’s and mine. We were magic on the court. I know I’ll never have that with anyone else, maybe not even with Louis himself, and I’m both excited and anxious to see if he still has it and if it wasn’t as special to him as it was to me.
