Page 106
I couldn’t deny it.
“I told you to stay away from her,” Crim said. “And you did. She spent ten months thinking you didn’t want her. No, you spent ten months thinking you didn’t deserve her. Both of you were too afraid to try.”
The truth sat between us.
“She’s my sister,” he said. “The only family other than my parents that matters. I’d do anything to make sure she’s happy.”
“What if I can’t make her happy?”
“You already do. You just need to show her.”
“After game six.”
“Why wait?”
“Because I need to prove something first. To myself.”
“And if you don’t prove it? Will you wait for the next game or the one after that, always waiting for the one chance to prove…whatever it is you feel you’re lacking? She likes who you are, win or lose. Don’t throw that away. Don’t wait until it’s too late.”
He got up and headed back to his seat up front.
I sat with my phone, staring at her text.
My brain stopped spinning and started working like it should. Game mode.
I had to earn the right to grovel. If I couldn’t be the goalie she deserved to watch, how could I be the male she deserved to keep?
Veskar leaned over the seat from beside me. “You look less dead than before.”
“Crim gave me a talking-to.”
“More like a slap.”
“Same thing.”
“Are you going to get her back?”
“I’m going to try.”
“She’s too good for you, but you’re too gone for anyone else.” He grinned. “Win the next game. Show her who you are.”
Tolrek got up from a few seats ahead and walked back down the aisle. Stopping beside me, he handed me a protein bar. “Eat.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Eat anyway. You need your strength for the game and whatever comes after.”
He walked back to his seat.
I unwrapped the protein bar and ate it, though it had turned to sawdust in my mouth. Everything did lately.
The bus pulled into the facility a little after noon. The team filed off, buzzing about the next game.
I went to the locker room and sat at my stall, my phone in my hand.
I typed another message. I’ll wait for you forever.
After hitting send, I stared at the screen.
