Page 54 of Unloved

My entire mood postgame is always determined by how I played—win or lose—and tonight, a certain curly haired tutor was in the stands, which should make me happier. But instead, I’m wallowing.

I played likeshit. My turnovers were highest on the damn team, as our lovely assistant coach reminded me for ten minutes postgame. And forthisto be Ro’s first time watching me, I’m upset, disappointed… embarrassed. I can barely read, suck at math, and now the one thing I’m supposed to be incredible at, I’m failing in front of her.

And Tyler Donaldson, my brain kindly reminds me. I grunt in frustration as I grip my bag a little too harshly.

“Tell Ro and her friends ‘thank you for coming,’?” Rhys says, patting my back as he passes by. “Was really nice of her.”

I nod. “She’s great.”

But I’m almost certain he doesn’t hear me because he’s already putting in his headphones. I swear, he never has themoutof his ears.

Following behind him, I’m nearly to the bus when a meaty hand grasps my shoulder—almost too hard. I wince.

“Fuck, Reiny—” I cut myself off at the incensed look on his face. “You okay?”

He tilts his head back.

“Whoever she was here with left her here.”

I look over, following where he’s gesturing to see Ro, sitting onthe ground against the brick of the stadium building. A curse bursts from my lips, but I don’t say a word to Bennett before I’m jogging across to her.

It isn’t very cold, but she’s shivering as I approach.

“Ro?” My voice is calm, tentative, but I plaster on a smile to hopefully soothe her.

She looks up at me, a little shell-shocked. Her hazel eyes are red and swollen, hair falling from the pretty high ponytail she was sporting when I first spotted her behind the glass.

I hate how small she looks. I hate the way my body feels like it’s looming over her, so I drop down into a low squat, my thighs screaming in protest. I may have played like shit, but I sure as hell pushed myself too hard for a goddamn exhibition game.

“Freddy,” she stutters. “Hey.” She smiles, too, and it warms my heart as much as it rips it to shreds. “You were amazing.”

“I really, really wasn’t.” I shake my head, ducking my eyes from her. “But thank you for coming.”

“It was really cool.” She smiles, but her eyes look waterlogged. “Just now leaving?”

I nod behind me.

“Team bus is about to head out.” I bite my lip, taking a few breaths so my voice is calm when I ask, “Are you okay, Ro?”

“Y-yeah!” She nods rapidly. “I’m just about to call an Uber.”

My brow furrows. “Where are your friends? Tyler?”

“He, um… They left. Tyler drove me here, but I—” Her voice breaks off into a rough sob, one it’s clear she was trying to swallow before it escaped.

A curse falls from my lips as I kneel completely and crawl to her, pulling her up and folding her slender form into my body.

“Shh,” I coo. “You’re okay.” I stroke her back as we both kneel on the concrete.

I try to give her as much time as she needs in my embrace. Howmany times have I wished for exactly this? For someone to give me simple affection and ask nothing else of my body? True comfort.

So I can give her this. I want to, desperately.

And not just for how good it feels to be needed, but for how it feels to be needed by someone likeRo.

Because I respect Ro; I look up to her, like a role model. She is kind and welcoming, helpful—and there’s no ulterior motive.

She’s creative and strong and independent. She’s nothing like me. She doesn’t need other people’s praise to feel like she’sworthsomething. Doesn’t need pretty words to drown out the echoes of the ugly ones always shouted in my dad’s voice.

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