Page 56 of Strong Side

Warmth blooms in my chest as I look over at him, dressed in a pair of black cotton shorts, white linen button-up, and black sandals as we make our way through the sand toward Jackson; he’s standing several feet away from the obnoxious bonfire with what I’m assuming is a Jack and Coke in hand.

??It’s also safe to assume that he’s the one in charge of the music at the moment because he’s bopping back and forth with a buzzed smile on his face as the new country hit, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” plays over the large wireless speaker. Rocky looks horrified as he turns to look at me. “Please tell me this is not some country version of ‘Tipsy’by J-Kwon?”

I bark out a laugh. “Sure is, Baby.”

He rolls his eyes. “Jesus fucking Christ.”

I’m all smiles once we finally make it to Jax. “No Coach Taylor?” I ask.

“He left a while ago. Once the drinks came out he dipped. Didn’t think it was a good idea to be around a bunch of drunk college students.” I snort a laugh. He’s probably not wrong. Jax opens the cooler next to him and asks, “So since the boss isn’t here, what are you having? I’ve got beer, stuff for Jack and Coke’s, Malibu…”

Rocky and I look at one another before I answer, “We’re good, man. Got a big game tomorrow.”

Jax shrugs before grabbing us each a bottle of water and closing the cooler. “I figured as much. Brought these for the two of you anyway.”

I clap him on the shoulder and take our bottles of water, passing Rocky his. The three of us start shooting the shit, and I try to savor every moment. There are at least a hundred people milling around this part of the beach. Some are relaxing on beach towels, some are standing around the fire, and some are sitting in lawn chairs. There are people here that I talk to on a daily basis, and people here I’ve never seen once in my four years at Palm University—all of us so vastly different, yet all of us so similar. This is what I have loved about my years here at Palm. Experiences like these. The kindI’m not sure I’ll be able to get once I’m out into the real world. Sure, if I make the Olympic team, volleyball will be part of my life for many years to come—hopefully with Rocky right by my side— but memories like these… of being surrounded by people who are in the same boat as you. People who have no idea what the next phase of life will bring, people who are trying to live their life to the absolute fullest with friends that became family in a city they love, and people who are trying to become the best versions of themselves all while being scared shitless that the best version still won’t be good enough… It’s something you can’t get anywhere but college.

And when I look around at the smiles on everyone’s faces, something suddenly feels like it clicks inside of me. Regardless of what happens this week, whether or not I win the championship, whether or not I make it to the Olympics, whether or not I finally make my dad proud… none of it fucking matters. The only thing that matters is the person I’ve become here.

And I’m so damn proud of that person.

I’ve learned, I’ve laughed, I’ve cried, I’ve won, I’ve failed, I’veloved,and I’ve grown. God, have I grown. I’m the man that I am today because of…me.

Nobody can take that away from me.

As if he can tell that I have just had some miraculous revelation, Rocky unashamedly rests his hand on my lower back and shoots me a mega-watt smile.

??1 We’ve been at the party for a little over an hour, and Rocky and I are currently playing a game of cornhole against Jax and Emerson, and considering how drunk Jax and his little brother are, it’s no surprise that Rocky and I are winning. The glow of the fire lights our little area of the beach on the otherwise dark night, the sounds of the gulf crashing against the shore in the background intermingling with the sounds of music and laughter.

And just when I think the night couldn’t get any better, I hear the shout of an all-too-familiarvoice—the one I haven’t heard since I left my apartment this afternoon to go to Rocky’s.

“Irmão!” Liliana’s voice cuts through the night, and all eyes turn to look at her. Joseph and Cassandra shake their heads and smile as they all walk across the beach toward us behind a sprinting Liliana.

Rocky’s eyes go wide and he drops the bean bags in his hands. “Lil?” he asks, his eyes ping-ponging between me and his family. “Mom? Dad? Wh—What are you guys doing here?”

In a few quick strides he reaches his sister and wraps her up in a giant hug before setting her down so she’s facing away from me, but now I can see Rocky’s face clear as day.

He looks so fucking happy.

Rocky grabs Lil by the shoulders. “You’re here? How did you get here? When did you get here?”

Rocky hasn’t explicitly said that he was upset that his family wouldn’t be here this week. But as someone whose parents are actively uninvolved, I know how it feels to not have the people in the stands you want most. And after my week in California with the Campos’ I knew that, win or lose, they would be who Rocky would want most.

Reaching up, Lil grabs her brother’s forearms. “Clay flew us out here. We got here this morning. He picked us up from the airport.”

Rock’s eyes dart to mine as I stand still in my spot behind Lil, not wanting to intrude on their moment. But before he has the chance to say anything, his parents finally reach him and wrap him up in a hug. “You guys should have told me, I would have gotten my apartment ready. I—”

Joe cuts him off, “No need, son. Clay offered us his apartment for the week. Feels like I’m staying at the Ritz. Way nicer than your place.”

Cassandra smacks him on the arm. “Joseph,” she scolds before looking lovingly back at her son. “We’re so excited to be here,filho.”

Rocky kisses her on the cheek. “I’m so happy you’re here, Momma.”

She whispers something in his ear before pushing him in my direction. As he makes his way over to me, I hear Lil ask Jax and Emerson, “What are we drinking, boys?” Followed by an “I think I’m in love” from Emerson.

Rocky clearly doesn’t hear him because he has a smile plastered on his face once he reaches me. “Surprise,” I say with a shrug.

Before I can blink, Rocky’s grabbing me by the face and crashing his mouth to mine.In the middle of the beach. In front of people. In front of his family. Rocky is kissing me.

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