Page 22 of The Comeback Pact

I didn’t even know Kenna had a tattoo, then there it was when she turned to squat, peeking out below the barbell as it sat across her shoulders.

I don’t know what it means to her, but I like it. There’s something about the wordabyss, like a gaping, mysterious hole. The idea of diving into something like that is terrifying and exhilarating.

She could’ve just had the sentiment written out in pretty handwriting, but it’s not. The words “Dive into” are rounded and then drop off, like the trail someone would take while diving. Then “the” is just under theoin “into,” while “abyss” is shaped like a gaping chasm, theyscooping to the bottom. It has to be a diving reference. Or at least partially a diving reference.

I press my lips together as I make my way to the cafeteria, hearing her soft footsteps behind me. I wonder how long she’ll stay there, and if she’ll even do as I asked. If she even should do as I asked. All I know is that I wanted to keep being around her, so instead of asking her to breakfast, I told her I’d show her what to eat like she’s a toddler.

She probably won’t come with me.

To my surprise, she does. She follows me into the line and puts on her plate what I put on mine without me having to say anything.

My mouth feels dry. I talked a lot more this morning than I usually do, and the interaction is leaving me spent. I’m tired of thinking about what to say and analyzing it to death to see what the ramifications of every word are, a habit I had to pick up when I was a kid because I never knew when some innocuous thing I said would set my dad off.

When I was five, I announced I had to go to the bathroom while we were sitting down as a family to watch TV, and my father berated me for half an hour until I peed my pants in the living room, and then I had to sit through another hour of his tirade until my piss turned cold and stuck to my skinny legs. Afterward, my mother wordlessly put me in a bath, and I stayed there until my fingers looked like I was eighty years old and I was shivering from the water having long gone cold.

I’m still in my own head when I stride to the football table. Aidan’s there as well as a few of the other guys. Cade Farmer, a super senior. Plus, Colt and Zo. When I sit, Aidan glances behind me, and his eyes immediately widen. I turn to see what he’s looking at when Kenna comes into view. Shit, she absolutely did follow me.

My chest constricts. I want her to sit with us. I want to be normal for her, but I’m not quite sure what to say. She’s not like a jersey chaser. She won’t let me get away with just being the Hulk and not having to work for anything.

Aidan jumps in. Sometimes, I swear it’s as if he can read my fucking mind. “Kenna, what’s up?” He nods at the open seat next to the one I was going to take.

She hesitates. Peering down the table, her gaze stops on all of the guys. They all stare back at her, some of them inclining their head. Cade smirks because that’s just who he is. He loves women.

Aiden pauses after seeing her waver. He holds up his hands. “McKenna, I mean. We’re not friends. I remember.” The bastard can’t help but be charming.

He disarms her though. Her shoulders relax, and she lifts her gaze to mine.

“Please?” I ask.

She bites her lower lip. The flyaways framing her face have curled out in this cute way, and her skin glows from the workout.

“I don’t actually like you guys,” she says, as if she can’t even believe she’s standing next to our table.

Cade bursts out laughing. “Not like us? That’s impossible.”

Aidan shoots him a look before I can.

I realize I’ve mostly been calling her Kenna in my head, and she didn’t call me out for calling her by her nickname when we were in the weight room just now. It’s easy to fall into easiness with her because I know her. I’ve been talking to her for months as NoOne. We’ve developed a relationship that she knows nothing about, but I do.

“Are we sitting here?” a female voice interrupts my thoughts. “Cool.”

The girl Kenna always sits with approaches our table. She stands next to Aidan, motioning for him to move to the next seat down. He scoots over, his brows pinched, making two of the other guys move down as well.

Kenna groans, sending her friend a look that she promptly ignores. After the girl is already settled in the seat next to Aidan, Kenna sighs and sits. I have to fold my large body, making sure I don’t graze her while I take the spot next to her.

“I’m Sydney,” the newcomer says. “Kenna’s roommate.”

She’s bubbly and has dark hair that lands past her shoulders.

“So you can call her Kenna?” Aidan points out. He’s clearly not going to let this go.

“Duh,” her roommate responds.

I watch as Aidan appraises her, his lips twitching like he can’t wait to have fun with this one. “Well, since we’re all sitting together all nice and cozy, that means we’re all friends, right?” He shifts his gaze to my right. “I can call you Kenna then?”

Kenna shifts in her seat. Sydney notices her discomfort and speaks up. “It means you’re getting warmer, but not warm enough, Football Boy.” She turns her full attention toward her friend. “How was the training this morning?” She peeks at me before sliding her gaze back to her friend. She looks hopeful, brows raised.

“Training?” Zo asks, then it seems to dawn on him. “You fucker.” He throws a ketchup packet at me. “I went to work out this morning, but the weight room was signed out.”

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