Page 33 of (La)Crosse My Heart

Why does my heart melt listening to him with his mom?

I hadn’t seen him interact with her in a long time and wonder if they’ve always been like that or if the passing of his father made him a little more patient with her.

He looks at me, a hint of vulnerability shining through. It only makes me want to protect him, as if he’s a wounded bird.

One I wouldn’t mind kissing.

Wait, no. I don’t need to do anything physical. I need to keep my job.

I'm in trouble and not in a good way.

15

Clark

"So, what was the purpose of calling my mom?" I ask, tucking my phone back into my pocket.

"Just look at how relaxed you are," I say, opening the video on my phone.

It takes me a few seconds to look at the screen because I’m blown away by the happiness and excitement on her face, like she’s just discovered a hidden chest of gold.

Why am I having such a surge of feelings for her now?

Maybe because she’s been able to let down her defenses a bit and I’ve seen the woman she’s become. And the woman she hopes to become.

Was the sand the trick? If so, I need to remember this when I’m anxious before an event. Or an interview.

“What do you think?” she asks.

It’s only then that I come back to the present and realize the video is over. “Um, can you play it one more time?”

She gives me a slight frown and presses the button to play the video. I break my gaze away, knowing it would be embarrassing if I ask to watch it again.

Focusing on the screen, I see my face from the bars again. There's little emotion there, peppered with a small smile. Then she swipes over to the other video, and I have a wide smile on my face as I talk to my mom.

"What do you notice differently from this video to the one where you were hanging from the bar?"

I raise an eyebrow and then finally laugh. "This sounds like some test from school. It's been so long since I've been there."

"Come on. What do you see?" Jessa asks, pointing to the video.

"I'm a lot more relaxed."

She nods. "Absolutely. You look so casual, in a good way. We just need to channel the relaxed Clark when you have to be in front of a camera."

"If only there was a magic potion or something I could take to fix that."

She grins and shakes her head. “It’s called a muscle relaxer, but I don’t recommend that for you, especially before a game.”

“Can you imagine trying to play lacrosse?” I say, laughing loudly. “Running down the field and just flopping on the turf?”

Jessa’s laugh is loud and contagious, making it difficult for me to control my laughter. She’s now laughing so hard she’s snorting, and I collapse back onto the sand. My stomach feels like I’ve just done a hundred sit-ups.

She sits down next to me again, trying to stop laughing. A few minutes go by before we can compose ourselves. I wonder what the drivers of passing cars think of two adults just hanging out in the sand. Wishing we could be at the beach?

“Well, that was therapeutic,” Jessa says, wiping at the corners of her eyes.

I bend my arm and rest it behind my head, looking up into the sky. My body is buzzing with an energy I’ve never felt before, and I’m not ready to ruin it.

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