Page 35 of Away Game

Fin

Letting out an annoyed sigh,I stared up at my ceiling. I needed to get a TV in my room because after the long as fuck weekend, I was tired of trying to maneuver my laptop around on my bed and have it not overheat after about thirty minutes of watching a movie. I was bored as shit.

Getting myself more comfortable, which was nearly impossible with my shoulder, I hissed out a breath when pain shot down my arm.

I heard a shuffling of feet outside my door, but I didn’t give a fuck, nor did I bother to look to see who it was. “Are you not going to class?”

Of course, it was West. He had stopped by my room every day to see if I needed anything, and my answer was always a resounding hell no.

Turning my head so I could get a good look at him, I answered. “I’m pretty sure it’s frowned upon to arrive to class without a shirt on, but if you think I can get away with it, I’ll give it a try.”

West smirked, causing a stirring deep in my stomach and in my pants. “If anyone can, it would be you.”

At first, I wasn’t sure if I should take that as a compliment or not, but when I saw the way West’s eyes roved over my sculpted chest. It took everything in me not to flex my pecs and get a rise out of him.

“No, seriously, if you don’t get dressed, you’ll be late for class.”

Rolling my head to look back up at my ceiling, I spoke what I knew wasn’t true. “Maybe tomorrow.”

“Fin, you don’t want to fall behind in Mr. Randall’s class. He’s an asshole that won’t give you a break.”

It was true Mr. Randall wouldn’t give me any sort of pass. He thought football players at Willow Bay and colleges, in general, were given special privileges, so he made it a point to be especially hard on us.

“Are you saying you won’t take notes for me?” I smiled to myself, knowing no matter how much of an asshole I’d been to West, he wouldn’t leave me hanging.

Lifting his chin, he stepped inside my room. “I won’t. Now get up and get dressed because I’m going to be pissed if I’m late.”

“No one told you to wait for me, nor did they say you had to be my babysitter.” I turned back to look at him with my eyes narrowed, hoping he’d forget about me. “I’m a big boy and can take care of myself, so scurry along and leave me alone.”

Squaring his jaw, West moved further into my room until his legs brushed against the edge of my bed. When our eyes met, mine hardened as I watched West’s soften. “Talk to me. Why are you really not going to class?”

“Besides the fact that my shoulder is fucked up and hurts like a bitch without me doing anything? I can’t raise my arm enough to pull a shirt over my head.”

“Oh,” he answered, looking abashed.

“Are you happy now? I can’t even dress myself, so I’m going to stay home—”

“And mope,” he cut me off.

“I’m not moping. I’m…” Trying to figure out what I was going to do if the doctor said I couldn’t play for the rest of the season. With the amount of pain I was feeling, I knew there was a good chance I wasn’t going to receive great news when I went to see the doctor later this week.

“You are moping, and I don’t blame you, but you need to suck up your pride and let me help you. I can help you put your shirt on.” West held his hand out for me to take.

Was he joking?

Glaring at his hand, I slapped it away. “I don’t have anything I can wear, anyway.”

West nodded and then walked out of the room. I thought he’d finally gotten the hint and decided to leave me alone, but a minute later, he was back with a light gray, short-sleeved button-up shirt in his hand.

“You can wear this. It will be easier to put on, especially if you let me help you.” He stood in front of me and waited for me to respond.

It pissed me off that I was reduced to having West help me dress. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because it’s the right thing to do.” He cocked his head to the side. “Just like when you helped me after I was drugged.”

“Fine, you can help, but only because I don’t want to give Mr. Randall an excuse to be an even bigger ass.”

West didn’t say a word as he watched me slowly sit up, grimacing because of the pain, and then stand. Looking me up and down once, he moved to my injured arm and slowly pulled the short sleeve up my arm before moving onto the next side. I trained my eyes on the way West bit his bottom lip as he slowly moved and started to button up the shirt.

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