Page 12 of Before You
I simply cannot fathom a world where I’m not the one Marley is smiling at.
So I run.
~
The pain in my knee finally outweighs the pain in my chest as I stagger to a stop in the driveway. Practice is going to be hell tomorrow morning. My breathing is ragged, and my knee aches with every step I take, telling me I made a mistake not wearingmy brace as I limp to the front door. Trent’s car is gone, and I’m praying Asher and Luka went with him.
I’m not in the mood to talk to anyone right now.
Unfortunately, Asher is sitting in the living room, watching something on the television I could give two shits about. He does a double take after spotting me, immediately shaking his head.
“You’re an idiot. You shouldn’t have left without your brace on,” he says, and I’m aware he’s right. I forgot, and now I’m paying for it.
“I’m fine,” I say, doing my best to walk normally to the stairs, so he can’t see I’m hurting more than I’m letting on. Shit, and this is with pills in my system too.I’m afraid of what it’ll feel like tomorrow.
“Can you even fucking walk? JJ, we have five a.m. weights tomorrow.”
My knee barks in pain as I climb the stairs. “I know, Asher. Leave me alone.”
I’m halfway up the steps, thinking he’ll let it go, and things will return to normal tomorrow. Except Asher doesn’t.
“It’s her, isn’t it? Marley is the girl you’ve been pining over.”
My lack of response says everything.
Asher gawks at me from the bottom of the stairs. “She’s our quarterback’s girlfriend—you need to get over her. Maybe find a different way than running your knee into the ground, or you can kiss any shot at a pro career goodbye, regardless of who your father is and your last name.”
I can’t say anything to defend myself. What I did tonight was reckless and stupid.
I shower quickly before my knee has a chance to give out, pulling ice packs out of the mini fridge in my room. There’s only one person who will understand how I feel right now.
Mirabelle answers after the line rings a couple times. “JJ? Is it Bailey?” she asks, her voice filled with panic.
Fuck, it’s seven here, which means it’s four in the morning in France.
I drag my hand over my face, swearing under my breath. “No, it’s not Bailey. Fuck—I’m sorry, Mira. I forgot about the time difference.”
“Hey, no, it’s okay,” she says, exhaling.
“.. . Everything okay?”Henry asks in the background, but Mirabelle whispers her response too quietly for me to hear.
An ugly feeling forms in my chest, and I hate being jealous of them. This might be a new low for me, especially when they deserve all the happiness in the world after everything they’ve been through.
“It’s not okay. I’ll call you in the morning—my morning. I’m sorry,” I apologize, gritting my teeth as my knee throbs.
“No, it’s fine. I’m awake, so tell me what’s going on,” she insists, and I feel my resolve start to crumble.
“How did you know Henry was the one for you?”
If she’s confused why I’m asking, Mirabelle doesn’t let it show as her answer is almost immediate. “Because he makes everything better. He’s the one I’ve always pictured by my side. There was never another option for me.”
I hum in response, not really having the words right now to explain what’s going through my head.
“Not that I’m not happy to gush about how much I love my boyfriend, but I’m assuming there’s a reason you’re asking?” Mirabelle hedges, and I exhale a shuddering breath, adjusting the ice packs on my knee bringing little relief as I recline on my bed.
“I found Marley.”
Mirabelle’s excited gasp is pure joy. “No fucking way! How the hell did you pull that off? Was it a big romantic reunion? You at least got her full name this time so I can properly stalk heron social media to make sure she doesn’t leave you hanging for another three years, right?”
