Page 88 of Brick Wall
“Well, Annie just whipped my butt, so I’m out. I highly recommend stealing her for your team,” he says to one of his teammates.
With that, Sebastian grabs a few things on the bench and walks out the door, leaving me wondering, again, what is happening.
Chapter Forty-Four
Sebastian
“Why do you keep leaving me with your teammates?” I hear Annie ask as she jumps in my truck in Quinn’s driveway as I turn on the ignition.
“I just want what’s best for you,” I say, keeping it at that.
“Leaving me with people I barely know?” Confusion laces Annie’s tone. She reaches behind her and clicks the seat belt into place. I guess she’s done playing basketball and is coming with me.
I change gears in my truck, press my foot to the gas, and pull out of Quinn’s driveway with my new, unexpected passenger.
“They are great guys.” I leave it at that.
“Maybe, but I’d rather spend time with you.”
We stay quiet as I pull onto the mass pike. I’m not quite sure where I’m driving yet. I just know I’m heading east to return to the city.
“I want to redeem my prize now,” Annie announces in the quiet cab of the truck as it hums lightly on the highway.Neither of us has turned on the radio. I kind of regret that decision now.
“All right.” I can’t really say no. I feel a little trapped, which is probably her intent.
“It’s just one question, and you must be truthful.”
“All right,” I repeat, an uneasy feeling hitting my gut.
“Do you want to break up with me?” The question is just above a whisper. I can barely hear it.
I turn to see her face for a quick second, and she looks so fragile and unsure.
“No,” I say, more firmly than I feel.
“Then why do you keep pushing me away?” Her voice is still a soft whisper, and I cannot help but hear the hurt in it.
“I’m sorry, that’s not my intention.” We are still on the highway, but we’re roughly five minutes away from my place.
“Do you want to come back to my place? It will be easier to have a conversation there.”
She just nods as a reply, which I can see from my periphery.
The truck is quiet, and the drive back to my place feels so much longer than five minutes. It’s never been so awkward between us.
I finally park in my spot, and I lead Annie to the elevator and then to my apartment. We take off our shoes and then silently find a spot facing each other on my black sofa, keeping a safe distance apart from each other.
“What’s going on with us? I can’t figure it out,” Annie says once we are seated and settled, speaking her first words to me since our truck ride.
“I’m not sure,” I admit.
“We were fine a week ago. What changed for you?”
“Nothing,” I say immediately. It’s true. My feelings for Anniehaven’t faltered. I still feel so strongly about her. “Fuck.” I cover my face in frustration. “I don’t want my insecurities rubbing off on you.”
Her hands are folded politely on her lap, and she’s looking down at her fingers like they are the most interesting thing she’s ever seen. She slowly raises her face to mine. “Your insecurities?”
“Yeah, you are everything I’ve ever wanted in a partner, but you are way too good for a guy like me.”
