Page 64 of The Tip-Off
Wes and Mario have been here practically all day, something I realize quickly I’m going to have to get used to. I didn’t just get two new roommates, I basically got four.
I try and picture what it’d be like if instead of being the fifth wheel, Zeke were here. The thought is pleasant until reality smacks me in the face. Regular classes are done, graduation is next weekend, and Zeke is leaving to go God knows where.
An incoming text pulls me from my thoughts and a spark of excitement jolts through me that Zeke has reached out. He left yesterday morning and aside from a text that he’d arrived, I haven’t heard from him. Not that I expected to, it’s just I miss him. God, I’m lame.
It’s not Zeke, though, it’s Nathan. We haven’t hung out much since the lake and the funny memes he used to send almost daily have all but stopped. I’ve been giving him space in case that’s what he needs, but I miss my friend.
Nathan: Party tonight at the rugby house. Come with? I miss my Gabs!
Me: Love to! Miss you too.
I excuse myself from the lovebirds and retreat to my bedroom. I have the mother of all headaches, probably from two nights with hardly any sleep. I pop a couple Motrin and head for the shower.
I take a little extra care with my hair, makeup, and wardrobe in hopes that’ll put that extra bounce in my step tonight. I’m excited to hang with Nathan and desperately praying we can go back to being friends. I miss him, but with the pounding in my head not relenting, I’m starting to wish I could just stay in and take it easy tonight.
Nathan picks me up outside my apartment.
“Gabs!” he calls out of his open window. “Hop in.”
Shaw leans forward from the passenger side and waves, a bottle of Seagram’s 7 in the other hand.
“Hey, guys.”
I get in the back and Shaw offers me the bottle which I wave off. “No thanks. I’ve got a killer headache.”
Nathan drives us to a small house about a block away from the baseball house.
“Do all the jocks live around here?”
“The ones that don’t live in the dorms,” Shaw offers.
“I think I picked the wrong neighborhood to live in.”
The music sounds twice as loud as usual and when Nathan offers me a cup, I shake my head. Shaw wanders off and I stick to Nathan’s side. Nathan is well-known and well-liked, so we stop a lot to say hello to people. I’m even starting to recognize a few faces and be recognized, which is fun. I feel less like the awkward new girl.
“Wanna hit the dance floor?” Nathan asks and points to where people are dancing in the middle of the back yard.
“I don’t think I’m up for it.”
“I’m sorry. Anything I can do? Do you wanna go inside where it’s quieter?”
His kindness makes me feel like a total buzzkill. “You know what, screw it.” I grab his hand and pull him to the dance floor.
It’s not my level best effort, but I find a rhythm that doesn’t make the stabbing pain in the front of my head any worse.
“It’s good to hang with you again,” he says, leaning in so I can hear him over the music. “Sorry I screwed it up there for a while.”
“You don’t have anything to apologize for.” I bite down on my lip and summon the courage to say the thing that’s been on my mind since that night on the boat. “I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong idea. I love spending time with you, truly.”
He stops my awkward ramblings. “You didn’t. I just got caught up in all the coupling up going on at The White House. First Wes, then Joel. Everyone is settling down.”
“Youwant a girlfriend?”
He blushes, grabs my hand, and spins me around to the beat of the song. “Is that so surprising?”
“Actually, yes. You spend every night partying and drinking, which is totally fine, but it doesn’t exactly scream ‘I’m ready to settle down.’”
His jaw flexes and he nods. Before I can comment further on his love life, he turns the tables on me. “What about you and Zeke? I swear I never thought I’d see the day that guy cared about anything but ball.”
