Page 76 of The Tip-Off
“There are tons of colleges up there just as good or better than Valley. We can spend every night trying a new position or crossing something off your list, we’ll make new lists if that’s what you want.”
“I think the champagne has made me hallucinate, it sounded like you just asked me to move to Phoenix with you.”
“I am in love with you, Gabby. And if the amount of tears springing out of your eyes is any indication, I think you love me too. So, come with me.”
“I can’t just move with you. I just got here. Valley has been my dream forever and I have the apartment, Blair...”
“Yeah, I know.” I shove my hands in my pocket.
“This is silly.” She wipes her eyes again. “You’re only going to be a couple hours away. It’s not like you’re moving across the country. We can keep it what it is – casual and fun whenever we have time.”
“Gabby,” I plead. She knows as well as I do that after tonight, things are going to be different.
She shakes her head and places a finger to my lips. “What we had was amazing and fun and I’ll remember it forever, but it was always supposed to end just like this with you getting drafted and continuing to do what you love and me staying in Valley to finally start my life.”
The smile she flashes at me seems genuine and I wonder how I got this all wrong. I thought things had changed somewhere along the line, but maybe they just changed for me. Maybe the tears aren’t because she loves me. You can be sad someone is leaving without loving them, right?
Gabby came into my life like a wrecking ball and simultaneously tore down everything I believed about what I wanted while inspiring me to want so much more. I got everything I ever wanted tonight, but leaving without her feels bittersweet.
“Let’s get you out there, big guy,” she says in a playful voice and I follow her without protest.”
40
Gabby
“Gabby,honey, I say this with love, but enough with this movie.” Vanessa closes my laptop on the end of the bed and then sniffs the air. “Also, something smells awful in here.” She sits next to me and gives me a sad look. “Come here.”
Vanessa isn’t much of a hugger, so the fact she’s offering to hug me only makes me feel worse, but I sit up and lean into her embrace anyway.
“Oh God, it’s that shirt you’re wearing. Gross, Gabby. You need to shower and change clothes immediately.” She pulls back after two small pats. Worst hug ever.
“It smells like Zeke.” I lift the neck of the shirt and bring it to my nose.
“It smells like sweaty balls and sadness.” She stands and points. “Shower. Now.”
“I don’t want to shower his scent off me yet.”
She leaves and I grab my laptop and re-start the movie. Maverick and Goose are singing “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” and I can almost hear Zeke singing along. I’ve been watching this movie for the better part of thirty-six hours.
They’ve barely gotten to the chorus before there’s loud knocking and then Wes and Mario enter. Wes is covering his eyes. “Uhh, sorry Gabby, but we’re under strict instructions to get you out of your room.”
“She’s not naked, man. You don’t have to cover your eyes.” Mario nudges his arm and Wes drops his hand and then my best friends’ boyfriends are staring down at me from the side of my bed with matching guilty expressions.
“It’s nothing personal. You understand,” Mario says and then he makes the first move, lifting my arm over his shoulder gently and lifting me. Wes gets the other side and I don’t even bother fighting because I know their love for their girlfriends outweighs any rebuttal I might offer.
They deposit me in the bathroom and even go so far as to start the shower for me. Then we all stand there awkwardly until they leave and close the door.
With a sigh, I undress and step under the warm spray of water. I miss Zeke and also I’m mad at him. How dare he drop the L-bomb just as he’s about to leave. It changes everything. It turns our casual fun into something more serious, and how exactly would that work?
I can’t move there, drop my life and go with him. That’s just not the kind of thing rational girls do these days.
When I’ve used up all the hot water, I get out and pull Zeke’s shirt back over my head. It really does stink, but there’s just the faintest hint of his scent left, so I keep it on. In my room, Vanessa and Blair have torn off my sheets and are re-making the bed with fresh linens, and I think someone sprayed Febreeze. I grab underwear and shorts and then throw myself on the newly made bed.
“We’re going out,” Vanessa informs me. “Girl’s night.”
“I don’t feel like it.”
“You said you wanted the full college experience. Tonight Phi Kappa Theta is having a slip and slide party. It’s as college as it gets.”
