Page 29 of Break Point
Henry drops the balls he collected into the basket and marches over, stopping right in front of me. He leans in to whisper, “I know I fucked up, okay? And I know you’re furious about it. I saw it in your eyes when I arrived at your place last night. But this is not the time or the place to talk about it. I can explain.”
“Explain what, Henry? How you’re a heartless dick who never cared about me in the first place?” I counter. “Spare me the motivational bullshit and stop judging me, because you don’t get to do that, not after you abandoned me the way you did.”
“What happened to you?” Henry murmurs, clearly taken aback.
You, Henry. You happened.
“This is not the Belén I used to know.” He shakes his head in disappointment, scanning me from head to toe as if trying to figure out what went wrong with me.
“This is who I am. Who I’ve always been.”
Lies. I know it, and so does he.
He lets out a low, bitter laugh.
“You keep forgetting that I know you better than most. And yes, you’ve always had a strong personality. I always liked that about you. But this attitude? It’s cynical and immature.”
I’ve always had issues with Mom, but Henry anchored me and made it easier for me to manage my emotions. When he left, I had no one to turn to who knew me like he did. Who understood as much as he did without me needing to explain myself.
“Well, I changed then.” My hands fly up before I rest them on my hips. “This is who I am now. So you’d better get used to it.”
“You certainly did. I’ve been watching your matches. Watching you play. You’regood. You could be the best out there if you wanted. But instead, you choose to be angry all the time over the smallest things. And I get it. It’s easier to explode, lose your shit, trash your racket, and blame it on personality,” he says, his blue eyes drilling into mine as I scowl at him.
“Since when did you become such a wise man?” I tilt my head and cross my arms over my chest. “A lot has happened since you left that you don’t know of, and you weren’t here for it.”
You weren’t here for me when I needed you the most.
“I’ve been dealing with my own shit as well,” he replies, his voice growing darker, restless. It’s enough to remind me that his father is gone and that I have no clue what he and his mother have endured these past months.
It makes me feel like total crap, because whatever I’ve got going on with my mom doesn’t begin to compare to what he’s dealing with. But there’s this metal wall rising around me, blocking me from admitting how wrong I am and how right he is.
What does he want me to say?
I stare at him and take a deep breath. His words sting because they’re honest and true, and if I keep talking, I’ll only embarrass myself more than I already have. I want to apologize, but there’s a knot tightening in my throat. As much as I try to swallow past the shame and sadness, I can’t, so I stay quiet and hold his gaze because it’s the least I can do.
“I’m going inside to thank Jasper,” he says, his tone clipped as he walks away. “And please … pick up after yourself. Nobody here cares about your celebrity boyfriend drama.”
My tongue pulses with pain from biting it hard enough to stop myself from replying, from telling him my anger and attitude aren’t all about Liam. They’re about him, too. And as much as Henry’s right about everything, he’s getting on my nerves, under my skin, and insidemy head. The deep, velvety timbre of his voice is still reverberating in my eardrums.
I hate him so much right now, and I suck so badly at it.
1 Calm down, Belén.
CHAPTER 9
KIDDING AROUND
HENRY WALKS AWAY,and I silently pick up the balls, finishing the job fairly quickly. Finally, I carry the basket over and set it down on the wooden bench.
“Belén! Belén!”
I turn toward the voices shouting my name as I leave the court. A bunch of kids run toward me, and I wave hello with a smile. Seconds later, they reach me. Two young women, possibly their coaches, follow close behind, jogging to catch up.
“Hi, Belén!” one of the kids yells, throwing his arms around me.
“Alex! Wait, honey!” one of the women calls out to him from a distance.
“It’s okay!” I say, a genuine smile tugging at my lips.
