Page 5 of Sweet Girl
Hoping to avoid any further attention, I lock my phone and place it back in my cubby, and head toward the bank of showers. I pass my teammates, all in various stages of undress, and consider the exchange I just had with Kylah.
If we go to the movie together, would that be weird? I mean, if Lyndsay asked me, would it feel like a betrayal to her? Is it cheating if I go to a movie with a girl who’s not your girlfriend? Kylah and I are just friends, like she said. I barely know her. And with the exception of a few rather impure thoughts that I’ve had about her, I’d never act on them. What guy doesn’t have fantasies about women? I’m not a monk, but I’m definitely not a cheater. So regardless of whether my eyes or thoughts roam, my hands remain true.
Plus, there’s also an issue with her brother, Cade. He’s made it very clear that everyone is to stay away from his sisters. Yeah, Kylah has a twin sister named Kady. I haven’t met her, but some of the guys who’ve knew Cade from high school, have been introduced. From what I hear, Kady is the wilder of the two twins and goes to school in Colorado.
I consider the whole movie thing again. Am I over simplifying it? Or trying to justify my actions? One thing’s for sure. If I do end up going to the movie with Kylah, I will definitely tell Lyndsay about it. She deserves to know and understand that it’s strictly plutonic. There is nothing to be afraid of.
Convincing myself of that fact, though, seems a lot harder to do.
****
It’s still early in the afternoon and I’ve been back in my dorm for a few hours now. After the class I had this morning, and the energy-consuming early morning practice, my eyes can barely remain open to study. I’ve always been a pretty studious guy. Maybe it’s because it keeps me out of trouble. Otherwise, I might fall into the trap that most college guys my age fall into – partying too hard and finding ways to hook up with every girl they meet. By keeping my head in the books and solely focused on basketball, I’ve stayed clear from the temptations that surround me. I don’t ever want Lyndsay to doubt me.
Yet it feels like that’s backfired on me, because I’m the one who suddenly doubts her faithfulness.
My phone sits on top of one of my books...like a proverbial ‘little red devil’ tempting me to respond to Kylah with a “I’m in” reply to her question about the movie. It’s all I’ve been thinking about since I read the text earlier.
Dropping my highlighter into the crease of my stats book, I run my hands through my hair, which I left loose after my shower, and exhale a deep and frustrated sigh. I fight the urge to text her back, by instead dialing Lyndsay.
It rings three times and then she finally answers. She sounds out of breath.
“Hey,” she answers, the noise in the background nearly drowning out her voice. “I was gonna call you later.”
I’ve never doubted her intentions, but for some reason, I do right now. I called her last night and again this morning and never heard anything back from her. Just the thought that she may be ignoring my calls makes my blood boil hot. And it’s obvious in the tone of my reply.
“Yeah, when exactly? Next week, perhaps?” I shut my eyes tight, angry more at myself for letting my frustration get to me.
There’s a pause on the line. A rustling in the background. A muffled voice.
What the fuck?
“Where are you right now?” I snipe, barely holding on to my contained rage and jealousy.
Her response doesn’t douse my anger, but instead ignites it even further.
“Just at a friend’s. We’re watching a movie.”
“Which friend?”
“Julia and Izzy’s.”
Plausible. They are her two best friends and teammates. But it’s three o’clock in the afternoon. Why would they be watching a movie together during a school day?
“What movie?” I sound like an interrogator and she’s the perp I’m questioning. But something’s not sitting right with me. My bullshit meter is off-the-charts. I’ve never had reason to doubt what she says and honestly, I don’t know why I do right now. Everything about this makes me twitchy inside. Uncomfortable. The fact that I don’t trust her and what she’s saying makes my gut hurt. Sick to my stomach, in fact.
“Uh...I can’t remember the name. It’s with Steve Carrell.”
Now I’m even more suspicious. Lyndsay has never been a fan of comedies. She likes the sappy, chick-flicks likeThe NotebookandThe Vow. Whenever I tried to get her to watch a comedy of any sort, she turned it down. Or if she did watch it with me, she’d be on her phone the entire time, browsing Facebook or Twitter. Which was fine, because I watched those types of movies with my brother or friends. The fact that she’s watching one now...with her two girlfriends, has the hairs on the back of my neck tingling.
I hear another muffled sound in the background. Then she lets out a noise that sounds an awful lot like a moan. Then silence. Then she speaks again.
“Hey babe...can I call you later? Julia just told me to pipe down so she can hear the movie. I’ll call you tonight after dinner. K?”
I’m fucking pissed. I haven’t had a real conversation with Lynds for several days and now she’s fucking blowing me off so one of her friends can watch a movie?
Instead of calling her out on her bullshit, I decide to use a different tactic. See if she bites. Find out if she’s interested in me at all right now. I know it’s a passive-aggressive thing to do – like stooping to the lowest of lows - but it’s what I feel.
“You can try, but I’m going to a movie tonight. With Cade’s sister Kylah.”
