“We need to let them both know they’re part of this team,” Jaylen says, and we all look at him. “And that we need the both of them in order to keep the team going.”
“Agreed,” Brennon says, and I nod.
“Let’s order some food, and sit here and get drunk,” Jaylen suggests and Micah grins.
“That sounds like a plan,” Ryder says and pulls his phone from his side as Micah goes inside and grabs take-out menus.
“Chinese or Mexican?” Micah asks.
“Mexican,” Brennon and I say together and laugh.
“Mexican it is,” Ryder says.
Once the order is placed, we relax into an easy conversation. We don’t talk about Gray, or Xan, or bowling. We’re just five college guys hanging out and enjoying a few beers together.
Chapter Seventeen
Graycen
“Hey, Gray,” Wes says as I get out of my car. “How’d your meeting with Coach go yesterday?”
“He assured me that I am valuable to the team,” I answer and roll my eyes. “I already knew that but hearing him say it helped a little.”
“I can imagine,” he says and grins. “So, wanna hang out with me and Gabe again tonight? He has practice till six, then we’re going out with some of his friends on the team.”
“Where are you going?” I ask as I grab my gear from the back.
“This little place on the other side of the city. It’s a small-ish club over by UF. Most of the people who go there are UF students and their friends.”
I think about it for a second as we walk toward the alley. Why shouldn’t I go hang out with friends? I’m eighteen, single, and my dorm room gets lonely at night.
“Sure,” I say before I can talk myself out of it.
“Excellent!” He says and grins. If he wasn’t gay, I’d be attracted to him when he grins like that. He’s super sexy, and the sweetest guy I have ever met. “I’ll pick you up from your room at six, and we can head over to meet up with Gabe and his friends.”
“What should I wear?” I ask, more to myself than Wes.
“Those skinny jeans of yours and a tank-top. One of your bowling ones would get a lot of attention,” he says and it’s my turn to grin.
“My boobs would get the attention in a tank,” I tell him as he opens the door for me.
“Baby, when you’ve got it, flaunt it,” he says, quoting Zero Mostel’s character in the movie The Producers. I laugh and his grin grows.
“Maybe I will,” I say, still laughing at him.
“You should,” he says, his tone shifting from a teasing one, to a more serious one. “You deserve to have fun.”
I go to respond, but my eyes land on Xander, and all humor fades from me. “Yeah,” I say then duck my head and look at my shoes.
“Gray,” Wes says softly and squeezes my shoulder. “Come on, let’s get ready to practice.”
“Yeah,” I say again and look back up.
“Graycen,” Coach says as he walks out of the office.
“Hey Coach,” I respond and smile at him.
“I have you on a lane with Al, Wes, Wren, and Ryder today. That okay?”
“Yes,” I reply. I requested to not be with Xander or Joy for the next few practices, and Coach agreed. I’m not sure what he said to Xander, but I know he met with him yesterday as well.
“Gray,” I hear Xander’s voice and I look over at him. He’s eyes won’t meet mine, and he has a look of shame on his face.
“Alexander,” I say his name and nod before turning back to Wes.
“Come on, Gray,” Wes says and touches my elbow. “Let’s get warmed up.”
“Graycen, I’m sorry,” Xander says and I nod again. I can’t bring myself to actually talk to him right now. “I know what I said was out of line, and I’m sorry.”
“What you said was bullshit, Xander,” Wes tells him. “It was childish, immature bullshit, and should have never been said. You were pissed, we get that, but you took that out on someone who didn’t deserve it. You took it out on someone who was trying to help you.”
“I know,” Xander says and looks back at me. “I really am sorry, Graycen.”
I nod again and turn to walk toward the lanes I’m on. When I feel a hand grab my elbow, I tense. It’s Xander, and I know it.
“Please don’t hate me,” he says, and I flinch a little at his touch.
“Let her go,” I hear Wes say and I look up at him. He has his hand wrapped around Xander’s wrist, and I can see the fury in his eyes. Wes isn’t like the other guys on the team. He’s very controlled, and softer spoken like I am, but the look in his eyes tells me, tells everyone, he isn’t someone to mess with.
“What’s your problem, man?” Xander asks as he releases my arm and jerks his own arm from Wes’ grip.
“Wes,” I say softly and lay my hand on his arm. “Come on, let’s bowl.”
“Xander,” I hear Rico say and I flinch a little at his tone. He’s the one I’m afraid will beat the hell out of Xander. “Just leave her be.”
“I was only trying to apologize,” he says and looks at all of us.
“Apology accepted,” I say, trying to cut through the tension. “Now, let’s drop all the bullshit and bowl.”
“Coach suspended me for the first three matches,” he says as I walk away.
“Yes, and if you don’t leave her alone, I’ll make it five,” Coach says from behind us. “I appreciate you apologizing, and I’m glad she accepted it. Now, we have our first match in five weeks, and we need to practice.
“I guess everyone on the team hates me now, huh?” Xander asks and runs his hands through his hair.
“No one hates you, Xander,” I speak up and he looks at me. “And if they do, they shouldn’t.”
“You don’t hate me?” He asks and I can hear the hope in his voice.
“No, but I don’t trust you either,” I tell him honestly. “Now, let’s practice.”
“Okay,” he says and walks over to his lanes. I can tell he’s upset, and I hate that, but he did this, not me. I didn’t ask to be verbally attacked.
“He’ll be okay,” Wes tells me, and I shake my head.
“I can’t think about him right now,” I say, and he nods. “I need to focus on me, and on what I want.”
“Fair enough,” Wes says with a grin. “Let’s bowl.”
We start warm-ups and I glance over to watch Xander for a second. He’s moved his foot half a board to the left, and I know what he’s trying to do. He’s working on adjusting his mark, and I smile softly. At least something good has come from all of this.
“He spent the biggest part of yesterday here working on adjusting his mark,” Joy says from beside me. “What he said to you was completely out of line, and he knows that.”
“There are five things in life you can never take back,” I say and look at Xander. “A stone after it's thrown, a word once it is spoken, an occasion once it is missed, an action when it is done, and time once it has passed. Words can be forgiven, but not forgotten. The things he said are not something I will ever be able to forget.”
“He won’t give up trying to earn your trust back,” she says, and I shake my head.
“Maybe someday,” I say and sigh. “He asked me to go on a date with him, and he kissed me, just before practice started on Monday, then he acted like that after practice. How can I trust him to not do it again?”
“I get it,” Joy says and lays her hands on her legs. “I’m just letting you know he won’t give up.”
“Maybe, but right now, it’s not going to happen.”
“Fair enough,” she says then rises and walks over to her lanes.
“You okay?” Rico asks as he sits in the seat she just vacated.
“Yes,” I answer and smile softly at him. “Just ready to bowl.”
“Then let’s bowl,” he says and taps my nose.
“That’s twice you’ve tapped my nose in the past few days. Why?”
“Because your nose is adorable,�
�� he whispers then grins. “Kinda like the rest of you.”
“You’re nuts,” I say and roll my eyes.
“Maybe, but I’m also right. Just ask Ryder. I know he’ll agree with me.”
“Ask me what?” Ryder asks from behind us.
“If Gray’s adorable,” Rico says, and Ryder shakes his head.
“Gray’s beyond adorable,” he responds seriously as he looks at me. “She’s damn sexy.”
“You’re both insane,” I tell them and shake my head. “Let’s bowl.”
“Good idea,” Coach says and shakes his head at the guys.
I shift my focus and shut out everything around me as I start bowling. This is where I’m most confident. This is where I know exactly who I am, and exactly what I’m capable of.
“Good practice everyone,” Coach says as we’re all packing up our equipment a couple hours later. “Graycen, keep bowling like that, and you’ll have a starting place on the team.”
“Thanks, Coach,” I say and glance up at Xander, who is packing up his equipment.
“We’re heading out for pizza, wanna join us?” Ryder asks.
“No thanks,” I answer and look at Wes. “Wes and I have plans.”
“Are you and Wes dating?” Wren asks, looking between the two of us and I burst out laughing.
“No,” Wes answers and mock punches my shoulder. “Not that dating Gray would be bad, but she’s really not my type. Plus, I’m in a relationship.”
“Not your type?” Nadia asks with a raised eyebrow. “Gray is everyone’s type.”
“Not mine,” Wes responds, and I laugh harder, causing him to chuckle. “And apparently the idea of us dating has turned Gray into a hyena.”
“Shut up, jerk,” I manage to say between bursts of laughter.
“I’m not sure what’s so funny,” Wren asks, looking at me.
“Graycen and I are friends,” Wes answers and pats me on the back as I try to get a grip on my laughter. “She’s also friends with my boyfriend.”
“Oh,” Wren says and looks at Wes and grins. “Gotcha.”
“Wes would be more interested in my step-brother than in me,” I finally manage to say, and Wes wrinkles his nose at me.
“Isn’t your step-brother fifteen?” He asks and I nod.
“One is, the other is seventeen,” I respond, and he grins. “But they’re in Miami.”
“And I’m in a committed relationship,” he responds, and I nod. Gabe is a good guy.
“Yes, and speaking of your committed relationship, we’re supposed to meet him in two hours,” I say checking the time on my phone. “And I need a shower first.”
“Where are y’all going?” Ryder asks.
“A place Gabe and his friends hang out,” I answer. “Close to UF campus.”
“UF?” Rico asks with a raised eyebrow. “You’re going into Gator country?”
“Gabe’s on the swim team at UF,” Wes tells them. “We’re meeting up with him and some of his friends.”
“Male or female friends?” Ryder asks.
“Both,” Wes answers. “Look guys, I’ll watch out for Gray. Geeze, you’d think I was taking her into the swamp and leaving her there.”
“What’s with the questions?” I ask, looking between Ryder and Rico.
“Just don’t want anything to happen to you,” Ryder answers and looks at Wes.
“Guys, relax,” I say and shake my head. “I’m a big girl and this isn’t the first time I’ve hung out with Wes and Gabe.”
“Just be careful,” Rico says, and I roll my eyes.
“Yes, Dad,” I say sarcastically and grab my bag. “I’ll be home by curfew.”
As I’m walking off, I hear Nadia and Wren laughing, and I glance over my shoulder. I spot Xander standing just behind the others. He’s looking at me and I can see the hurt in his gaze. I look away before I go to him and tell him everything’s okay. Everything is okay, but there’s no way I can trust him again right now. Trust, once broken, is very difficult to mend.
Chapter Eighteen
Rico
“Ready for classes to start tomorrow?” I ask Gray as we pack up our gear. There wasn’t an official practice today, seeing as it’s Sunday, but a few of us met up and bowled a few games just for fun.
“Yeah,” she answers, but I can tell she’s distracted.
“What’s wrong?”
“My roommate,” she answers and sighs.
“What’s wrong with her?” I ask. Her roommate moved in yesterday, and it seems they’re already having issues.
“Nothing’s really wrong,” she says and sighs again. “She’s nice enough, and all, but she’s not someone I would choose to hang out with.”
“Ah,” I say, understanding what she’s saying. “It’s not like you actually have to hang out with her, though. You’re usually hanging out with Wes and Gabe, so why would you hang out with your roommate?”
“I won’t really, but we have to share a living space for the next eight months,” she says, and I grin. “She spent four hours on the phone last night with her boyfriend, who is apparently a junior here so I don’t know why she couldn’t just go see him. His name is Bradley, and he plays lacrosse.”
“Bradley Nelson?” I ask with a raised eyebrow. When she nods, I frown. “I know him. He’s a player, and an all-around jerk.”
“She said they went to high school together, and have been dating since just before he graduated,” she says, and I shake my head.
“Then he’s severely unfaithful,” I tell her. “He’s been with at least half the girls here, including Nadia.”
“Dang,” she says and shakes her head. “I wonder how Brittany is going to handle that when she finds out.”
“How will she find out?” I ask. I know Gray won’t tell her.
“It’s a small campus, Rico,” she reminds me. “We aren’t exactly at UF, here. There aren’t many more people here than I went to high school with and less than you went to high school with.”
“True,” I say and look around. “I mean, you and I ended up here together.”
“Exactly,” she says and looks up at me.
“Does that still bother you?” I ask. I don’t think it does, but I need her to say the words.
“No,” she answers, and I release the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. “That doesn’t mean we’re going to be anything other than friends, though.”
“I know,” I respond. “And I can live with that.”
“Good,” she says and looks up when Wes walks over to us. “Ready?”
“Yep,” he answers and motions to where Gabe is standing by the door.
“Where are you going tonight?” Ryder asks before I can.
“Marco’s,” Wes answers. “Gray starts work there next weekend, and Uncle Marco wants to finish the paperwork tonight.”
“You got a job?” Ryder asks. I can hear the shock in his voice.
“Yep,” she answers. I can tell she’s thinking the same thing I am. Not all of us come from wealthy families. “I’ve been looking since I got here. If not for Wes, I doubt I’d have gotten this one.”
“Not true,” Wes says and grins. “Uncle Marco just needed to look at your application to know you were qualified for this job. All I did was make sure he looked.”
“Still,” she says, and I hear how grateful she is. I’m so glad Wes is gay, or I’d lose her to him in a heartbeat.
“I’m glad you got it,” I say and grin at her. She worked her butt off in the bowling alley when we were kids, and from what her dad has told me, she’s worked since she turned fifteen to support her mom.
“Me too,” she says and grins back. “I’m only working weekends until the season is over though. I can’t afford to take time away from my classes to work through the week, and with practice and matches on weeknights, I’m already stretching my study time thin.”
“You’ve got this,” I tell her.
“I have to keep a B average or I’ll lose my scholarships,”
she says, and I nod. I know she can do it. She just needs a confidence booster.
“Graycen, how many B’s did you get in high school?” I ask with a raised eyebrow. I know the answer for middle school is zero because she made straight A’s.
“One,” she answers and shakes her head. “Damn AP Calculus.”
“AP?” Wes asks with a raised eyebrow. “I barely managed to pass Algebra. I’d have flunked Calculus and would have never attempted an AP class.”
“And how many AP classes did you take?” I ask. Graycen is super smart, always has been, and I know that hasn’t changed.
“Seven,” she answers softly.
“Seven?” Wes asks, his eyes going wide. “I didn’t know there were even seven AP class options.”
“There are actually around thirty-five,” Gray tells us. “I chose the seven that would benefit me most, other than Calculus that is.”
“Which seven?” Ryder asks. I’m certain he didn’t realize we had a Brainiac with us.
“Calculus, English Language and Composition, European History, US History, Modern World History, Algebra based Physics, and Spanish Language and Culture,” she answers, and I snap my head up at the last one. Why would she be interested in Spanish language and culture?
“And you passed all of them?” Brennon asks. He’s in awe of her, like the rest of us, and I can’t blame him.
“Yes,” she answers and frowns. “Is that hard to believe or something?”
“A little, yeah,” he answers then cringes. “That sounded wrong. I’m not saying you’re not smart. I’m saying that there’s no way in hell I’d have passed one of those, much less all seven.”
“Gray’s always been smart,” I say, and she looks at me. “She was taking ninth grade classes when she was in eighth grade.”
“What’s your major?” Wes asks with a tilt of his head.
“I have two, actually. Elementary Education and History,” she answers. Seems her career goal hasn’t changed.
“She’s always wanted to be a middle school Social Studies teacher,” I tell them, and she nods. “Since sixth grade, anyway.”
Changing Lanes (Lake Park University Book 1) Page 10