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“You do?”
"Actually, I prefer Azriel to Ariel. It suits you better."
He nods with a hint of relief. "Outside the hardware store, everyone calls me Azriel. I just wanted you to know in case we bumped into someone I know. It might be confusing to hear them call me something different," he explains. "I've never really liked Ariel, but Mr. Crosby has been like a mentor to me, so I never corrected him."
"Mr. Crosby is a stand-up guy. He helped me find a job and a place to live when I was in a tight spot," I share.
“How come?” he asks.
“It’s a long story,” I reply, my gaze drifting out the window mindlessly. “I had to leave my parents’ house.” Not wanting to open the door that leads to too many questions, I ask, “Do you live with your parents?”
“No.”
“Oh…”
“You go to Ohio?” he asks, obviously changing the subject.
“No… I…well… I used to and then transferred to Kenyan.”
The car jerks slightly as he finds a parking spot, the mention of Kenyan drawing a surprised reaction. "Kenyan?
“Yeah.”
“Wow. I-I mean, that’s great, but how?”
“I got a scholarship.”
“Oh, that makes sense. It’s expensive.”
"And you, do you go to school?" I ask, turning the focus back to him as we park.
He shakes his head as he turns off the ignition. "School's not for me," he says, stepping out of the truck.
I hop out of his nice truck and see the crowd of fans walking hastily to get to their seats. Azriel walks with me side by side, trying to hide the uncertainty that snakes around my chest. They can’t see me in the stands, but that doesn’t mean they won’t know. My brother might say something, but at least I’m not here alone.
After the game, my brother meets up with us in the parking lot. The entire game left me on edge. I was terrified that the rest of the guys would notice me. Adam looked up at the stands but kept looking at Azriel curiously from the sidelines. I think he was surprised I brought someone.
"Hey," Adam greets, his eyes flicking between us. "Wanna grab something to eat?"
I look at Azriel, but he’s looking around at the crowd of people walking out of the stadium and getting inside their cars. Some meet up with friends; others drive off.
My brother played great, just like I knew he would, and Ohio won. I cheered despite the fear clawing in my gut, hoping Zack and the others wouldn’t recognize me. I sat down the whole time and only stood when my brother threw the ball, which was caught by one of the guys. It was hard, but I was glad Azriel was here with me.
Azriel smiled, and I noticed he would look good if his acne didn’t cloud his face. He has natural blond highlights in his hair. When the light shines, it looks brighter. He has broad shoulders. He’s lean and tall. Maybe a good skin routine is what he needs to clear his face a bit and boost his confidence. I think it would make a huge difference. I noticed he likes to put the hood of his sweater over his head to hide the side of his face when he’s out in public.
“Yeah, sure. If it’s okay with Azriel,” I say, hoping he’s up for it.
Adam extends his hand. “I’m sorry. I’m Adam.”
Azriel shakes Adam’s hand. “Nice to meet you. I work with Melody at the hardware store.”
“Oh…yeah. I remember seeing you at the hardware store with Melody.” My brother glances at me in surprise and says that it’s the same guy he saw when he visited the first time. “I thought you guys went to school together?”
“I’m not cut out for college,” Azriel says.
“Ay, man, that’s cool. Schools are not for everyone,” Adam says, lightening up the mood.
Azriel smiles.
