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“I’m not everyone. You go to practice, put in the effort, you’re an athlete as far as I’m concerned.” For the first time I don’t see any animosity in his gaze. Confusion maybe, but not anger.
He flicks his head, moving his hair away from his hazel eyes as he watches me curiously. But he doesn’t speak. It’s not confirmation that we’re gonna be friends, but at least he’s not glaring at me. I take it as a win.
“So, how does that work? The club thing, I mean. Are there a bunch of teams on campus and you play them?”
“No, we play other colleges.”
Now it’s my turn to wrinkle my nose. “That sounds just like football. How come it’s only a club thing?”
“Title XI. For every men’s sport a school offers they have to offer a corresponding female sport.”
“So? Women’s lacrosse is a thing.”
“Yeah.” Liam flicks his head only for his hair to fall right back over his eyes. “But it’s not just the sport itself, it’s the scholarships. Football and cheerleading would be considered corresponding sports, but there are way more scholarships for football than cheerleading, so even if a school adds both men’s and women’s lacrosse the balance of scholarships would be out of whack considering the number of scholarships football takes up.”
My head bobs slowly as I absorb this information. “That’s why you don’t like football.”
“I never said that.”
“Your expression did. It’s okay,” I tell him when I see his head start to move back and forth. “I won’t be offended if you’re not a fan.”
“That’s not why I don’t like football.”
“Okay, I’ll bite. Why don’t you like it?”
A somewhat vacant look settles on Liam’s face. “It’s not important.”
Based on his expression, I’m pretty sure it is, but I don’t press considering we’re actually talking right now. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean I don’t stick my foot in my mouth. Again.
“So, you’re an athlete, and I saw you kissing a dude last night.”
“And?” Liam’s jaw appears to lock tight.
“I thought most athletes stayed in the closet, but it seems like you’re out.”
Liam rolls his eyes. “Saying you can be observant wasn’t an invitation to invade my privacy.”
I hold my hands up in surrender. “I’m trying not to invade your privacy. I want to know if I’m supposed to keep what I saw secret from your teammates. Or anyone really. Do people know?”
He sighs heavily. “It’s not a secret, but I’m not broadcasting it either.”
“You’re not worried about your teammates finding out? Not all locker rooms are welcoming.”
“I know,” he grits.
“So, you’re cool with your teammates knowing? I’m not gonna out you on accident if I…point out a good-looking guy or something?”
“Is this your way of outing yourself? Hinting that you could spot a hot guy?” This time the arch in his brow is curious instead of challenging, and I don’t know if it’s because I’m trying to establish a rapport, that I feel it’s only fair to take my turn in the hot seat, or I just want someone to be real with after months of missing my best friend, but I find myself telling him the thing I’ve never admitted to anyone before. Except Xavier, but he’s...
I have to clear my throat to get the words out. “I recognize when people are attractive. I just don’t feel attracted to them myself.”
“You’re ACE?” To his credit, his eyes don’t get really wide when he asks that.
“Either that or demi, I think. I’ve never been as close to anyone as my friend Xavier and I never felt anything for him other than friendship, but I know he was good looking, so...yeah. Probably ACE.”
Liam gives me a curt nod, and I brace for him to follow that up with another question. Only he asks the last thing I expect. “You don’t really tell people that, do you?” he asks.
Now it’s my turn to give a sharp nod.
