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Me: Ok
Dylan: Goodnight
Me: Goodnight
I guessed we could call this closure.
CHAPTER 10: DYLAN
“You’re in an awfully pleasant mood this morning,” Ethan grumbled as he spotted me at the bench press.
“I am? Huh. I didn’t notice.” I smiled as I lifted the weighted bar up another rep.
“He must’ve gotten laid last night,” Jonas chimed in from another workout bench a few feet away.
“Guys, come on. I’m just feeling good today. Give me a break,” I snickered.
It was Sunday morning, and I had met the guys at the gym for a morning workout. It was somewhat of a routine for us, though not usually quite this early.
I finished a set and placed the bar back on the rack above me. I sat up, toweled the sweat off my forehead and the back of my neck, and stood to let Ethan take his turn while I spotted him.
A couple of other guys we recognized from the university basketball team came walking up and greeted us with a ritual fist-bump before setting up their weight-lifting stations around us.
“What’s up, Stephens, McDermott,” Jonas greeted the two guys by their last names, Paul Stephens and Becker McDermott.
“Guys,” Becker returned with a nod of his head.
We all nodded and said our helloes.
Everyone joined in on a casual conversation about how our soccer games were going and how basketball season was just getting started.
“McDermott, I hear you’re the star player this season. You and Porter are making the rest of us look bad,” Jonas said to Becker as he slapped a hand across the back of my shoulder.
“Oh, yeah? Porter, you must still be carrying the team, then.” Becker looked in my direction as he curled a dumbbell with one arm.
“It’s a team effort. These guys are just being modest,” I added for Ethan and Jonas’s benefit.
“Yeah, it’s a team effort on the field, but Porter still cleans house when it comes to getting all the girls,” Ethan joked.
Becker raised a suggestive eyebrow. “You don’t say.” He looked as though he had been presented with a challenge.
I remained quiet and let the guys continue their banter as I turned my focus back to my workout. It wasn’t long before they tried to engage with me once again.
“Say, Porter. You know Zia Benagli, don’t you?” Paul asked.
“I do,” I answered, unsure of where he was going with it. “What about her?” I asked skeptically.
“Becker was just telling me about his date with her last week,” Paul said, waggling his eyebrows as he moved his glance back to Becker. I couldn’t help but notice the arrogant look that had made its way across Becker’s face.
I suddenly felt like the floor had fallen out from under me. Was he serious? Zia had gone out with this guy only a few days ago?
“Hell yeah, man. She’s one hot little number,” Becker confirmed. “We’re supposed to be hooking up again soon. Probably this week sometime.” He carried on, but it was all just wordless chatter to me after that.
Hooking up? What?
I was dumbfounded. I didn’t know what to say at that point. I wanted to punch the smug smile off his face, but if Zia actually liked this guy, who was I to stand in her way? I knew I had no claim to her, and aside from last night, I’d never had any reason to think she wanted anything with me. Last night couldn’t even really count, all things considered, what with the alcohol and the prior night’s incident with Cason.
“That’s great. She’s a great girl,” I told him, trying not to let on that it affected me as much as it did. “A great friend,” I added.
