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“I don’t want to seem like I’m trying to tell you how to live your life, or like I don’t want you to be happy with someone else, but…” I trailed off again. I was having the hardest time finding the right words to get my point across, or even deciding if it was a good idea to even try. I didn’t want to seem like a jealous loser.
“But what, Dylan? Just say what you want to say,” she urged as she reached out and touched my arm at the crook of my elbow. The feel of her hand on my skin sent a rush through me.
I saw the searching look in her eyes as she looked into mine. I gave an internal sigh as my heart constricted before choosing my words. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt. Just be careful, okay?” I finally said.
About that time, Becker came walking up behind Zia and gave me a smug look.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Zia said as she realized Becker had approached her. She turned to look up at him as he snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her in close to him. His eyes remained on me. Zia blushed, seemingly embarrassed by Becker’s public display of affection.
“Good game, man,” Becker said to me.
“Thanks, man,” I replied, then looked back to Zia. “See you around, Zia. Take care,” I implored, trying to communicate my sincerity to her.
I turned to walk back in the direction of the field house. I had some distance between us before I heard Zia call my name, stopping me in my tracks.
“Dylan, wait!”
I turned back toward her, hopeful.
Once she approached, she said, “I owe you one more session, if you want. I mean, I know that the last one kind of really got messed up and didn’t end up how it should have, obviously. But I don’t like to start things without finishing them, so if you still want your last session, just let me know.” She looked up at me expectantly.
I nodded as I considered her offer. Finally, I responded, “I’ll think about it and get back to you.”
“Okay, sounds good. I’ll see you,” she said, and walked back to where Becker was waiting.
When I turned back around, Jonas was standing a few feet in front of me. He had apparently been watching the whole scene play out.
“Bro.” He shook his head in disbelief. “That’s got to be rough. You all right, man?”
“I’m all right.” I shrugged. “It is what it is.”
“You need a drink?” he offered.
“Bring it to my place. I don’t feel like going out,” I told him.
He nodded his head in agreement and followed me out to the parking lot. Once we got to my apartment, I took a quick shower, dressed comfortably in pajama pants, sans shirt, and grabbed two beers out of the refrigerator. I handed one to Jonas and opened the other to take a swig.
“You know Becker is doing this to prove a point, right?” Jonas stated, sitting at the kitchen island.
“What point is that?” I asked, not sure where he was going with this. I stood on the opposite side of the island, leaning my arms on it in front of me.
“I see how he acts when you’re around. You’re the Big Man on Campus, so you’re his biggest competition. He’s trying to prove he’s better than you,” Jonas explained. Then he added, “Though to whom, I don’t know.”
“So you think it’s personal?” I considered his theory.
Jonas sat quietly in contemplation. Finally, he spoke. “Have you tried telling her how you feel?”
I looked at him like he was out of his mind.
“Well? Have you?” he repeated.
“I haven’t,” I admitted.
I migrated from the kitchen into the living room as I sat in my recliner. Jonas followed, sitting across from me on the sofa.
“You have to tell her how you feel, bro,” he stated simply before taking a sip from his beer.
“I wanted to a millions times. It was just never the right time. Now it’s too late. She’s seeing someone else. I’d be an asshole if I dropped this on her now,” I reasoned.
