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“It’ll be fun. We’ll all be together, watching the boys. Like old times,” she says.
“Right, but now it’s my turn to be the one watching the boy who won’t have anything to do with me.” I wince. “Sorry. You know what I mean.”
Yeah, I’m actually referencing how Jackson used to be. She existed only when it mattered to him. Otherwise, he’d ignore her or just treat her like a friend.
Now though? Their relationship is true goals. He adores her.
I glance around, looking for Jackson, but he’s nowhere to be found.
“Where’s your boyfriend?” I ask Ellie.
“With the team, can you believe it? The special teams coach always had a soft spot for him and Jackson still has his phone number. He arranged to show up in the locker room as a surprise,” Ellie explains.
“I don’t know how they let him in. They’re usually pretty strict about that stuff.”
“When you’re a celebrity who used to play for the team, no matter how briefly, I guess they’ll let you in.” Ellie beams.
Gracie and Hayden join us and they both hug Ellie, all of us chattering and playing catch up with each other. Jocelyn eventually joins our group as well, her little sister tagging along, listening to all of us as we talk about college and men and the future. Addie’s eyes get wider and wider the more we say, which is kind of amusing.
“Boys are nothing but trouble huh,” she says, after everyone listens to me complain about Eli, and they insert their two cents.
We all laugh.
“They are,” her sister agrees. “But some of them are also worth the trouble.”
“Sometimes,” I add.
Everyone’s focus turns to me.
“What’s going on with you two anyway? And don’t give us a bunch of bullshit,” Gracie says. “Caleb says Eli has the NFL looking at him.”
I feel like I’ve been socked in the stomach, I’m so surprised. “Really?” I squeak out.
She nods. “Isn’t it awesome?”
“Diego too,” Jocelyn adds. “Those two are having a phenomenal season. Scouts are here this weekend. I’m pretty sure they’re both going into the draft in the spring.”
I’m stunned. Happy for Eli and Diego. Extra happy for Eli, despite everything. But this is the opportunity he never believed he could have. From the time we first started dating, he always said he wasn’t going to be a big football star. He loves the game, but he never fully believed in himself.
“That’s amazing,” I finally say, when it feels like they’re all watching me, waiting for my reaction. My gaze goes to Jocelyn. “I’m so happy for Diego. For you too.”
“It’s exciting,” she says with a smile. “But Diego warned me not to get my hopes up. Nothing may come of this, but we both can’t help but dream of NFL stardom.”
“How is Eli dealing with it?” I ask my friends. Ellie shrugs because, of course, she doesn’t know.
The other three women though? They should know.
“Caleb says he’s excited,” Gracie says.
And that’s it. That’s all she offers. Hayden and Jocelyn nod in agreement, and then they change the subject.
I can’t stop thinking about it though. I go through the motions and fill my plate with food when my parents declare it’s ready, but I don’t really eat any of it. I sit with Beck and Addie, half-listening to their conversation while my friends all sit with my parents and talk about football, something I’m not interested in discussing.
I just want to sit in my thoughts. Eli’s life is moving forward at an accelerated rate while I’m over here stalled. I wish I was celebrating with him. Celebrating him. I can’t help but be proud of him.
So proud.
Who’s in his corner? His friends, of course. The women who are with me right now—minus Ellie, who will always, no matter what, be in my corner. Do his parents know and more than that, do they care? What about his brother, Ryan? What does he think? Has Eli told him yet?
