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"Oh, right! I forgot. She got called into work—said she wouldn't be home until dinner. Are we going or what?"
I get up from my comfortable position on the couch—unhappily, I might add—and meet her in front of the door. After putting my beat-up trainers back on, I open the door and hold out my arm in front of me.
"After you, Princess."
???
"Oakley! My man!" Andre shouts from across the freshly rained-on football field.
After I dropped my sister off at the dance studio, I invited Andre to throw a football around at the small field we managed to get blessed with in this tiny town. I could really use an old friend to talk to right about now.
"Hey, buddy. What did you do to your hair? It looks sick."
Slapping our right hands together, we lean in for a one-handed hug. Andre's head of onyx coloured shaggy hockey hair has been cut to a medium length, styled up in a slight swoosh with short shaved sides.
"Figured it was time I stopped looking like a total douche. Got it cut a few days ago." He runs his fingers through the top a few times before spinning the old, faded football in his hands.
"About time." I give us a few yards of distance and clap my hands in front of me, signalling for him to start throwing the ball.
"How do you like your new team? I hear you guys have been kicking some serious ass this season. You're putting us to shame."
"It's good. Different, but good." I don't notice my body tense or the change of tone in my voice until Andre does.
"Something you wanna talk about, man? I'm all ears."
I throw the ball and run a hand across my jaw. "I met a girl."
He laughs and throws it back. "Wow, you met a girl? Who would have thought?"
Catching the ball again, I throw it with a little more force and roll my eyes. "I mean, I met a girl, dude."
Emphasizing the word seems to do the trick because he misses the ball entirely. The leather ball hits him straight in the stomach, and a loud oof escapes his lips.
"Ow! Did you have to throw it that hard?" Rubbing his belly, he grabs the ball off the grass and launches it back at me. "I never thought that I would live to see the day. Who is she? And what about her makes you look hella constipated?"
Ignoring his insult, I say, "Her name is Ava. She's fucking great dude. I took her out a few days ago, and it went better than I expected."
There's no stopping my smile as I remember how adorable she looked when she stumbled around on the ice, pretending not to know how to skate. I figured out that she knew how the minute she stepped on the ice, but I decided to go with it. And I made the right call.
"Yo, you still there, Oakley? Damn, you're pussy whipped already." He makes his way over to me. "You still haven't told me what's bothering you, though. Is she not into you or something?"
"It's about her ex-boyfriend. I know something's up but I haven't brought it up. I don't want to fuck anything up, and I get the sense it isn't something that she wants me to know about."
Andre sits down on the grass and pats the spot beside him. I sit down as he furrows his brows. "What about him? Something serious?"
If it weren't serious, Matt wouldn't be so protective, and I don't think she would have such a problem talking about it.
"I just have a bad feeling. The whole thing makes me want to beat his face in. He's on the team too. There's bad blood, I know it. My buddy Matt and his friends avoid him at all costs." Realizing my fists are clenched, I unclench them and run them through my hair instead.
"I think you should formally introduce yourself to the guy." He looks over at me, his lips pulled in a sneer. I know exactly what he's suggesting, and it isn't going to be an enjoyable introduction. Not for David, at least.
"I think I'm going to do that. Thanks."
"No worries. I expect to meet your girl, though. I have to know what kind of girl it takes to tame the great Oakley Hutton."
"I have to get her to be my girl first." I let out a chuckle as my phone vibrates in my pocket. Gracie’s demanding text makes my eyes roll.
"I gotta pick up the princess from practice. I'll see you again before I head back, yeah?" Standing up, we both brush grass off our jeans. I text my sister back, letting her know that I'm on my way.
"Yeah, I better,” he warns. “Tell the devil spawn I say hi. See ya, man!"
Waving, I set off in a jog towards the parking lot.
