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Ryan nodded. “Awesome swimming today, bro.” He slapped me on the back, and I had to work to not flinch away. “We’re going for pizza after we hit the showers.”
“Then we gonna party it up to-night!” Jamie said, making his voice loud so everyone around us could hear.
The team all echoed with cheers and hell-yeahs.
Shit. That party’s tonight?
Ryan and Jamie moved off to the shower, but Wes hung back, eyes watchful. I stepped over the bench I’d fallen over before while avoiding looking in my open locker.Maybe I’m imagining things.
“Are you sure everything’s okay?” Wes asked, voice quiet.
“Why wouldn’t it be? I just slayed my first Elite swim meet.”Why would I be standing here freaking out over some folded clothes?
Wes smiled. “Yeah, you did.” But too soon, the smile left his face. “It’s just before, you had this look on your face,”
“What look?”Why does everyone always say that to me?
“It reminded me of something. Someone.”
My thoughts went directly to Win. To his hazel eyes and dimples. “Who?”
“Max.”
A choked sound slipped between us. “Max?”
Wes nodded thoughtfully. “Sometimes he gets that look too. When he’s thinking about the past.”
My stomach collapsed on itself, shriveling up until I felt hollow inside. “What past?” I asked.
Wes’s gaze turned shuttered, which didn’t offend me at all. In fact, I admired his automatic instinct to protect Max. He wouldn’t realize what I knew. What Win confessed to me.
Max’s dad used to beat him.
I guess people with PTSD sometimes look the same. Though, honestly, I couldn’t imagine Max ever being anyone’s victim.People probably think that about you too. Victims are good at hiding.
Wes cleared his throat. “If you ever need to talk, you can talk to me.” I stared at him, and he shifted. “I mean, I know you have Win.”
“I don’t,” I replied instantly, the words dropping like a block of concrete between us.
Wes went quiet a minute. “I feel bad.”
I did not expect that, and it distracted me from my locker. “About what?”
“I never realized how much Win kept buried. He hid a lot to try and protect me. Max too.”
“You’re lucky,” I whispered.
He didn’t look like he agreed. “Protecting me cost them a lot. And now it’s costing you.”
My eyes flew to his.
He half smiled. “You have more of my brother than you think. More than even he realizes.”
I looked away. This conversation would only inspire hope I didn’t need and cause more hurt later.
“I just want you to know that just because he’s my brother doesn’t mean you can’t be my friend. Okay?”
“Yeah,” I answered, heart heavy. “Okay.”
