AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A dark, painful fog threatened to overcome me, but the softness in Jax’s eyes made it almost bearable. “My mom passed away when I was thirteen. She never made it, but yeah, that’s what she wanted to be.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.” His lashes shadowed his eyes, and he stared at the table for several seconds. Nodding to himself, he took a deep breath. “My best friend passed away a few years ago.” He met my gaze, and I could see the grief hidden there. There was an understanding between us now. We both belonged to the same horrible club.
He didn’t ask, but I found myself saying it anyway. “It was a car accident. A truck lost control and came into our lane. I was in the back seat but don’t remember anything after the headlights. I woke up in the hospital, and she was already gone.” I tugged at the collar of my sweater and turned my head, exposing the scar that ran from the base of my neck to my shoulder. “It’s how I got this scar.”
Jax scanned the scar, and his eyes filled with understanding. “My friend died in a car accident too. He was there one day and gone the next. It took a while to wrap my head around it. My mom did her best to make sure I was alright, but there wasn’t much she could do.”
It was a strange feeling sharing this moment with Jax. It was somehow both sad and comforting that he knew how I felt without me having to explain. We sat for a long moment, neither of us saying anything. Just soaking in mutual acceptance. Finally, I swallowed hard, nodding, and then we both silently agreed to move on with the conversation.
“So do you have any siblings?” Jax kept the question safe and easy, lightening the mood.
“No, my parents didn’t stay together long enough to have more, and my mom never dated after.” He raised a brow, but I didn’t explain further. “How about you?”
“It’s just me and my parents. They’ve been together for almost thirty years now.”
It struck me how different our lives had been. He obviously grew up surrounded by love, whereas my life couldn’t be any more different.
Jax huffed. “So, Sidney. What’s with the rules?”
I laughed. “I’m surprised it took you so long to ask. Success takes discipline, and discipline requires rules. And mark my words, Jax, I will succeed.”
His brows lifted. “I don’t doubt you.”
“Good.”
“So… you don’t date? Like…at all?” he asked, settling in his chair.
I shrugged. “I dated a guy for three years in high school, but we broke up when we went our separate ways for college.”
“Not into long distance?” He tapped his pen on the table. I noticed he always fidgeted in one way or another.
“It works for some people, but it’s not for me. Too easy to get caught up in your own life and forget about the other,” I answered. It wasn’t exactly the entire reason, but close enough for this conversation.
“But that was high school. You’re in your fourth year of college. You’re telling me you just wrote off all guys?”
I gave him my bestwhat the hellface. “No… I’m a grown-ass woman, Jax. I can prioritize my own life, and right now, guys are not high on the list.”
His head tilted at an angle, and his eyes searched over my face. “So, what is on the priority list?”
“That’s easy. My internship. I’ve spent the last three and a half years working toward it.” I leaned back, mirroring his position. “Sacrifices were made, but I’m so close it’s all worth it.”
He stretched his arms over his head, opening his chest, and his gaze landed on my mouth. “What sacrifices?”
I shrugged. “Big ones.”
“Like?” His tongue darted out, worrying at his top teeth.
“No parties,” I replied, and his mouth popped open.
“No parties?” His voice lifted at the end.
I smiled at his surprise and continued. “No boyfriends.”
“Brutal.” He shook his head even as he asked, “You hooked up, though?”
“Yeah, obviously, I’m not an idiot.” I laughed at the relief on his face, and I asked a question of my own. “You get it, though, right? You have a big dream.”
His shoulders lifted and fell, a sly grin pulling at his mouth. “Funny enough, being a future pro athlete comes with more perks than sacrifices.”
