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I’m disappointed. Really.
Everyone knows the side characters are the ones who make novels interesting. They are the key to the protagonist’s success – just look at Frodo. His best buddy Sam had toliterallycarry that hobbit’s ass up the side of a volcano. If that’s not MVP material, then I don’t know what is.
“I think I see them!”
I follow Lou’s pointed finger to the ugly beige car making its way towards Taber’s parking lot. Black fumes cough out the rear, and I can’t hold back my grimace.
“Your boyfriend might be the definition of sex appeal, but Lola couldn’t win a beauty contest if her life depended on it.”
My remark draws a smile from my roommate as she reaches up to fiddle with her new necklace. One week after their official status, Wes went out and bought Lou her first present – a silver necklace with a small T pendant hanging off the end.
Yup, he totally stole the idea from HSM, swapping out the name Troy for Trip, but you know what? The cuteness level is high enough that I’ll give him a pass. The yellow daisy sparkling on the chain is a nice addition.
The rust bucket rattles to a stop and the passenger door swings open. My stomach drops as a pair of black Nike hit the ground, but the nerves instantly vanish as the lean frame of Wes’ friend Nico comes into view. Rust goes flying as the driver’s door swings open and Wes struggles to unlatch himself from the manic grip of his vehicle. A few minutes later, Wes finally manages to unfold himself from the car, and we watch him scurry over to help Nico extract the third passenger from the backseat.
Cheers break over the crowd as a blonde fauxhawk comes into view. Face swollen with varying degrees of bruising, Cody smiles and slowly makes his way towards the varsity dorms – where Lou, me, and the entire lacrosse team are waiting. Each step looks more painful than the last, but Hunter lets out a wolf whistle all the same. Laughter rings out over the crowd and the battered captain gives everyone a cheerful wave.
The MRI scan came back to show the internal swelling needed to be monitored a few more days before his release. There was no talk of visitors, but I’m pretty sure Wes and Nico made a couple of food trips to the hospital. Wes never once mentioned Cody asking for me, so as far as I’m concerned, my presence was neither missed nor needed.
My roommate sniffles beside me, and I look over to see tears streaming down her face. Lou isn’t the only one crying, looking around, I spy a few glassy eyes among the lacrosse team.
“Can we count on you for morning practice, Cap?” A redhead steps forward – Mason, I think his name is – and folds Cody into a hug.
“Hell, someone’s got to whip your sorry asses into shape.” Chuckles ring out as Wes steers his captain in our direction.
“Here we go,” Lou sighs the words beside me, and I shoot her a glare. Roommate backup is always needed but not always welcome.
The green and yellow bruising on Cody’s face makes his molten brown eyes look even darker in the sunlight. Stamping down the urge to squeal and throw my arms around him, I offer Cody a cool nod as he lumbers by.
See? I can be subtle when I want to be.
Choosing to ignore my attempts at nonchalance, the bruised defensemen walks right up and wraps his arms around me. Cursing my suddenly active tear ducts, I feel my eyes well up for the first time since game day as he presses me into his soft hoodie.
I’m probably allergic to his fabric softener.
“Missed me, Stel?” Even with his short stature, Cody has to bend to whisper the words in my ear. Between the two of us, I’d be hard pressed to say who has the worst case of little man syndrome.
“Didn’t even notice you were gone.” I whisper the words back and Cody laughs, shaking his head as he pulls away.
Wes somehow found his way back to Lou, and the two of them look sickeningly adorable together. Cody and I exchange bemused glances as the once-promiscuous rookie plants a sloppy kiss on Lou’s forehead.
“You’re the worst.” Grumbling, Lou wipes the slobber off with her sleeve. Wes chuckles and whispers something in her ear, making my roommate blush from the base of her neck to the tips of her ears.
Feeling like I’m intruding on a private moment, I clear my throat to remind the two lovebirds of my presence and turn to see Cody studying me.
“What?” I mentally wince at the sharp edge to my tone. There’s something about Cody that brings out my belligerent side like no one else. Actually, I know exactly what rubs me the wrong way about Taber’s all-star defenseman, and it has nothing to do with his annoying habit to work out at the same time as me.
“Did Wes pass along my message?” My eyes narrow as they flick from my gym buddy to the guy currently performing way too much PDA on my roommate.
“What message?” Something flickers across Cody’s face, but before he can respond, a shadow falls across us.
“Good to see you up and moving, Ellsworth.” Instantly taking a step away from me, Cody increases the space between us as the deep voice draws near.
And there it is. There’s the divider that will always remain between me and Taber’s lacrosse captain.
“Thanks for stopping by old man. It’s good to see you too.” My brother grins at the response, his all-mighty presence shoving my own to the edge of existence. With a gentle clap on the back, Mo steers Cody towards the rest of his welcome party, no doubt eager to bask in the rookies’ adoration. He is, after all, a legend here at Taber.
I sigh, turning to my roommate whose lips are swollen from the mauling they just underwent.
