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“It’s true.”
“Is that such a bad thing?”
“Yeah,” he said softly as his arms caged me in. “It’s a bad thing for me.”
“Why?”
He ducked his chin so I couldn’t see his face. “I don’t like to lose control of situations.”
“Lose control? How?”
He kept his head down, not letting me see his expression. “Fuck. I’m just talking nonsense, and I need to let you go to sleep, don’t I?”
“You do,” I answered. Though now, I was wide awake, and his words had me in constant bafflement.
“All right, then. Goodnight, Natalie.”He called me Natalie, not Hardcore. Then, with a mesmerizing smile, he walked away.
Natalie
The upside: I received a wake-up call from the hotel, and I was on time to pack for my flight.
The downside: When I was at the airport, I checked out my Instagram feed, and my heart twisted. Axel had a smug grin and eyes at half-mast, leaning against the wall of an elevator in the clothes he’d had on hours ago when he left my room. But what made my heart twist was that a girl was clinging to his arm. Not just any girl. It was Jeanette. She had posted it with the caption:After-hours party with my bae.Followed by stupid heart emojis and sappy hashtags.
I checked the time of the post, and it was posted two hours ago. After he’d shared a drink with me and told me how my opinion of him mattered the most. Was I naïve for actually thinking what he said was true? Most likely, yes. He was a hot commodity and had a reputation as a player. It wasn’t like we were together, so why did it bother me so much?
I didn’t see him at the airport when our bus arrived. As I stood in line to board, I still hadn’t seen him. I told myself to let it go. My seat was on the last row of the plane, and I situated my carry-on and sat down, putting in my earbuds so I could listen to music and block out the world.
When it looked like everyone had boarded, and the plane was scheduled to depart, I saw him pass through the front of the plane with a large-billed hat and sunglasses. He looked solemn, his mouth in a tight line, and took off his backpack before sitting in one of the outer seats near the front of the plane. He’d barely made it because literally five minutes later, we were taxiing down the runway.
However, I was now certain the plane wouldn’t have left without him. Or even better, some wealthy alumni or sports figure would have gladly given him free rein of their own private jet if he needed it.
Why was I even thinking about him? What did it matter, anyway? His college football career was done, and so was my internship. We had nothing to bind us together. It was a clichéd story as old as time. The popular guy who had everything going for him and the nerdy girl. Stupid, overactive imagination on my part. I closed my eyes and shut down my brain as much-needed sleep eventually came.
A few hours after landing:
Axel:I didn’t see you on the plane. Did you make it home okay?
Me:Yeah.
Disappointment set in after seeing the picture. Apparently, I was very upset. Not to mention, he didn’t even see me when the team landed and departed the plane.
Axel:How about we grab something to eat later today?
I would die before I let him know I was upset or give him my time.
Me:Can’t. I’m not on campus.
I was, but I was going back home to stay with my mom. After seeing him in that picture, it gave me a reality check I knew I needed to face. I’d already heard all the rumors about him and how he was a player and larger than life. Why I’d even thought Axel would want to spend time with me was a head scratcher. I should’ve enacted my spidey senses, but I was too caught up in the notion that he was interested in me.
Axel:How about tomorrow?
Me:I’ll be out of the country for the next week until school starts.
I wasn’t, but I almost wished I was. I planned on staying home in San Antonio for a week before the second semester began.
Live with no regrets.
Learn how to swim.
