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“You’re back?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” he told me, with enough sadness in his voice to tell me I wouldn’t have to explain anything else.
I was relieved. Maybe I would be able to pretend like none of this had happened. Perhaps I would be able to return my life to what it had been.
Hadn’t I finally been included in Cage’s social circle? Couldn’t I turn that invitation into a life that was worth living? If I could get through today without talking about things, I could take it one day at a time. Eventually, this would all be a distant memory.
When Titus’s truck pulled up, I was relieved to see that it was only him in it. I liked Lou but he was often a bit much. He wouldn’t be able to stop himself from asking about every detail of what had happened. I couldn’t handle that now.
I just wanted a ride home without having to talk about anything. I wanted to move on from everything that had happened. I wanted that… making what happened next so surprising.
“How do you do it?” I asked my brother, breaking the silence.
“How do I do what?” Titus asked soberly.
“How do you make life seem so easy?”
He looked at me, surprised.
“You think my life is easy?”
“No. That’s just it. You’re a star player on your football team, you part-own a business, you’re mayor of this town, you have a boyfriend, and yet you have this tremendous social group. It can’t be easy to do all of that. Yet, you make it look like it is.”
“I’m glad you think so. And you’re right, it’s a lot. But, everything’s a lot easier when you’re willing to ask for help. I know I can’t handle all of this on my own. But I have people like you and Lou to help me out. I know you would be there if I need you to. Just like I would be there for you.”
Hearing his words, I lowered my eyes.
“I didn’t make the team. They said I wasn’t good enough.”
“That sucks,” Titus said empathetically.
“Yeah.”
After a moment, Titus said, “Can I ask you a question?”
“What’s that?”
“Why didn’t you tell anyone you played football at university?” Titus asked delicately.
I opened my mouth to speak. I was going to say, I don’t know. But I stopped myself, knowing it wasn’t the truth.
“I have a problem opening up,” I told him honestly.
“Why is that?”
“God knows. I could say it was because of something my mother said to me when I was eight. Or because I didn’t feel like I had anyone I could trust growing up. Or maybe it’s because I just don’t know who I am and I don’t want people to see that.”
“That’s rough,” Titus said, nodding empathetically.
“I don’t want to be like this anymore.”
“Be like what?”
“Distant. Alone. I don’t want to carry everything on my shoulders anymore. I want to be able to open up.”
“Then, why don’t you?”
