AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s been brought to my attention that perhaps I’ve been going a little too hard as of late...”
“Coach?” Enzo guesses.
“No, I asked to meet with Coach. I know I’ve been off and felt like I needed to give him a little explanation.” He looks directly at Enzo, who clearly knows whatever personal issue Tigs is dealing with that I’m still clueless about. It’s like everyone knows there’s something up with him, but no one is actually saying what it is.
“How did that go?”
“He was really understanding. Told me to let him know if I needed anything.” He turns to accept his water that the waitress returns with, not continuing until she’s handed me mine and leaves. “It was actually Arch who talked to me.”
“What?” It’s my turn to look at him in confusion.
“Yeah, he, uh, pulled me aside after yesterday’s game.” He keeps his eyes locked on Enzo as he speaks. “I guess you could say he kind of opened my eyes on a few things.”
“Why didn’t you mention this last night?” Enzo asks.
“I needed some time to digest shit, you know?”
“So you’re done drinking?” Alina pipes in.
“Not forever, I don’t think. But for now, yeah. Archer reminded me what I stand to lose.”
I wish I could say that learning this information doesn’t somewhat soften me even more toward a certain quarterback that I am hell-bent on seeing the worst in.
I also wish I could say that I don’t feel a little stupid and a bit guilty for snipping at him earlier about not knowing what’s going on with his teammate. Turns out, he knew much more than he was willing to say and not only that, he went out of his way to try and help. And for now, it would seem whatever he said to Titus impacted him enough to realize he needed to make a change.
“Think it’s about time I stop drinking away my problems and start facing them.”
“Well, I, for one, am very proud of you,” Alina tells him.
“Me too.” I place my hand on his forearm, offering it a gentle squeeze before pulling away.
“You guys are going to have to keep me in line, though.” He chuckles, looking around the table.
“Don’t worry, we’ll just stick you with Rory over here. She’s all focus, no fun. Perhaps you can join her club,” Alina teases.
“Well”—he leans back, dropping an arm over the back of my chair—“that is a club I think I’d like to be a part of. But mainly because of who else is in it.” He gives me a wink, some of his normal charm peeking out, something I’ve never experienced from sober Tigs. I gotta admit, I’m not mad about it.
Abandoning my nearly full beer, I pick up my water instead and take a drink. I’m not a big drinker to begin with but usually force myself to drink at least one so I don’t seem like a total party pooper. But with Tigs not drinking and what he said about trying to clean up his act, I decide to support him by not making him be the only one not drinking at the table. He doesn’t have to say anything for me to know that sometimes that’s an awkward position to be in. I know, because usually it's me sitting in that seat.
The rest of the evening goes by with the usual laughter and banter that always accompanies Enzo and Tigs. When they get going, they are quite the riot and by the time we exit the restaurant nearly two hours later, my stomach hurts from laughing so hard.
“Told you he was a good guy.” Alina knocks her hip into mine seconds after we part ways with the guys, whose dorm is on the other side of the lot from ours.
“I will say, I like him a lot more when he’s not falling on the floor drunk,” I admit, slinking my arm through hers as we cross the grounds.
“I wasn’t talking about Tigs.” She gives me a pointed look before letting her gaze drop to the jacket I’m still wearing.
I try to tell myself I didn’t take it off because I’ve been cold all evening, but deep down I know that isn’t the full truth. Part of me likes how it feels to wear it. The looks I got from a couple of girls I passed on my way to the bathroom. The way not one, but two guys stopped me to say how awesome Archer looked in yesterday’s game, assuming that we were together, or at the very least, good friends. I mean, Iamwearing his jacket after all. A jacket that I didn’t realize also had his name and number plastered across the back until I was inside the bathroom. And while I’m someone who usually balks at attention, this kind of attention I didn’t hate. In fact, I kind of liked it.
So what does that say about me? That I’m just as shallow and brainwashed as the rest of them? Perhaps... Or maybe it says that even though I try not to let it show, at the end of the day, I am still human. And in being human, I’m not immune to basic human emotions.
“Whatever he said to Tigs seemed to really have an impact,” she continues when I still haven’t responded. “He looked better tonight than he’s looked in some time.”
“Yeah,” I quietly agree, my thoughts once again returning to the insult I slung at Archer earlier about Tigs. Clearly, I was wrong for assuming what I did. Which then leaves me to question what else I was maybe wrong about.
“You know, it’s okay to admit that maybe you’re not as impenetrable as you like to pretend you are. It’s okay if he’s getting to you... In fact—”
“He’s not getting to me.” I’m quick to cut her off. “I mean, sure, he’s not as bad as I once thought. But that doesn’t mean he’s still not an arrogant ass.”
