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Shay hung up and immediately dialed Layne’s number.
“Hey, I just got all my stuff inside. I was going to call you in a minute.”
“Can you sit down somewhere?”
“Um… Yeah. Why?”
“Just sit down for me.”
“Okay. I’m sitting on my bed.”
“I have to do a disclaimer and say that it’s not officially official yet because Coach made me, but it sounds like you and me can play basketball again, Layne.”
“What?”
“Coach just called me and told me that the NCAA is going to give us another year of eligibility. It’s not all set in stone yet, but it’s going to happen. It’s not like this pandemic is our fault.”
“Oh,” Layne replied, lacking enthusiasm.
“We can take a fifth year together, move back into the dorm, hang out, take classes – which, that part sucks – but we’ll get another chance to have a full senior season.”
“Shay, I can’t.”
“Can’t what?”
“I have the internship and a possible job after that if I do well.”
“I know. But you can do that next year, right? I’m sure they’d understand.”
“I don’t think so. It’s dependent upon me graduating. If I don’t graduate, I can’t do the job. And I don’t want to risk not getting in next year if I try to defer it.”
“Oh…” Shay uttered, probably sounding just like Layne had a second ago. “Right. Of course. I’m sorry. I just got so excited. I asked Coach if I could call to tell you. I thought–” She looked around her new home for at least the next four or so months. “I thought we’d get another chance, you know? Like the thing we talked about before and in the parking lot; the regret.”
“Shay, we can still get to know each other now.”
“Now that we’re hours apart?”
“Well, it’s not like we got to be in the same room with each other when we were right down the hall.”
“I know. You’re right. I want you to have what you want. I was being selfish.”
“No, you weren’t. You were excited. And, Shay?”
“Yeah?”
“I have to go right now because my mom’s going to be home soon, but I’ll call you after we have dinner and catch up, okay?”
“Yeah, okay.”
“No one has ever been selfish like that where I’m concerned. That probably sounds wrong, but thank you anyway.”
“I just… miss you.”
“I miss you, too,” Layne revealed. “I’ll call you later?”
“Yeah, later,” Shay replied.
“And, Shay?”
