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BLADE
Everything my professorsaid to me in the class had gone over my head. I might as well have been fast asleep in the back of the class or, better yet, back at home. There was absolutely no point in going to any of my classes that day, not with how bad my mental state had become. What I really needed was a therapist.
After dropping Isabella off at her car the day before, I’d gone straight to my bedroom and spent the rest of the day staring at the wall. A fantastic weekend had been officially ruined by her greedy, self-absorbed parents. No surprise there.
Sure, half a billion dollars was a shitload of money. But that’s all it was, money. And there was no sugarcoating the hesitation in Isabella’s voice when I mentioned that I’d be picked up by a national football team next year, either. Just when I was ready to settle down with one woman, she had second doubts about our relationship. Either that, or she doubted my chances at making it pro.
I left my last class and headed towards the locker room for football practice. By the time I got there, our coach was waiting for me with a massive smile on his face. “There’s my favorite player!”
“Hey, coach. What’s going on?”
He saw straight through the fakeness of my smile, though. He always could. “Why so glum, chum? Never thought I’d see you so down in the locker room.”
I tossed my duffel bag into a locker and began undressing. “Just been a rough day, that’s all.”
“Well, I’m about to make it even better. Guess who reached out to me? The head recruiter for the California Lions.”
The California Lions were considered one of the best national football teams, and college football stars practically tripped over their feet just for a shot to be given the chance to play for them. For a college athlete, there weren’t many things that were more prestigious or nerve wracking.
“Holy shit,” I yelled, and immediately straightened myself out. It’s not that coach wasn’t used to foul language, but rather he was one of the few people in my life that deserved absolute respect. “Are you telling me what I think you’re telling me?”
“He’s coming to meet with you later on this week.” He clasped his hand over my shoulder and gave a squeeze. “You, son, may very well be looking at a career with the California Lions right after graduating next May.”
He pulled me in for a hug and a pat on the back. After stressing out over Isabella the past twenty-four hours, it was some much-needed good news and it couldn’t have come from a better guy.
After practice that afternoon, I decided to shower back at the fraternity house and get ready for my tutoring session with Isabella. I walked into the bedroom with a towel around my waist to find Aiden sitting on his bed with a notebook sprawled out in front of him.
“Hey, man.” I gave him a nod. “Doing homework?”
He stared me down. “You’re not gonna waltz in here like you weren’t missing in action all weekend.”
I climbed into a pair of boxer briefs, pulled the towel off, and began drying my hair. “I was busy with school stuff. Sorry I didn’t text you back, but you know how it is.”
“No, no, I don’t know how it is, Blade.” He slammed the book shut and jumped to his feet. “Quit bullshitting me, man. We’re supposed to be best friends.”
“Alright, fine.” I tossed the wet towel into a nearby hamper and sighed, deciding to rip the band-aid off. “You got me. I went away with Isabella this weekend.”
“And…?”
Aiden was determined to get every detail of my sexcapades with Isabella out, but she wasn’t some random chick I was hooking up with, and so it wasn’t any of his business.
“And yeah, we’re dating now,” I said with a shrug. “Before you go chastising me, though, it’s gonna happen to you one day.”
He guffawed. “I think the fuck not!”
Poor, young, grasshopper Aiden. I used to be like him, just a few short months prior. Never in my life did I think I would be willing to give up the title of the Bedroom King. Never did I ever believe I would trade in countless nights with countless women for many nights with the same woman.
“Trust me, Aiden. Relationships aren’t easy, but when you meet the one, you’ll know.”
My stomach turned to knots reminiscing over the other morning, though, with Isabella’s parents. I could only hope that in time, she’d realize what a grave mistake it’d be to take them up on their offer. I second-guessed my decision to tell Aiden the truth, knowing there was a chance it’d all backfire on me and I’d be forced to eat crow.
For the record, he wasn’t buying what I was selling. “You’re telling me that landing Isabella Dayton is worth becoming a dad before you fucking graduate?”
“What the hell did you just say to me?”
Aiden chucked his cell phone at me, where a picture of Isabella buying a pregnancy test hovered above several offensive hashtags.
“Wait, who uploaded this picture?”
