Page 54 of Fighting Fate

Cam

Dude, Miles, what the fuck, why weren't you at practice today?

Gunner

Yeah, man, we need our #1 QB.

Devon

Boys, boys, settle down, he probably had some "personal" issues to take care of.

I silently shake my head, knowing full well Devon's hinting at my recent FaceTime call with Milli. Sure, it was personal, just like the reason for missing practice, but they don't need to know the details.

Miles

I know you missed me. I would miss me too.

Cam

Eyes Roll

Sighs deeply.

Dude, no need to boost your own damn ego. That's what women are for.

Luke

Strongly agree with you on that Cam.

A grin sneaks onto my face, no matter how hard I try to keep it straight. Luke, well, he would agree. But, Cam? He's got a point, but really, I don't need girls fawning over me to feel good about myself. It's a nice ego boost, sure, and I'd be lying if I said I've never soaked it up whenever I could. But all the flattery from the girls at school? It's like water off a duck's back to me. There's only one girl who really gets to me, and she's off-limits.

I flop onto my bed, fresh from the shower, and flick open a new text.

Miles

Missing me, yet?

Mills

As if, Sunshine.

Her sass leaps right off the screen, and damn, it makes me want to hear her voice. It used to be so easy, calling her up when I was in college and she was still in high school. But now? Times have changed. I feel it, this shift between us, subtle but undeniable. Still, I can't help myself; I need to hear her, especially with the stress of midterms and medical school applications.

My heart hammers a little as I dial her number, second-guessing my impulse. This is Milli's time to find herself, not to be tethered by my demanding need for her. But then her voice, sweet and familiar, flows through the line, calming the storm of my thoughts and quickening my pulse all at once.

"Sunshine, why on earth are you calling at..." Her voice fades into silence, and I can almost see her, casting a glance at the delicate gold watch on her wrist—a gift from me after my first game day. It was one of those special moments, with "Milli Girl" engraved on the inside, a nickname that holds weight only in our most tender moments.

"It's almost 10 o'clock," she finishes, her tone shifting as she closes a door, muffling other sounds.

"I just...wanted to hear your voice," I blurt out, feeling like a sap.

But then she softens. "Well, good because I wanted to hear yours, too."

We laugh, easing into a rhythm that feels both strange and familiar.

"This is weird, right? Talking like this when we're practically living in each other's pockets now," she says.

"Is that a bad thing?" I ask, a twinge of worry nipping at me, concerned that I might actually be bothering her.

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