Page 79 of Off Sides

He’s still laying on the floor when I head to the bathroom. “You gotta get some stamina, bro. No wonder you’re single.”

He flips me off but manages to get off the floor while I go to take a piss. My phone slips down my pants and gets stuck at my knee. As I’m trying to reach for it, it starts to vibrate. Grabbing it in a hurry, my fingers hit the screen, and a voice comes from it.

“Uh, Nick?” Joey!

“Shit. Fuck! Joey, hold on!” The bunched-up fabric snags the corners, stopping me from lifting the damn thing free three times. “Hey! There you are.”

My heart flutters in my chest, happy to see him but nervous about what he’s going to say.

“Hey.” There are dark purple circles under his eyes and his smile is small. He looks defeated but is trying to hide it.

“You okay?” I hop up to sit on the counter, ignoring my bladder for now, and lean against the mirror.

“Yes?”

“Are you asking me?”

Joey rubs his eyes, digging his fingers into them. “I’m sorry.”

“For?” I don’t want him to be sorry, I want him to trust me. I want him to need me.

“Disappearing on you and then ignoring your calls. It was shitty but I didn’t know what to say.” He’s looking down, away from the camera, and I hate it. I want his eyes on me. Always on me. “I still don’t.”

“Yeah, that sucked. I’m not going to lie to you. I thought something bad had happened to you.”

He flinches and I hate that too. After a minute of silence, he flicks his gaze up but doesn’t really move to lift his head. “I’m not good at this.”

“Me neither.” I let out a breath, just looking at him. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to try.”

His voice is so quiet I almost miss his next words. “I miss you.” He wipes his hand under his eye and fuck if I don’t feel that like a punch to the stomach.

“I miss you too.” A small smile tilts one side of my mouth. “I was really looking forward to a record-breaking orgasm count during break.”

Joey snorts a laugh but finally lifts his head. “For you or me?”

“Both, baby. Orgasms all around.”

He smiles but something off camera catches his attention and it falls. Joey opens his mouth to speak but I talk first.

“What do you need right now?”

“You.”

“You have me. I’m yours, remember?”

In the background, a feminine voice calls his name and he sighs.

“I have to go.”

“Hey, look at me.” He looks half irritated but I don’t think it’s with me. “Take a deep breath and don’t believe the lies they tell you. Their fuckups are not your fault.”

His next breath is shaky but he nods. “I’ll talk to you later?”

“Yes, you will.”

Joey gives me a small smile and the call ends. My body sags against the mirror as some of the anxiety drains from me. I’m still worried about him but I know he’s physically okay. He didn’t give me any answers but I didn’t ask questions either. It was more important that he reached out to me. Even though he was nervous I would be angry, he called.

A text pops up as I slide off the brown Formica.

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