Page 27 of Man On

"I just wanted to say… Don't worry about, you know, what happened earlier. It happens all the time. Totally normal."

He looks simultaneously terrified and surprised that I would bring it up at all. Am I really so much of an asshole that he'd expect me to laugh at him or something?

Okay, that would be fair.

“Let’s just pretend it didn’t happen, okay?” I say, trying desperately to make a peace offering.

I’m not sure if he believes me, but he nods. He looks relieved when I finally let him slip into his room and close the door. I stare at it, tracing the grains of wood that show through the white paint.

CHAPTER 10

LANE

Our third away game of the season is a win. After losing our first two matches of the season, and then barely squeaking out two ties on the road, a solid win feels good. I played well, and was part of the final drive and assist for our winning goal.

The ten-hour bus ride home is predictably awful, especially since everyone’s so pumped up from the win. I overhear a bunch of them making plans to go to a frat party, so at least I know it’ll be a quiet evening without Noah, Miah, and anyone else hanging around our dorm.

No one expects me to attend, although Danny Hastings asks me if I’d like to go. He’s a nice guy, seems to get along with everyone and has really been the only one to attempt to be my friend here. We met at tryouts and I like him, but I’m not so great in social situations, and the idea of a frat party makes me very uncomfortable.

We have a six day stretch before a home game next Friday, which is the longest we’ve had since training started. Coach is even giving us the weekend off, and warned us to make sure we enjoy the break, because we’ve got two matches a week until Fall Break at the end of October, and we’re going to be busting our asses if we want to have a chance in the ACC Tournament.

I had a rough start to the year, but I’ve been so busy with my class schedule, studying, my regular workouts, and soccer that I don’t have time to think about anything else. It’s good for me to stay busy. It gives me less time to overthink.

For example, Noah's entire personality transplant. Instead of being thankful that he's been relatively pleasant, I'm more on edge around him than usual. I don't know how to be anything other than painfully awkward in his presence.

We've been doing yoga every evening after practice, and then Noah insists we have dinner together, staying home with me whenever I don’t feel like being around all the people in the dining hall. We don't talk much, or even sit close to each other, but we eat the same food at the same time. I've mostly been cooking on our small, one burner kitchenette stove, because it's healthier than what Noah orders, although he always gets me the healthiest thing he can find on the menu without me asking. Tonight, though, we're going to splurge and order one of those taco pizzas we tried our first night here.

"I think we should watch a movie tonight while we eat the pizza. Mix it up a little."

"Aren't you going to go out with the guys or something?" He's been spending more time at home than I expected him to, considering all his talk about parties and girls. It makes sense when we're constantly exhausted from classes and training, but he has a full day to recover. "I thought you'd go to that frat party that Miah was talking about."

Noah scrunches his nose. "Hanging out with frat guys doesn't sound like a ‘me’ thing."

I laugh, because he's right. He has an anti-establishment kind of vibe, and most of those frats are apparently pretty preppy. I’m not sure that Noah fits into any type of aesthetic. He’s just… Noah.

"Miah won't miss you?"

"Miah's a big boy that can get into trouble all on his own, without my help."

Another chuckle escapes me, and I give in.

"Okay. Fine. Sure. A movie it is, then."

A couple hours later, we’re settled on the couch with a pizza on the coffee table, and Noah is choosing a movie on his laptop.

"Alright, what's your poison? What do you like?" he asks in response to my raised eyebrow.

"I don't know, pick anything."

"You want to watch porn?"

My blood pressure spikes. "No! What? No. What's wrong with you?"

Noah suppresses his laughter at my panic, but he can't hide his trademark smirk. "Well, if you don't want to watch porn, you're gonna have to help me out here."

"What are the options?" I ask, bending forward to grab a piece of pizza. I nearly moan at the combination of flavors, it’s really that good.

Noah stares at my mouth for a moment before turning back to the screen and clearing this throat. "We have fast internet and a low limit credit card that my dad gave us for expenditures. The world is at our disposal."

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