Page 67 of How We Fooled

I want to curl in a ball and cry, but I take a deep breath and stand tall, praying that she doesn’t think any different of me after all of this.

Eli

Getting to touch Liza like that as I entered the game gave me all the energy I needed to play one hell of a game. It’s fucking torture, not being able to hold her, especially after all the news broke about Dalton and Natalie.

Turns out, I’m not the only one hiding a relationship. Seeing the two of them together shocked me, but not as much as hearing what he went through to be with her. With every word he spoke, my heart begged to be with Liza even more. I felt it in my soul when he told me about how he wanted to be with her, but they couldn’t because of their families. I was never a fan of his dad, but now, I know exactly why my, Maya’s, and Ben’s parents seem to keep him at a healthy distance compared to others in their little circle.

Knowing they finally get to be together in public both broke my heart and gave me hope.

If they can figure out a way, then so can Liza and I.

I exit the locker room, only to see Maya exchanging numbers with a guy I’ve never seen before. I can’t help but laugh at myself, knowing how Ben is going to flip his lid when he finds out. I say good for her though.

The term shit or get off the pot was seemingly invented for those two. Ben just thinks she’ll always be there for him, but I’m glad to see she’s finally venturing out to see what else the world has to offer when it comes to guys who aren’t named Ben Turner.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Eli

With football officially over and basketball not starting yet, all the free time I have on my hands is killing me, especially since I can’t spend it with Liza.

I’m trying to keep my focus on baseball and the possibility of being drafted, but it hasn’t been easy. My agent has been working hard behind the scenes, and the more time that goes by, the more I’m hearing about teams who might be interested.

I try not to get my hopes up and just stay locked in, but it’s hard, not being able to focus on anything else.

Over the summer, when all these conversations started, I was able to push it out when I was with Liza. She was my center, my calm, and without her, it’s all too much in my head.

I don’t like to talk about it, even with her, so for now, I’m just here, wondering where my future leads, and if I’m being honest, I’m not too crazy about how little say I have in it. If I get drafted, I don’t get to pick what team I go to or what level I start at. I just do and go where I’m told to.

Either way, I still need to sign to a college before I get drafted.

I’ve narrowed my college choices down to four, but I can’t bring myself to commit to any particular one.

All I can think about is how far each one is from Liza, and though I know that shouldn’t be my deciding factor, that’s all I’m basing my decisions on.

It literally takes everything in my power to not go directly to Liza’s classroom as I enter the school building. The need to touch her is doing some crazy shit to my body that’s starting to make me feel like a crack addict, where the only cure is another taste of her.

I close my eyes and force myself to walk to the couches, where I sit down with a huff, not giving two shits if my friends notice the foul mood I’m in.

Dalton and Natalie are already sitting there while Ben and Maya walk up to join us. Ben sits and instantly grabs Maya, bringing her to his lap. Them sitting like this is something they’ve done for years, but today, looking at them eats me alive. Ben has no idea what he has right in front of him.

There’s nothing I want more than to be able to have Liza sit on my lap here with all my friends. Jealousy is a cruel bitch that I never thought I would experience in this way, especially with my best friends.

“Natalie, guess what,” Maya singsongs, her voice a notch higher than normal.

“What?” She matches her enthusiasm.

“We’re officially boyfriend and girlfriend!” she bounces with excitement.

She must be talking about that guy I saw her speaking to after our last football game. Things make sense now that she didn’t hang out last time we were at Ben’s.

“Are you as happy as she is about this news?” Dalton asks Ben, who immediately flips him off, but doesn’t respond.

“He’s fine with the news,” Maya answers for him, then turns back to Natalie. “He told me, ‘This is official. You’re mine from here on out,’” she squeals with more joy.

“I’m so happy for you.” Natalie wraps her arms around Maya.

Ben looks annoyed as he asks, “Girls actually like that shit? Being claimed like an object and not a human being?”

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