Page 51 of Spite Crush

~Kellen~

I had no idea how Zak was going to react to me coming to the locker room after the game, but I knew that I couldn’t take the coward’s way out any longer. I’d been avoiding him because of my own fears, and that wasn’t fair to him.

When security recognized us, they shook each of our hands then waved us through and when we stepped inside, the team seemed just as happy that we were there.

“Kellen Fox!” someone yelled. “Holy shit! Rye Vixon and Austin Black? What the fuck is happening right now?”

“Nice win, boys!” Rye said, pushing past me and walking to the middle of the room, the center of attention, just as he preferred it.

“He’s so good at that,” Austin whispered to me, humor in his tone, with a tinge of pride as well. “Go find your guy.”

I slipped around the edge of the room to where Zak was leaningagainst a locker, watching me like a hawk.

“Hey,” I said lamely.

“Hey?Hey? That’s what you have to say to me?” he hissed.

“Nice win?”

“I don’t know whether to punch you or kiss you,” he said, letting out a breathy chuckle.

“Probably neither right now,” I said, gathering my courage to keep talking. “But I could get a room and you could come stay with me and I might let you do both.” I rolled mylower lip between my teeth as I stared at him. “I’m sorry. I needed to figure some things out.”

“And did you? Figure it out?”

“I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Get the fuck out of here,” he said, and my heart sank before he continued. “We’re at the Palmer House. Text me your room number.”

I couldn’t hold back the grin that spread over my face. My body instinctively leaned slightly forward, but I caught myself and straightened back up, nodding before turning tocollect Rye, who was holding court amongst the players.

“Great game guys,” I said to the team as I pushed my way through them. “We should let you get cleaned up.”

Everyone said their goodbyes and I shoved Rye toward the exit, where he fell in next to Austin and we made our way through the hallways to mix in with the crowds leaving the venue.

“So, what’s up?” Austin asked.

“Can you guys drop me off at the Palmer House?” I asked, already looking the hotel up on my phone.

“Told you we’d fix your Zak problem,” Rye said, punching me in the shoulder. “You should always listen to my advice.”

“I think I’ll keep filtering that, thanks,” I teased him. “But I do appreciate your help this week.”

“Well I appreciate you helping him out, too,” Austin said as we approached his car. “I was getting really sick of listening to him bitch about losing all of his creative skillbecause he couldn’t fix the drop in that fucking song.”

“Hey, piss off,” Rye told him, sliding into the passenger seat as I got in the back behind him. “You love when I bitch.”

“You’re right dear,” Austin agreed, turning the engine and entering into the line of cars exiting the lot. “It’s my favorite.”

They bickered all the way to the hotel and I realized that it might not be so strange after all that Zak and I had managed to create something out of our spite for each other.

Because Rye and Austin had done the same thing. And they were the happiest couple I’d ever seen.

So far, anyway.

With any luck, Zak and I might be able to give them a run for their money. If I hadn’t completely screwed up my chances with him.

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