Page 45 of For Three Seconds

This loss was on me.

The game ended, and everyone knew it was my fault. Call me Mr. Butter-fucking-fingers. I couldn’t catch a damn pass. I hated myself tonight. I hated that I was so weak and she affected me on a molecular level that rewired my whole being.

“Snap out of it.” Ollie punched my shoulder.

He didn’t get it, the pressure. He was never going to play pro. He didn’t know about the pressure to perform better than the last game, or being better than everyone else because you needed the scouts to want you—need you.

“I’m fine,” I lied.

“Remember that time Q forgot his little magic ball? Everyone gave him shit for it.”

I couldn’t help but grin. Quincy was superstitious. Hell, we all were when it came to his Christmas ornament. I didn’t know why he had it, how the hell it ended up in his duffel bag, but when he found it and left it at home one time, we lost fucking bad. Ever since then, he didn’t want to chance it.

Neither did we.

“Don’t let him hear you talking shit about his magic ball,” I said, welcoming the distraction.

“I tried opening it once, and he bitched me out. Said it contained a wish and I should just leave it.” Ollie shuddered.

When we got to the school parking lot, the same feeling came back. I didn’t want to be with my friends, but I also didn’t want to be alone. The guys were having a party to soothe the loss.

I didn’t want to be at the house, not when Gigi kept stealing glances my way. When I was low, she wanted to be near me like a leech. I was tired of her bullshit.

I got in my car and drove until I ended up outside of Scarlett’s house. I didn’t know what I was doing here, but the sting of seeing her would outweigh the sting of my shitty game. Seeing her was pleasure and pain a toxic combination I couldn’t run away from. I got out of my car and knocked on the front door.

Kenia opened the door and looked pleased that it was me there.

“Gavin, hi.” She brushed a tendril of hair behind her ear.

I’d slept with her my sophomore year—nothing beyond a quick fuck, but that meant nothing to me. I knew it was a dick thing to say, but it wasn’t like I’d lied and told her that I wanted more with her. Since I came to college, I had one rule, and that was no girlfriends.

“Where’s her room?” I asked.

Her smile faltered a bit. I’d never shown up for her. I didn’t know why she would think I would start now.

“Whose room?” she asked.

“Let him in,” Audrey called out. “Down the hall.”

I stepped in the door and I noticed she was on the sofa. Her eyes sent me a warning. I gave her a nod and made my way down past their kitchen to the only room that was in the back. I stopped and looked at Scarlett’s closed door before I knocked.

“Come in,” she yelled.

My hand trembled as I reached for the doorknob. I was nervous; I shouldn’t be here, but fuck if I was going to turn around now.

She wasn’t paying attention to me when I opened the door. She probably thought I was one of her friends. Scarlett was a fucking vision. No wonder I couldn’t get my shit together. She wore short shorts and a university T-shirt. Her hair was loose and wavy as fuck. I wanted to grip her hair as I took her lips; it was something I had fantasized over since I was young. Her books were spread on the bed as she chewed on a pencil while her eyes focused on the television. I sucked in a breath when I noticed she was watching highlights of tonight’s game.

“You saw me play?” My voice came out hoarse.

Her head turned my way so fast her pen went flying. If I wasn’t feeling so shitty and out of my element, I would have laughed.

“What are you doing here?” she whispered.

“I don’t know,” I confessed as I closed her door and leaned against it. “I sucked out there.”

Scarlett didn’t lie to make me feel better. We both knew the game sucked and I was to blame. She just looked at me with understanding in her eyes.

“I guess I wanted to forget,” I continued with my explanation. “And seeing you makes me angry, and I can forget about my stats, the scouts, and it’s only you, and the pain that comes with you.”

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