Page 64 of The Baller

I could see Radley 2.0 falling in love, and it would be so easy to fall in love with Lux.

“Can I get you a coffee, hun?”

I glanced at the waitress smiling down at me. “Oh, yes, thank you. Yes. My friend will be here soon, but I’ll take a drip coffee while he’s on his way. He won’t be long,” I added, unnecessarily. I was rambling enough as it was.

“Be right back, sweetie.”

I watched her walk off, jerking forward as my chair got knockedagainby the guy behind as he stood up, and who was still completely oblivious to the fact that someone was sitting behind him.

Him and his obnoxiously loud table of bros.

“Dick,” I muttered, pushing my table forward another inch. At this rate, the table six down from me would soon be eating on the sidewalk.

Maybe I could move, or switch places with Jake and Ethan sitting with their breakfast nearer the bar counter. I could ask… but a low whistle brought my attention back to the jerks.

“No way.”

“No fucking way.”

“I swear! My cousin works for the Governor, and his best friend is Chris Ellington.”

Do you know that feeling – like your entire world is balancing on a highwire? But one wrong move in either direction, it all comes crashing down and you splat on the ground. It happens when you’re unprepared, when you let your guard down and you’re confidently going about your day.

Turning a corner.

“I heard the C.I.A. busted into his house in the middle of the night and confiscated everything.”

“Nah, that’s bullshit.”

“They subpoenaed the media outlets and brought an injunction.”

“So photos still exist?”

“New ones.”

“Oh man, I gotta see. She looked fucking hot, and I’ve seen her around campus. She’s even hotter.”

“Yeah, but my cousin said Ellington said she’s an uptight priss.”

“Who gives a shit? You can still jerk off to them.”

“Can you get the new photos?”

“Yeah, lemme ask my cousin.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Radley Andrews.”

I barely noticed the knock to my chair when the guy came back from the bathroom and sat down. I didn’t hear any more. The buzzing in my ears blocked out any further conversation where a group of strangers were reliving the worst moment of my life over their coffee and eggs sunny-side up like they were discussing the latest movie release.

I was too busy trying not to puke.

I was too busy reminding myself I was in a public place and having a panic attack would only draw attention to who I was.

I was too busy trying to calm my heart rate, and remember how to breathe.

I was only succeeding on one of those things.

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