Page 44 of Unlovable Player

“What kind of video?”

“You know, like a sex tape or whatever.”

My stomach drops. “Is that what she was showing you?”

“She was going to, then he started going ape shit.”

“He’s your teammate you idiot, we don’t treat teammates like that, do you understand?”

He nods, not looking at me.

“You treat your teammates the way you’d treat your family. That means, no looking at… stuff they wouldn’t want you to look at, do you get that?”

“Yes, I’m sorry.”

“Tell your girlfriend to delete it, and if she says no, ask her how she’d feel if it were her in that video.”

“Why did he make a video like that anyway if he didn’t want anyone to see it?”

“Did you ever think that maybe he didn’t make it and he didn’t want anyone to see it?”

Smith drops his head. “Sorry Cap, it won’t happen again.”

When I go back to the table to grab my jacket, Gray grabs me and asks me where I’m going.

“I just need to check on Seb.”

He cocks an eyebrow at the nickname and I will myself not to flush.

“Everything alright?”

“Yeah, fine.”

“You’re gonna miss the game.”

“I’ll catch the highlights.”

When I get back outside, Sebastian’s gone.

The bus takes foreverand it’s a fifteen minute walk from the stop. I ring the bell and when I get no answer, my stomach flips, imagining the worst. On the second ring, Sebastian’s voice rings out into the street.

When I reach the top of the staircase, he’s standing at the door in the school hockey sweater and chinos he was wearing at the bar. I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out.

“You coming in or are you just going to stand there?”

I follow him into the apartment and wait until he’s closed the door before I speak.

“I just wanted to check you were alright.”

He shrugs.

“I made Smith delete whatever was on his girlfriend’s phone.”

“It was the video, wasn’t it?”

I don’t say anything and he sinks onto the bed.

“I’m never getting away from this, am I?”

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