Page 4 of How to Score Off Field

No. The universe is abitch.

Still, I can’t be bitter, can I?

I am happy for the miserable bastard.

What?! I am!

I don’t have it in me to be anything but—he is my brother, after all, and not just my brother; he is my twin. Honestly, I’m happy for the asshole even though he went behind my back and lied to me and his girlfriend—before she was his girlfriend (obviously).

He was trying to help you out.

But he did it without tellin’ you…

He told you. You just didn’t take him seriously. You thought he was lyin’ when he was telling the truth, then you accused him of lyin’ once you found out he was sneaking around.

Because I didn’t actually think he was out there dating people and pretending to be me.

Ha!

Whoops.

Anyway. I digress. No sense in getting all bummed out about it. Plenty of people are single, so it’s not like I’m the only one. It’s just, you know—I feel ready? Yeah, yeah, I know. Love finds you when you’re not looking for it, or so my brother—who has now become the expert on love—keeps telling me. He considers himself living proof.

I sigh, shoving my sneakers into my black duffel bag before slinging it over my shoulder. My phone pings with a notification as I push through the gym’s front door.

It’s Grady Donahue, my best friend.

Grady and I have known each other since middle school when we played Little League football. He’s not playing anymore. In fact, he isn’t even attending a big university like I am. Instead, he’s working a full-time job, renting his own apartment, and paying his own bills.

My heart squeezes.

I’m looking forward to the same independence.

Grady: Dude, what are you doing this weekend?

He gets straight to the point. No ‘good morning’or ‘hey man’or ‘how’s it goin’?’as foreplay for this conversation, no mincing words the way I do when I’m trying to get information from someone.

Drew: The usual? Hanging out.

Grady: You should come home. I’m having a bachelor party for Lucas. You should be here.

Lucas Jones is another of our buddies from home. He’s working for his dad’s construction company and got engaged to his high school sweetheart last year. Must be getting ready to tie the knot if they’re having a bachelor party.

I heard buzz about it but wasn’t invited to the actual wedding.

Drew: Bro, wouldn’t it be weird to show up when I’m not going to the wedding?

Grady: Dude, they barely invited his grandma to the vows. They’re keeping it small. Told you this a 100 times.

Yeah, he actually has told me this one hundred times, but I’m still not the kind of dude who shows up when I haven’t been invited, bachelor party or not.

Grady: You can afford the flight. Just come home for the weekend. I know you’re burned out, so give yourself a break. There are no classes on Monday.

Correct again, I am burned out—from the new relationship my brother is in, from football, from practice, from the gym, from games, from the weight of my family legacy bearing down on my shoulders.

I do need a fucking break.

I'm not sure going home will be the break I need, not if I’m still surrounded by noise and people.

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