Page 64 of Blitz'd

“Not feeling well.” I mutter to Coach as a way of excuse, then I make a line straight for my car. I’ll drop my shit off to get washed in the morning. I’m not giving my parents a chance to wait outside the locker room so they can tell me howproudthey are of me while my dad silently contemplates the best way to get me back under his control.

I’ve done my best to make it clear that he can fuck off and die for all I care, but they’re persistent. I’ll give them that.

I’m glad the game was a home game—it makes it easy for me to fling off the majority of my shit and toss it in my trunk so I can peel out of the parking lot without looking back.

Just like I thought, my phone starts ringing.

My mood goes darker, because I can see it there—past the call.

A text notification.

When I hit a red light, I send the next call that comes through to voicemail and open up the text.

Dimples: A fuckin hail mary!

Dimples: You were amazing. I owe u a reward

And then…

Dimples: Kerian? Call me

I stare at the last sentence for entirely too long, until the sound of a horn behind me honks and makes me realize I need to keep driving.

You were amazing.

Not,you owe your talent to me.

Not,you owe me your life.

No expectations.

Just Zander… saying he wants to reward me for how well I did.

I should turn off my phone and go straight to my apartment, take a shower and go the fuck to bed.

I should keep my phone off for the rest of the week, because it will probably take my parents at least that long to realize I’m not going to answer them.

Instead, I wait until the buzzing and my mother’s name stops flashing on the screen to send Zander a text.

Me: Can I see you?

I’ve already sent it when I realize what an asshole I am. I should have hedged it with something likeshow me my reward.Or even a demand that he be on his knees waiting for me when I get there.

Instead, I sounded… what?

Vulnerable?

But there’s no way he’d know over a text, so?—

The next call that comes through makes my stomach drop for a different reason, but I answer.

“Are you all right?”

What thefuck?

Did Zander see my expression on the footage when I saw my parents? I’ve worked my entire life to make sure thatno onesees that. I’m pretty sure I didn’t let anything show on my features. I spent my entire childhood learning how to ignore my emotions, how to ignore my feelings aboutanythingso they never had the satisfaction of seeing it…

So why does he know?

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