Page 25 of 2nd and 7

I drop back to the bed, my ass up, my shoulders on the mattress, my entire body shaking with laughter. Ty withdraws with a slap to my ass. In the bathroom, he wets a cloth and cleans himself,then me. I roll over to my back and continue to laugh so hard tears fall down my cheeks.

He lays down next to me, drawing me into his arms on our sides. His face in my neck, he asks grumpily, “What’s so fucking funny?”

“I have to pee!” I say first and he slaps my hip.

“So, go pee.” I turn to look at him and he rolls his eyes. “In the bathroom.” I roll off the bed and walk on unsteady legs into the bathroom. Do my business, wash my hands and look at myself in the mirror. I’m happy. Pure, unadulterated joy. And it looks good on me.

Crawling back in bed, I resume the position, my ass snug to his pelvis. I lay on his left arm, his right across my middle. A few moments later, his hard cock noses between my thighs and slides back inside me. I wiggle a bit, then settle down once I’m comfy. It’s an odd sensation, but I should be able to sleep like this. I giggle a few more times and he huffs.

“What?”

“If you…stay inside me all night…will it prune up like if you stay in the bath too long?”

“Jesus!” he exclaims, before laughing so hard the bed shakes.

Tyrone 15.

We’ve made it to the end of the regular season. It’s been quite the season, I gotta say. Lots of change. Mostly for the good, definitely weeded out some bad seeds, and a better tomorrow for all of us is on the horizon. But it’s been hard won. Painful, though growth often is.

After talking it over the morning after with Mary, Dennis, Edee, and of course, Lyndell, we decided to press charges against Matt. He violated Lyndell, and his actions should have consequences. A lesson to others, perhaps. Lyndell has had nightmares since, and the university provided a therapist for him to help him cope. I sat in on a couple sessions. My brother is an amazing creature. I’ve always known that, but his heart is so damn big.

Addelsbach, Phia, Prib, and about 10 others from the team showed up around breakfast time at the hotel to visit with Lyndell and show their support for Edee and me. I have a great group of friends, but it didn’t hit me until that moment how much they accepted not just me, but Lyndell, and now Edee. I feel like I’ve been searching for family my entire life, and it took seeing them hug, feed, and pick on Lyn and Edee to understand I had already found one.

I hear Edee laugh in the other room and it makes me smile. I’m sitting in the living room of Phia and Prib’s apartment, hanging out with Prib while Phia gives Edee a tour. There are only a fewrooms, not sure why it’s taking so long, but it probably involves spilling the tea.

“Ty? How are you doing?” Prib asks from his spot on the couch.

“I’m good,” I answer, my eyebrow cocked in question. Why is he asking?

“You sure? We’ve been sitting here in silence for 10 minutes.”

“Shit!” I lift my wrist and am surprised to see he’s right. “Well,” I rub my hand over my neck, “I guess, I’m wondering…how do you deal with it?” We’re spilling the tea out here too, it seems.

“Deal with what?”

“The pressure? The disappointment from people you’ve never met?”

Prib shrugs with a grin. “Who cares?” He points to the bedroom, “The only opinions that matter are Phia’s, our families’, and…Beiler’s for some reason.”

“I know.” I shake my head. “That fucking guy.”

Prib sneers, “Always so nice and supportive and helpful.”

“What a fucking asshole.” He nods in agreement. My smile drops. “Edee and Tilly want to release a statement to the media, probably a small press conference.”

His head tilts. “You aren’t a player.”

“No, but I’m going to be a coach next season. And Lyndell is a valued and beloved member of the staff.” I pause, taking a deep breath. “And the shit Phia went through with Heacock…something’s gotta change, man.”

Prib sighs, “Fine. We’ll change the fucking world.” He drops his leg to the floor and sits forward with his elbows on his knees, looking me directly in the eye. “Can I have dinner first?” I laugh, tipping my head back.

“Sure. Heroism can’t happen on an empty stomach.”

The girls come out of the bedroom, grinning at the two of us. Phia walks by Prib to join him on the couch, but he pulls her waist and plants her in his lap. Edee runs her hand over my head as she perches on the armrest of the chair I’m in.

“You two ready for dinner? We have important superhero shit to do, and I’m hungry.” They don’t look surprised, so I’m assuming they overheard our conversation.

“We’ve been waiting for you two to finish your little gab-sesh,” Phia teases Prib, giggling when he starts tickling her.