Page 99 of Scoring the Player
“Why’re you acting like this is our first time?” Johan replies. “We’re all good.”
My shoulders drop. He’s right. The guys organized a celebratory night out for me after I came out. It took me a while to let my guard down and accept they were really cool with me. When I did, it was one of the most fun nights of my life.
“Cool. Let’s go.”
All heads turn our way when we enter. One guy smacks the arm of the guy next to him as his eyes bulge at the sight of Sid.
Yeah…he’s about to get eaten alive.
“My bad, man. I’ve been an asshole lately,” I yell to Sid over the music.
“Yeah. You have.” He slings his arm around my neck and pats my chest. “You know you can tell me anything, right?”
I nod.
“Let’s get you loose.” He maneuvers us toward the bar.
CHAPTER 24
SALEM
“Dude, are you listening?”
“What?” I ask.
Zyair arches his eyebrow. “Since you’ve been back, we’ve been unstoppable.”
“Uh. Thanks,” I reply, palming the glass the bartender slides my way.
They’re riding high after we clinched a dub against the Bay Area Hawks.
“What’s up?” he asks.
“Nothing. Just tired.”
And confused by Blue’s distance. Again. I keep feeling like I’m missing something with him—like maybe patience isn’t enough.
“Look at this shit,” Cillian cuts in, sliding his phone between us and hitting play.
A video of Nick shaking his ass fills the screen.
“Yo!” Zyair cackles. “Yo boi’s turnt.”
“He sent you this?” I ask, watching Ussef, who’s squatted low, riding the air like he’s competing with the guy in a jockstrap gyrating on the platform behind him.
“He wants us to come through.”
“This is live?”
“I mean, kinda. They’re not too far from here.”
“Card, please,” I call to the bartender as I jump to my feet.
“We rollin’?” Cillian asks.
“Yeah.”
“Y’all know the bus leaves for Sacramento in like two hours,” Zy reminds us.
