Page 2 of Matched By My Rival
I grimaced, gaze sweeping the room. “Fair point. Lemme call over one of these white boys.”
He laughed. “I’m just shittin’ ya.” He shifted his weight forward, as if to stand, then paused. “Wait. Aren’t you still on painkillers?”
“So?”
“You’re not supposed to mix that shit with alcohol.”
I scoffed. “This beer is so watered down it hardly qualifies.”
“Simon…”
Fuck, he was going mother hen on me. “I’ll just get it myself then. I’m not helpless.”
I pushed myself up from the sofa, using my crutches, and the room spun. I swayed, catching myself on Darnell’s big bicep. “Just a head rush,” I mumbled. “Point me toward the keg.”
“Yeah, I don’t think so.” He turned me toward the front door. “Time to get some air. “
I didn’t fight him as he cleared a path and made sure I stayed on my feet until we were in the front yard. My mind cleared as I sucked in cool drafts of air—and I realized I needed to get out of there. The way I was feeling, I’d say or do something I’d regret in the morning. And I had enough regrets as it was.
Why had I even gone out? What had I been trying to prove? That an injury couldn’t put me off my game? It already had.
“Gonna go,” I mumbled. “This party sucks.”
“Yeah, man. Things will look better tomorrow. You’ll see.”
That was Darnell, always the optimist. He was the heart of our team. Coach would never dump him for a string of injuries. He was too good for morale. Unlike me, the guy known for being broody and too damn competitive to really bond with many players. D was my boy, but that was more to his credit than mine. I was lucky he’d decided to make me a friend.
I turned toward the sidewalk. We were on Greek row, so my frat house wasn’t far. I’d be there within minutes, even drunk and on crutches. But what I saw stopped me cold. A guy and girl stood in the middle of the lawn, heads close, talking and laughing. I recognized them instantly.
Parker and Kristin.
Parker, my rival. And Kristin, my girlfriend.
As I watched, Kristin went up on her tiptoes and kissed him.
Oh, hell no.
No, no, no.
Wasn’t he taking enough from me as it was? What did he want, my entire fucking life on a silver platter? Probably. That’s how he rolled. Everything he wanted, easily offered up.
My fuse was short, easy to ignite. Fury swept through my veins, and I welcomed the feeling. It was better than the numb disappointment I’d been nursing for days.
I crossed the lawn, suddenly looming beside Parker and Kristin, without any memory of actually taking a step. “What the fuck is this, huh? You want to kick me while I’m down. Take my place on the fieldandmy girlfriend?”
Parker lifted his hands. “Whoa, man, it’s not like that.”
“It looks just like that,” I snarled.
“Stop it, Simon,” Kristin said. “I can’t do this anymore with you. It’s over, okay?”
I shook my head. “We had a fight. We’ll make up.”
“Yeah, we hadanotherfight. All we do is fight,” she said. “I want to move on. Find someone who’ll make me happy.”
I lifted one crutch, prodding Parker in the chest. “You think this asshole is better than me?”
“Knock it off.” Parker shoved the crutch away from his chest.
