Page 15 of Foul Territory
“Sorry,” I say when I accidentally kick his thigh. I can’t seem to get comfortable now that he’s sitting so close. Amazing what two feet of personal space can do for a girl. It was bearable being in the same room with him when he was on the opposite side of it.
“You’re fine.” His arms stay crossed over his chest and his eyes glued to the baseball game on the television. He’s just as thrilled as I am to be sitting so close together.
I wonder what that is like. To feel absolutely nothing for a person you’ve shared some of your most vulnerable moments with. I must have embellished everything in my head. It’s easy to do when you read as many books as I do. Everything feels like a romantic gesture.
After the night we shared, I realized I was a fool for ever reading into any kind gesture he made toward me. A door being held open was simply that. Same with him serving me food or getting me something to drink. It meant nothing.Wemeant nothing.
“Did you ever get a call back from your agent?” my brother asks. I attempt to keep my mind focused on the pages of my book even though I am more interested in hearing what Koa has to say about his agent.
I turn the page even though I didn’t read it. I will have to come back to this part later. It’s not like I’m comprehendingmuch of it anyway with Koa invading all of my senses. How is anyone supposed to think clearly when he smells so good?
“I talked to him while we were on the road. I have a few options available.” Koa drops his arm onto my calves, putting a significant amount of weight on them to keep me still. I didn’t realize my legs were bouncing.
“Who’s looking at you?” Nash asks, with his mouth full of his sandwich.
“Uh, I think he said Colorado, Texas, and maybe Chicago.”
Nash lets out a low whistle. “Damn those are some good teams. Do you have a favorite?”
“I don’t know. Nothing feels right. None of those cities feel like home to me,” Koa says, looking down at his hand on my leg.
“The contracts are good though?” he asks, meaning the money.
“Yeah. I wouldn’t be starving.”
“What about you, Sis? Do you have your post graduation plans squared away yet?”
He knows I’ve applied for a few paid internships. One of which I’m really hoping I get. The company is doing exactly what I want to do—a Black woman owned beauty company specializing in developing products for people of color.
If I can learn the ropes under these women, I know it would have a big impact on my own company when I’m financially able of starting everything. That is the end goal.
“Not yet. I’m still waiting to hear from everyone. For now you’re stuck with me this summer.” I grinat him.
“I won’t complain about that, although I hope you hear from them soon. I’m going to be busy with football anyways,” Nash says, standing from the couch. “I have a feeling preseason is going to be a bitch.”
“You’ll be ready. You haven’t let up since the season ended,” Koa tells him.
“I don’t want to be the weak link on the team this time. My career is on the line too. I’ve got to do whatever it takes to get teams looking at me.”
“They will. I bet they already are. We got close to the championship game this year,” I say.
“No thanks to me,” he grumbles
“You’re being too hard on yourself,” Koa says. Nash glances back and forth between the two of us before nodding and going into the kitchen.
I divert my attention back to my book, trying hard to ignore the way Koa is slowly invading more of my personal space. It isn’t easy to do.
“I’m going to go study,” Nash says, walking back into the living room. “I’ll order some pizza for dinner in a few hours. You’ll stay, Syd?”
“Yeah, I can stay,” I answer hesitantly. Does Koa want me to stay, too, or am I being the third wheel like usual?
“Cool. See you later.” He grabs a textbook he left on the coffee table and then heads downstairs to his room in the basement. Typical Nash. Always asking me to come hang out and then bailing on me. He’s been doing this more and more lately.
This isn’t awkward at all. Maybe I should go home. I can pick up dinner from the cafeteria and do my laundry. My room is a disaster and I should really clean up the bathroom before Lauren gets home. I left a few experiments out on the counter.
“What are you reading now?” Koa asks gruffly. The question is a direct hit on my heart. His tone is different but it’s the exact same question he would ask me almost daily in high school. For a time, I thought he enjoyed reading as much as I did but then sports took over his life.
I close the book and hold it up so he can read the title. He grunts, acknowledging he’s seen enough. And with that, I’ve had enough. I start to push off the couch.
