Page 49 of Heart of Gold
“We just get each other, that’s all.” I defend.
“She’s great,” Remi says. “It’s crazy that you knew her and we all had no idea.”
I laugh, “Yeah, I’m glad Levi finally saw her in person this week. He was convinced I was hallucinating.”
After everything that happened at the game last weekend, Levi and I haven’t spoken much. Just a few words in passing, but nothing monumental. I had breakfast on Sunday morning with mom and dad to try and patch up that situation.
It was like covering a bullet hole with a bandaid.
Same thing that always happens. My mom understands and my dad gives me the “Don’t throw your life away, kid” talk.He lectures and she comes behind him with a broom to sweep up any hurtful things he might’ve said. Sometimes I don’t understand how they are still together. From the outside looking in, it’s not a good match.
I guess it’s true what they say, opposites really do attract.
I pull my phone out and call Levi, I don’t like leaving things weird between us. Not after I watched him nearly die right in front of me.
Life is too short to leave my last words to chance.
“Hello,” he sighs, answering the phone.
“I’m sorry,” I blurt out.
He’s silent for a beat, then speaks up. “It’s ok, Gav. I shouldn’t push you so hard.”
I shouldn’t bring it up, but it’s hard for me not to.
“I know it’s hard for you, not being able to play. I know if you were out there you’d take it more seriously than me and never leave the game for a girl. I don’t mean to take it for granted, I just… I don’t know, bro. I just don’t like the pressure sometimes.”
He interrupts me, “You’re wrong. You. Are. Wrong. Gavin, I would leave the game for a girl. The right girl. I would do anything for her. I just wouldn’t leave the game for a summer fling that’s my teammate’s ex.”
His words bother me, which usually doesn’t happen with Levi. The reason they bother me confuses me even more. He’s right, in a normal circumstance what he’s saying is true. I knew Quinn for two days and I was willing to throw away my college football career to say hi to her.
At that moment, I cared less about football and more about losing my second chance. I’d been beating myself up for days about not getting her number and it was like the stars aligned. Right there on the fifty yard line under the stadium lights, I looked up and saw her. My moon, my stars. Everything.
“Levi, I know you aren’t going to believe me but I think Quinn is the one.”
He laughs, actuallylaughsinto the phone. “Gavin, I swear I’m worried about you.”
I roll my eyes like he can see me, “I’m telling you, something is different with her. What is it you used to tell me about Allie? When you know you know?”
I can imagine the look he’s giving me as he chastises, “You know damn well it’s not the same thing. Allie is special. It’sAllie.”
I chuckle, “Yeah, for you she is. To me, she’s just the annoying little neighbor girl who wanted to kiss my brother. Quinn feels like that for me. I can’t explain it.”
He sighs, “What about Collins?”
“What about him?”
“Don’t give me that shit, Gav. He obviously still wants her, there’s history there. The whole school saw her reject him that night. He’s not gonna let it go.”
History.
That’s exactly what I’m hoping he is, but I remember what she told me on the cruise.
She followedhimhere. She turned down opportunities forhim. She wanted to forgivehim.
What if how I feel about what happened on the cruise isn’t how she feels? What if I was nothing more than a rebound for her? A way to stick it to her ex and get under someone new.
What if I’m not her moon and stars?
