Page 85 of Drew
Shocked doesn’t begin to describe the look on Grey’s face when he pulls in his chin, and his eyes bug out. “You need… to be with her.”
“Hell yes, man. I love her. If I could figure out a way to move heaven and earth so we both could follow our dreams and still be together, I’d fucking propose tomorrow. But as it is, we’re likely going to end up across the fucking country from each other, so I can’t even let myself go there.”
“What. The. Fuck.” Grey cocks his head to the side and eyes me for a long moment. “You’re serious?”
“Do I look like I’m kidding?”
“But you just said you’d propose… as in marry her. You just met this semester. You’ve had a one-track mind since I met you, and now you’re willing to throw it all away for a girl.”
Oh my fucking God. Is he listening to a word I’m saying?
“Do you know me at all? I’mgoingto med school. And so is she. Did you miss the point where I likely don’t stand a chance in hell of being with her in the long term because I’ll never stand in the way of her dreams?”
“Didn’t you say you’ve applied to some of the same schools she has?” Grey asks, filling my heart with hope.
Unfortunately, it’s squashed like a bug when I’m forced to remember reality. “Yeah, but so far, we’ll be living on opposite sides of the country.” I don’t see that working out so well. But I keep those thoughts to myself. Besides, I need to focus on the here and now and what Ican control. I still have the next six months to be with her, so I plan to make them count.
“Enough about me…” I say, needing to change the subject. The thought of losing Abby isn’t something I even want to entertain. “Why isn’t this girl you’re talking to worthy of being more than a text buddy?”
“I’m just not sure I want to be tied down,” Grey quietly admits.
“Enough said. When it’s the right person, that won’t even be a thought that flits through your mind. You’ll be spending every moment trying to be with them, not trying to keep them at arm’s length.”
“Is that right? Oh, wise one. I seem to recall you saying these exact words last year,” Grey reminds me.
“True,” I admit. “But that was before I met Abby. My goal of getting into med school has been my primary focus for so long.” I take in a deep breath and think about how to phrase this next part. “But now that I’ve met Abby, I think there’s room in my life for more than just one focus…” I trail off quietly.
Grey lets me stay in my own head for a few moments before he breaks the silence. “Aw… man. I’m only twenty-two. The prime of my life. We’re gonna go for back-to-back championships. I don’t have time to drop my focus for a girl I’m not even sure likes me for anything but being an athlete.”
I laugh at the memory of when I first met Abby. “I think that’s what drew me to Abby. I can just be me with her. I’ve never had to wonder. She had no clue who I was when we met. God, she was adorable when she got frustrated from the constant interruptions in class. Hell, she’s called me on my shit from the start.” God, those eyes… “I swear, the daggers she threw my way the day we met, were the most adorable thing ever. She even went so far as to call me ‘Mr. Blue Eyes’ when she tried to get me to focus on our assignment.”
Huh. I think I may have started falling for her then.
“Seriously? I thought you’d been joking when you’d said she hated you.”
“Naw, man. Totally serious. I was a prick to her, and she totally let me know it.”
A grin spreads across Grey’s face. “I think I might just like Abby a little more, now.”
“Asshole,” I grumble and take a long drink of my now room-temperature coffee.
Grey’s quiet for a few minutes then he surprises me with, “Hopefully, someday, I’ll meet someone I don’t have to question.”
OceanofPDF.com
33
Abby
What’s that saying?
March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb?
Whoever said that had no idea what experiencing a championship tournament for basketball was like as a spectator. Hell. I’m not even that big of a fan, but my concentration is shit. I’m on pins and needles as I watch CRU move through the brackets. I had no idea that CRU was competing against sixty-seven other teams. Thankfully, CRU got an automatic bid to the tournament due to their ranking, but that doesn’t mean they’re getting off easy.
I had no idea what went into these games. According to Drew, CRU’s going in as the number one seed of their bracket. The odds are in their favor, with the opponent being the lowest-ranking team, in that group of sixteen. It’s crazy, I tell you. Thank God, they pulled off that win. It would’ve been sad to see the reigning champs go out in the first round.
I’ve seen little of Drew since it was announced that CRU is in contention. He spends every waking moment preparing for a game, watching film, or studying to keep up with his coursework. I seriously have no idea how he manages to do everything. But through it all, he still manages to think of me. Every morning when I wake up, I find a text from him, and his voice is the last I hear before I fall asleep. The man is burning the candles at both ends. Thank God this tournament only lasts three weeks.
