Page 77 of Game Changer
Ethan deserves it after all he’s done for me.
“I’m buying a bus ticket tonight back to Wickenburg to fight for what’s mine.”
Forty
Ethan
Leo[Attaches photo of a pissed off Ethan with his toiletry bag in hand]
LeoHere’s our sunshine boy in all his glory
MarkSweet. You actually got him to shower. I’m impressed
CameronHe wasn’t showering?? Is it THAT bad?
LeoYup. Smells like ass in our room
MarkHe’ll feel better afterward and return to normal in a few days
LeoWhat is “normal” to you guys? Because the version I live with is a sarcastic ass ninety percent of the time. Not that I’m complaining, though. I live to get under his skin. It’s what makes our friendship so special
MarkSarcastic ass is accurate, but we love him
CameronBasically, yeah
EthanYou all realize that I’m INCLUDED in this group chat, right?
[Silence]
~
I’ve never felt such agony.
Depressed? I’ve felt that before. Anxious? Practically my entire life. But letting Maya go was single-handedly the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and it’s taken every fiber of my being to pick myself back up instead of giving in to the temptation to hole up in this room forever.
Life keeps going regardless of what’s happening to my heart, and where I didn’t have a clue how I wanted my life to unfold when I got here, I do now. Kids are depending on me this weekend, at their last game before winter break. I have a major to change because, despite Maya’s father’s opinion, coaching is what I’ve fallen in love with, and after spending a week and a half stewing in my anger, I refuse to let one person change the course of my life.
I’ve worked hard to get to this place. I have friends who want me to succeed, and for the first time, I want the same for myself because I can envision an end goal. I can vividly picture what I want to accomplish, so although this breakup threatens to tear me apart from the inside out, I have to keep going.
One step at a time.
But at ten o’clock on Thursday night, I open the door to one of only two people I’ll allow myself to fall apart in front of.
Cameron is on the other side with his hands shoved in the pockets of his sweatpants, and judging by the way he sweeps his eyes over my face, he’s debating whether or not to crack a joke. He must notice the exhaustion lining my features, or maybe he can tell how emotionally taxing it’s been for me to pretend that I’m okay when, in reality, it’s difficult to get out of bed each morning.
Whatever the reason, he pulls me in for a hug, and it’s everything I need and more.
I have no clue how he got here, or how long he’s staying, but him showing up for me means more than he’ll ever know. Cameron is my brother, through and through. If anyone can help me sort through the shattered pieces of my heart, it’s him.
My best friend pulls away to study me and frowns at whatever he sees. “Fuck, man. You look worse than I thought.”
“Yeah.” I clear my throat and swipe at my face, cursing the tears that slipped out. “What the hell are you doing here? It’s the middle of the season.”
“Do I need a reason to visit you?” He sticks a thumb over his shoulder and adds, “I ran into Leo downstairs, and he gave me this.” Pulling a blunt out of his sweatshirt pocket, he shakes the plastic bag in front of me and wiggles his brows. “Shall we light her up?”
“You can’t smoke with football.”
“No, but you can.”
