Page 8 of Honey Undone
I couldn’t forget the sight even if I tried.
“You, out of any of us, need a gooddicking,” Kaia said.
I looked to the other girls for help but Rhea clearly agreed and Sunday was spaced out on something in the distance.
“Repeat after me.” Rhea waved her hand in a lazy circle in front of me. “Call him, fuck him, ghost him,” she said.
That wasn’t exactly my style.
“It hurts no one,” Kaia said, “but you will hurt my feelings if you don’t at least find out what’s under those ball pants.”
“For science,” Sunday said with a smile.
“Yeah, science!” Kaia raised both hands in the air.
“Screw every one of you,” I said, “we have to get back to practicing before Coach loses her shit.” I pushed out of the grass, picking up the jersey with me. I left Kaia and Rhea gossiping to put it back in my duffle at the edge of the field.
“You’re still stumbling into that pass, Sarah,” Coach wandered over to me with her hands in her pockets. “One, two, step into it.” She mimicked the movements, “breathe and be ready for the ball.”
“You make it sound easier said than done, maybe I do have my limits?” I questioned.
“I don’t believe that and neither do you,” she scowled at me and her bright blue eyes glared at me until I nodded in agreement. “Go, practice until—”
“My fingers are numb, yeah, yeah.” I cut her off and backed away from the bench to rejoin the team. I flexed my hands, shaking them out as I went back to running drills with Kaia. After an hour or two, I started to get it down,one, two, step into it.I pocketed the ball from the right with more confidence and pushed off my left foot into a hearty sprint. We did it over and over again until we couldn’t breathe and sweat poured down our faces.
“I’m done,” Kaia called time out. “I could throw that pass in my sleep if I had to.”
“I still couldn’t catch it in mine, but it’s better.” I placed the ball down and tried to convince myself.
I looked around and realized that it was just her and I left on the field and the sun was hanging low in the sky. The frustration was quick to mount because in the silence and slowed movements I realized that the second I pushed his stupid smile from my thoughts—my focus returned.
But there he was, like a cricket in the dark.
Fuck.
“I’m going to go shower, I have a date tonight.” Kaia swung her bag over her shoulder and made her way into the building adjacent to our practice pitch. The Shore Center for Athletes was newer, made of glass and navy steel beams that matched most of the other buildings that kept popping up around Harbor.
It was insane to think about how much they owned but I had no complaints, they kept us supplied with gear, a well-kept field and whatever support we needed to play the game. And all I ever wanted was to play rugby.
I sat down on the bench, digging through my bag. I pulled out my phone and then the jersey and laid it across my knee. It bothered me how neat his handwriting was and how quickly my mouth got dry at the thought of him.
My phone lit up and the background of my girls mocked me. Maybe they were right? I needed to relax and who was I to deny a hot guy if he wanted to help me do that…
It could just be fun,temporary.
I stared at my phone trying to think of a way to start the conversation knowing that didn’t make me sound pathetic and needy. Which I wasn’t but the way my heart was racing argued that I was a little nervous.
“Just do it you coward,” I cursed myself and started typing.
Have you figured out my name yet?
I went to set my phone down and it vibrated in my hand.
It took you four days and six hours to start missing me Adeline.
That hurts.
A traitorous smirk formed on my face, and I couldn’t push down the tingling feeling that flickered across my chest. I forgot how much I hated that feeling. Uncontrollable and it made me giggly with anticipation. It would have only taken him a few asks to figure it out but the effort was noted and made me feel special that he was still trying.
