Page 53 of Fair Catch
“Nothing out of the norm,” I lied.
Clay pursed his lips telling me he saw right through it.
Still, he let the lie stand, at least long enough for him to get in his first set of ten reps. Then, he sat up, chugged water, and spritzed a little bit of it into my face.
“The fuck!?” I toweled off my face, looking at him like he was insane or had a death wish or both.
“What’s going on?”
“Nothing. Other than you being a prick and spraying me with water.”
A few of the guys training on the leg press machine beside us glanced our way, but Clay gave them a look that told them to mind their own business before his eyes were on me again.
“Look, I’m glad you’re getting out whatever frustration this is here and not letting it get inside your head at a game, but it might help to talk about it.”
“Talking is overrated. Let’s go,” I said, nodding to the bar.
Clay flattened his lips, but laid back and got in position, repping out another set.
When he sat up again, he balanced his elbows on his knees, glancing up at me as sweat beaded on his forehead.
“It’s Riley, isn’t it?”
My nostrils flared just at the sound of her name, and I looked around to make sure no one had heard him say it.
Clay laughed a little, like my reaction was answer enough. He shook his head then, lowering down for his last set. When he finished, he stood, wiping down the bar and bench with a wet wipe before he slugged me in the arm.
“Come on. Let’s take a walk.”
I was silent as he led us out to the field, and we walked the sidelines of it, a brisk pace that was more like a jog than a walk. For a while, he let the silence linger, but when we were out of earshot from anyone else, he called me out again.
“It would drive me mad, too,” he said, arms swinging in time at his sides. “Living with her, pretending like she’s just your teammate.”
“She is just my teammate.”
“Right. But that’s not all you want.”
I gritted my teeth, picking up our pace.
“Have you tried talking to her?”
I wanted to just keep ignoring him, to pretend like I didn’t hear him or make it clear I didn’t want to talk about it. But obviously, he saw what no one else did — or at least, what I hoped no one else did.
And if I was being honest, I needed advice.
I had no fucking clue what kind of shit I was in.
“This stays between us.”
It wasn’t a question, wasn’t a request — it was a threat, and Clay gave me a look like he was offended I’d even insinuate otherwise.
I sighed, feeling sick as I gave life to the words that had been beating around in my head all week. “She’s only barely started talking to me at all.”
Clay clicked his tongue. “Ah. She did kind of seem like she hated you there at the beginning of the season.”
“Not sure those feelings have changed.”
“You guys went to high school together, didn’t you? Did something happen? Why the hostility?”
My heart stung so fiercely in my chest that I stopped running altogether, hanging my hands on my hips as we pulled to the side of the field. I focused on my breathing, squinting against the setting sun as my eyes trailed the empty stands.
“Shit… that bad, huh?”
I shook my head. “Worse than you can imagine.”
“Did you fuck her best friend or something?”
I snorted a laugh. “I would have preferred that, honestly. I would have preferred anything but what actually happened.”
Clay just waited, not pushing, his massive arms folding over his chest as he watched me.
“Her brother is my best friend,” I said after a minute. “Has been ever since we were kids. When we were sophomores, we were out at a party. I was supposed to be our designated driver.”
Clay’s shoulders sagged. “Shit…”
He already knew where it was going.
I shook my head. “Gavin had been talking to this girl… Kaylee. And they got in a fight at the party, and Kaylee made out with one of the wide receivers on the team — a guy who Gavin never got along with because he was a pigheaded asshole.”
“A real Kyle Robbins, huh?”
I couldn’t even laugh, but I nodded. “Exactly.” I swallowed, shaking my head. “Gavin was messed up over it. He started drinking heavily, and wanted me to drink with him. So I did.”
I knew how it sounded. There was no excuse for the designated driver to drink — regardless of who wanted them to. I could have said no. I should have said no.
“It wasn’t long before he just needed out of there,” I continued. “I tried getting us an Uber, but he didn’t want to wait. He was like… shaking, all fired up.” I paused. “I think he didn’t trust himself to stay any longer without fighting the guy Kaylee made out with, or fighting with her, or something else he’d regret.”
