Page 16 of Player Problems

Stretching my arms above my head, I take a moment to decide about what to do with the bear in my bed. I check the time again and shrug off my worries. He’ll wake up eventually. I’ve got other shit to do. I take my time in the shower, washing my hair and scrubbing my body until my skin feels almost raw. My shower last night didn’t do enough to wash the day away. Drying off, I get dressed in biker shorts and a big t-shirt.

Another yawn stretches my mouth and I struggle to shake off the sleep. Coffee is my first priority. The smell soon fills our small apartment and I would be surprised when a rumpled Isla comes sneaking out of her room, if this hadn’t been our routine for the last year and a half we’ve lived together. Girl’s got a nose on her like a damn bloodhound when it comes to coffee.

“Morning,” she mumbles groggily as I hand her a mug, already made up just how she likes it. She inhales it and I’mamazed her tongue isn’t screaming from the heat. “You’re a goddess.”

I lift my own cup, taking a long sip of the dark roast. It’s already clearing some of the fog from my brain.

“Who let me take a 7:30 class?” she groans, taking another long gulp.

I arch a brow at her still rumpled state. “Who told you fuckers to party so hard on a Sunday?”

Isla flips me off, rolling her eyes. “It wasn’t a party like that.” At my dubious expression, she relents. “Fine, not totally like that. It was mostly chill, until more people started showing up. Then it just got weird.”

She waves it off, finishing her coffee and moving to the fridge as I pull out my laptop and set it on the bar and take a seat. Our apartment isn’t super large or luxurious, but the layout is perfect. Our shared space is small, but open. The kitchen is just a nook in the larger room with a dining area to the side and overlooks the living space. Our bedrooms are on opposite sides of the room, allowing for a bit of privacy.

Pulling up my schedule for the day, I make notes in my planner to account for the last minute changes in the tutoring sessions I have this evening in the library. There’s a new student that I’ve never worked with before that was just added. Clicking on his notes, I see it’s an athlete that is in danger of falling below the required gpa in order to play. At least his courses are all taught by professors I’ve worked with before. It shouldn’t be too difficult to adjust other tools I’ve already created to fit his needs.

A bowl of yogurt with granola, fruit, and chia seeds is placed in front of me. Just how I like it. I look up and smile my thanks at Isla. She winks and takes her seat beside me, her own bowl in front of her.

“What’s on the agenda today?” she asks, digging into her breakfast.

I briefly look over my schedule once more before answering her. “Homework, classes from ten to four, tutoring from four-thirty to eight-thirty, then closing shift at the bar. I won’t be home until after midnight, so feel free to bring that boy toy over.”

Her look of concern dissipates as it’s replaced with embarrassment, her cheeks tinged a bright pink as she flips me off. “Don’t try to distract me with Wells. It won’t work.”

I arch a brow. “It won’t? Then why don’t you tell me why you came home alone last night.”

She sputters, her blonde hair flaring around her shoulders as she shakes her head. “I want to take things slow this time,” she mutters quickly.

Guilt churns my stomach at the expression on her face. The unease and self-doubt she allows to creep in every once in a while after her last relationship failed so spectacularly. I could kill the asshole who broke her heart.

“I’m sorry, Lala,” I say, using her childhood nickname, we rarely ever use anymore. “It’s not your fault Brad was a cheating and judgmental asshole. You couldn’t have done anything differently to make him stay loyal.”

She sighs, mixing her yogurt in her bowl without taking another bite. “I know, just maybe I would have realized before I gave myself over to him so completely. Maybe if I hadn’t told him–”

Patting her back, I lean my head against her shoulder, cutting her off. “You couldn’t have hid that part of yourself forever and it wasn’t fair of him to react the way he did. Asshole.” She smiles and leans closer to me and I continue. “Plus, it might be too late to hold your heart back from Wells,” I whisper. “I think he’s worth the risk.”

“I agree,” she says. “But I’m enjoying taking it slow. The newness of it all.” After a moment she huffs in annoyance. “Butthat doesn't mean I’ve forgotten about you working yourself into an early grave.”

I roll my eyes at her dramatics. “Today is the only day this week I work both jobs. I’ll even be able to sleep in tomorrow.” It’s not a lie. At this point in time, I’m not on the schedule for the bar until the weekend when I don’t tutor. She doesn’t need to know I’ll most likely get called in on Thursday.

Isla opens her mouth to say something, but stops herself, the light in her eyes going out a little. She knows better than to argue, knows there is no other choice for me. For my family. Sometimes life deals you a tough hand and you have no choice but to let it defeat you, or survive.

“I’m fine. I promise,” I assure her before she worries herself into a fit. “As long as I get my homework done before class, I’ll have plenty of time to rest.”

She grunts her acknowledgment, taking several bites of her yogurt while I start in on my assignments. A few moments later she nudges my side as she gets up to put her bowl in the sink. “What time are you at the club on Friday?”

“The closing shift,” I answer without much thought. Closing means I won’t be able to go to any parties with her, but her Chesire grin makes me think maybe I should have lied.

“Perfect, come to the game with me. It’s their first exhibition game and I promised Wells I’d go.”

“I don’t even know what that means,” I say, waving her off.

A throat clears from behind us. “It’s like a scrimmage. We play like a real game, but the score doesn’t affect the standings or our individual stats.” Baylor winks at Isla as her face once again turns scarlett, her eyes flashing back and forth between the two of us.

“You didn’t tell me you had company,” she hisses under her breath before giving him a shy smile.

I shrug, wave to Baylor and turn back to my laptop.

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