The Love We Deny ✔️ [COMPLETED]

Chapter 10 - Problems

The drive home was silent. We ended up winning our first game, but this new revelation soured the taste of our team's victory. How could I not have known? Why didn't he tell me? I couldn't help but wonder over and over again as I made my way home.

This could ruin everything. It was written clearly on our cheerleader contract that no contact was allowed with the players. They didn't take this clause lightly. I knew of dancers that had been fired because a paparazzi caught her in the same club as a player. The joke was that she wasn't even talking to them, but the NFL doesn't care about that. I live next door to him and work at the same company. I laughed bitterly at my situation. I was royally screwed.

When I walked up the stairs, I noticed a figure waiting on the stairs leading up the patio above ours. Kyle was sitting there with his headphones on and his eyes glued to his phone. He hadn't noticed me coming up yet and I pondered walking past him without a word but the pull I had towards him was stronger.

"Did you forget your keys or something?" I asked bitterly a striking contrast to our usual interactions. By the end of the drive, I felt betrayed by his omission. He looked up once I was standing in front of him and took his headphones out.

"Hey," he said gently as if testing the waters. He probably thought I was some wild animal that was about to go on a rampage. Well, he wasn't wrong, I had anger and betrayal coursing through me, and it was already hard enough to contain it when I was alone. Now that I was seeing him, it was all threatening to come rushing out in one ugly mess.

"Why didn't you tell me you were a football player for the Beacons?" I asked, deciding to get straight to the point. My feet automatically started to pace the floor in front of our apartments while I tried to sort through each thought coming into my mind. "I mean how hard is it to mention what you do for a living. I mean Jesus, were you purposely hiding this from me?" I asked looking at him in shock. Could that be it?

"No that's absurd!" he negated directly. "Plus, I could ask you the same question. You also neglected to mention you were a cheerleader," he was calm as he said this. It was like I was the only one panicking about this situation.

I laughed humorlessly. Of course, he was calm, he had nothing to lose. If we were caught he wouldn't even get as much as a slap on the wrist while I would be shown the door without a second thought. He couldn't care less. There it was, the selfish football player stereotype I had grown to know from all my years of cheerleading.

"I mean why do you even live here? Don't you get like millions from your football contract?" I finally asked the question that had been bugging me the most. I mean football players were always bragging about their big houses and fancy cars, during a 'who has the biggest ego' contest.

"That's none of your business," he said harshly. I could tell this was a more sensitive topic, but in the state, I was in. I couldn't care less. Well, look who's the one being selfish now?

"Can you not like move or something?" I asked running my hand through my hair. This was an absolute disaster. We were lucky no one had caught us before the season started or I wouldn't even have been able to start my dream before it would have been crushed.

"No, and for the record, I lived here long before you did. So, if anyone should be moving, it sure as hell isn't going to be me," he answered, sounding more aggravated than he was before. Something in me felt satisfied. Probably the part that didn't want to be the only one feeling like I had been put on a rollercoaster meant to crash and burn.

"I don't understand how I didn't recognize you?" I said more to myself than him, but he still answered.

"In your defense, I don't think many people actually know what I look like. I rarely take off my helmet during the game and have a no media clause in my contract," he explained while giving me a small smile.