I Hate Football Players 3 | 18+

Chapter 19: Logan

Once I realized how hopeless I was at UCD, I gave up. My focus shifted, I embarrassingly watched a lot more cooking blog videos, spent a lot of time alone, and waited patiently.

Just friendship with Ellie isn't what I want but I've waited this long, I can wait until she's ready.

My life at UCD took a turn for the better when I met Saswhin, a graduate student in the Engineering department, his wife Nallini, and their six-year old son Dal the second week my freshman year. Nallini's curiosity and ridiculous cooking skills led to how I'd confessed to them why I lived alone in married student housing. The two years we were neighbors, they'd encouraged me to wait and chase my 'sōl sahacaruḍu' Ellie, or my soulmate.

The last day of my sophomore year, when Saswhin earned his PhD, Nallini invited me over for their celebratory dinner. They'd planned a bigger celebration back in Andhra Pradesh, but offered pile upon pile of food and romantic advice during that last meal together.

"You're a natural romantic," Nallini had gushed with a big smile, which earned her a confused look from Saswhin. "Any girl should love to be pursued like that."

"Or terrified," Saswhin added with a grin. Once I looked at him, he laughed his usual warm, hearty laugh and waved a hand at me. "No offense, but look at him, Nallini. He's as big as a tank."

"Thanks Sas." I just shook my head then looked over at Dal, who at this point was almost eight. "Take care of your parents in San Diego, okay?"

"Someone has to," he joked but his smile definitely wasn't a happy one.

"Hey, we'll keep in touch. I'll give you guys my number and save yours," I promised. "You can call me anytime, Dal. And if you're ever in Seattle then you all have a set of tickets to the game on me."

They knew nothing about football when we first met, cricket was their sport, and I needed to bring them to a game before they understood I played American football, not soccer. All three of them attended the Aggies' home games, where Nallini packed a three-course meal and they picnicked on the grass endzone for families. By the time we left in our separate directions, they'd definitely become armchair quarterbacks.

"Okay, I think we have everything." Ellie's eyes scanned over our very full grocery cart. "This is like four times the amount of food I just bought but I think it'll stretch over five days."

At the registers, she stepped ahead of me and stood in the front of the cart while I hung at the back, followed behind her, and tried my best so my eyes stayed high enough instead of checked out her ass like I wanted to. While we waited in line, she turned back and said, "I still don't work tomorrow afternoon so I'll cook everything for the rest of the week tomorrow. But we'll just have the rest of the lasagna tonight, if that's okay."

"Ellie, you know you don't really need to -" I started when the firm look on her face ended those words. "But I really appreciate it."

She turned around but not before I heard her muttered, "Least I can do."

Only this girl would say that. I set up an apartment switch and she feels like she owes me.

The thought rumbled a low chuckle in my chest. After the two people ahead of us paid, the grocery belt opened up and Ellie started filling it. I noticed she left a big gap on the right, closest to us, where she hadn't put anything.

"It pinches down." She stepped back and pointed at the narrowing where the register was. "Wouldn't want to squish your produce."

My mind went another direction, especially with how Ellie leaned over the cart and flashed a slight view down the front of her T-shirt. Just the sneak suggestion of the swell of her breasts stirred interest in me.