Not So Loved (West Coast Campus Series Book 2)

Chapter 15

"You have some competition, Capt." Cam laughs, taking the seat beside me, Rhys directly across.

"I think Liam won this time." Allie says, winking at Liam who goes beet red in response.

After everyone's dished up, a comfortable talk goes around the table.

Noah and Allie are doing their own thing, Noah pulling Allie's chair closer so she can rest her head on his shoulder, him murmuring something to her that has her eyes slipping closed, her food untouched on the plate.

Allie isn't the only one sleeping. Mike is passed out at the end, using Tyler as a head rest, who is also zonked out.

"How old are you guys?" Liam asks, salad dressing all over his face.

"Most of us are nineteen and twenty." Rhys replies, handing him a napkin.

Liam's eyes go wider than dinner plates. "Wow! You guys are so old. Did you know I play hockey too?"

Rhys and Liam chat like that for the rest of dinner while I make conversation with Kyla, who I've become closer with out of all of them, besides the obvious player sitting across from me.

"Have you two fucked yet?"

I choke on my wine.

"Kyla. I told you, we haven't fucked. You'll be the first too know if we do."

No, she won't. But it's the right thing to say as she grins, her lips turning down at the sight of Allie's plate.

Noah catches her eye and he shakes his head discreetly. Kyla blows out a breath of worry.

I narrow my eyes. "Why do you guys baby her so much? You all worry about her like she's going to walk off a cliff or something."

I'm being harsh. I know.

My periods being a bitch but it's something that's been on my mind every time I see Allie. Noah constantly coddles her like a puppy and even his teammates treat her like some hero.

Kyla flinches like I slapped her. "We don't baby her. We love her. She does a lot for us and for the team."

I snort, a flash of pain spreading from my stomach to my back.

I hate my uterus.

"Uh. Yeah, you guys do. Like how someone always has to be with her when she comes into the cafe, always has to be by Noah's side. She's like a fucking puppy. Always nagging for attention." I slam my utensils down. "She doesn't even have the decency to eat anyone's food that they brought to her potluck."

If I were to have fallen asleep at the table when I was younger, I would have a broken jaw. If I didn't eat my food, three broken ribs.

I speak from experience. So for her to do everything that would have gotten me punished while she gets to sleep, it has something snapping inside of me.

I blow out a harsh breath after I'm done speaking, the table now deathly quiet as I look around.

Everyone's staring directly at me. Rhys's eyes are closed with disappointment, Cam and Mike turning so red I think steam actually comes out of their ears.

I must have spoken just a smudge louder than I thought.

I'm about to clear my throat but Allie beats me to it, suddenly awake and aware.

Oh shit.

Her chin trembles but she manages to keep the tears from flooding, her hands shaking on the table. "Excuse me. I-uh, need to use the bath-bathroom."

She's in such a hurry to leave that she completely forgets her crutches, dragging her one foot behind her as she hobbles down the hall, slamming the door shut behind her.

Noah pushes his chair back so hard it actually tumbles and hits the wall, his hands clenched by his sides. "You need to leave. Now."

His voice booms over the quietness, hurt evident in his own voice.

I swallow. "Noah, I-"

"No. Don't you dare fucking apologize right now. Especially not to me. You're so fucking clueless, Maeve. All she wanted to do was be your friend. She invited you to Shaw's for over seven months, each time you declined with an eye roll that you thought she wouldn't notice. She invited you to games, girls night outs, fucking Christmas dinner, the first without her parents, may I add. And each time, you said no," He snaps, slamming his hands down on the table, startling Liam. "She was so fucking excited for you to come tonight. She even went out and bought a fucking Nintendo Switch for Liam so he wouldn't be bored. So don't you dare apologize. Get the fuck out of my house."

Noah tells me, a forehead vein popping as he walks down the hall cursing.

I grimace at the truth of how I've been treating her and everyone else, pushing them aside like garbage.

Rhys stands, gently grabbing Liam's arm and his bag, coming to stand beside me.

"You need to leave, Maeve." Kyla whispers, not even looking at me.

I nod to my feet, standing and hauling Liam into my arms, needing the comfort.

"I'm sorry." I tell them, no one even looking at me as I leave, Rhys right behind us.

He doesn't look at me as we haul into my car, doesn't speak to me on the drive home or when I step into the apartment and tuck Liam into bed, coming back out to find him sitting on the couch.

"Right after Capt and Allie started dating, there was an incident on the ice where I was shoved against Cam and we both hit the boards. Our team medic was worried about us both having career ending concussions so we both had to ride to the hospital."

He pauses when I go sit beside him, listening contently.

"Since the game was still going on, no one could come with us. But you know who did? Allie. She rode in the ambulance with us both and she's deathly scared of anything related to hospitals and doctors. She stayed with us both when we got checked out." He chuckles at the memory.

"God, was she so scared but it didn't bother her. She even held Cam's hand while they put some needle into his arm because he hates needles. She stayed with us, kept us company until the team could get there. That, was one of the many reasons we all love her so much. Not because she's Noah's girlfriend but because she makes everyone feel so welcome."

I swallow back my regret. "I-I didn't mean it like that."

He gives me a sad smile. "Yeah, you did. You know Tyler? He was so scared about coming out to us. We all kinda knew but we wanted him to tell us. Apparently he burst out crying in front of Allie one night while we were at a bar. He didn't tell me what she said to him but whatever she said, I think it helped him accept himself and a few days later, he came out. Allie was so proud."

He smiles at the memory before his face goes hard, standing abruptly, moving toward the front door.

"Do better, Maeve. You could have so many people caring about you if you put as much effort in as they do with you." He says, grimacing at the truth.

Then he leaves.