•SIXTY SIX pt2•

240 8 3
                                    

I looked around and it felt like every glance from another person was judgment. All people do is judge it felt like their eyes were burning into me...

"Stephen I love you. But I can't love you enough for this to be any more than what it is..."

==

"I know it's not fair to drop this all on you. I know your rules. But I'm not an athlete I've been your friend for almost nine years. Blake, you know me!" His voice was desperate. You could see the strength it took to keep him composed but he was slipping.

"I know you love my B... you can let yourself be happy"

"I do love you but even you said-"

The emotions at the table were swirling as Stephen cut me off.
"I know and it was a joke- a bad one at that. In nearly a decade I haven't done anything to break your trust or intentionally hurt you. Why can't we see if this works?"

"You're not just gonna walk away from your life in the spotlight. All the partying and girls-"

"There has not been a single girl in my life since I met you. You told me two weeks after I met you that it's unattractive when people have body counts longer than a highway and then you apologized because you said you were being judgmental but I didn't care because it was your opinion I valued your opinion judgmental or not"

He quickly stopped talking and leaned back in his chair as our waitress came to clear the table, we never even heard her coming, both too invested in our conversation, but it was in our best interest to keep it away from a stranger.

He asked for the check before she quietly took the dishes away from the table going to collect the check.

"I don't need you to answer tonight I never even expected you to answer that quick I just want you to think about it. I'll do anything to prove to you this will not be a fling. It's not just for sex I want to be with you, Blake"

I sat there motionless, feeling that familiar burning sensation behind my eyes. I don't know why I'm getting so emotional right now, maybe it's from being so overwhelmed? But I can't get my mind to produce a response. I can't move. I stare at him dumbfounded. Embarrassed how I'm handling the entire situation.

"Blake please just say something. You don't have to answer right now just say something."
The waitress drops the check on the table while walking past. She must be very used to sensing when her presence is unwanted at a table.

"I don't know what to say." I opened my mouth but quickly chose against it needing a different path "I don't want to hurt you"

"You won't. I knew the risk of it"
Stephen pulled out his wallet skimming through the bills. He carries more money in his wallet than I make it a week.
He put down four one hundred bills, over double what our total was before standing up and extending his hand out to mine.
"I'll take you home so you can have some alone time"

Biting my lip trying to suppress the tears but failing as a tear slipped from my eye and I whispered a small 'I'm sorry' as I stood with him.

He put his arm around my shoulders allowing my face to bury into his side shielding my crying face from other guests. He walked us to his black Audi parked front and center opening my door for me.

Every time I looked over at Stephen during our drive back to my house he would meet my gaze and give me a small smirk, I think he was trying to convince me he was okay with everything that transpired earlier but the veins that are prominent on his flexed arm are telling a different story. He's tense. Maybe annoyed? Angry? I don't know but he's not letting me see that side right now. I don't know if he's pretending everything is okay for my sake or his own.

Stephen Curry imaginesWhere stories live. Discover now