Game Theory × NH

041 | niobium

The article listed our answers from the questions the girl asked about eating habits and who our favorite footballer was, boring things like that. I skipped those questions and went down to the ones I knew Jace was referring to.

As we all know, Niall Horan got a red card at their last away game from punching one of the opponent players in the face. As soon as the news was released, rumors were flying as to why he would risk something like that... and then it made all the sense in the world. Why else would anyone do something so stupid if not out of affection?

I asked Horan about Lynn Mercury in the library last Sunday and he didn't seem excited to answer, but I didn't take a no for an answer. When I asked him how it was like to work with a girl, it took him a while to answer.

"It's hard, but doable," Horan said eventually. "We're all used to playing with males that we forget that we need to watch what we say in front of her and to make sure we're not too rough. But that was in the beginning. Lynn won't let you get away with treating her like a princess. She came into this sport knowing exactly what to expect, and she won't take anything less."

I then asked him if it was distracting to play with Lynn since he doesn't think of her as one of the lads.

"No," he had plainly stated. Horan then made up an excuse to leave. I was left sitting there with an empty question that answered more than he probably anticipated.

Hoping for some more insight, I hunted down Lynn. She was on her way to The Courtyard Bar for work and the only way she would answer the questions was if I walked with her. I wasn't about to let her slip through my fingers again, so I did as she asked.

I skimmed through her responses, ignoring the fact that she said I had a big ego because, well, she was right.

But it wasn't until I asked about her and Horan's chemistry together did things start to get interesting. She never gave me an answer, but when her boss interrupted us; the relief in her eyes was obvious, which was enough of an answer for me.

Now I only have one more question: What's really going on in those locker rooms?

I closed the newspaper and threw it a few feet away on the floor, disgusted. Jace was looking at me, waiting for my reaction, but I just shook my head and stood up.

"What do you think Coach will think about this?" Jace asked, watching my every move.

"I don't give a shit what he thinks," I snapped. "What I'm more concerned about is the sanity these people have. All they should be worried about with me and Lynn is if we'll win the next game, not the possibility of our budding romance."

Jace picked up the newspaper and looked around, probably making sure we were alone before continuing. "I know it's not ideal, but Coach always told us that publicity is publicity."

"This isn't how I wanted to get my name out there..."

I wanted to go professionally, everyone on the team did. I worked my ass off to become captain and to have a name for myself only for it to be tarnished because of rumors that weren't even true. I wasn't even sure who to blame because it wasn't like Lynn had a choice in this either. We would forever be known in the football industry as those-two-players-who-most-likely-shagged-during-halftime.

I haven't spoken to Lynn in the past three days out of fear and shame. I was disgusted with myself for the things I had said to her at The Courtyard Bar, and what made it worse was that I only said it in spite. I never should have made the comment about Bradley, but it just came out. I didn't mean it, I was just pissed she was diminishing Alina like something less than what she was to me.