HIS FAVORITE GINGER ✓

FORTY.

...I'll find comfort in my pain...

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Grayson

"Nothing confuses girls more than when a rich and sexy guy asks if she has a boyfriend. They are always like 'sometimes I do, sometimes I don't."

The whole team bursts into laughter at Gerard's gospel truth. I badly wanted to laugh with them and make merry. This is most likely the last bonding moment with my teammates. We have gone a long way since first year when we were just puny juniors aspiring to be the next king of Crescent.

"You don't look excited." Montgomery's large arms pressured my slim shoulders and his gargantuan grin pressured my weak retinas.

"I'm ecstatic." I didn't intend to be sarcastic, it came out wrong and now I'll have to drain the already finished emotional energy in me to dodge their 'concerned' questions but I was surprised when he didn't pull out a face of pity or concern.

"When you wanna talk, you know I'll be available."

Pfft. Like that will ever happen.

My eyes widened in realization that I scoffed aloud. I glanced at Montgomery who didn't seem hurt at all. He just shrugged and abandoned me for the rest of the team on the far end of the bleachers.

"Dammit, Grayson." I slapped my face half a dozen times. This is what happens when I'm in emotional distress. The emotions start to leak out of me till I end up destroying almost everything and everybody in sight.

Luckily, I could see my guardian angel walking towards me. His cinnamon hair was gelled to the back; most likely with sweat. His green eyes burning like my jade bracelet.

"You don't seem like yourself."

"I'm never myself." I objected.

"Then I don't even know if we are even best friends anymore."

I sighed and brought my legs up to my chest, my dirty training shoes staining the seat but I couldn't care less. "I'm sorry, Dam. It's just that nowadays—"

"I understand." Damien cut me off. "With everything going on in your life, it's no surprise that you don't see me as the shoulder you used to cry on—"

"Please don't." I cupped his hands in mine and rested my head on his shoulder. People often mistake our friendship for a relationship when it's just that we're more than close, we were brothers. Damien has been my guardian angel since Taylor abandoned us. Ever since my mother died, we've been distant. Maybe this is even the cause of my problems, I've been distant from my guardian angel for far too long. Maybe that's why my life is crashing on me.

Maybe that's why Alejandro Bale is crashing it over me.

"It's Alejandro."

"What?"

"Alejandro is ruining my life."

Damien's one-minute laughter initially came out in chuckles. His high tenor echoed through the entire field till tears came out of his eyes. Damien was that kind of friend with a lunatic sense of humor and trust me when I say it's annoying as hell.

"What's so funny?" Offended, I jerked my head away from him.

"It's just," He snorted. "I never imagined you ever falling in love."

"When did I ever mention something like that?"

"Since Alejandro Bale came into your life, you started reeking of love that it's so nauseating."