"𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚝𝚘𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚒𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚝 𝚎𝚗𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑."
~~~
𝐙𝐚𝐜𝐡'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕
"You look ridiculous," I fume at the women setting up a makeshift bed on the floor. She continues to drag the second pillow to the ground wearing the most ridiculous amount of clothing.
"I'm not sleeping with you," she argues before pausing to look at me. I don't think I've ever seen her look so determined. It almost hurt.
"If we were sleeping together you wouldn't be opening your mouth to complain about the bed," I reply, making no room to break my gaze from her altogether.
"You know what I meant." She blurts out while rolling her eyes.
"You do as well, Winters."
Heat creeps up her cheeks as she averts her gaze from me, remaining silent.
After a tiring game like today's all I wanted was a comfortable place to rest. No noise, no conversations and definitely not that kind of distraction standing only a few feet away from me
Sighing, I quickly pull my shirt over my head, revealing my naked chest. The sore feeling of my upper body makes me groan in pain. After games I'd usually take an ice bath but today that wasn't going to be possible due to my current situation.
The guys are going to give me hell for this
"I'm going to get ice." She gets up from the ground, stumbling a bit as she clutches her head. I immediately go to grab her but she steps away, taken back by my actions.
"I'm fine," she warns instinctively. She looked nothing but fine. I haven't seen her eat a thing since we sat on the bus.
Because of my bruised ego I can't help the words that leave my mouth. "Didn't ask."
I grab my shorts and take three short steps to the bathroom to avoid the hurt expression that would surely be resting on her face. I hear the front door close not a second later and I let out the breath I've been holding since entering the room.
The night had only begun and I hate to admit I was nervous of the stupid shit that might leave my mouth in the next hour or so. I tended to say the wrong things when I got nervous.
Sage Winters made me nervous. Shit
After texting Coach about our situation he let me know the hotel was fully booked and we couldn't switch rooms even though I was willing to pay for it myself.
The minute I got that keycard I knew something was up. Someone was fucking with me and it wasn't my head this time.
Sage was plaguing my mind constantly and every second I thought about her, guilt overwhelmed me like what I was doing was wrong.
I was tired of feeling guilty over things I couldn't control.
As I let the hot water run my body, instantly my muscles relax at the feeling. I grab the expensive looking shampoo and lather it into my hair giving myself a head massage as well. My hair was growing longer and I needed a cut soon. Luckily Tristen knew a guy.
Once I'm done with untangling and cleansing I begin washing my body working from my face all the way down. The bathroom is now steamy. Fog covers up the mirrors completely and mist clouds the air. I hear the front door open and footsteps follow soon after.
I ignore her obnoxiously loud noises to let me know she's back and rinse the leftover soap off my body.
My eyes shut and unfortunately only one face clouds my mind. As if this wasn't bad enough every unholy thought I've ever imagined is now in the forefront of my brain and my dick springing to life doesn't let me live this down.
There was no way I was going to get rid of it with her right outside so a cold shower would have to do. For tonight.
"I'll tell you everything tomorrow. No, nothing is going on between— us," I hear behind the door.
I make it known that I'm done getting dressed and while I grab the towel from around my neck her next few words to the person on the phone falter completely.
The water dripping down my body must've come as a surprise because her eyes wander as she clears her throat. Twice. Behind all those freckles a rosy color emerges on her cheeks.
I never slept with a shirt on and today would be no different.
"We are n-not," she stutters, going back to her conversation. The shine in her eyes dimmed. I assume because she was thinking of the both of us. Together.
I'm glad the feeling was mutual
"Tell Victoria I said hi," I stated wiping my chest dry. She pauses looking at her phone then back at me. A smirk falls on my lips at her reaction.
It was no surprise Victoria was on the other end of the phone. I had barely seen Sage speak to anyone else on campus, which is not surprising at all due to her status. It only hit me when I couldn't spot her in the stands at today's game that she was trying to conceal her identity and ultimately cut all ties with it.
She whispers a few words before hanging up the phone. "Vic said hi," she admitted tiredly before getting up to shut the lights. In a split second the room goes dark, only the small lights from the microwave and alarm clock that read 11:17 lighting the space.
The dark figure that imitates her shadow comes in my direction as I make my way to the mini makeshift bed on the floor. That thing barely looked comfortable enough for a dog.
I'm sure even her brother wouldn't approve
"What are you doing? I'm sleeping there. Hence why I made it." she whispered in the dark. Clearly forgetting we were the only two in here.
"Get on the bed Sage." I let my head fall on the pillow and on cue she throws another to my head, deciding not to argue with me.
If she thought for one second I was going to let her sleep on the floor she was dumber than I thought. Granted she wanted space and I would respect that even though my back would pay for it.
Making her way to the left side of the bed, I hear the bed dip at the weight of her laying on it. I already had untucked the sheets because everyone knew those were a menace to get from underneath the bed.
I close my eyes trying to search for sleep but it doesn't come. The quiet room along with how tired my body was should've helped. But underneath all the silence that covered the room both of our shallow breaths sounded louder than it should've.
Neither of us were making an effort to sleep or speak. Almost as if our silence said enough. Nonetheless there were a thousand things I wanted to say. Maybe starting with why I made an effort to not fuck up out there tonight. Or why any other day I would've never looked in the stands for more than three seconds.
And lastly why waking up on that bus must've been the highlight of my very fucked up week.
"Zach?" Her voice is gentle. She shuffles for a bit before moving to the side closer to me. Thankfully I'm sleeping on my side and my back is facing her.
"Thank you, Zachariah." She finished while sighing.
I don't reply.
I don't correct her either.
****
Twist and turns is all my night consists of. I rarely got any sleep at the dorm. I don't know why I thought today would be any different.
The last time I got a decent night's rest was in the firm chair next to my mother's hospital bed. The blue and white soles got used to my body filling it before school started and once the last period bell rang.
Everyday I watched my mother forget the life she lived, who she was and who I became. I don't want to stop thinking of her but just for tonight I do.
It's quite enough for me to assume Sage is fast asleep so I get up from the ground as quietly as I can, trying my best to keep my bed intact for when I return.
I noticed the sweatshirt and pants she wore were fully discarded on the nightstand and on her a flimsy tank top and boy shorts barely covered her body.
She looked real
Nothing like those older models I've seen Kelsey with. Her hips had swirls and dips that made her legs look alive. The tank top she wore had risen up showing a minimal amount of stomach that looked soft and full. That chest of hers always made itself easy to spot and I could tell it was an honest insecurity by the way she constantly folded her arms over them, hiding herself when she deserved to be seen.
She slept on one side of the bed as pillows lined up in the middle separating from the opposite end. My lips twitch at the sight of her attempting to say I could sleep on the bed as well, as I try not to stare.
On the nightstand I find the paper we were supposed to fill out on the bus half completed. By the lack of writing It seems I didn't do much of a good job at answering the questions.
Contemplating what I should do next, I threw on a shirt and sat down at the desk in an attempt to complete the written interrogation myself since sleep wasn't coming anytime soon.
That was the reason I kept convincing myself.
After answering a few questions in more detail than I would've liked I hear shuffling behind me. Not the type you hear when someone is sleeping and moving around. The type of shuffling that sounds like a person getting out of bed.
I don't make a move to turn around already knowing the statue of her clothing.
"What are you doing?" she asked hoarsely. I don't deny myself the pleasure of turning my head slightly behind me to catch Sage yawning. Her hair had successfully escaped the head tie, now falling carelessly around her shoulders and face.
"Fixing the answers to my questions," I reply, trying my hardest not to stare.
She sits up before realizing the little clothing she had on and tries to cover up. She grabs her sweatshirt and throws it on, giving me a side glance every so often before speaking, "I'll help. I can't risk you messing everything up."
"That wasn't very nice," I admitted, stretching on the tiny chair.
She glances at me then at the bed before she pats the empty space beside her. "Sit."
I get up and make my way to the farthest side of the bed, before she sighs, grabbing the paper from me. I lay down, stomach up with my legs off the bed. The sheets already smell like her, which only elevates this experience.
Everything about this felt wrong
"Your report is terrible," I say, scanning the other paper. She listed only two positions in the game, mixed up the rules and explained the plays horribly.
Typical
Shrugging at my distaste, she replies "Football is kinda not my thing. We tried our best."
"You mean Isabella told you what she knew and you took her word for it."
"You said it not me," she grins, pushing her hair to the side revealing her neck. Behind her ear I notice a written tattoo behind her ear.
A quote that she is ultimately trying to strive for.
"Be you."
"Vic and I thought we should get fake ones before actually getting the real thing," she says, noticing me staring at the spot covered in black writing.
"I like the placement."
"Of course you do," she answers smugly. I notice she hesitates but continues to lift her mouth into a smile, which catches me by surprise while comforting me at the same time.
I catch myself staring far too long as she reads the answers to my questions so I add, "You're missing key components in this report. Yes the quarterback and receiver are important but the rest of the team should be discussed as well. Without them we would get sacked."
"Sacked?"
"When they throw us on the ground, Winters. God, you have a lot to learn," I emphasized running my hands through my hair.
"Well don't just lay there. Teach me the terminology. That way my paper is published and you're the topic of it," she ends grabbing a pen from her bag.
I look at her but her face shows no hint of laughter or playfulness. She's serious about this and I like it. Her eyebrows furrow as the pen refuses to work, so I hand her mine. Our hands touch slightly which causes me to pull away quickly as I clear my throat.
"First term is touchdown. Touchdowns are quite simple. You should already be familiar with it from today."
"When the football crosses the other team's goal line."
"Correct but that was too easy." I say thinking of a harder question.
"Quiz me. I know more than you think," she replies optimistically.
I guess those fifteen minutes on google boosted someone's confidence.
"What's a field goal?"
"A kick through the goalpost worth three points. Entirely different from the extra point kick." She answers correctly.
"What's a snap?"
"Easy. When the ball is thrown in between the players legs and to the quarterback. That signifies the start of the game." She claps her hand twice knowing she was right as a smile graced her lips. Fast learner as well. Great.
"What about the line of scrimmage?" Not many people knew about this one. I was sure she would stumble at this definition.
She pauses, thinking of an answer. Her thick brows furrow inwards creating a crease in between them. They disappear after a few seconds as she speaks.
"It's the starting line where both teams line up. Nobody from the opposing team can cross it until the football touches the quarterback."
I stay silent while keeping my face neutral.
"Well am I right?" she questions eagerly. Her legs were folded into a pretzel and even though the room was barely lit I was nervous under her stare.
"Incorrect," I reveal a little too happily. She sighs while I chuckle at her pouty lips.
"Hey don't laugh," she scoffed. "I was close right?"
"We'll go with that, since the line of scrimmage is actually imaginary."
"Fuck," she muttered.
We continued liked this for another half hour or so. Sage writing down the terminology while I repeated definitions and scenarios. Surprisingly she was a quick learner. Everytime I defined a word she explained it back to me just as well as any player on the team. Maybe even better.
Occasionally she would yawn in between sentences but that wouldn't stop her. I could tell her first draft of her report was going to be one of the best after spending all this time in amateur football training.
Sage was now lying on the bed, stomach down with her feet dangling in the air. The bottom half of her body was covered in sheets as she recited her conclusion for the second time.
She spoke elegantly and with poise. Practiced her report over until that one part she stumbled on was no longer an issue. I noticed that about her. Everything she did had to be done perfectly or it was wrong. I didn't know where it came from but it was far past it's early stages of perfectionism. It's like everything she did for herself had to be a certain way.
"I think you have it. No need to repeat my winning touchdown at the end of your report."
"Don't flatter yourself," she adds, placing the stuff to the side. I yawn for the third time in the past five minutes. Sleep was starting to creep up on the both of us it seems.
"Listen, I was being a bitch before." We were both lying down and staring at the ceiling. If I moved even an inch to the right we would be touching. She adds, "We can share the bed."
"I was hoping you would say that. That mess on the floor is shit compared to this," I revealed moving further from her.
I was trying to keep as much space between us as possible.
"Yeah well you just stay on your side." She finished before finally letting her eyes close.
I followed soon after.
***
Bang Bang
I ignore the loud noise coming from the door and move my head closer into the warm pillow. I felt hotter than usual but still comfortable.
"Open the goddamn door Zach. I know you're awake in there." Another pounding sound filled my ears. "You're late and coach is gonna have your ass." Dwight's muffled voice yelled behind the door.
As my eyes remained shut in order to avoid the sunlight beaming from the window, I tried to move. Keyword tried. Something was holding me down. More like someone. It was soft, smooth and smelt like vanilla.
"Yo! The both of you need to get the—oh."
"Fuck," I mutter lifting my head from the pillow examining our current state, then dropping it again.
Dwight stood at the front of my bed as Sage had her head tucked under my arms while one of her legs wrapped around my waist. She was a deep sleeper seeing as she made no movements in the past five minutes.
"Well this explains a lot," he says while holding up an extra key card for our room. That's how he got in here I'm guessing.
"Leave now," I add sternly. He throws his head back in laughter before taking a moment to snap a picture of us in this compromising position. I use the sheets to block her body from his camera. But knowing Dwight he would never share them without our consent. I just hated the idea of him having anything of her wearing barely anything in his phone.
The minute the door shuts I try to remove Sage from me. Her lips were parted slightly as soft snoring noises left her mouth. The head wrap she wore last night was completely off and lying at the end of the bed. Underneath her tank top two indents on her breast made itself visible under my gaze.
I tried to move again but it's no use. I would have to wake her myself. Right when I'm about to wake her, her phone ringing on the nightstand does the trick and I see it's my sister's contact that appears on the screen. She blinks a few times, taking a moment to adjust to the light before looking in my direction.
"Winters if you wanted to cuddle you could've just asked." I smirk at her flustered expression as she quickly untangles her limbs from mine. My body decreases its temperature with her movements.
But truth be told I'm eternally grateful I didn't wake up with a semi like I did most mornings because that would've been more awkward than whatever was going on right now.
"Um do you want to-" She starts but I quickly interrupt.
"I'm late for the meeting." I say coldly getting up and throwing in a pair of jeans. I don't care if she's sitting down on the bed looking fucking amazing watching me right now.
This meeting was more important and could potentially determine my future. If I hadn't stayed up late last night bantering like a girl this wouldn't have happened.
I should've just slept on the damn floor.
Once I'm done freshening up in the bathroom I leave the room without sparing her a second glance. She must've been confused by my detached behavior but it shouldn't be new to her.
If I acted like a dick this would be much easier.
For the both of us.
I close the door behind me slamming it harder than I intended and make my way to the elevator where Dwight was waiting texting on his phone.
"Coach is definitely going to kill you," he explains while making a hand motion slicing his neck.
"Shit," I say, patting my pockets. They were flat indicating I indeed left my phone back in the room.
"Yeah I know. It's bad."
"I have to go back to the room." I tell him pinching the bridge of my nose.
"Forgot to give your girl a kiss? Lola hated it when I did that. Going on about what if something happens and all that negative shit. You know-"
"Dwight." I interrupted him.
"Yeah man."
"Shut up and wait here." I ignore his fake hurt expression and turn the corner to walk back to the end of the hall.
I use my keycard to get back into the room and as I open the door Sage avoids my stare handing me my phone. I'm confused and maybe a little hurt at her abrupt actions to get me to leave the room once again.
I shouldn't have been.
"Sa-"
"I think Alexis would like to hear back from you." She says carrying an unfamiliar harshness in her voice.
I look down to see her contact fill my notifications with messages going down memory lane of late nights we used to spend together in various hotel rooms. Stupid freaking heart emojis pop up soon after.
Things couldn't get any worse.
Before I could respond the door slammed in my face which made my jaw clench almost instantly. I thought I had blocked her months ago.
I walk down to the elevator to see Dwight tapping his wrist showing we were late, I ignore him pressing the button that has an arrow pointing down.
"I'm guessing that kiss didn't go well."
I look at him and he turns away pretending to read the elevator inspection tags.
Once we arrive Coach gives me a disappointing look before speaking. "I see this team has picked up on a tardiness issue. So that punishment issued to Diaz yesterday will now extend to the whole team. You all can thank Stone." He voiced with no sympathy for the rest of the guys who were actually on time. I felt bad especially since none of this shit was their fault.
The meeting with the NFL recruit team went better than I would've expected. Each of the guys got to speak privately with a member about their plans, aspirations and dream team they would like to be a part of.
I had an answer for every question and it's probably thanks to Mrs. Rayes assignment sheet we had to answer on the bus ride here. I was able to voice my goals and plans after college that Sage made me realize was also important if I didn't get into the NFL.
After today's meeting it was no surprise things were awkward coming back home. Sage refused to sit next to me and that alone left me awake for the entire five hour drive back.
The complete opposite of how we arrived.
End of Chapter
I hope I did well with this chapter. Thank you so much for 25k reads. It truly means a lot <3
QOTD: Would you rather go back or forward in time five years ?
word count : [ 3927 ]
SEE YOU FRIDAY !!