Chapter 131 THIS SUCKS
Chapter 131 THIS SUCKS
MICAH'S POV
I keep my head down for the remainder of the week, avoiding the main paths and just taking longer routes if I can.
Everytime I see even a flash of a cheer jacket, or hear someone laughing in a familiar tone, I turn the other way instantly.
I don't know yet if Caleb's right, or if I'm being all paranoid than usual, but I'm avoiding her.
Maybe she did set me up with those paparazzi.
Or maybe someone followed us and she had nothing to do with it.
Not knowing and just speculating alone is killing me inside.
I used to think she was the one innocent person I could always trust or be with without overthinking anything, but now… I'm not so sure.
Now even the idea of being close to her feels completely unsafe.
Between the rumors, Alison's threats, my fight with Max and ending things with Dante, I'm running out of people I can trust.
I tell myself I’m fine alone, it's better plus it's the one thing I came here to do in the first place.
I’ve done it before.
I’m crossing the path close to the athletic center when Max stops out instantly from a row of cars like some kind of creep.
What the–?!
The bruise on his jaw is still visible and now the exact color of the ones in my abdomen.
“We need to finish our conversation, Micah.”
I keep walking, already too tired to humor him today. “There’s nothing to finish.”
He jogs to match my pace. “Yeah, there is. I know what I heard that day. You and chick, Savannah weren’t talking about a girl, it was a boy. Plenty of important scouts are going to be at our next two games. I need them looking at me during it, not watching you play the hero next to Dante.”
I stop instantly and turn to face him. “What exactly are you saying?”
Max’s eyes look flat, and tired at the same time. He looks awful.
“All I'm saying is that you’re going to have a couple of nights where you're not feeling well. And that'll make you miss some rotations and some passes while you're at it. I need you to create space so I can show off what I can do without you and Dante hogging everything. You do that and… I'll keep my mouth shut. If you don't, I'll open my big mouth to the right people.”
The threat sits so open in plain air, that it nearly makes me do a double take.
“You’re asking me to tank my playing,” I say with an unsure tone.
“I’m merely telling you to be smart and look at the big picture here. You're young and still have years here. The Championship is so close, don't make this harder than it has to be for both of us.”
He shrugs before stepping farther and farther from me like he's done.
“You'll know when it's time to act, don't make me remind you on how to act.”
He saunters off while my jaw is tight alongside my fist.
The old fear I used to feel starts bubbling once again as I'm reminded of how things can go in this new school.
I turn around and force myself to keep moving.
Back in the suite, the silence is even worse and deafening in my ears.
Dante’s not here yet, and I'm not sure if he's avoiding me or just giving me the space I asked for.
The kitchen still smells faintly of all the spices he likes to use, and of him.
When I open the fridge, I see a leftover container of pasta I know he made for me.
I stare at it for a long time before shutting the door and looking away.
I miss him so bad, it actually hurts me.
And it's not just the intensity or the sex we shared, I miss the quiet things he used to do for me without me even noticing it
The way he'd show up with a plate of whatever he's cooking like it's nothing. The way he'd separate my pasta from the pasta sauce because I like doing it myself.
The safe feeling I always had whenever he'd pull me from behind when I was either sleeping or even brushing my teeth.
The rare nights he's actually slept before me and I'd still wake up tucked right in his arms with one of his hands on my stomach, like he's confirming I'm still here.
Those cuddles made me feel even safer than I'd admit.
I drop to my bed slowly, and rub my face with both my hands.
Ending things was the right call, it has to be!
He… He was overprotective to a frightening degree – it was suffocating me!
I can't go through another bout where someone else's decision decides for me whether or not I can keep playing or how I should.
I can't!
But in the calm quiet and silence, the suite feels too big for me alone.
The quiet continues to keep on pressing on me, and I catch myself listening for the sound of the key turning in the door.
My phone stays down on the nightstand as for the first time, it's quiet.
There's no message from Savannah, or even Dante.
Caleb doesn't text first, plus I'm not expecting anyone to call on the team with all that's happening.
I should feel calm and happy over the silence.
Alison's also stopped disturbing me, so that's a win too.
Instead I'm just stuck staring off in space as the new threat Max said starts pressing right on me.
Underperform and create an opening for him.
Let someone else take exactly what I've been training for months for–
I should risk everything getting turned over and the entire team failing just so he can have his shine.
I roll right over to my side, and stare blankly against the wall for a long time.
I miss the solid heat of another body right behind mine, already having his fingers sneaking right into my underwear, and me swatting it away.
The independence and calm lifestyle I've chosen keep feeling rather dull, and even lonelier than I remember it to be.
Fuck, this sucks.