Ty flashes a fake grin at everyone and pulls me over toward the bathrooms where there isn't anyone in close listening range.
"You of all people should know what that lifestyle's like. I was hoping you'd be able to help me adjust to it."
"What's that supposed to mean? That type of lifestyle? My dad kept me hidden from it as much as possible."
"I don't understand why you're getting so upset; it was one phone call."
"Because it means that other people know who I am too. It's not going to be just one, it'll become a dozen, then a hundred, and so on until it's nonstop people calling and harassing me to speak about you."
"I'm so sorry to be putting you out," he replies sarcastically. He's never spoken to me like that before, so it flairs my temper even more.
"Maybe I'll just tell them all that I'm not your girlfriend then." Stubbornly, I cross my arms across my chest, getting defensive.
"Well maybe, that's a great fucking idea then," he growls and storms off, slamming through the cafeteria doors on his way out.
I swear every eye in the entire place is on me. Nosey bastards. They should mind their own business. Tyler and I shouldn't concern any of them.
Brianne tosses mine and Ty's food in the trash bin and makes her way to me. "You okay, woman?"
I shrug. What can I really say? Am I okay? Not really.
I'm sorta pissed and freaking out over this whole football thing. It was okay to think about it but with one phone call, the reality sets in. He's going to go pro, and if I want a life with him, it'll be in the pro spotlight. Women will constantly be throwing themselves at him and attempting to cause trouble. They're relentless and will do anything to try and drive us apart. Then there are the headhunters and organizations that'll harass me, thinking if they win me over then Ty will choose them or that we'll have loads of money to donate to whatever causes they represent. I'm starting to get why my dad just up and decided to become a biker. He was fed up with it all. He merely wanted to live his life, and that meant he had to basically disappear. I get it now.
"Do you want to go sit outside and talk about it?"
She's a good friend, and I'll need to talk about it with someone-possibly her-but not right now. I'm too upset that I may say something that I don't really mean. Tyler's already pissed at me over me freaking out, that he just tore out of here like his ass was on fire.
"Thanks, lady, but not right now. I think I just want to go back to the room, put in my headphones and lose myself in some good music."
"You should go find Ty."
"And say what?"
"I don't know, but I've never seen him upset like that when it comes to you. Don't let something good slip away because you're're too busy being stubborn."
"How do you know it was my fault?"
"You forget I've known you since second grade. I love you, but you can be hardheaded when you want to."
Absently, I nod, hearing her but not really listening to what she's saying. Should I go find him? He should be the one to apologize to me. I'm not changing his life completely; it's the other way around.
"Look, if not him, then maybe call your dad. He's a guy; maybe he knows how to deal with Ty?"
"Yeah, probably. Thanks, Brianne. I'll see you later." It comes out monotone, but I have too much going on in my head at the moment.
"Wait, you don't want me to come with you?" She asks, resting her hand on my arm, appearing a bit more worried about me.
"No, I'm okay, really. I want to be alone and just think."
She nods, "Okay, text me if you need anything."
"Thanks." I smile a small smile as she hugs me and then makes her way back over to Kash.
Leaving the cafeteria, Jada and her groupie trash all stare and giggle as I pass their table.
Like they have any clue what our conversation was about. Losers.
I walk well into the night until my feet feel like they may fall off, before deciding that it's a good time to head back to the dorms. The few hours I've gotten to myself didn't accomplish much, besides a dozen texts from various people asking what I was doing or where I was. It also made me realize that I may have overreacted just a bit at lunch with Tyler, but I couldn't help myself. It's a huge deal, and when they start calling other people on your behalf to try and sway you, well then that's seriously a big thing. As in it doesn't happen often, and they've obviously been watching Tyler a lot longer than we've thought. NFL teams don't just call up college players and multiple teams at that.