There was a bump, and I looked up. Avery stared down at me.
“Hey,” I said.
“Hey yourself. Good game.”
“Thanks.”
“You destroyed them.”
“I tried to.” I sat up. “Ready to take my measurements, nurse?”
She just smiled and got to work. I stripped off my shirt and let her do her things, watching her the whole time.
It was strange. I had just won one of the biggest games of my college career, but all I wanted to do was sit in this room with Avery. I didn’t care that she was just taking measurements and wanted to keep me at a distance. This was all I wanted.
“You look good,” she said.
“I’m aware.”
“I mean your vitals. You’re in amazing shape, you know.”
“I work out a little bit.”
She laughed. “I bet. Just a little jogging here and there.”
“Nothing more.”
“Sure.” She shoved a thermometer in my mouth. “Listen, I just want to say this while you can’t respond. Today’s game was amazing, and I’m really proud of you. I’m glad you put all that other stuff behind you.”
I smirked at her and nodded. When the thermometer beeped and she took it out of my mouth, I took her hand. “I’d like to be behind you.”
She laughed. “You had a few seconds to think of something to say, and that was the best you could do?”
“Sorry. I spent most of my brainpower on the field.”
“That’s fair. I’ll give you a pass.”
She had finished up and started to put her stuff away.
“Come out with me,” I said suddenly. “I’m meeting some guys at Dom’s. Then we’ll probably go to a party or something. Come celebrate with me.”
She smiled. “I can’t. I’m sorry. I’m feeling like shit. Did you know being pregnant isn’t really very fun?”
“At least you’re glowing.”
“Glowing,” she said, frowning. “Why do people say that? I’m not glowing. I don’t feel like I’m glowing. I feel tired and cranky and sick.”
“You’re still sexy as hell,” he said, “regardless of how you feel.”
“Thanks, but I’m still not coming out.”
“Okay then. Your call.”
She smiled again at me, and I could tell that she was enjoying herself. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Okay?”
“See you.”
She stood up and left the locker room.
I slowly gathered my stuff, throwing my shirt back on.
As stupid as it was, that little moment in the locker room with Avery was something I had been looking forward to all day. Even during the game, I couldn’t help but think about her on the sidelines while the defense was playing. I had scanned the crowd, wondering where she was, but couldn’t see her of course. I had managed to get her tickets for the rest of the season, but I didn’t know where the seats were exactly.
It was stupid, idiotic. She didn’t want anything else from me. She just wanted me to be a part of our baby’s life.
But I wanted more, and I was going to get it.
Dom’s was loud and packed. When I got there I was greeted with cheers and cameras flashing from students who wanted pictures. It was totally weird to have your peers taking picture of you, but I smiled and high-fived everyone before finally ending up at the bar with Hynes.
I sipped a beer but wasn’t in the mood. People were jubilant, taking shots and laughing, and the music was up loud. But for some reason, the whole place felt wrong to me.
I couldn’t figure out what it was. I just wasn’t in the mood to party. Normally, after a win like that, I’d be out of my mind with joy. And I was happy, but I didn’t much feel like being in a packed room, drinking with strangers, talking to people I didn’t care about and who didn’t really care about me.
A couple hours passed. I managed to drink a beer or two, but nothing to make me feel drunk. Finally, the crew decided to move the party to some house just off campus.
We got outside. Hynes was making some joke to Drinkwater about the game, and Reggie was off being the prissy little fuck he was. I looked off into the distance and realized something.
“Hynes,” I said.
“What up?”
“Look, man, I got something to do.”
“Hell yeah you do. You got to party your fucking face off, for tomorrow we have more practice.”
I laughed. “No, man. Something else, something I’ve been meaning to do all day.”
“All right. Whatever, man. Are you coming out later?”
“Probably. I’ll meet you there.”
“Cool. Go do your thing.”
I nodded and headed off, my mind made up. It was around nine at night, but the campus was still alive with people excited from the win. I made my way past the stadium, trying not to get recognized, though I did have to give a few handshakes and pictures.