73. king
CHAPTER 73
KING
CLOCKING IN AS A MANNEQUIN
After an early morning practice, I was planning on spending my break unwinding between Willow’s legs, but I was surprised when she asked if we could take the rail into downtown Houston. I was even more surprised to see June chatting with her at the station.
"What are we doing?" I asked.
"You do realize it’s ninety-five degrees?" June pushed. "You’re going to get heatstroke in a hoodie."
"We’re going shopping," Willow said simply and stepped on to the train.
We sat close to each other and every time I tried to ask a question, Willow patted my thigh like a pet who kept misbehaving.
"I panicked yesterday," June told me, leaning across the aisle.
I grunted, confused, and they explained about Adam’s intervention. I couldn’t hide my irritation. He couldn’t lay off me for five seconds.
"I’m done with the secrets," Willow said. "Everybody’s finding out."
"I’m not finished with your mom’s book yet."
"That’s not the defining point here, King. They think I’m a bad girlfriend. They said it to my face!"
"They don’t know she’s you. You’re an amazing girlfriend."
"To be fair, Adam said it," June said. "We don’t listen to him."
"King, you’re falling asleep during meetings," Willow said, annoyed. "Dan told me about how accommodating they’re being for your family issues—I know you’re saying that to go to my shows."
I grunted.
"You want to add something to that?"
I grunted again.
"You’re going into your senior year, you’re a team captain, your friends shouldn’t be worried about you, your coaches shouldn’t think you’re checking out."
"It’s an adjustment period. I’m still figuring the schedule out."
The train came to our stop in the middle of downtown and Willow left the platform. "We’re not doing the night calls anymore."
" Huh? "
I rounded past Willow and June, trying to stop Willow, who ducked from me and kept walking.
"What do you mean we’re not doing the night calls anymore?"
"We’re not doing them. You’re not getting enough sleep."
June shrugged when I glanced at her, because I really didn’t know if I heard Willow correctly and needed that third party confirmation. Neither of the girls answered when I repeated my question, they were focused on heading inside a clothing store.
They didn’t even wait for me. They skipped right in.
"We’re not stopping the calls," I said before looking around. "What are we doing here?"
"We’re buying clothes."
"This is a dude’s store."
"We’re buying you clothes."
"I have suits?"
"Because it’s a Lawson requirement," June mumbled under her breath.
" Thanks, June."
Willow turned around. "I checked with my mom’s, Dan’s, and your schedule, we’re having dinner with them next Sunday. I don’t want to go formal, I want this to be comfortable, but no hoodies and shorts at dinner. Then after we tell them, we’re telling everybody ."
That I could handle. But clothes shopping?
I couldn’t fight the grimace. We could’ve been having sex back at my dorm but instead, we were watching an attendant rush over and fumble with his tape measurer. I scooped down to pick it up, but I wasn’t happy about it.
Willow assured him we were fine for the moment—debatable—and the girls went to the socks.
"I have socks." No one made any sign they heard me. "I own socks. Why is no one listening to me? Why am I talking to myself? I don’t even like talking."
"When’s the last time you went in for a haircut?" Willow asked.
June snorted and I narrowed my eyes at my supposed best friend who kept showing my cards to my girlfriend. "I head to a place for five bucks when it goes over my eyes."
"Well, you’re not doing that. Literally. Ever again."
I snagged Willow’s elbow, bringing her over to a rack of ties with more colors than I thought existed. "Why can’t I give you my card to order something and we go get lunch? Why am I clocking in as a mannequin?"
"I want you to get clothes you feel good in."
"Why does it matter? They’re clothes."
"If you didn’t get picked as captain, who would’ve taken it up?"
Shifting uncomfortably, I shoved my hands in my pockets. If I reasoned through it, it could’ve gone down to two of my teammates but their stats weren’t comparable to mine. It really depended on if I wanted to view them based on overall numbers or last year’s.
"You’re thinking of someone not even close to you."
I was silent.
"You are captain material, King. I’m not into you just because you kiss like a champ, I am genuinely into you. You’re determined, you’re kind, you’re amazing at what you do, you are crazy hot, and it never feels like you listen to me when I tell you."
I didn’t know what to say.
She touched my face. "I like this. I like you. And I want to be a good girlfriend. Part of dating is growing together, right?"
"An SHU girl would never let you walk around in those shorts," June piped up from the cuff links.
Both of us turned to face her.
She grimaced. "Sorry, sorry."
Willow waited until she left before turning back to me. "Burkas, bikinis, cowboy boots, ponchos, vests, whatever, fashion is all part of presenting ourselves in ways that help us be comfortable with who we are. If you really want to keep the hoodies and shorts, I won’t stop you. But try something new. Please? For me?"
The attendant popped up. "The young lady said we want him to be measured, can you remove the jacket, sir?"
I thought it over.
"Can you give us a couple of minutes?" I asked. When he disappeared, I took a look around the store again. I had clothes. I didn’t need clothes. I never looked at myself in the mirror anyway, it didn’t matter.
But this was clearly important to Willow.
I grunted. "What am I getting out of this?"
"Excuse me? What are you getting out of this?"
I nodded.
"You’re spending time with me."
"Sure but we could go out to lunch or hang out in my dorm. If I’m getting shoved in a dressing room, I want something out of it." Before she could respond, I barreled on. "We’re not stopping the night calls."
"Yes, we are?—"
"No, we aren’t. Either you answer your phone or I’m showing up at the house. Pick one."
"I—" Willow opened her mouth to argue and shut it before she tried again. "You’re falling asleep during meetings."
"I’ll stop staying up so late."
"We’re not negotiating this."
"You’re right. We’re not." I motioned towards all the crap. "We’re negotiating this. "
"King—"
I grinned. "This is our first fight."
"We have definitely argued before."
"No, our first couple’s fight. And I want you to send in your audition for Shbair."
"You’re auditioning for the music school?" June called.
"Are you eavesdropping?!" Willow demanded. "Some space, June. You said you could help. I brought you here to shop, not talk!"
"Sorry!"
Willow pulled me away to the slacks. "King, I’m not doing the audition."
"I have plenty of videos to send in."
"My music isn’t there yet."
"Do Single Daydream ."
"That’s not ready."
" Octopus Reach? "
"No."
My frown deepened. " Mean Motherfucker . It’s what you do at all of the mics."
"I can’t. I might change the bridge. I might lower a key?—"
"That’s bullshit. You haven’t changed anything about the song since you updated the lyric about crowns and that was back when classes started."
Willow muttered something under her breath, abandoning me for the shoes.
I followed after her. "That’s my price. Take it or leave it."
"My music isn’t there, King. I want the heart pounding, the pulse racing, the bigger than life feeling and I’m not there yet. It’s not ready?—"
"You’ve been doing this for years."
"It’s not where it’s supposed to be?—"
"I love your music. You know I do. But I can’t be one of the three people who enjoy it because you’re scared of reaching higher for yourself."
Willow did her best to push my attention elsewhere, holding up pants and shirts like I cared. All my focus was on her. The most stubborn woman in the world.
"Video calls and the audition," I repeated as the attendant came with the tape measurer again. "That’s my price."
"I don’t know…"
I walked away. June called after me, but I waved without looking back and pushed open the door before Willow stopped me.
"Okay, fine! Fine! "
There we go.
I pulled up the calculator app with the huge collection of videos for her to select from.
"You’re so annoying."
"Uh-huh."
"I’ll pick one after this?—"
"I’ll walk."
She threw me an exasperated look. "You don’t trust me?"
"Nope. You could easily distract me when we get back to campus. So, pick one. I have Shbair’s email saved."