16. Gavin
GAVIN
Saturday night, I’m shooting hoops at our house.
One of the many perks of living here—our own court.
A few of the guys came over to hang, along with the usual friends and girlfriends that are always down for a last-minute party, but I didn’t feel like socializing, so I came up here to get away and think.
The door opens and Noah steps onto the court. “Thought you might be in here. Tommy called some people. The party is growing out back.”
I shoot another ball and rebound it before I reply, “Not interested tonight.”
“I thought as much, but there’s someone here to see you.”
I pause, ball in my hands ready to shoot, and look at him. “Someone is here to see me?”
“Yep.” The grin he gives me sets me on edge. “She’s waiting downstairs.”
He leaves without saying more. A chick is here to see me?
It isn’t like that’s out of the norm, exactly, but I usually have a heads up they’re coming.
Maybe Sariah? I told her I’d call her later last weekend as I was ushering her out of my room, so I could take care of Vi, which I didn’t do, but it wouldn’t be totally out of character for her to show up on her own.
That’s sort of the basis of our entire relationship.
She’s uncomplicated and doesn’t seem to care that I’m not interested in more than an occasional hookup.
My phone buzzes as I rack the ball and head out. I pull it from my pocket, expecting it to be Sariah calling to tell me she’s here, but instead, it’s my mom.
“Hey,” I say, after hitting accept and putting it on speaker, so I don’t have to hold it up to my ear.
“Hey, Gavin. I’m glad you picked up.”
I slow my steps. “Why? What’s up?”
“I just got off the phone with your dad.”
“And?” A knot settles in my stomach.
“He said he tried to call you a few times yesterday.”
“I was busy.” Also, I didn’t want to talk to him.
She hums her displeasure. “Well, you’re going to have to find some free time because he’s going to be there next week.”
“What? Here?”
Silence hangs between us and I can picture her face as she grapples for words.
“Why is he coming here?”
With a sigh, she says, “He’s coming for the banquet. The director of athletics called and invited him.”
The man hasn’t showed up for a single game since I’ve been at his alma mater, but the head honcho of Valley athletics calls him and suddenly, he’s happy to show up for some bullshit banquet?
“No, I don’t want him here. It’ll be a shitshow.”
“What do you want me to say? They asked him and he felt like he couldn’t say no.”
“Of course, he couldn’t. Someone important asked him.”
“You should use this time to talk to him.”
“Not going to happen. I’m bringing someone.”
“Like a date?”
“Yeah, I’m bringing a date, so I’m not going to have time for a heart-to-heart or whatever he has planned.”
I finally start walking again, fueled by years of frustration.
“I didn’t know you were seeing someone. Who is she?”
My gaze snags on the girl standing on the bottom step watching me. Not Sariah.
“Violet?”
“Violet?” My mom asks. “Oooh. Is she the girl with the fever?”
“Mom, I have to go.”
“Call your father, Gavin.”
“I will.” Maybe. “Love you, Mom.”
I end the call as I come to a stop in front of Violet.
“Sorry for just showing up,” she says.
“It’s fine. Is everything okay?” My immediate thoughts are she’s feeling crappy and needs someone to help her, but she looks good. Great, even. And I know Dahlia and Jane are back because I saw them with her at the dining hall.
“Yes. No fever all day and I managed to eat twice.” She throws a little woot in on the end and that’s when I realize she’s nervous. But why?
“Do you want to come upstairs?”
“No,” she says quickly, and then takes a breath. “No thanks. I only came over to thank you again.”
“It was no problem.”
“Yeah, see that’s the thing. It was a lot. Even for one of my friends, and you and I aren’t exactly friends.” She smiles sheepishly. “I feel like I owe you.”
Ah, I see. She’s here out of obligation and misconstrued guilt, which pisses me off for some reason. Maybe because I want to be her friend. Nah, fuck that. Not her friend. I want to be her everything. “Don’t worry about it.”
I turn to go back upstairs. I can’t do this right now.
She follows, jogging behind me and reaching for my elbow.
“Wait. I’m sorry. That came out wrong. It’s just, I interrupted your make-out sesh with another girl, puked on you, and then you took care of me for twenty-four hours.
It was a lot. I definitely owe you. There has to be something I can do to make us even. ”
Frantic energy courses under my skin. She walks beside me as I head to my room.
I toss my phone on the desk with a thud.
I’m so frustrated. With my dad and with myself.
Why did I have to get so drunk that night with Bailey?
I was pissed at him again for some reason I don’t even remember, but that’s no excuse.
“I could clean your room.” She scans the space. “Although it looks pretty tidy. Do you have a maid?”
I huff a laugh.
“I could do your laundry or I could…” She snaps her fingers. “I could make you something to wear for the banquet. Sorry, it was hard not to overhear. A new shirt or pants, maybe a suit? Your date will be wowed.”
“I don’t have a date. I lied.”
“You lied to your mom?” She sounds outright appalled.
“Yeah, I don’t feel great about it.”
Her voice softens. “Things are still touchy with your dad?”
“Worse than ever,” I admit. “He’s coming to the banquet, acting like he’s father of the year. It’s all bullshit.”
“And you told your mom you had a date, so you had a buffer?”
“I didn’t think. It was the first thing that came to mind.”
She steps closer and chews on her bottom lip. “I’ll go with you.”
I’m quiet as I process her words, so she repeats them more confidently. “I’ll go with you. I’m a great buffer.”
“He won’t really leave me alone just because I bring a girl with me.” Though he might play a little nicer.
“Then I’ll be so charming and distracting that he won’t know what hit him.” Her dark eyes are bright with excitement, like she thinks this is the best idea she’s ever had. She’s charming as hell, but my dad is still a dick.
“You don’t know what he’s like.” I should just say yes and shut my mouth.
Spending more time with Violet, in whatever capacity, is a dream come true, but I don’t want to put her in the middle of the drama with my dad.
She doesn’t have any idea what she’s agreeing to.
I never know what I’m in for with him and, yeah, if I’m being honest, I don’t really want the girl I’m into seeing all the messy, dysfunctional pieces of my life.
“Aren’t these banquets like fancy and catered?”
“Y-yeah and filled with jocks.”
“I’ll be fine for a couple of hours.”
I don’t know what to say. She can’t seriously want to do this.
“Look, things are weird between us, but I don’t want them to be.
It was sort of nice not hating you.” She closes one eye and gives her head a shake.
“That didn’t come out right. What I’m trying to say is, I want to repay you for being so great to me while I was sick.
I feel like it gave me a little closure somehow. Let me do this for you.”
“Okay.”
“Yeah?” She steps back with a smile on her face. It’s been a long time since she’s smiled at me like that. “Text me the details?”
I nod to keep myself from saying something dumb like ‘you don’t need to do this.’
“Great. See you then, I guess.” It’s only as she starts to leave that I see the weight of what she’s agreed to sinking in. She shuffles awkwardly and hesitates, but she doesn’t go back on her word.
And after a year of wishing for a second chance, I finally have a date with Violet.