Last person to know
Here is my week.
Practice at six. Lift. Class. Film. Practice again. Twelve hundred words of a thesis nobody will ever read, due in full to a man on the third floor of a building I have started resenting, on the first of March. Two away games and a home game. A conference title we have not won in eleven years.
And a girlfriend who has decided that the correct amount of sleep for an adult human being is four hours, and who texts me photographs of other guys’ glistening bare chests at one in the morning.
Possibly giggling to herself in bed after clearly saying, and I quote, I need to sleep and you’re a distraction, before kicking me out of her room.
I have never been happier in my life. I want that on the record, because none of the above sounds like it.
Which is why we're going out tonight. This is probably the last free Saturday the three of us has until graduation.
Before we leave, Lizzie rescues a handful of mail from the box before the rain can destroy it. Nothing for me. One thick envelope for Maddy from Wycliffe College in England.
Interesting.
Maddy barely looks at it before tossing it onto the hallway table and dragging me out the door.
Now she’s here dancing, swaying her hips with Jenny and her girlfriends, not giving a fuck about the rest of the world.
We walked into the party hand in hand. Before Maddy even made it to the kitchen for a drink, I kissed her long enough that nobody in the room can reasonably misunderstand the situation.
Besides, I trust Maddy. I watched her push guys away even before we put a label on this. If somebody flirts with her, she might flirt back just enough to entertain herself, but never the way she does with me. Which only makes me want her more.
My phone buzzes.
DJ: ur already at Jason’s?
Will: dude, u need to be less geek lover and act more like a basketball player
Will: Stop being antisocial and game by urself
DJ: I love being a lover to Lizzie. I love her.
Will: Lizzie, go to your girl’s night and let DJ have some fun with the boys
DJ: how do you know it was me????
DJ: And it’s not boys night. Maddy’s there.
Will: She considers herself 1 of the boys tonite
DJ: Yeah. I’ll come.
Nate finds me by the pool. “DJ’s coming?”
“Yup.”
I send one more message.
Will: Take an Uber. I’m driving us all back later.
Yes. I am the designated driver tonight. I already have two clowns in my car, quiet DJ will only balance the atmosphere.
Lizzie: ur officially keeping an eye on my sis AND my bf
Will: fuck no. they’re adults.
A few seconds later.
Will: I’ll keep an eye on Maddy
Lizzie: no more hair pull crap
Will: tell ur sis
Will: ur family’s crazy. Can’t guarantee
I did promise Lizzie I would keep an eye on Maddy tonight. But I also kind of don’t want to. I like how she looks when she is freely herself, dancing and singing like a maniac. Yes, I just called my girlfriend a maniac.
I like my maniac.
I want her to pull whatever ridiculous stunt she wants tonight, or this week, or for the rest of her life, really. As long as she still comes looking for me when she gets tired of dancing, I am the happiest person in this room.
Nate takes the beer from my hand and drinks from it. “Mason and Leon still hate you?”
Coach had pulled all four of us into private meetings after I reported the chat. Mason, Leon and Rory for writing the shit. Me for sitting on it, trying to manage everybody myself and waiting until it became a larger problem before taking it to him.
Nobody walked out feeling heroic.
“Nah.” I take the bottle back. “Been cleaning the locker rooms together and after five terrible jokes, we’re good. I’d be fucking furious too if a teammate reported a private chat behind my back.” A beat. “I told them they could take it out on me but they just made me run ten laps.”
Nate studies me for a second, then takes my beer again. “Dude. You told Maddy about England deal?”
Damn it. I love Nate but he kills the mood. We’re at a party for God’s sake.
“You have to bring up basketball tonight?”
“We’re basketball players. Of course I bring up basketball tonight.”
“No I haven’t told Maddy yet.”
“DUDE!!!!!”
My ears fall off. My fucking brain drops onto the ground. I’m fairly certain three groups nearby also suffer when Nate screams directly into my face, spraying enough beer-scented saliva straight into my eyes.
“Nate” I try to stay calm. “Nothing is signed. In six months I might be playing in London or the whole thing might disappear next week. I don’t even know what I’m telling her yet.”
“You’re talking. That’s enough.”
“We’re happy. We just got started. I don’t know how she’ll react to London.”
“She’s not going to break up with you over some long-distance bullshit.”
“She’s Maddy. She might.” I take my beer back. “I worked too fucking hard for the boyfriend title. Let me enjoy it before I introduce an ocean.”
“DUDE!!!! YOU’RE WHIPPED FOR HER!! SHE’S YOUR GIRLFRIEND!!!! I’M SO PROUD OF MY BOY.”
Again, Nate is three beers in and his volume has reached Maddy’s level. His entire control system switched off the moment he cracked open the third bottle.
“I am very much into Maddy. Yes.” I keep my voice calm. “Please keep your volume at reasonable level.” I take my beer from him again and glance inside the house, where my girl is dancing with her hair whipping back and forth. “She’s my girlfriend. That’s certain.”
“So does she know the lease ending in four months?”
“Yup.”
“And?”
“She hasn’t told me her plan for next year yet. Lizzie will probably find an apartment for the two of them.”
DJ arrives twenty minutes later. He rarely comes to parties anymore, so three different people stop him before he even reaches the pool.
People like DJ because they can always trust him. I went to DJ first with the England offer. He’s the best person I know for an answer you might not want to hear.
“Why are you out here while Maddy’s inside dancing like she’s taking Jenny to a room later?” DJ opens a beer and joins us beside the pool.
“That’s just how she dances.” I shrug, taking another drink. A truthful answer. “It’s Jenny.”
“Maddy’s making half the girls reconsider which way they swing.”
“She’s hot. And mine.” I look at Nate. “Do not scream again.”
“Why is Nate screaming?” DJ asks lightly. My boy’s face stays perfectly calm.
“He’s her actual boyfriend,” Nate announces on my behalf, eyes bright with excitement.
DJ shrugs and takes his first sip. “Everybody knows. Why are you so surprised?”
“How?” Nate demands.
I stare at him. “I hold her hand and kiss her in front of everybody.”
Nate turns to me. “That means absolutely nothing. Have you met yourself?”
Fair.
“This time is pretty obvious though, Nate.” DJ tips his bottle towards me.
“Why am I the last to know about anything in the house?” Nate protests. “You didn’t even tell me when you got together with Lizzie!!!”
“I wasn’t sure if she wanted anyone to know. We were confusing at the start.” DJ answers, deadpan.
“You two became a couple at fucking light speed. I think we can retire the word confusing, DJ.” I remind him.
The fucker does not even try to hide his grin. “I wasn’t sure if she wanted me.”
Nate groans. “You were both confused as fuck. Your saga with Lizzie was the exact reason I don’t date. You guys traumatised me.”
DJ shrugs and gives me a smirk. “He kneed me on court. I don’t think Will was confused.”
I regret that knee though.
One, I should have gone harder. DJ could take it.
Two, I should have done it at our house, not in the middle of training.
“Fuck. It’s painful to even think about it.” Nate makes a face. He was there too.
DJ points at me. “I couldn’t walk properly all afternoon. He went straight for the balls.”
Inaccurate. I could have gone for DJ’s balls, but I didn’t.
“No. Slightly to the right.” I laugh. “You should have told me you had feelings for her. I was confused about mine.”
So yes. Regret.
DJ looks at me with the kind of expression that he remembers the knee and will come back for it at my wedding, possibly right after the speech.
“Look at us. Talking like real mature men.” Nate claps DJ hard on the shoulder. “Will’s going pro, by the way. He’s moving to London.”
“I know.” DJ answers, deadpan again.
Nate turns to me in mock betrayal. “Why am I the last person who knows anything in this house?”
“I’m sitting on it. Keep your mouth shut for now.” I warn both of them before turning towards Nate. “What about you?”
He shrugs. “My old man wants me to work at the hotel but I think I’m gonna travel first. Japan for a year.”
Both DJ’s and my heads snap towards him.
What the fuck?
Apparently, we boys do not talk enough. Every meaningful fact that comes out of one of our mouths now arrives as surprise news.
“I’m gonna work at a matcha farm,” Nate nods. “All zen, nature, no city bullshit.”
“I see,” DJ raises the beer. “I saw you looking at matcha farms on your laptop.”
He saw?
So now I really am the last person to know anything in this house.
“You’re buying a matcha farm?” My eyes widen.
The dude could absolutely buy a matcha farm. Hell, I’m not convinced he would voluntarily step onto one unless he owned it.
“Nah. Working at one. Maybe help them do one of those experience-host-tour things. People come, do the whole matcha-farming experience, have somewhere to stay, all the food handled.”
“You require city life for alcohol, music and women.” I shake my head, grinning through the surprise.
Nate gives me a small, sneaky smirk. “Nobody said anything about monk mode, you idiot.”