Bliss
My fingers slide across the diamond encrusted initials on my new heart charm that Cuba gave me a few weeks ago, when he told me he loves me. I won’t see him tonight and, the more I rub the charm, the more I feel guilty for picking my session over his first game. I should be there. I should have dropped him off at the bus and told him I would be watching from the stands. But here I am instead, with Ryan. He has been talking non-stop about some documentary that I’m usually interested in but not today. My mind is elsewhere, and my heart is over a hundred miles away.
Ryan clears his throat. “Um, are you okay?”
I blink, realizing that I have been staring at my computer screen blankly. I have the site to watch the game on, but it hasn’t started yet. If I can’t be there, I will have to at least stream it, although I have no idea what is going on.
“Yeah, sorry. Waiting for the game to start.” Glancing up at him.
Ryan frowns. “I forgot their first game was tonight. Surprised you didn’t cancel to be there.”
I smile weakly. “Yeah, well, I’m regretting that now, no offense.”
He smiles. “None taken.” He nods to my hand. “That’s a pretty necklace.”
“Thanks.” I blush. “Cuba surprised me with it.”
Ryan nods and shifts, his smile falters. “If you want to go you can, we can meet later next week.”
My eyes widen. “Are you sure?” I ask quickly. “I mean. I will probably miss it.”
“Then surprise him at the hotel,” he says slowly, like it’s obvious.
“Girlfriends sneak in all the time.”
I never thought about that, I could just surprise him. He would love that, and of course, wouldn’t even see me coming. I’m loving the idea but what if he doesn’t like it? He’s not the biggest fan of surprises but it’s me.
The announcer’s voice snaps my eyes back to my screen, and Ryan scoots his chair closer to me, so he can see. It’s odd but I forget about him the moment I see Cuba walk out with his team. I’ve seen him in his uniform in pictures, but oh my gosh I want to lick him everywhere. Cuba’s face is serious as Cam talks to him in the seat next to him before the announcer calls Cams name. He runs through the lane lined by their teammates. Cuba is the only one still sitting and I’m worried. He’s playing, right?
Then he stands, his name is called, and I can see his lip twitch. This is such a big deal and I’m missing it. He’s probably nervous, this is his first game without Jackson. Finally, he looks up and I can see his hazel eyes glass over, my heart tightens… breaking. This is an emotional moment for him, for his team. I’m watching every step he takes, passing his teammates, I can hear fans screaming his name, and it’s amazing all the love he is getting.
The camera moves, zooming in on his face and my heart stops. Cuba kisses two of his fingers before pulling his arm back, he looks like he’s about to aim an invisible arrow. I can’t breathe watching him aim, draw, and release this imaginary arrow into the crowd. No one knows what that means but a few people and me. It was for me. A smile tugs at his lips, as if he knows I’m dying from lack of oxygen.
“Are you okay?”
I forgot Ryan was even still here. Without thinking, I’m up, slamming my laptop closed and sliding it in my messenger bag.
“Yeah.” I dig for my keys. “So, I’ll see you in a few days, yeah?”
I don’t look up or wait for his reply. I’m out the door, taking two steps at a time, praying I don’t fall and die. Somehow, I manage to send India a text, letting her know I’m surprising Cuba, and I need the hotel room number. He told me where, just not what room, and why would he? Hopefully, she texts me back before I get there.
Do I even look okay? I don’t have time to change. My hair is in a messy bun, I’m in leggings and hoodie, and there is not an ounce of make up on my face. He’s seen my worst, I shrug to myself. I think the important thing is that I’m there, not what I look like.
My phone goes off once I start my car, and Patrick’s name comes on my car screen. I hit the answer button my on steering wheel.
“Bitch, did you see?” he says before I even can say hello. “Can I have him please?”
I do my little happy dance in my seat. “Yes!” I scream. “On my way down there now to surprise him.”
He tsks. “You better be, shit. He is a keeper. My own heart damn near melted.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m sure mine burst in my chest.”
“Aww,” Patrick coos. “I love it. I have to go, I have a client but text me when you get there.”
We say goodbye and I program in the hotel into my maps app. I should make it in two hours if the traffic is on my side, and L.A. traffic is a fickle bitch. Finding a song on my phone, I pull out of the parking lot on my way to my lover.
Cuba
My heart is pounding, I can’t hear myself think over the screams of the fans in the stands. We did it. We fucking won. I’m still standing in the same spot where seconds before I made the winning shot. Hands are grabbing at me, and lights are flashing, my teammates surround me.
“The King is back!” Ash swings his arm over my shoulders shaking me. “You did that shit man!”
Cam bounces up to us with a huge smile on his face. “How are you feeling, man?” he asks.
I’m still shocked, I forgot how it felt to win, and after the first quarter we had I was a little nervous. Practice is different from the actual game and it took me a few tries to get used to playing again.
“It feels good.” I smile back. What I don’t say is it would have been better if Jackson were here.
My eyes scan the stands, but I know she isn’t here, and I wish she was. If there was one person I want to share this with, it’s her… it will always be her.
After shaking the other team’s hands, we head into the guest locker room, the team is hyped from the win, and Coach Jay tries to settle us down. Cam is the last one still talking, and I nudge him to shut up. He flips me off but closes his mouth with a smile. Coach goes onto a big spiel that we shouldn’t be too happy yet, it’s just game one, and how our first quarter was shit. He was right, it was, but we got it together. It’s not long until he lets us head out to the bus, so we can get to the hotel to shower. I’m kind of surprised we weren’t driving back the same night, I guess things have changed since I’ve been gone.
When we get to the hotel, Cam and Ash head to the bar area where I see a few of the cheerleaders, including India. She smiles at me and waves, I give her a small wave and keep moving to the elevator. I don’t feel like hanging out, I just want to take a shower and facetime my girl as soon as possible. I’m anxious to see if she watched the game like she said she would.
Once I’m in my room, I strip my sweaty jersey off and grab my phone out of my duffel bag. There are a few texts from my parents and the Emmett’s telling me congrats on the win, then there is two from Bliss, a smile tugs at my lips as I open it.
Arrow: Congrats on the win baby, I love you!
Arrow: Also, thank you for making my heart burst, I saw it! You are my everything Bow. XOXO
I’m just about to text her back when there is a knock on the door. Who the hell is that? I have the room to myself and I’m not expecting anyone. Tossing my phone on to the bed, I walk up to the door. I look through the peep hole, but a finger is blocking the view. Fucking Cam, he plays way too much, but when I swing the door open it’s not Cam at all.
It’s Priscilla. Her dark hair is in big curls around her face. Tiny shorts and a sports bra replace her uniform. She holds up a bottle of dark liquor, shaking it with a smile.
“Congrats on the winning shot.”
I narrow my eyes at her. “Thanks. What do you want?” It was never a secret that I wasn’t a fan of hers.
She blinks her big brown eyes back at me. “I just thought we could have a few shots and talk about Jackson. It’s your first game without him,” she says innocently, and I feel like a dick. I’ve been avoiding her, but I could use a shot to calm my nerves down.
Holding the door open, I let her come in. “Ten minutes, Priscilla. That’s all you get.”
She smiles back at me as the door closes. “That’s all I need.”
My stomach dips at her smile and not in a good way. There’s always been something about her that I didn’t trust, but Jackson liked her for some reason. I think he would want me to be nice to her, but something isn’t right.
Priscilla gets the glasses from the bathroom and brings them out to the desk, she pours them a little less than half way full, then handing me a glass while I sit on the edge of my bed.
She hops on the desk and holds out her glass. “To Jackson.” She smiles brightly before downing the liquor.
I follow suit, the brown liquor burning my throat on the way down.
“It felt weird seeing you there without him, but I know he would have been proud,” she tells me.
I don’t give a fuck what she thinks she knows, but I just nod. I don’t have much to say and she seems to get that. So, she pours us another one and then another one. She gives one toast to him and the next to me.
“To having the sexy Cuba Knight back on Campus.” She giggles. “That’s what all the girls are saying, at least.” Priscilla shrugs batting her eyes.
Narrowing my eyes in confusion, I push up from the bed and stalk over to the desk that she’s sitting on, placing my empty glass near hers.
“I think it’s time you leave,” I tell her coolly. She needs to leave right now.
Priscilla pouts, ”But you said ten minutes and it’s barely been five.” She places her hand on my bare chest. “Come on, Cuba.”
Grabbing her hand, I tighten my grip. “I don’t know what the fuck you are playing at, but you need to get the fuck away from me,” I grit through my teeth, staring her down.
She winces at her hand beneath mine as the room door slowly opens. My head snaps in that direction, my stomach drops, and I feel sick when I see Bliss standing there, her stormy eyes taking in this scene. Me shirtless, Priscilla with barely anything on with her hand on me and my hand over hers. It looks bad, it looks so fucking bad. It can’t get any worse than this, it just can’t. But it does, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. I push away from Priscilla, but she pulls me back.
“I thought you said she was no one.”
Bliss sucks in a shaky breath and my heart is pounding as I watch her turn and run. Anger rushes through me, pushing Priscilla against the wall with force. “I’m going to fucking ruin you, when I get back, you better be gone.”
I don’t give her a chance to reply, and I don’t give a flying fuck what she has to say, she just better keep out of my sight. I’m running after my girl, my life, my heart. My biggest fear right now is not catching her.