The End Zone

Chapter 9

"Are you stupid? Exes can't be just friends. That's a person you've shared spit with."

I grimace as I hold my phone to my ear. "Thanks, Daniel," I say sarcastically.

He doesn't stop. "Especially you and Zack. You basically got banished from our family because of him. That's not normal."

Actually, I was banished because my parents despise me. Zack was just a catalyst.

"I'm not talking about me and Zack!" I exclaim. "I told you, I'm talking about my friend, Emmy-"

"Riiight," he says. I can practically see him rolling his eyes. "Your friend Emmy and her boyfriend, Jack? Are her roommate's names Lia, Hominique, and Saj?"

"Whatever," I say. "So what do you think Emmy should do? Just give up on dating for the year?"

"I think Emmy should get her shit together, realize that Jack's gonna be a pro football player with a ton of money one day, and marry him."

I imagine myself punching Daniel through the phone. "You know, I plan on making money, too! I'm a computer science major."

Daniel yawns. "I thought we were talking about your friend Emmy."

"Yeah, we both know that's bullshit."

"At least you're aware," Daniel says with a sigh. "Now, if you want my honest advice, it's to stay the hell away from him."

"We live in the same apartment."

"So?" he says. "Go get a life. Run outside in circles or something. Don't be the ex that wants the other ex more."

"I don't want him," I snap.

"You do. You might not want to but you do," he says way-too-wisely. "Six months is not long enough to get over someone you dated for three years. Especially because you broke up for a stupid reason like personal development or whatever."

"You've never dated anyone more than a few months," I point out.

He scoffs. "Coaches don't play, sis. But I know the game," he says. "Do you know the game?"

I blink. "What are you talking about?"

He scoffs and I practically see him shaking his head at me. "See, you don't know the game."

I sigh. "What's the game?"

"The game is you have to always care less. Whoever cares more loses. You talking to me right now is you losing the game. Hang up the phone and go be a hoe or something."

My face wrinkles. Why did I ask him for advice?

"Fine. Talk to you later, okay?" I say.

"You're either a winner or a loser. Don't be a loser," he says before hanging up.

Rolling my eyes, I stare down at my phone. What a weird kid. Then again, what did I expect asking a teenage boy for advice?

"Amelia!" Mia sings, skipping into our room. "You're free tomorrow, right? Tell me you're free tomorrow."

I laugh. "I'm free tomorrow. What's up?"

"Look at this guy," she says, shoving her phone in my face. "He's your type, right?"

My face wrinkles as I try to lean back and actually see the screen. "I don't really have a type. Who is this guy anyway?"

"His name is Drew and he's a DJ at a nearby club. Isn't that hot?"

"I guess?" I say. The guy on the screen has thick eyebrows and an extremely chiseled bone structure. I'm not really sure where Mia got him as being my type from.

"He's in my LatinX club and he thinks you're cute. If you're interested, he said he can get us into this club."

"But we're 19."

"That's why you need to come. So he'll sneak us in," she says. "He's really nice, Amelia. I wouldn't use you just to get into the club but it is a bonus."

I'm not super interested but Daniel's words re-enter my head.

Fuck it. I'm young and single and Mia says he's nice. As long as I don't drink, it should be fun.

"Okay," I say.

"Yay!" she cheers, hugging me. "I'll invite everyone then. I need to get some alcohol into that boy Raj."

"Leave Raj alone," I warn.

"Zack will take care of him," she says, brushing it off. "It's cool if he comes, right?"

I press my lips together. "Yeah," I say. "Of course."

Why wouldn't it be?