Temporarily Mine

31

HERO

"Thought that last one was perfect," Felix says as we step inside the locker room after practice.

He's right, he threw a bomber, a hell of a pass.

I slowed my game and let the fuckin' thing drop.

I shouldn't have come back for practice today.

Opening my locker, I ignore him, set my helmet inside, and start unclipping my shoulder pads, bending to shimmy them off.

Hands grip the edge of my gear, and I jerk away, tugging them over my head completely.

I glare, moving to work on the belt of my practice pants.

"This how it's gonna be, man?" Felix throws his locker open, dropping his helmet inside. "Not gonna talk to me, don't want my help, purposely drop passes?"

When I don't respond, he dares, "Maybe I'll have to throw to Hollans more-"

When my head snaps his way, he closes his mouth, looking away as he unclips his own shit.

"I shouldn't have said that," he mumbles a moment later.

I grab my bag, leaving my pants open, shirt off, and cleats on. I slam my locker closed before getting in his face.

"You shouldn't have fucked Josephine either," I hiss, shoving his ass into the metal as I pass him.

The second I step into the fresh air, my shoulders fall and I head for my truck.

I throw my shit in the back and drop against the seat.

I fuckin' hate fighting with Felix. It's rare we argue, and when we do, it's over stupid shit we can laugh about later, but this is different.

I know it's not fair for me to be pissed about something from years ago when I've spent the last few dating Jackie or hooking up with other people, but I am anyway.

The thing is, if he'd have told me this then, I might not have her now.

Do I have her now?

I pushed her away, but she tried not to let me. She tried to keep me there, and I walked off regardless.

Just like I did with Felix years ago.

After my dad left my mom, I dropped all my friends and stopped conversing with adults I knew.

My mom was miserable, and I was partially to blame for it, so I told myself I was supposed to be unhappy and alone, too, but Felix refused to go.

He fought me, literally a time or two, when I'd try my hardest to get him to back off, but no matter how shitty I was, he never would.

He knew I was bleeding on the inside and he was too good of a friend to walk away, and he has been ever since.

Him sleeping with Josephine doesn't change that, but it fuckin' sucks and I can't stand thinking about it.

I can't help but believe it'll always be right there when I look at him or her, or them together, the image of him with her.

A thought hits, and I call someone I'd never expect to.

She answers on the first ring.

"H?"

"Hey, Kathrine . You still at practice?"

"No, I just walked in my house, hang on." There's a light shuffle, and the sound of a door closing before she asks, "Are you okay?"

I scoff, and her soft laughter floats through the line.