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“The sun is still out.” I pointed to the sun, and they both looked at me, annoyed.
“Are you trying to be funny?” Leo snarled, and I shrugged as I leaned against the wall. “We met Naomi—Naomi is the warmth, you dark cloud!” Leo clicked his tongue, and I smiled as I closed my eyes.
I know they met Naomi, but I was hoping to distract them and get them talking about the weather instead. That didn’t work out, and they were right: Naomi really was warm and bright. The club suddenly did feel a lot colder than it did before she came.
“How are you guys finding the new consultant?” Aaron leaned on his knees, looking at us. Leo shrugged and groaned. “He has this crazy look in his eyes, you know.” Leo pointed to his eyes, and I broke out laughing. I didn’t mean to, but he was right; the new consultant did look a bit slow. “I don’t know man, I’m afraid to say anything during those sessions.”
“I seriously thought I was the only one who felt that way,” Jeff said as he threw his gloves on the ground and sat down before us, spreading his legs out, tilting his head up and basking in the afternoon sun.
Isn’t it too hot?
“Man you’re gorgeous,” Leo mumbled, and Jeff smirked. He looked at us, and the sunlight hit his face at a perfect angle, making his brown eyes shine. “Are you trying to seduce us?” Leo squeaked as he pulled his open shirt closed.
“You’re an idiot.” Aaron chuckled.
“And if I am?” Jeff asked huskily, and if I wasn’t such a woman's man and deeply in love with Naomi, I would have blushed.
“It’s working,” Leo purred as he pulled his leg over the other, offering what I think was a seductive smile, and Jeff threw one of his gloves to Leo. He caught it, laughing.
“Anyway, what do you think of the new consultant, Alex?” Aaron asked me, and I sighed. I really didn’t want to be part of this conversation. I never wanted to be in a conversation with them.
“No different than the last,” I said, and Jeff looked at me, unbelieving.
“The last being the person before Naomi, right?” Leo looked at me from under his lashes, as if he were telling me to take back my statement.
“They’re all the same.” I shrugged, remembering how Naomi mentioned our relationship was risky. I didn’t want it to seem as if I favored her over any of the other consultants, even though I did. It was okay with me for them to think I hated every consultant. “Vexing.”
“Hmm, I don’t think so.” Jeff shook his head. “Naomi is by far the best consultant we’ve had in a while. I wasn’t able to control my anger issues whenever we were on the field, and she helped me work through it. She didn’t judge me or make me feel any less of a man or who I am just because I struggled with controlling my anger. She really is one of the best people I have ever come across in life, and it’s such a shame that she’s gone now.” Jeff shrugged, and I could tell she had seriously helped him work through his problems. He was doing so much better now, and he seemed to be much more patient with everyone on the field.
“Right? That’s why I called her sweet Naomi, because there was no bone of judgment in her body, and she always gave the best advice to us. Fuck, she even helped me with my speech—you know how I always rushed to curse a person out? She taught me how to be quiet and actually listen. That was some gold advice there.” Leo nodded proudly, and I mean, everyone should listen first and then answer, but I was glad for him that he had improved so much.
She healed everybody, yet she walked away hurt.
“Yeah, I’m really going to miss her,” Aaron said dreamily, once again looking at the sky.
What the fuck is wrong with him? Does he associate Naomi with the sun or what?
“Why’d you say it like that?” Leo said, and I was glad he caught offense for me, but why did he ask like that?
“Yeah, what do you mean? Are the two of you friends or unrequited crushes?” I asked, and Aaron blushed as he looked away.
“No,” he mumbled under his breath. “Naomi is leaving town. I met her yesterday at the local store, and she said she was going back to school.” He shrugged, and a silent ringing passed through my ears as he continued expressing how much he would miss her.
She was leaving? Why? To go back to school—but why didn’t she say anything? Was she really going to cut me off?
“Oh, so you’re gonna miss your crush,” Jeff teased, and I got up abruptly.
“Tell Coach I’m leaving early today,” I said as I left the field, ignoring their questions of why I was suddenly leaving. I was not the one that was suddenly leaving, she was, and she didn’t even say anything to me.
She didn’t owe me an explanation, but for her to just want to leave like that, it made me wonder if she actually ever really liked me.
Gah, what was I saying? Of course she did; I was just conflicted because she didn’t say anything to me, and it actually hurt. If I was moving across the city or even across the street, I would tell her.
God knows I would tell her! She even knew I would tell her, because I kept on sending her messages every day, explaining my day in detail and what I didn’t like about it, never forgetting to mention how my day would be better if she were there.
Yeah, like I creep, I know, but I just want her to know my feelings are really genuine.
I hadn’t told her that I loved her because that would be weird, to say it through a text message—but I showed it to her. I always bought her gifts for no reason and had them delivered to her house, and hopefully she was actually taking them and not storing them somewhere random.
