Page 32 of Tell Me I'm Enough

“The semester you don’t tell me your schedule, we end up in the same class.”

Bash nods his head in greeting. “I was gonna ask you this morning, but you had already left.”

“Morning run and then breakfast with the guys,” he tells Bash.

Bash turns towards me and nods his head in the direction of the guy he’s talking to. “This is Erik, my roommate. And ‘breakfast with the guys’ means morning prayer meeting, so be careful with the topics you talk about around Bible boy. Hewilltry to throw holy water on your heathen ass. He’s also my best friend, so be respectful.”

I can’t help but laugh a little as I lift my fist for him to bump the side of in greeting.

“I’m Mason,” I tell him. “Freshman, Sig Chi frat, business major, and professional heathen.”

They both laugh.

“Great, another one of you to try n’ tame,” Erik jokes.

The professor walks in, and we all sit down by each other.

My phone buzzes, and I pull it out to see a name I’ve been avoiding for weeks.

POS Dad: You’re coming home for spring break right?

POS Dad: I have some meetings to set up with you.

POS Dad: I’m setting up your summer internship program to start while you’re still in school. We’ll work around anything with football so you can still keep up with the team.

My fingers hover over the screen, thinking about a response.

I’ve been avoiding thinking about going back home since I got here, but I miss the boys too much not to.

Mason: Sig house is going to Fort Lauderdale like they do every year, so I’ll be in town. I can use a couple of days to come by

POS Dad: Good. I’ll get something scheduled and get you a couple of new suits.

I lock my phone back as our professor starts talking, but I can’t stop the ache that’s now at the front of my mind. I feel guilty for being away, leaving Asher and Easton behind. I feel like I’veraised those boys for the last almost four years, and then I just ran away without even looking back. Every time I call them, it rips my heart out a little more, especially when they constantly ask me when I’m coming back home.

When class ends, the room comes back to life, everyone zipping up their bags and hurrying out of the room.

Bash yawns dramatically. “I need food to survive right now. Who’s down?”

Erik nods. “Down.”

They both look over at me.

“Yeah, I’ve got nothing else to do,” I tell them.

We settle into one of the outside tables with our food, and I try to muster up an appetite, but it’s been harder to take care of my body lately. I know I need to for football, but it seems like my head is taking over the logical side and replacing it with a bunch of emotional roadblocks.

“You coming to the Kappa party this week too, Erik?” I ask.

Bash laughs. “Erik doesn’t party unless it’s in a pew.”

I raise my hands. “My bad. I forgot.”

Erik waves us off. “I’m not allergic to parties. Let Bash tell you, I’ve had to be his DD a time too many.”

Bash gives him a silent salute in gratitude.

“Trust me, I’ve done enough in my days,” Erik continues. “I just don’t drink or anything anymore, so…”