Page 80 of Challenge Me

He shoved me to the side, and I laughed as I settled next to him. While my eyes grew heavy, I thought about the offering I’d given to Odin earlier, with a request that he toss me a bone so I wouldn’t fuck things up tomorrow. I could handle one day, and when night came, I’d do it again, every day until I inevitably drove my own god away.

Chapter 21

Amir

Looking up into those stands day after day and seeing Mal with Remi was an experience that struck a chord in my heart. At first, they hardly interacted. Well, she didn’t. He was always talking to her, and from my place on the field, whether at practice or a game, I longed to hear what he said to her. But I also loved that they had time that was reserved for them, and I knew that Mal was always listening, even if it didn’t seem like it.

Days passed quicker as I grew more tired, and nights were reserved for Mal and Remi. Most of the time, I dozed off on the couch or the balcony, too stubborn to go to bed and miss out on what little time I got with them.

Despite the change in our relationship, Remi and I didn’t rush things. We’d started off at a full blaze, but now we moved languidly, savoring late-night conversations and the mundane, domestic side of life. It was like we were living in reverse, becoming accustomed to existing next to each other at all times while we gradually built the rest of our relationship. I wasn’t sure if that was healthy, nor did I really care. I went to bed with a smile and woke up with the same one, so that was good enough for me.

We won some games and we lost some. Mal drew while Remi told her bad poetry. I hadn’t been sure why he reserved the corny stuff for her until I was practicing my throw one day with Jeffrey and heard a laugh come from the stands. Remi had looked as shocked as I felt, and I was close enough at the time that I’d seen something profound in his eyes—something that awoke when he finally got Mal to laugh.

She did it more after that, though she tried not to for the sake of making him work for it. And he always did. He went to bed earlier and got up before her, always dragging me with him so we could cook breakfast together. Uncertainly, he’d run ideas by me while he went over her math worksheets and ask if it would help her understand it. It didn’t always work, and she often got overwhelmed enough to storm off, but even when it dimmed the light in his eyes, he didn’t give up.

In only a week, he’d changed so much, or maybe it was just the way that I saw him now. He was exactly the same chaotic, nettlesome, hot and cold guy I’d first met, but he was also unyielding, innovative, and more patient than the rest of his personality would imply.

And when Mal asked if she could stay another week, he turned the same pleading eyes on me that she did.

“I’ll ask your mom.” I kept my arms crossed so they both would think I was the one in charge here. In reality, I wouldn’t have been able to say no to either of them if I didn’t have to run it by Avery first.

“Now?” Mal asked.

I laughed. “After the game.”

She grunted her reluctant agreement before she walked away. I watched as she pulled two cars out of her pocket and drove them silently along the wall that connected to the locker room.

Turning to Remi, I lifted a brow. “Who’s the mastermind here?”

He snorted. “You think we conspired? I can still barely get her to speak to me in full sentences.”

“She’s the same with me half the time, so don’t take it personally.”

“I’ll have her writing poetry in no time. Then, we can laugh at your napkin poem together.”

“If you can remember it.”

“I’ve got it in my bag, thank you very much.”

“Oh, great. This feels like it’ll be used against me in the future.”

“Everything can be used against you. If you’re not living your life with that in mind, you aren’t doing it right.”

“I know I’ve said it before, but you live in a bar, so I don’t think I’ll be taking your advice.”

“I’ve also caught a fish with my bare hands and got a judge to legally declare me an adult at sixteen. Maybe I’m better at life than you think.”

“Were those two things related or . . .”

He made a face at me, and I didn’t try to contain my smile.

A clatter made both of us turn at the same time. One of Mal’s cars rolled across the floor, and the other was upside down at her feet. She jerked backward, away from the person that had touched her, and covered her ears while she took heavy breaths. As soon as I saw who was in front of her, I started forward.

Remi rushed ahead of me. “Hey! What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

When Clara’s gaze shifted to me, she opened her mouth to respond, but it didn’t seem like she knew what to say. I couldn’t get the words out in time to warn Remi before he crouched and put his hands over Mal’s.

“No!” she screamed. She twisted away from him while she continued to hold her head.