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Tyler and Gia’s dad, though? He didn’t run away from his responsibilities. He ran toward them. Ultimately, it cost him his life.
I won’t run away from my responsibilities. No matter what the sacrifices might be.
“I said I’m in, Click.” I take a step toward her. I don’t touch. Our relationship isn’t like that. We’re friends. Friends that made a choice one night, and now we’re friends that need to make another choice. A big one. Her cheetah-print-covered bedroom slippers brush up against the toes of my sneakers.
“How can you be in? I don’t even know if I’m in yet. This test might not even be right. It could be faulty.” The pupils in her eyes are so dilated that her usual midnight brown color looks almost solid black. She stares at me in disbelief. Fear marks her every feature.
I glance down from her eyes to where the black cotton robe she wears is tied around her slender waistline. Her stomach is flat, but it won’t be for much longer.
“Let me get this straight. You called me over here in the middle of the night because you don’t think you’re pregnant?” She knows it’s not a false positive.
She bites down on her bottom lip.
“No.” She admits reluctantly.
“Exactly. You didn’t do this by yourself. Don’t steal this opportunity from me, Click. I know this is your body. Ultimately the decision rests in your hands. But, please, let me be a part of the verdict.” My fingers wrap around the test that I still hold in my hand, gripping it with a possessive force that surprises even me. I struggle internally with the need to reach out and brush the palm of my free hand over her abdomen.
Mine.
“How is this an opportunity? It was one night, Damien. We slipped up one single night. I don’t understand how this could have happened. It’s not supposed to happen like this. None of this was supposed to happen. We’re so young.” Her voice cracks.
My eyes dart back up to where her’s pool with unshed tears. She’s breaking. The shock is wearing off, and the realization of what we’ve done is crashing down around her. It’s like watching a movie unfold in slow motion, but you already know how it ends.
This is her first year of college. She hasn’t even been here a full semester yet. I’m still working on my general studies. We’ve only just begun.
“We did not slip up, Gia. Say it for what it is. We ended up at the same party, which you had no business being at, might I add. I drug you back to my place kicking and screaming about your rights and freedoms. It was late. One thing led to another. You kissed me, and now my baby is in your belly.” My words are harsher than I intend them, but I can’t help it. We’re family, and this is how family communicates. I won’t sugarcoat it.
Her mouth pops open and, as I stand there, watching her, I’m briefly taken back to the night that would forever change our relationship. I don’t go out. Ever. Despite what Tyler probably thinks about me, my future does matter to me – and not just playing professional hockey.
Hockey has always been one of the biggest parts of my life, if not the biggest. I’m good at it. Damn good at it. But apparently not good enough to get a full ride to a fancy-ass Ivy League college like Chambliss. I’m a goalie. There are only so many goalie spots, and I needed the scholarship money. I should have told Tyler the truth, but I didn’t - I couldn’t. My pride wouldn’t allow it. So, I told him I didn’t get in at all. It was easier than admitting we couldn’t afford for me to walk on when I had a full scholarship to play in Rafferton’s new program.
Truth or not – it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. Tyler can’t see beyond the plan he’s had set in his mind since we were kids. He wouldn’t have understood. He walks around with blinders on, too driven by his own childhood trauma to recognize that I have challenges of my own. We’re all human. Now he’s there, and I’m here. And what’s worse? So is his Gia.
Rafferton has an excellent fine arts program. Gia’s the most creatively talented person I’ve ever met. She was an artist from the moment she picked up her first camera. She lives her life behind a lens.
Tyler has blinders. Gia has a lens.
They’re more similar than they’ll ever admit. This is why it was so easy when Gia moved here for our relationship to grow into a different type of friendship.
“So, that’s how you’re choosing to remember the night we slept together?” She chokes out a laugh, and a lone tear streaks down the smooth skin on her cheek.
I can’t help myself; I reach out and swipe it away with my thumb.
There’s nothing funny about this moment. Our lives hang in the balance of one single decision. A decision that I have to convince her to make with me. We have to do this together. We need to be on the same team. Right now, I feel like it’s the third period and I’m down with only seconds to go.
“You were flirting with fire, and I wasn’t going to stand there and watch you burn.” The words come out a growl.
Gia doesn’t go out either, she’s not a partier. I got a text that night. It was late. I was already in bed. It was from one of my teammates. They knew Gia’s connection to me. They saw her at a party and suspected something wasn’t right. They were right, but it wasn’t in the way I suspected.
“Well, don’t treat me like I’m a damn child. I’m sick of it. You sure as hell didn’t treat me like a child that night. I can handle myself, Damien. I make my own choices. I didn’t need you that night and I don’t need you now. I can do this myself. Maybe if you’d minded your own damn business that night, we wouldn’t be in this situation right now.” Her words hit me in the chest like bullets, one right after the other.
She pushes off of the bathroom door, and her chest brushes mine when I don’t budge.
Evidently, we’ve moved from shock directly to the anger stage. My proximity and involvement in the situation make me the bullseye and, apparently, we’re having target practice.
I inhale deeply. I try not to move when all I want to do is grab her and pull her to me.
I want to make her understand that she doesn’t have to do this alone. I’ll take the blame. I’ll take every hit she throws at me. I need her to understand that this isn’t the mistake it feels like it is. We can do this together. Something beautiful can come of this, if only we can find a way to work together.
