A muscle in his eye jumps. “That work for you?”
“Hmm, yeah, sure,” I agree, having no idea. Confused by my thoughts.
I’ve never thought of Eli as more than a friend. The idea of thinking something else about him dizzying.
I thought I’d been slick, covering my emotions until he closes the passenger side door after holding it open for me to climb in. A flint of almost sadness flickers across his face before it slams shut.
Am I the one who’s missed something?
thirty-one
Rory
Thenextfewweeksare a dull momentum of repetition. A continuum of routine and regularity.
Wake up, have breakfast, go to school, and then do one of three things. Work, basketball games, or in today’s case, a hellhounds practice since I don’t work.
Cole and I haven’t spent a moment alone since that day in the locker room. Not necessarily because we’ve been avoiding the other, more scheduling.
The same with Eli since the whole car thing. Finn is actually the one who I’ve seen the most since we live together, passing each other on our ways out the door.
Interactions are nothing more than short head nods and brief glances with all the boys. Those peeks always seem to linger longer anytime they catch with Cole’s though. At school or Hardin, anytime we sense the other.
All of us are busy, wrapped up in our own tasks.
Iceman hasn’t pulled any stunts since I reciprocated his little water girl stunt. Putting salt in his bottle. I’ve noticed he’s been at Hardin more, but I’m positive that has more to do with his father’s demands over anything.
On the days I don’t come to their practices, I go to work. Cole has practice every day after school and then will head over to Hardin after that.
I don’t know when he finds time to sleep. The guy is like a machine.
The one thing I haven’t gotten around to asking is if he’s figured out why Lorna was at his house on my birthday. Maybe it’s nothing but something inside tells me that’s a lie.
Cole hates his father, so if he’s spending this much time with him, he’s either learning things, or he’s using it as a distraction. A diversion from me, my gut questions more nights than not.
Although we both work at Hardin, mostly we are on different floors. I admit I like this job more than I initially thought I would. The mail room a perfect all-consuming diversion. For both of us.
The dark-ringed circles under his eyes are his giveaway. His body continuing to push through the exhaustion day after day. The wear affects him physically, but mentally I know Iceman’s too hardheaded to ever settle.
The lack of sleep is making him moodier than usual. Snapping off more regularly at students in the halls for simply existing. That’s saying a lot because if we’re betting on the most irritable human alive, mine would go to Madison.
“Pick up your feet. You had a dislocated shoulder and broken arm, not legs,” Cole seethes. His voice echoing around the now quiet gymnasium.
The guy says something, but I can’t hear it because he uses a normal indoor voice when answering. I do know though, that’s the guy Finn’s been subbing for. Today is his first full day back from injury.
Coach Boone blows his whistle. “Cool it, Kellet. I’m the coach, remember?”
I could laugh, as if he needs the reminder.
Cole glares, eyes narrowing before he pulls his attention back to the team, ready to restart the play.
A shiver sweeps down my skin. The pitiless tension radiating off him I can feel from all the way up here. I can only imagine what it’s like down on the court.
Part of me wishes Hailey could’ve been here today. She would’ve eaten this up like a tub of ice cream after a breakup. She met up with her mom to go shopping instead. I’d been invited but politely declined as soon as I heard the word shoes.
“Hey, wait up,” Eli hollers as I round the bleachers.
“What’s up?” I question, jingling the key ring around my fingers, ready to head home.