“Right,” I say, understanding all of his fears. I’ve felt them, too. “You’ll never lose me. You’re my best friend. You’re part of me. You won’t lose me.”
“Okay, good. You won’t lose me, either..”
I know that there is a lot that we still need to go through.
Like our first date.
And sex without alcohol.
And figuring out how to exist in the same space with his half-brother who is intent on humiliating him.
But for right now, I feel really good.
I feel like this is the start of a very good chapter for us.
And I’m holding on to that.
Chapter Nine
Zephyr
When I get into a fight with Blaze or Canyon, it can get ugly. We’ve thrown punches before. Whoever isn’t involved usually breaks up the squabble.
But whenever we cool off, we talk it out.
It’s not like a big, long talk or anything.
But, we air our grievances.
And now that Rayn and I have come to blows, I know what we have to do next.
We have to talk this shit out for real.
I’ve heard from other players that Rayn is the first one out there to practice in the mornings. So, today, I’ll be right out there with him.
Today’s official practice doesn’t start until 8 this morning, and I walk out onto the field at 7 sharp.
Rayn already beat me to it.
I see him running sprints.
When he sees me walking up, no helmet on my head, he stops instantly.
Through belabored breath, he asks, “The hell are you doing here?”
“Ignoring each other isn’t working. Fighting in the locker room isn’t working. I thought talking would work,” I tell him.
I throw him the football.
It’s my peace offering.
I wait for him to take the bait.
Holding the football that he caught from me, he says, “You have five minutes.”
I breathe a sigh of relief.
“I can’t remember the last day that I saw my dad,” I tell him. “Our dad. I know that I was six. I know that my youngest brother was just born. I don’t remember the last thing he said to me or the last thing we did together. I just remember that he wasn’t there one day. And that was it. I had to be the man of the house.”