Chapter 13

13

ZACH

OCTOBER

"Happy Birthday," I said the moment Drea's bright, happy face filled my phone screen. And if possible, she smiled even wider.

"Thanks! It's so good to see you!"

"You too!" We'd texted almost every day since we'd argued a couple of weeks ago, but the texts were short and full of safe topics. Neither of us had mentioned my father since. "I'm sorry I can't be there for your Sweet Sixteen."

"That's okay. Just score a goal for me, okay?"

"I'll do my best!" I had to load the bus in about an hour to head to a game across town at UC Irvine. "Do you have anything fun planned to celebrate?"

"Nothing major. I'm going out for pizza with Mandy and some other girls from the dance team, and then we're gonna come home and have a sleepover."

I internally cringed at the thought of a basement full of giggling teenage girls, but I smiled, glad she had friends to celebrate with. "Nice. Did you get your license?"

"They aren't open on Saturdays, but Dad promised to take me on Monday."

She winced when she realized what she'd said. It was the first time either of us had mentioned Dad since the argument.

"It's okay for you to talk about him. I don't want you to feel like you can't."

Her brow creased in worry, reminding me so much of Mom that my stomach clenched. "I just don't want to upset you."

"I know, but he's your dad too. And just because I don't have a good relationship with him doesn't mean I wish the same for you. I don't want you to feel caught in the middle."

She was quiet for a moment, as if picking over her words carefully, but when I expected her to say something else about Dad, she said, "I miss Mom."

"Me too," I said, my voice barely audible. I watched helplessly as her eyes filled and then spilled over, wishing I could be there to wipe her tears away. "She'd be proud of you." I forced the words past the lump that had formed in my throat. " I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, Zach. I miss you."

"I miss you too."

She looked off to the side, then back at me, forcing a smile I knew wasn't completely real. "I better go. Aunt Amy's taking me out for a pedicure. She should be here any minute."

"Okay. Have fun. Tell her I said thank you for the cookies she sent last week."

She smiled again, this time a real one. "Will do. Have a good game!"

"Bye."

I clicked off the call but remained in place as a wave of homesickness washed over me. As if it had a mind of its own, my thumb swiped into my contacts and dialed Jason. It rang several times, but just as I was about to give up, Jason's deep rumble filled the line. Warmth spread through my chest at the comforting sound. All our conversations had been over text since I left. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed the sound of his voice.

"Zach? Everything okay?" He was breathless, as if he'd scrambled to get to the phone.

"Yeah, I, uh…" I felt sheepish. I wasn't even sure why I'd called. "I was just talking to Drea and thought I'd call and see how you're doing."

"Don't you have a game today?" His voice was laced with confusion, but all I could focus on was the thrill that he still kept up with my soccer schedule.

"Yeah, I have to leave in a half-hour."

"Oh. So…"

Shit . This was weird. I shouldn't have called him. We were friends. Buddies. Dudes didn't call each other, did they? Not just to talk.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have?—"

"So, how's the game looking today?"

We both spoke at the same time.

"I'm sorry, what?"

He chuckled, and the soft sound washed over me, intensifying my longing for home. "I said, how's the game looking today?"

"Oh. Um. We haven't lost to them in the last ten years, so we should have a strong showing."

"Good. How's your ankle?"

Reflexively, I rolled my foot around, testing it. I'd forgotten that I'd mentioned rolling it during practice this week. It was feeling pretty good at the moment, but the trainer would likely tape it just to be safe.

"Feels pretty good. I stayed off it for a couple of days but was back in practice yesterday without any issues."

"Good. That's good."

"What are you up to today?" I asked, trying to think of something to keep him on the line longer, if only to listen to the sound of his voice. The sound of home.

"I was out back helping my dad with yard work when you called. It's still in the eighties here, but Dad insists we need to start getting the flower beds ready for fall."

"Oh. I'm sorry I interrupted."

"Don't be. I needed to take a break anyway. It's hot as balls today."

My roommate, the toenail clipper who was also my teammate, burst in the door, stripping out of his clothes as he made his way over to his bed. I was pretty sure it was the same outfit he'd been wearing last night when he'd headed out to a frat party.

"Bruh, you should have come to the party last night. It was electric. Cops got called, and I had to climb out a window. Went home with some girl named Jessie. Or Jamie. Or maybe it was Jenny. Have you seen my joggers?"

Jason's laugh filled my ears, indicating he'd heard everything Clayton had said while digging through the pile of clothes next to his bed.

"I'm kind of on the phone. I don't know where your joggers are."

Clayton turned and looked at me. "Oh. Right. You know we need to leave soon, right?"

"Yeah, man. I've got it."

"Cool."

He turned around and resumed digging through his clothes, making an even bigger mess than the one he'd started with. It was as if the pile of clothes was reproducing somehow.

"I better go," I said into the phone, "or this guy's going to show up pantless to load buses."

There was that chuckle again. Why had I never noticed the sound of it before? "Alright, man. Have a good game."

"Yeah, I will."

"Hey, Zach?"

"Yeah?"

"It was good to hear from you." Inexplicably, my cheeks heated.

"Yeah. Same."

I disconnected the call and looked up as Clayton pulled his shirt over his head. He flailed for a moment before getting his arms through the sleeves, then ran his fingers through his hair and looked at me as if he'd been waiting for me to be ready for ages.

"You ready to go?"

I chuckled as I rose to stand. "Yeah. Let's go kick some ass."

"Hell yeah!"