Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

RIO

My eyes are trained on the ball as I race toward my opponent, who is currently dribbling it down the pitch toward our net. With a swift kick, I steal the ball and then immediately pass it to BooBoo with a precision I've become known for over the last four years of playing for the Green Spring Koala's soccer team. When I send a ball, it always goes exactly where I want it to. Unless someone intercepts it, of course. I've trained extremely hard to home in my aiming skills and become as good as I am. I very rarely am off these days, which makes everyone on the team happy.

BooBoo dribbles the ball across the field before passing it to Whiley, who scores us another goal seconds before the timer runs out.

"That's how it's done!" Whiley shouts as our entire team rushes toward him to celebrate the win.

We cheer, high-five, and bro hug before heading off the field for a briefing with our coach.

"Great job, boys," Coach starts his speech when we are all gathered. "But we need to keep up the hard work. The season has only just begun, and I love the drive everyone already has, but we have a long road ahead of us. As much as we need you to continue to hone your skills and keep your bodies in peak condition, you also have to make sure your grades are up. The last thing we need as a team is to be dropping players because your priorities aren't straight. I want all of you to have balanced lives, but if you want to bring home the championship win, your focus needs to be almost solely on school and soccer for the next three-ish months."

I nod along to Coach's words. Soccer has been my life since I was a child. Even when I was six years old, I gave it everything I had. Maybe that's because the coaches on my team actually paid attention to me, unlike my parents.

I know how to prioritize my life to make sure I give my all to the sport. I haven't been able to bring home a championship win since I started at Green Spring University, and this is my last year to do it. I've been so close so many times I could almost taste it. I don't want it to fall through my fingers once again.

After coach gives us the go-ahead, we rush to the showers to get ourselves clean and changed so we can go home and study. Such is the life of a college athlete.

Some athletes have dreams of going pro, and while I thought that was the road I wanted to take when I first got to GSU, I've since changed my mind. To be honest, I'm not the best athlete out there, and my chances of going pro aren't as good as some. I'm a good college soccer player, but there's a difference between playing for a college team and going pro. But I had no idea what I wanted to do outside of soccer. When I started classes, I was still uncertain about what major I would take until I met with an advisor and found my love for teaching. It was like an ah-ha moment for me, and everything fell into place. When I graduate in the summer, I'm hoping to get a job at a high school as a gym teacher. I'll be able to stay active but also guide young minds. Maybe I'll even have the opportunity to coach a soccer team, which would make me beyond happy. I'd get to pass on all the knowledge I've learned over my years of playing.

I should start figuring out where I'm going to live when I graduate, but I don't want to think about that right now. Maybe I'll put more thought into it after the soccer season is over. I guess I could go home, but I don't really want to do that. All that's waiting for me there are parents who couldn't give a shit about me and people I'd rather not see again. Which means I'm kind of a free agent and can go where my heart takes me. I just don't have the slightest clue as to where that is at this moment.

Once I'm changed, I say goodbye to my teammates and make the short drive home to the apartment I share with my friends.

The radio is tuned to an oldies station playing a familiar tune as I travel down the road. I tap my fingers on the steering wheel and hum along to the song. The traffic isn't bad tonight, but I honestly never mind if it takes me a bit longer to get home. I enjoy the time alone, jamming to some music, and forgetting everything else. Ever since I got my driver's license at sixteen, I've always loved going for long drives to clear my mind. I'm pretty sure I got that love from my grandfather. He was the type of person to randomly go on a road trip just because.

A sense of longing fills my chest as my thoughts drift to my granddad. The summer he took me on a month-long road trip pops into my head, and a soft smile spreads across my lips. So many things went wrong on that vacation, but there wasn't a day that I was sad. He taught me to take the lemons life gives you and turn them into lemonade. My grandad was more of a parent than my actual parents. I spent any free time I had with him. He would come to all of my soccer games, and he was my biggest supporter. Even when I told him that I thought I liked boys and girls he didn't bat an eye. He simply told me love is love and it didn't matter who I was attracted to as long as they treated me well.

He was the best man I ever met, and when he passed away when I was twelve, it hit me harder than I thought it would. After he died, I felt more alone than I ever had. My parents weren't abusive, but they didn't care, and that didn't change after his passing. So, to say I was excited to leave that shit town and move to Green Spring, Michigan, would be an understatement.

I take a deep breath and hold it for a moment before slowly blowing it out. "I love you, PopPop," I whisper, hoping that wherever he is, he can hear me.

"There's the MVP," Monster says when I open the door to our apartment.

I shake my head but that doesn't stop a smile from spreading across my face. I love that my friends were free to come to my game tonight and witness our team kill it. I'll do the same for Monster when baseball season starts. I would also do the same for our other roommate, Bronny, when his wrestling season begins, but he's got a superstition about his friends watching him, so we respect that and don't attend any of his matches.

I head straight to my room to drop my bag off and grab my textbook before joining my roommates in the living room, plopping onto the couch when I arrive.

"How's studying?" I ask as I situate the pillows and get more comfortable.

Both Monster and Bronny are in the large comfortable recliners that are on either side of the living room. Monster has a pencil behind his ear, which pushes back some of his shaggy brown hair that is covering his forehead and poking into his eyes a little, but it doesn't seem to bother him.

Bronny has a book in his lap and shrugs. "About as good as it normally goes," he responds, groaning a little bit.

I chuckle. "Yeah, a part of me is excited to be finished with all the studying when I graduate."

"But the other part is scared shitless that you're going to be thrown into the real world and have to get a job?" Monster checks, making me laugh.

"That about sums it up."

"Hopefully, I'll get signed by the MLB and won't have to worry too much," he has this dreamy look on his face that he always gets when he starts thinking about playing professionally.

"I don't think I'll mind working for a living, but I'm not sure how I'll feel about living on my own," Bronny adds.

"Yeah, that's going to take some getting used to for sure," Monster replies.

"My parents weren't around a lot when I was growing up. It kind of felt like I was living on my own when I was a teenager, so I don't think I'll mind it too much, but I'll probably miss you losers," I supply.

There's still a smile on my face as I talk with my friends, but bringing up my parents leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. When I was young, I went to my grandpa's house after school, or they would hire a sitter to watch me when they went off to get drunk or whatever they did, but when I turned twelve, and grandpa passed away, it was up to me to take care of my myself. I was in charge of feeding myself, making my own lunches, and tucking myself into bed at night. If I needed help with homework, I went to my friends. It was lonely at times, but my friends were amazing and loved me more than my parents ever did.

"Even when we aren't living together anymore, we'll still be friends. I'll make sure to harass you as much as possible," Monster assures me with a toothy grin.

"Aww, you're going to remember us small fries when you're a super famous baseball player?" I tease him.

"Like they say, never forget where you come from."

I'd like to forget where I came from, or at least the people that I came from, but I get what he's saying and appreciate that he'll want to continue our friendship. I'm not afraid that he won't follow through because I already have one friend who became a professional athlete. We still talk on the phone at least once a month and text each other constantly. Chase will always be one of my best friends.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I almost snicker when I figure out who's texting me. It's almost like he knew I was thinking about him.

Chase: Killer game! Way to start out the season strong.

Me: Thanks! Our team is meshing super well. Hopefully we will keep that up.

Chase: You've got this!

Me: Thanks man. You guys have killed it in the preseason. Are you excited for the regular season to start?

Chase: Yes! I'm ready to bring home another Super Bowl win.

I chuckle because even though I'm only reading his words, I can practically feel his excitement. Chase is a man who lives, breathes, and eats football. His only other love is his family and his husband. How he ended up snagging a nerdy lawyer who hated all sports when they first met still baffles me some days, but I'm happy for them. I'd like to find the kind of love they have one day. Unfortunately, that's easier said than done.

Dating in college isn't easy when you're demisexual. Most people aren't actually looking to build a relationship they only want to fuck, and I'm not sexually attracted to anyone until I've developed a close relationship with them. It's crazy how small the circle is on dating apps when sex is completely off the table. I've had a few people try , but very few stick it out for long. I'm usually left with the you're a nice guy, but this isn't working out line.

In high school, I had a couple of relationships and lost my virginity, but nothing lasted for long. It took me a while to come to terms with actually being demi, accepting myself for who I am, and getting over feeling like I was broken. Growing up and maturing helped a lot with that. It is hard to do that when you are younger because being different can feel like the worst thing.

I know now that things aren't going to happen for me the same as they do for others, and that's okay.

I don't mind being single because my focus should be on soccer and finishing college, but eventually, I'd like to find someone to settle down with.

While I think about a future with a partner by my side, an overly flamboyant flirt with forest green eyes, long flowy blonde locks, and a jawline so perfect he must have been blessed by some form of deity pops into my head, and it causes me to pause.

Why the hell am I thinking about Sasha of all people? A man who I only met because his best friend was dating my best friend. Then he just decided that he was going to stay in my life even after they left. A guy who is ridiculously pushy and tiptoes on my boundary line at any given chance. Someone I've only just started to think of as a friend. A person who most definitely would not make a good life partner. Quickly I push away the insane thoughts and try to focus on my studies. The last thing I need right now is to develop feelings for the biggest player I know.

But of course forgetting about Sasha is easier said than done when he bursts through the front door seconds later, like my thoughts summoned him or something.

It doesn't take me long to realize something is off as Sasha makes his way toward us. His normally well-groomed hair is a mess, looking almost matted in places like he slept on it wrong or he's been running his fingers through it so much that it got bunched up. His eyes are bloodshot, and tear stains mark his beautiful face, causing my heart to ache for him. What the hell happened?

"You look like shit," Monster notes.

"I've had a couple of really shitty days," he confesses, his bottom lip wobbling a bit like he's going to cry again. "Max isn't home, and I just don't want to be alone right now."

Max is Sasha's roommate and one of his best friends and who he would normally go to when shit went sideways, but it makes sense that our place would be his backup plan. For some reason, he decided after meeting us that we should all be best friends. Monster and Bronny were one hundred percent on board from the get-go, but I was a bit more apprehensive. His persistent flirting annoyed the shit out of me and had me judging him before I really got to know him. I have always tried to hold my judgments on people until I've had a chance to spend more time with them, but I didn't do that with Sasha. I immediately put him in the annoying acquaintance category without giving him a chance to show me who he really is.

That didn't stop Sasha from showing up all of the time and inserting himself into my life, whether I liked it or not. Eventually I learned that my assumptions about him were all wrong, but I was also too embarrassed to admit that to him, so I've kept up my nonchalant behavior around him. Acting like he still annoys the shit out of me, when in reality, that isn't the case. Although how I actually feel about him is still unclear to me.

But judging by how I have the urge to wrap him in my arms right now and wipe away his tears, he means more to me than I thought. Of course, I don't do that. Instead, I sit up to give Sasha a place to sit on the couch with me and don't say a word.

"What happened?" Bronny asks, closing his book and leaning forward to give Sasha his full attention.

Sasha takes a shaky breath as he takes his spot beside me. Again, I want to hold him, to push away his sadness and give him the strength he needs. But that would be way out of the ordinary for me, so I keep my hands to myself.

"There was a water leak at the dance studio the other night, and the owner called me last night to inform me that the building is going to take six months to remodel. I have no idea what I'm going to do. It's not like I can go that long without a job."

"The studio can't change locations in the meantime?" Monster inquires.

Sasha sighs while shaking his head. "Apparently, there is nothing available that would fit their needs."

"I can take you job hunting if you'd like," Monster offers, bringing a small smile to Sasha's lips.

"I appreciate that, but I don't want to be a bother," he replies, but Monster shakes his head.

"I promise it wouldn't be a bother. Friends help friends," Monster states, and a glimmer of hope shines in Sasha's eyes.

"Thank you," he whispers.

"I'll help too if you want," I tell Sasha without fully thinking it through, which obviously shocks him just as much and causes his brows to shoot up.

"Really?" he questions doubtfully.

I shrug trying to act how I normally do around him. "I mean, as long as I'm not busy," I add on.

Sasha studies me for a moment, clearly unsure of how to react, but eventually, he shrugs and accepts my offer. "The more help, the better, I suppose."

"Did you want to crash on our couch tonight so you don't have to be alone?" I suggest next, and Sasha looks at me like I've grown a second head.

"You really have to stop acting nice, or I'm going to have to call the FBI and report that you've been body snatched," he jokes, finally starting to sound like his old self again.

I roll my eyes while suppressing a smile. "Ugh, you do one nice thing for a guy, and he acts like it's such a big deal. Guess I won't be doing that again anytime soon."

"Ahh there's the Rio I know and love," he teases, bumping his shoulder into mine. "But if the offer is genuine, I would like to crash here tonight. It just feels like the world is collapsing around me, and being alone sounds miserable."

"Even if Rio wasn't being serious, you can totally crash here," Monster tells him and I don't bother arguing that I'm not always a sarcastic ass because I mostly have been when it comes to Sasha, so I see why they would think that way.

"I don't care either way," I say and start to collect my things. "But I'm going to bed, so I'll see everyone in the morning."

My roommates and Sasha tell me goodnight as I make my way to my room to be alone with my thoughts.

It's confusing as hell that I'm suddenly drawn to Sasha like this, but I don't think there is anything I can do about it. Maybe these feelings will pass soon, and everything can go back to how it was.

Here's hoping, anyway.