Chapter 12

Liam

I've been running around the house all afternoon cleaning up. Since we've been back on campus we've been a little lazy with making sure everything is in order. In my defense most of the piles of clothes and papers I've found around are Ryan's. His season starts in a month which means his practices have been consistent and as captain he's taken even more on his shoulders, helping train some of the freshmen. I don't necessarily blame him for the mess but I don't need Emi to see the place like this.

I'm just finishing up some of the dishes that were in the sink when there's a knock at the door. Quickly, I wipe my hands on the kitchen towel and jog over to the front door. When I pull open the door, I'm greeted with my favorite eyes that look even brighter today thanks to the blue shirt she's wearing.

"Hey."

"Hi." She smiles at me before turning to my driveway to wave at Rosie, who dropped her off in a small silver car. I open the door further, stepping out of the way for her to come inside.

"I figured we could work at the coffee table, if that's okay with you?" I close the door and follow behind her into our open concept ground floor.

"That works." Emi places her backpack on the ground before claiming a space on the couch. "Want to do an outline today to see where we want to go with the topic?" She digs out her laptop and the course book.

"Yeah, let's start there."

We spend the next hour reading part of the chapter we're covering and outlining the areas of the topic we want to talk about. Emilia takes the reins, in the past hour I've learned she's incredibly organized. She creates a whole outline template for us as well as breaking down what sections we should cover each week we work on the project.

After an hour of working, we're just about wrapping up for the day when Ryan comes barreling through the door. He toes off his shoes, kicking them to the side and plopping his bag down in the entryway before even looking in our direction.

"Oooh. Hey Emilia." His eyebrows shoot up as he takes us in on the couch.

"Hi Ryan." She waves at him before returning her attention back to her laptop, she clicks save on the outline before shutting it closed.

"You're home early."

"Yeah, coach let us have a short practice today, thank god." He comes over to the couch, flopping himself belly down near Emi, who giggles at his antics. "So, what are you doing here?"

"We're working on a project for class."

"You guys have a class together?" He looks between us.

"Yeah, we do. Sports psychology, it's an elective for both our majors." I interrupt.

"Nice. Are you any good at massaging Emilia?" I shoot a death glare in his direction, who the heck asks someone they barely know that?

"I have no idea, never really had to give one." She shrugs with a light laughter.

"You did not just ask her that."

"My body is killing me. I've had practice every day."

"You can't just ask her that." I know he's baiting me and it's confirmed in the way he winks at me. "We both know you'd rather her roommate massage you." It's him sending a death glare at me now. Emilia's eyes shoot over to mine and the back to my brothers.

"Maybe. Emi, please don't tell her I'm secretly in love with her." He reaches out, placing his hand on her ankle, fake pleading with her.

She pats his head in return. "I guess I can keep your secret." There's a sly smile on her lips. "Besides, she's sworn off men for the year so I don't think she'd care much." There's an interesting look in his eye, one I can't quite figure out but before I can say anything or analyze further he's on his feet.

"Well, I'm going to go shower. Will you still be here when I'm done?" He directs his question at the pretty girl in front of him.

"I should probably get going, I don't want to take up anymore of your night." Her eyes lock on mine, and then she shoves her laptop into her bag.

"Alright, see you around Emi. Come by anytime." There's a smirk on his lips before he turns around, grabbing his bag from where he dropped it and heads up the stairs.

"Do you need a ride home?"

"I can call Rosie, I don't want to make you go out of your way."

"Emi. I can bring you home, it's no big deal."

"Okay." She smiles at me, I stand from my spot on the couch. Emilia puts her book in her bag, zipping it up. She goes to stand but I notice the wince on her face and the way her hand shoots up to rest on her lower stomach.

"Are you okay?" My tone is laced with worry because what the fuck is happening here? Is she hurt?

"Yeah, I'm okay." She says through gritted teeth.

"Em."

"It's nothing."

"Don't lie to me."

"It's just, um." Her cheeks flush, her eyes looking down. That's when it clicks for me. Oh god, I'm an idiot.

"Oh."

"Yeah." She lets out a little laugh. "It's fine, the first two days just always suck."

"What makes you feel better?" I think I would do just about anything to make sure she wasn't in pain.

"Honestly? A heating pad and ice cream."

"Do you have those things?"

"I have one of the two."

"Which are we missing?"

"The ice cream."

"Alright, let's go." I pick up her backpack, slinging it over my shoulder and putting one hand on the small of her back to guide her out the door.

On the way to Emilia's I take a detour, she gives me a puzzled look when I turn off on a street that doesn't lead to her house.

"Trust me?" I ask before she's able to get any words out herself.

"I do." I'm not ready to admit how good that feels. Fifteen minutes later we pull up to my favorite ice cream stand just outside of town. I back my car up against the small fence that separates the rolling hills of the farm that meets with the back of the ice cream place.

"Liam, is this an ice cream place?" There's a sweet, gentle smile on her lips.

"You said you were missing ice cream and I can't have you just eating any old ice cream. This place is a family-owned creamery, complete with their own little farm." I shut off the engine, opening my door. I jog around the front of the car to try and open Emi's door but she's out before I make it around.

On the weekends in the summer this place gets packed but today since it's the middle of the week there's just a few other families and couples around. We stand back, letting Emi take in the menu, I already know what I want.

"Okay, I'm ready." Lightly, I press my hand to the small of her back again, it felt right earlier so I think I'm going to keep testing my luck with this motion, leading her to one of the open windows.

"What can I get ya?" The older woman in the window asks.

"I'll have a small purple cow with chocolate jimmies, in a cup with a cone on top, please." Emi smiles at the woman, while I stare at her confused by the choice.

"That's what you're going with?"

"Yes? That's my favorite flavor."

"Interesting." I file that bit of information away not sure if I'll ever need it, but you never know. Turning my attention back to the cashier I give my usual order. "I'll have a small cookie dough in a cup."

"Wow and you're judging me? That's so boring."

The cashier watches us thoroughly amused, laughing at our interaction. "That'll be eight dollars and fifty cents." Pulling out my wallet, I fish out a ten-dollar bill.

"I can pay." Emilia chimes in beside me, pulling a card holder out of her back pocket.

"I don't think so." I shake my head and she just rolls her eyes at me. If she thinks she's ever going to pay for something around me she's sadly mistaken.

Ice creams in hand we head back to the Jeep, I pop open the trunk so we can sit down and watch the sunset while we enjoy our treat. We sit in silence for a bit, watching the blue of the sky fade into hues of oranges and pinks. The silence is comfortable, I feel like I could sit here forever with her, my mind and body totally at ease.

"So, why athletic training?" Emilia asks, her pretty eyes on me. She piles a scoop of ice cream on her cone before licking it off. I swallow, I don't think she even realizes what that's doing to me.

"It fits with wanting to play baseball, useful I guess." She nods, thinking about my answer.

"Makes sense, I guess. I thought a lot of athletes either went for business or something easier than those two things."

"Yeah, it's a mix. I don't know I just wanted to do something helpful, for me and future teammates." That is exactly why I chose the major but I don't bring up that athletic training feels more like a calling than baseball now. It doesn't matter anyways, baseball is my destiny. "Why psychology?" I ask, ready to shift the subject off me. Her eyes leave mine, flicking back to the field and sky in front of us.

"There's a few reasons. One being wanting to understand my mom, understanding her addiction." She shrugs, eyes still on the sunset and she takes a bite of her ice cream. "I want to be a school psychologist, specifically working in a high school, helping students who might not have resources for therapy or someone to talk to."

"Wow. That's amazing." I keep my eyes on her, studying the incredible girl to my side. Her eyes finally come back to mine.

"It's just my calling. I've felt called to do this for a while now and going to school here, the classes, the internships it just feels right." I feel a pang in my chest. Right, it feels right. That's how baseball has felt to me for over half of my life but now, it's not the same feeling. That feeling of something just fitting into my life so perfectly, feeling so meant for me.