Page 36 of Let You Love Me

It’s not an understatement to say a division one college football player eats, breathes, and sleeps football. It’s my fucking job and I love it. I know my time with football is limited, and so I’m trying to soak up every minute, but I’m also tired as hell.

I open my Comparative Education textbook and stare at the pages for what feels like ages. I take a bite of my sandwich while I read, but I find myself having to reread the same passage more than once because my head’s not in it. I’m too busy thinking about Lane to fucking concentrate. I’ve met the girl a mere three times, yet I can’t seem to push her out of my thoughts. She’s everywhere I look. I see her eyes in the bright blue of the sky, smell a hint of her floral citrus scent on the breeze, recall the flush in her cheeks with the blush of the setting sun. I’ve never wanted anyone as much as I want her, and I don’t know what to fucking do with myself because it’s so damn nonsensical. Still, no matter how much I try and make sense of it, I can’t.

The only good news is, putting my focus on her takes it off Knox.

With a sigh, I give up on reading while I finish eating, content to just enjoy my food before I dive back in.

My phone vibrates from its perch on the table where I placed it facedown so it wouldn’t distract me, but since I’ve given up on studying, I peek at the screen to see a message in the group chat from one of the boys.

Jace:

How’s the lady situation? Fill us in and take my mind off my throbbing hamstrings.

Atlas:

Tell me about it, bro. In-season training is no joke. I just got back to my apartment.

Graham:

All is well over here. I only have one leg that’s tired since moving to Chicago, and it’s not the ones I’m standing on. ;)

Atlas:

Leg is an exaggeration, let’s be fair.

Jace:

More like a pinky finger.

Me:

Naw, pinky toe is most accurate.

Graham:

Laugh it up, but I have TONS of energy at the end of the day for extracurriculars.

Chris:

Ooh. Are we making sex jokes?

I snort and begin to type, skipping past the part where Coach kicked my ass yesterday and start with an update on Lane since I can’t get her out of my head, anyway.

Me:

Saw the chick again. And you’ll never believe who she is.

Chris:

WHO?!

Me:

She’s the fucking coach’s daughter.

Jace:

Shit. That could get messy.