Page 107 of Penalty Shot

“She didn’t. We’re not seeing each other anymore.”

We all turn to him cautiously, unsure how to take his deadpan declaration. It can’t be that simple. He’s been more into Lily than he’s been into anyone for all the years we’ve played together.

“Why?” Sean asks what everyone is thinking.

“Fuck if I know.” He sounds bitter before chugging the rest of the beer.

“Got any food? I’m starving.” Gordon enters the living area without waiting for an answer.

“Do you think he wants to, like, talk about it?” I ask the two guys left outside.

“You mean his feelings?” Sean makes a sour face.

“Well, duh, that’s why he brought it up, right?” Logan, the relationship guru, sounds confident.

“Technically, I’m the one who brought it up,” I correct.

“You know Lily. Maybe you should ask her.” Sean points at me. “So, we can help.”

“I’ll see Elise tonight. She’ll know what to do,” I decide.

We’re talking like a bunch of gossiping grandmas, sitting outside and yapping aboutwhosaidwhat.

How is this my life right now?

“Gordon needs helptoday,” Sean declares. “I’ll ask Lily myself. What’s her number?”

“You are not getting her number!” Gordon hollers from inside.

Logan chuckles and enters the house.

“You obviously want to talk about this,” he addresses Gordon.

I need a refill anyway, so I follow inside.

“There’s nothing to talk about. We were supposed to grab a movie last night, but she canceled. And then the texts came in.”

He pulls his phone out of his pocket, unlocks the screen with his face, and throws it on the sofa like it burned him.

Sean reaches over and reads the text out loud.

“Hey Gordon, I’m sorry I missed tonight.”

Logan looks over his shoulder.

“No problem. We can catch it next time,” which was Gordon’s text in response.

They continue to read the back and forth, Sean altering his voice so it’s high pitched and feminine.

“I hate to do this by text, but the conversation can’t wait.”

“Oh shit,” I mumble because that’s the beginning of a breakup text if I’ve ever heard one.

Logan, in an exaggeratedly serious voice, reads Gordon’s text.

“What’s wrong? Want me to call you? I can come over.”

“I’ve enjoyed getting to know you and the time we’ve spent together” Sean continues to read in a bad impersonation of Lily. “But there’s a lot going on in my life right now and I need some space. I don’t want to lead you on so I think we should—”