"O h, c'mon Jaxon, he's wide open!" Lily yells from beside me.

Her support makes me smile as he fails to take advantage of the wide-open slot. The defense chases him, and he throws the ball out of bounds.

He's already done that three times today. Lily points out.

"I know. He's not playing so well, is he?" I mention his poor performance but try to sound less critical than usual.

"No, he's not. He's fortunate the ball reaches its target with these passes. Lily stresses.

"But they're late," I add.

Extremely fucking late.

The longer he delays his throw the greater the risk of him being hit. She makes it clear how much she wants to avoid him getting hit but he appears to take pleasure in it. "Well, that's the game." I let out a sigh while observing my freshly polished nails.

I understand your perspective, but I want him to steer clear of any unnecessary contact. she rephrases.

"I get it." I shrug. Right now, he needs to make it simpler than he is making it. We should be crushing them."

"Let's just hope we can pull through." Lily shot me an optimistic glance then went back to the game.

The field was blanketed by gray skies while a gentle drizzle fell throughout the gloomy day. We were superior to the opposing team, but the scoreboard told a different story.

The main reason is the quarterback. Jaxon's performance has not reached the level of his usual play. The offensive line works as hard as it can, but Jaxon waits so long he throws the ball while being pursued.

His movements are frantic and uncontrolled as if he's a headless chicken sprinting wildly.

His coach shouts at him after he fails to complete the pass to El downfield. The game proved difficult to watch but we managed to finish it.

I rinsed off after picking Kylie up and then I waited for Elijah to complete his shower. We finished packing the car at two thirty.

Kylie decided to come with us therefore Jaxon is also joining us.

I came into that situation prepared. It was a logical decision.

"Do you want me to drive?" I asked Kylie.

"Sure. Let those two rests." she sighed and crossed her arms.

I spun my head to face both individuals. They engaged in a conversation nearby while both showed signs of extreme exhaustion.

"I don't want to come across as mean but..." she stopped herself from speaking her true thoughts. I had a clear understanding of her thoughts. I whispered quietly to Kylie that he played poorly.

He has never played that poorly during any of his previous games. She gave me a weary look.

"Maybe it's just...a bad day." I guess. "I don't know." I disregarded it and invited both of them to join me. Our parents said goodbyes and reminded us to "stay safe" before we entered the car.

I take the front seat with Kylie while the other two take the back seats. Our journey began without any problems until we encountered traffic which progressively got worse as time went on. A famished Elijah kept whining to me until I spotted a McDonald's off the highway after driving for three hours. I entered the parking lot before we all stepped out of the car. Jaxon had fallen asleep in the car so no one wanted to wake him.

"What does he usually get, El?" I inquire about Jaxon's usual order as the bell rings overhead.

"A twenty-piece and fries," he responds.

"Drink?" I question heading up to the register.

"Sprite. Do you want to pay for him? Elijah asks me.

"It's fine." I dismiss my worries and proceed to order the food. Once Elijah completed his order he approached me. As we approached the counter there was a question that had occupied my thoughts since our departure came up.

"Hey, El," I whisper.

"Yeah?" He glances at me and pushes his phone aside.

"Is Jaxon, okay? I can't recall him ever performing this poorly before. He ruffles his hair as if he feels stressed too. "No. Jaxon's behavior is unclear to me because he refuses to share any information with anyone including his mom.

I give a nod and press my lips into a straight line. "Bad day?"

"Maybe," he shrugs. Elijah confesses that Jaxon didn't perform that way even during his worst days. I sigh and shake my head. What could make him play like that?

"I just know he's pissed off. Mostly at himself. I told you guys he was sleeping because I think he doesn't want any disturbance. Elijah provides an explanation for why we left him in the car.

"Got it." As Kylie approaches us I give a nod. We paused for several minutes until our food arrived. The food appeared quickly because there were hardly any people in the restaurant.

"Let me drive." Elijah proposes that we let him drive while we return to the car. "Since you decided to pay," he adds.

As he unlocks the car I pass him the keys. El gets into the driver's seat while Kylie jumps into the passenger seat.

The thought of sitting in the back with Jaxon felt uncomfortable but I complied regardless. Once inside the car Jaxon was awake and his blanket was wrapped snugly around his body.

My cue to start talking came when he looked at me. "Do you want your food?" With the McDonald's bag raised above my Hazeld I ask him if he wants his food.

His blank expressions paired with his eyes showing equal parts of lifelessness and irritation conveyed all I needed to know.

"I guess that means he doesn't want it..." I whispered to myself.

The back of the headrest became my focus as Jaxon took me by surprise once more. Jaxon placed his head on my lap and pulled the blanket up to his face showing me he was upset.

At first I was completely unsure how to interpret the situation. He's attempting to sleep but my lap wasn't where I expected him to do that.

His rigid shoulders and stiff arms made me feel guilty. He won't achieve any sleep with this setup if rest is his goal.

My food landed on the ground at the same moment El drove away from the parking lot. From pure kindness I placed my hand beneath the blanket and gently scratched his head.

I recalled his mom comforting him this way when he was a child so I believed it would work. I felt confirmation when his body began to relax. Knowing I could provide him with a little help made my heart feel full of warmth.

It felt nice.

Ew. Stop. The word “nice doesn't represent him.

He shifted his position on my lap before turning his face toward my stomach while a faint moan escaped his mouth.

My hand remained in his hair while the other hand rested on his back. The ride ahead would be extended and I doubted my legs would endure. His body parts would eventually become numb, but he wasn't going to get thrown out by me.

Usually, I would've.

Something moral still exists in me for him although after these many years its quantity has become extremely depleted.

I shared a smile with myself when vibrations from my phone traveled through my pocket. I stretched out my hand to retrieve my phone from its pocket.

Hoe #1: You've been very kind to allow him to do that

Me: He's harmless to me when he keeps his mouth closed. Both of us laughed at my response. Jaxon moved once more, making me realize I was carrying "precious cargo" on my lap.

Yeah, it's so precious.

I rolled my eyes while trying not to laugh but my smile disappeared when I felt his breath on my stomach. The air currents fanned directly over my belly button.

Fuck.

I was unable to stop the shiver which traveled up my spine with every breath that was taken. I swallowed my increasing anxiety while feeling the heat creeping into my cheeks. I cast my gaze downward to avoid detection by any one of the two upfront passengers.

I adjusted my position and ran my fingers through his hair before smoothing the blanket along his back. Taking care of him felt right to me—or maybe that means something to you.

I saw no issue with becoming someone's important person because I always wanted to fill that role in someone else's life.

His interest in my actions was uncertain but performing them was satisfying for me. The activity worked to calm my anxious feelings. It didn't seem strange to me even though it should have been because it involved him, but I just couldn't stop myself. With time passing the car ride started to feel more comfortable. Our hotel in Orlando was still three hours away.

We planned to spend the night at the hotel before getting back into the car for the seven-hour drive to the Keys.

Ugh. I can't wait for the beach.

If I don't eat something soon, I won't be able to wait any longer. I move my hand away from his hair then pull it back over the blanket to pick up the paper bag on the floor. I located my meal order and an available space next to me on the partially occupied seat.

Before I took my first bite Jaxon let out a small groan. My eyes instinctively moved toward Jaxon and detected his slight frown.

"What?" I mouth to him.

Instead of speaking to me he reached for my hand which had been in his hair and placed it back there. The message he sent silently took me some time to understand yet I began rubbing his head feeling puzzled about his actions. I find myself multitasking.

Without delay he shut his eyes and returned to his original posture before I removed my food. I was shocked that his idiotic and silent whine convinced me to comply with his request.

Gosh, he is such a baby. Somehow, a stupidly persuasive baby.

I released a sigh yet ensured my hand remained away from his back to continue eating. He managed to abide by the situation because I heard no further sounds from his mouth.

I spent the remainder of our drive holding this stupid boy on my lap which resulted in my legs losing blood flow. I tried to move my legs to regain normal sensation, but he remained asleep which caused my toes to lose feeling as well.

We reached the final two-minute stretch to our destination while driving through Orlando's bustling streets. I shook Jaxon's shoulders enough for him to emit a groan of awakening while the motion sent tingles down my thighs.

He sat up and removed the blanket from his head revealing his messy hair. I began to lift my legs and calves while experiencing intense sensations of upcoming cramps. Elijah stopped the car at the hotel's entrance and used the tape player to wake Kylie.

Jaxon looks my way and squints his eyes displaying both anger and annoyance in his expressionless face. I take a quick look at him before I swung open the side door and jump out.

I did not realize how much time my legs would need to recover after my knees suddenly gave way and blood rushed down my leg.

Woah.

I stabilized myself between the door and my seat while desperately clinging to keep upright.

A snicker followed Kylie out of the car while she watched me concerned about the incident. As she helped me stand up, she looked at me with gentle maternal concern.

I regained my ability to walk after standing up for several seconds. I opened the trunk and retrieved my bags. Jaxon drove around to find a parking spot while I collected Elijah's backpack from the car.

At nine o'clock during check-in time I only wanted to take a shower and go to bed. I spent the entire day sitting in the car which had left me completely drained.

As soon as I go to bed, we move forward into tomorrow allowing us to hit the road sooner and reach the beach faster where I'll finally find my serenity.

The parents arranged our accommodation in one room with two beds. Kylie and I would sleep together while Elijah shared the room with Jaxon. After reaching the fourth floor we used the keycard to unlock the room. I placed my belongings inside before turning on the shower.

Jaxon turned on the TV with a frown while he sat on the bed which told me he was both angry and hungry. I used my phone to send El a text message to remove Jaxon's food from the car before his arrival. Getting into the shower I don't bother looking for a response.

There are times when my exhaustion reaches its peak yet I've skipped showering, so I push myself to take a shower because I dislike going to bed with the feeling of dirt on me. The moment water touches my back I immediately feel my balance falter while feeling ready to drift into sleep.

My balance weakens but I remain awake even when my eyes remain closed for extended periods.

I exhaled deeply and composed myself before exiting. The bathroom fills with steam while I cover myself with a towel. After dressing in my pyjamas I brush my teeth and then open the door.

I lowered my head for a moment during which I accidentally collided with someone. The person I bumped into turned out to be him.

God, it's always him. I apologize with a mumble yet receive no response. It's weird. He always says something.

He passes me before shutting the door. I give him a dismissive eye roll and move on without a second thought. Silence never fixed anything anyway.