Page 20 of Running Play (Gods of Campus #1)
Christian
After a quick shower, I step into the kitchen, tapping out a reply to the text Mom sent after the game—one I’d forgotten to answer.
“I’m making omelets, want one or two?” Seth asks as he looks at me from next to the stove.
“Two, thanks, man,” I say back to him as I make my way to the coffee pot. “Where’s everyone else?”
“Harper’s still sleeping, haven’t seen anyone else except Jasmine,” he lazily answers.
Scooping an omelet from the pan, he wraps it up and puts it in the microwave for Harper.
The other pile he makes gets wrapped and placed in the fridge for the vultures when they wake.
He grabs the third plate stacked with omelets and carries the coffee in his other hand over to the table.
“Jasmine couldn’t stay?” he asks, taking a seat at the table.
I smirk at the reason she had to leave so early. “No, she had to go collect her sorority sister from lock up.”
“I offered her breakfast, but she mentioned she had to go,” he says, shoveling two omelets onto my plate. “What happened? ”
“Public nuisance and throwing up on a cop.”
He nods at me as he shoves a forkful of eggs into his mouth. “That tracks.”
I play with my food, moving the omelet around on my plate with my fork and cutting it into smaller pieces.
“She basically broke up with me this morning. Well, as much as non-exclusive fuck buddies can break up. Told me to go after the girl and wished me luck.” I get a slight pull at my chest when I say the words to Seth.
Jasmine and I have never dated, but still, it causes a flicker of sadness that our time together has come to an end.
I know we will still hang, have our usual lunch catchups, and sit together on team bus rides.
I can’t see anything like that changing; we were friends before sex, and we will be friends after.
His eyes study me and he doesn’t look surprised at all by my words. “She’s always been a cool chick.”
“Very smart, unemotional, and all logic,” I say between mouthfuls. “You two would get on well.”
“That’s funny.”
“Yeah, I can tell from your very unemotional look on your face right now.”
He cracks half a smile that he didn’t want to, but it slipped out over the rim of his coffee. He places his cup back onto the table and watches me some more. “The blonde?”
I stab at my food, piling the egg onto my fork. “I think so, or at least I want to get to know her more. She intrigues me, and I can’t stop thinking about her. Jasmine left the ball in my court to figure it all out—she doesn’t want any chick drama.”
It feels strange to want to pursue someone when I haven’t felt that pull in years. Between study and practice, a relationship was never a priority. My days are packed, weekends and downtime barely exist, that’s why Jasmine and I worked so well. But with Shelby, I find myself willing to try.
“So, what’s your move?”
“I don’t know, but I feel rushed.”
“I get it. She is smoking. Make your move now before one of the rink rats claim her.”
“Exactly. I walked her home last night and totally forgot to ask for her number. Guess I’ll text Travis and see if he can give me her details.”
“You can’t find her Instagram profile yourself?”
“I tried, but I couldn’t find her.”
I reach for my phone and bring up Travis’s number.
Me: Hey, do u mind if I grab Shelby’s contact deets?
After a few moments he replies.
Travis: No prob.
Within a minute I get a notification from Travis via Instagram—he’s shared a profile. I click the link and scan the screen. No wonder I couldn’t find her. No photo of her, just a landscape of some flowers and a unassuming username.
“Got it,” I say to Seth, who nods his head.
“What’s your plan today?” I ask Seth.
“Dropping Harper home then heading to the gym.”
“Mind if I join you?”
“Nope, was gonna steal your truck anyway.” Seth downs the last of his breakfast and pushes away from the table. “I’m going to check on Harper.”
“Let me know when you’re ready to go.”
Of course, I’m in no rush now that I have Shelby’s Instagram page and a way to contact her.