Page 22 of The Surprise Play

I pump out eight strong reps before my arms start to collapse. Shaking them out, I stand and notice Carson strolling into the gym.

“’Sup, dickheads.” He raises his chin and grins around the room, getting back a plethora of friendly insults.

Zander’s “Good morning, fuck nugget” is my favorite.

Carson grins at him, shedding his hoodie and wandering over to the chest press. “Hey, Wiles.”

I narrow my eyes at him, wondering why he’s saying a second hello to me.

“Hey.” I nod, unnerved by the way he’s looking at me. “You good?”

“Yeah. I’m… great. Are you okay?”

I frown, my eyes darting to Tyrell before landing back on my scruffy roommate. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

Carson nods, obviously not believing me. My eyebrows dip, and he gives me a tight smile before getting on with his reps.

Tyrell and I share a confused frown, but then I shrug, not wanting to dive into it.

Thankfully, Grady shuffles into the gym after doing an obvious run to get here. He’s puffing and sweaty, like he pushed it way too hard, and Zander wanders over to check on him.

“Something’s up with that guy,” Carson murmurs quietly.

I give him a side-eye, still trying to adjust to this new version of Carson. He was the one we always had to keep an eye on. He was the one who something was always up with. But he’s found this new calm, and it’s bringing outanother side of him. Like he’s noticing shit he didn’t used to.

I don’t know if I like it.

I definitely didn’t like the way he was trying to see right through me before.

“Are things okay with him and Teah?” Carson turns to glance at me and Tyrell.

We both shrug.

“I wonder if they broke up. Something is definitely riling him, and the fact that he skipped the winter dance…” Carson makes a clicking noise out the side of his mouth. “Nylah mentioned that she saw them arguing at a party a while back.”

“Why wouldn’t he tell us?” Tyrell’s morning voice is deep and croaky.

“Maybe he’s hurting too much to talk about it.” Carson gives us a thoughtful frown, and I share a weirded-out look with Tyrell.

Yep, this new Carson is going to take some getting used to.

Although, five minutes later, Fleischer struts into the gym, and we get flashes of the old Carson again. His grumpy, sarcastic quips put Fleischer in his place and rile him up pretty badly, but when he starts to ignite a fight, Carson manages to back away, breathing through his nose like it’s some kind of managing technique and slipping out of the gym before Fleischer sends him over the edge.

I catch him in the locker room after his shower, and he’s back to calm and unaffected.

Well, shit. He really has come a long way.

Staring at his phone, Carson’s lips twitch while hefinishes his text, and I know he’s messaging Nylah. I’m happy for him.

Walking into the showers, I flick on the water and soap myself down, thinking about all the girls I’ve been with in college. I remember them all—a stream of pretty faces wafting through my mind. I’m just thinking about my previous day with Callie when Elizabeth Satchwell suddenly pops into my mind.

I frown, lifting my arm and soaping my left pit.

I so don’t want to be thinking about her right now, but I can’t help it.

Shit, I do feel bad for the way I yelled at her. She didn’t even see me coming, and I just pounced like an angry bear.

What a fucking way to start her day. Did I completely ruin it for her?