Page 8

CHAPTER 8

Andry

Rodney: Made it home. Stayed up with Ma to talk about animals. She wants a pet since I’m gone so much. I don’t know how I feel about it. Missing you. XO

I stare at the last few words until I fall asleep. Then the next morning, I open my phone to read them again.

He has no clue what he’s done. If I hadn’t already been obsessed with him, this would have done it. He’s never going to get rid of me now.

* * *

When I get down to breakfast, the guys are all sitting around talking about the party last night. Most, if not all of them, appear to be hungover. I’d laugh about it if I weren’t so pissed off about Rodney’s words from last night.

He made it seem like the rest of my team likes to give him shit.

Like they bully him.

What a bunch of fucking losers. Who bullies people in college? That’s playground behavior. These are guys who want to get professionally drafted and earn millions of dollars. Yet they aren’t mature enough to leave someone be.

If this were back home, I’d already be beating the idiots bloody. I’m sure I’ll find a reason to punch each one of these fuckers at some point. They won’t get away with hurting my little genius.

“Yo, Andy!”

“Andry,” I bite out to correct a sloppy-looking Liam.

“Yeah, right. Andry. Where did you disappear to last night? You were supposed to hang, man.”

Ignoring his question, I go about making my morning protein drink. I’d have loved to make some breakfast — or better yet, to have gotten breakfast with Rodney — but I spent far too much time analyzing how I’ll proceed in the pursuit of making him mine to actually have time to eat.

My personal training schedule is non-negotiable. While these guys take time to get over last night, I’ll be lifting weights and stretching out my sore muscles. Tonight’s game means I have to take it easy. It doesn’t mean I get off without doing anything.

“I was at the party for a while then left. There is nothing to say.” I chug the drink mix, not even caring that it’s flavorless. I’m used to things having little to no taste.

The guys all laugh at my reply, though Liam doesn’t appear pleased. “You’re supposed to stay with the team. Or did you forget you’re part of one?”

“I didn’t forget. I was busy. They don’t need me.”

He opens his mouth to speak, but his brother cuts him off. “Let it go, Liam. He came like you wanted. Who cares where he went after? Maybe he found a girl to hook up with. I saw more than one making eyes at him when we walked in.”

Liam frowns as I chuckle. Now would be a good time to tell them I’m gay. I think over it for a second, then decide, fuck it — why not.

“That wouldn’t matter to me,” I say, drawing everyone’s attention, “considering I don’t fuck women.”

There’s a pause, then Liam says, “Don’t tell me you’re a —”

“Ah-ah-ah. I wouldn’t say that if I were you, Liam. Coach said he has my back. There are rules here at university. I’d hate for you to get suspended and lose the chance to play because you opened your fucking mouth to say shit.”

Everyone in the room is silent. The sound of Liam’s heavy breaths is the only thing audible in the space.

After a tense moment, I nod my head, then whistle as I leave the house. I hear them all starting to whisper as soon as I’m out of the kitchen.

Let them think and say what they want. So long as they don’t call me those fucking slurs and they don’t mess with my little genius, I don’t care.

I’m sure the game later is going to be a mess. They’ll probably try to take out their frustrations on me in some way.

Good luck, boys.

It takes a lot to rattle me. I’ve been beaten and broken before. It was the way of life back home. Bellport is a paradise compared to there.

Needing to feel better, I pull out my phone to text my little genius to see where he is. If I can catch him after my workout, then I might just boost my mood enough I don’t punch every motherfucker on the team that gives me lip.

Coach would not like it.

I respect him enough to keep myself in line.

For now.

Andry: Where are you? I want to see you today.

My Little Genius: I am heading to the library for a bit, then I’m free.

Andry: Perfect. I have to get to my workout now. We can do a lunch later. Just us. No friends allowed.

My Little Genius: Do you mean Yaz? I wouldn’t invite her anyway. She’s probably still drowning her sorrows over the girl. She falls hard and fast, sadly.

Andry: And you? Do you fall hard and fast?

My Little Genius: Not typically.

I stare at the words for far too long. Other students move around me, the campus starting to wake up as it grows later in the morning. I tuck my phone away since more texting will only delay our plans.

Coach is waiting outside the locker room when I walk up. “I’ve had four texts asking if I really do support you being queer, Rykov. Did you have to break the news so goddamn early in the morning? I wanted to sleep in.”

Shaking my head, I move past him. He follows, his arms folded as he waits for an answer.

“I didn’t plan to, but the guys gave me shit over the party last night.” I pause, wondering if I should have even told him that much. Does he know the team acts up the night before a game? “They mentioned me and some girls. I told them I don’t do that with them. Then they were mad.”

He rubs his hand over his face. I can tell he doesn’t know what to do about this whole situation. There aren’t many out players in general, much less on college teams. I only know of two: Gabriel Nagy in Phoenix and Adrian DeLuca in Cali.

People think being out means you won’t get drafted.

Fuck that.

If I don’t get drafted, it’s because I’m a bad player. I refuse to live in secret anymore. It’s too much. I want to be happy. To have a family.

“Fine, kid. I get you were merely correcting them. Next time, give me a heads up, ok?”

“I don’t have your number, Coach. How would I?”

He blinks, then pulls out his phone and hands it to me. “Put your number in and text yourself. I need to be in touch with you more than anyone else on the team right now. Your safety is important too.”

As I open his text app, I see the names of the guys who messaged him. Liam is at the top of the list. It’s clear he had the most to say about who I fuck.

Is he jealous? Could there be a closeted queer kid beneath all that hate?

I didn’t think that was the case.

Maybe there was a different reason behind it all? I didn’t have the time or energy to find out.

Coach leaves me to my workout after I give back his phone, his voice carrying across the room. “These fucking players. Bunch of walking hormones. Maybe it’s the heat. Should have gone up to Vermont. Bet Caldwell doesn’t have these kinds of problems.”

I put on some music, then put in the hard work needed to stay at the top of my game. With each stretch and mobility movement, I feel my body loosening. It’s as if I’m reversing all the soreness from normal practices with my personal time. I’m going to crush this game tonight.

By the time I finish, I have multiple texts from Rodney.

My Little Genius: I’m about to be done here. Where did you want to have lunch?

My Little Genius: If that’s still something you want.

My Little Genius: Or we could reschedule if you’re busy.

The messages are all about a minute apart from one another. I smile, wondering if he was holding his phone waiting for me to reply. That would explain the flurry of messages back-to-back, each sounding more panicked.

Andry: I still want to meet with you. Where would be better for you?

I go to the locker room to change into something less sweat soaked. While I don’t think he’d mind, I want to be perfect for my little genius. I need him to think of me in all the best ways, including smelling sexy.

My phone comes with me into the shower, since I have a feeling a delay in my reply might make him scared again. I don’t want that at all.

I’m rinsing off the last of my soap when he finally answers. I smile down at my phone like an idiot.

My Little Genius: Honestly, I’m the best at home. But I live with Ma, and she might not be all that understanding that we’re friends. She’ll have a million questions for you and try to overfeed you with whatever she’s made.

My Little Genius: We should just go get pizza or something.

Andry: Are you out of the library?

My Little Genius: Yeah, I’m on the bench out front. I didn’t know where to go next.

I dial his number as soon as I see he’s in a space to talk. He answers on the first ring with a shy, “Hi?”

“Hello, little genius. I would very much like to meet your ma. She sounds amazing.”

He sputters. “But… but that’s a big deal. She might get the wrong idea.”

“Wrong idea? I don’t think so.”

“She’s going to think we’re dating. I’ve never brought anyone home.”

“Then I’m glad to be the first,” I say with pride.

Rodney sighs, then hums. “I guess it’ll be ok. Let me text her to be sure, then we can meet.”

I’ve already put on my clothes as we were talking, and my bag is on my shoulder. He might not want to agree with me, but I’m still going to see him today. I have to. I’ve missed him far too much already.

“Keep me on the phone while you text. I want to know right away.”

The truth is more like I don’t want to stop talking to him. Losing this connection bothers me. I want to be surrounded by him, whether it’s his voice or in person.

I just need to be around him.

My little genius already has me wrapped around his finger, and he doesn’t even know it. I wonder what he’ll do when it hits him.

I jog across campus at a slow pace, careful not to breathe too heavily on the line. Rodney mutters down at his phone. Sadly, I can’t make out a word of it between all the people trying to get my attention and my focus on heading in the right direction. Too many students want to get close to athletes at this college. They treat us like gods, worshipping the ground we walk on.

It’s fucking annoying.

Before coming here, I worked hard to memorize the map of the school. I didn’t want to be the guy who got lost in the first week. Most of it is easy enough. And since I’ve already been to the library, it’s not too hard to get there.

When I get close, Rodney’s head pops up, almost as if he could feel my eyes on him. That’s right, little genius. Daddy’s here now.

I jolt at the word, even though it’s only in my head. What I wouldn’t give to hear it from Rodney’s lips though.

On top of being gay and hiding it, I’ve been holding back on the kinks I’ve wanted to explore. It would have only put more attention on me.

But now I have my little genius, and I can’t imagine not being his Daddy. I want to care for him, love him, spoil him. I want him to need me so much that we’re practically codependent.

Is it wrong? Maybe.

Do I care? No.

“Rodney,” I growl as I finish the last few paces to him.

He stands quickly, his eyes wide and full of emotion. Fear. Lust. Excitement.

I cup his face in my hands, then repeat the words he said back to me before slamming my lips over his. “Missed you, little genius.”