Fair Catch by Del Darcy

Author:Del Darcy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: lgbt, young adult, glbt, mm, ya, young adult romance, college romance, prizm, del darcy, football romance
Publisher: Del Darcy

Chapter 31

Austin was a disaster. Blake thought he'd have a good time, but he felt he was walking on eggshells around Alex the whole time. It was like Alex was already here, already gone from Riverside forever, gone far away somewhere Blake couldn't follow him.

***

Lunch, at the cafeteria, right after morning drills. One of the offense guys, some guy from Beaumont, asked Blake, "You go to the same high school back home?"

"No, actually, we don't. But that just means our team kicks their ass in the playoffs every year," Blake said.

"Oh really?" Alex countered, smiling. "I believe the total record is 17 to 14."

Blake countered, "See, we've got the momentum. His school's just a little upstart school out in the burbs, you know. We've got the history. But he's my best friend anyway. I'm being generous here."

Best friend? Careful, Alex thought, and he felt that little adrenaline spike of warning. He got still, looking at Blake. Blake, warming to his subject, was telling about Bill Gutierrez and how he had had to change schools, and how he had introduced them, and Alex listened warily.

Blake concluded, "So he played on both teams and that's how we knew him. He and Alex's sister are up at Tech right now. But Bill's not playing football for them."

One of the boys -- what was his name? Luke? -- asked Blake, "You gonna come down here and play for Southwestern?"

"He's just a junior," Alex put in quickly. Blake caught his glance, and Alex squirmed inside.

Still staring at Alex, Blake answered, too slowly, "That remains to be seen." Alex felt Blake was waiting for him to say something, but he looked down.

The other guys didn't seem to notice anything awkward but went on to talk about what colleges they wanted to play for, and what other positions quarterbacks could switch to, if they couldn't get signed to do that. Blake was listening intently, Alex saw, but his mouth was tight. Alex just wished the meal was over and they could go. He was tired of talking.

Once dinner was finally over, they found themselves walking out together, as Blake's new friends found some other people to talk to. In the dark, at the spot on the sidewalk where they had to split up and go to their own assigned rooms, they paused.

Blake asked in a low voice, "What did I say, man? Did I say something wrong?"

"No, it was nothing. See you for breakfast." Alex wanted to hug him but he couldn't, so he stuck his hands in his sweatshirt pockets and turned on his heel. He looked back once, and Blake was still standing there in the moonlight, watching him go.

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