Breaking Free by Isabel Lucero

3

“Another fucking year,”Renzo gripes as we meet up on the central campus right outside one of the towering buildings.

“Yep. Just one more to go. Where’s Ronan?”

“He’s on the north campus right now.”

Dex and Violet stroll by so I lift my chin and raise my hand, and Violet waves excitedly, running to give Zo a hug.

“This campus is huge!”

“You know where all your classes are?” Zo asks.

“I’ll figure it out. Even if I’m late to all of them.”

“You hear about the new guy who got on the team without having to attend tryouts?” Dex asks me as Zo and Vi talk.

“Yeah, me and Jay heard about him at a party last weekend. You know anything about him?”

Dex shakes his head. “Not much. I just know he’s a running back.”

“So I hear,” I groan.

Dex laughs and slaps my shoulder. “Don’t worry, man. You’re still my favorite RB.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Gotta go,” Vi says, glancing at her watch.

“Me too,” Dex says, leaning down to give her a kiss. “I’ll text you later.”

“Okay. Love you.”

“Love you.”

They split up to go in different directions and I look at Zo. “Is it still weird for you?”

He shrugs. “They’re happy. That’s all I care about.”

We head to the building that holds our first classes of the day, and I think back to when Renzo found out about Vi and Dex. It was quite the scene at a party when he found them locked in a bathroom together. Though it was ugly for a little while, Zo and Dex were able to patch things up. Which is good, considering they’ve been best friends since they were in elementary school.

Inside, we split up to go to our individual classes, and I don’t see any of my friends until lunch.

“Did anyone have Professor Gibbs. God, what a dick,” Ronan complains before taking a bite of his club sandwich.

“Nah, but I have Professor Hansley for social science and he has the most monotone voice. I swear I’m gonna fall asleep in that class a few times,” I reply.

Jayden pops a chip in his mouth and chews. “I got a glimpse at this hot as fuck professor today. I don’t have him, but fuck if I want to.”

Renzo snorts. “Is it Knight?”

“How did you know?” Jayden exclaims.

Ronan grins and eyes Renzo. “Yes, how did you know?”

“Oh please,” Zo scoffs. “If you saw him you’d know. He’s definitely attractive.”

“Mmhmm,” Ronan murmurs, a small grin on his lips.

“You’re still my number one,” Zo tells him, draping an arm over his shoulders and planting a kiss on his temple.

“Where’s Vi and Dex?” Jay asks.

“Probably off scr—” I cut myself off when I see Renzo narrow his eyes at me. “Studying. Probably studying.”

Jay and Ronan laugh.

“Anyway, gotta run,” I say, gathering my trash. “See ya in practice,” I tell Jayden.

“Yessir.”

* * *

My next twoclasses seem to drag, but that’s probably because I’m too focused on getting to practice to see what this new guy is about. We had practice in the summer, but since he’s new, we haven’t seen him. I’m internally hoping he’s some half-ass running back who doesn’t have a lot of speed or can’t hold onto the ball, and therefore I won’t have anything to worry about.

In the locker room, voices bounce off the walls as a group of guys laugh boisterously at something someone said, and as another group talks loudly about some party they went to. I’m stripping out of my clothes and getting ready to don my practice gear when the doors slam closed and heavy footsteps approach.

I yank up my black football pants and turn my head to the right when I see someone round the corner. I have to do a double take when my eyes meet a familiar face.

What the fuck?

“What’s wrong?” Jayden asks from behind me. Apparently I didn’t just think those three words.

I don’t answer him, because my gaze is focused on the naked man from the bathroom at Grand Valley. He doesn’t look nearly as surprised to see me. Instead, he does a slow perusal of my naked torso and then grins.

Shit.

Shit, shit, shit.

He strolls right up next to me and leans his hulking shoulder on the locker while studying me in a way that makes me break out in a sweat. “Well, hello, stranger.”

I clear my throat, my eyes shifting to Jayden who's watching us with confusion marring his face.

“Hey.” I go for nonchalance, reaching for my shirt. “I’m guessing you’re the transplant.”

He snorts. “I guess you could say that.”

Jayden stands up and gets between us. “I’m Jayden, or Jay. One of the receivers. And you are?”

The Greek god smiles. “Dominic. Or Dom. New running back.”

“Hernandez?” I blurt, remembering the guys from the party talking about him.

His dark eyes find mine, his mouth pulling up into an amused grin. “Heard about me?”

I scoff. “Hardly.”

“This is Trevor. Another running back.”

“Interesting,” Dominic says. “Trevor.” He says my name like he wants to know how it feels on his tongue, all the while, unabashedly checking me out.

I pull my pads on. “Better hurry up and change. We’re out on the field in five.”

“I was just with Coach. I’m sure he’ll give me a few extra minutes.”

I don’t respond, I just quickly get my cleats on and grab my jersey, walking away because I don’t want to be around when he starts undressing.

“Do you know him?” Jayden asks, running after me.

“No.”

“Uh.” He chuckles. “Seems like he knows you, or at least wants to. Did you notice him checking you out? You’re gonna have to break his little heart.”

“I think I saw him at the party, but I don’t remember much.” I yank my jersey over my head. “I don’t think he was checking me out. Not like that. I’m just competition. Seems full of himself, though, huh?”

Jayden looks back. “Shit, he has every right to be. He’s sexy as fuck.”

I scoff and as soon as we hit the doors to head to the field, I realize I forgot my gloves.

“Shit. I gotta get my gloves. Meet you out there.”

I jog back to the locker and spot Dominic changing nearby. Great, we’re locker neighbors.

He watches me approach, but I do my best to pretend I don’t notice his chiseled body as I pull open my locker.

“I think I like you better drunk,” he says.

I blow out a breath, closing the locker after I get my gloves. “Look, Dominic.”

“Dom,” he says.

“I was drunk and what happened between us was just a product of me making inebriated decisions that I normally wouldn’t make if I was in my right mind.”

He stands at full height. “A drunken mistake?”

“Right,” I say with a nod, finding it hard to make eye contact with him.

“You said you were a little drunk, and you weren’t too inebriated to get your dick up.”

I swivel my head around, making sure nobody’s in here. “Okay, but I’m not...out. Nobody knows. Well, two people know, but really, nobody knows.”

He chews on his lip, studying me. “I see.”

“Yeah, so don’t say anything to anyone. Please. We can’t start anything. I didn’t expect to ever see you again, let alone here, trying to take my spot.”

Dominic finishes dressing and closes his locker. He stops at my side and looks at me. “Who said I wanted to start anything with someone who came on my hand in five seconds?” He clucks his tongue. “I like my men to last a little longer than that.”

He strolls away, leaving me fuming.