“He doesn’t know.”
“That’s because he’d never approve.” Her hand finds mine and she rubs her thumb across the top of it. “Are you ready for signing day?”
I nod as I downcast my eyes. I can’t blame her for changing the topic so quickly, it’s all she knows. Sterling has expectations and I’ve shared those with her and we’ve created a path that we can’t deviate from.
I’m trying not to let my emotions get the best of me, but it’s hard. I needed her to like this, like me, for what I was doing. I swallow hard and bite the inside of cheek to keep everything in check. I reach for one of her presents that are sitting under the tree and hand it to her. “I love you, Jojo,” I say, pressing my lips to her hand.
“I love you too, Liam.” She takes the present and sets it aside and crawls into my lap. I could hold her like this all night and I know she’d let me, but right now she has other ideas in mind. I want to tell her that sex can’t fix this, but I love her too much.
Chapter 16
Things with Josie have never been better. Not that we’ve been fighting, but my Christmas fiasco could’ve caused us a lot of damage. I had reservations about showing her to begin with. I wasn’t ready. If anything I should’ve waited until I could perfect the words I was trying to express to her. I’m not giving up though. If I can only play music to clear my head, so be it.
Today’s the big day, at least in Sterling’s eyes. I’m nervous and still unsure. I don’t know where I want to go to college. I’ve narrowed it down to five schools, Auburn included, but am no closer to making a decision now than I was last month or even last night. I’m going to ask Josie to come with me though, so my decision needs to be made with her in mind. When we’re away at college everything will be perfect because we’ll be together. My parents won’t be around to bring her down and I’ll have my girl in the stands for each game.
The camps are all done. No more showcasing my talent for the scouts. They’ve seen me play and the offers are on the table. I just have to pick. I can go with what I consider the safe school. The one that will cater to my every need regardless of what those may be, or I can go with what I want and have to work my ass off to make a name for myself.
The door to my hotel room swings open, crashing against my wall. I sit up quickly and find Mason standing in my doorway.
“What’s up?” I ask confused as how he got into my room. While my dad tolerates Mason, he was none too happy when Mason and Mr. Powell made the trip to New York for National Signing Day. According to my father, Mason is beneath me. Being away from my father is probably the only reason I’m looking forward to college.
“I can’t believe it’s signing day,” he says, shutting my door. He pulls out the desk chair, spins it around and sits down. “We’re going to college in a few months.”
“I know.” I adjust so I can sit against the wall. “What’s going on, Mase? How’d you get a key to my room?” I ask, needing to know why he’s here. When I look back on my childhood I’ll never be able to say I had fabulous parties at my house or that Spiderman birthday cake that I wanted when I was ten. My parents didn’t get it. Not like Mason’s. Not like Josie’s who let me sneak into her room at night because they know what kind of asshole Sterling is and they know how non-existent Bianca is. So to have Mason in my room, on signing day, only means one thing. He has a good offer.
“Have you decided?” he asks, avoiding my question about the room key.
I shake my head slowly. “That’s what I’ve been trying to do all morning.”
Mason leans back and rests against the particleboard desk. “So you know I have a lot of DII offers, but last week the University of Texas made an offer and I think I’m going to take it.”
“Yeah?” I answer, happy for him. “That’s good, man. They have a solid program.” I know this because I took a tour there and watched a team practice. They’re up and coming and going to be a contender for the national title soon. They’ve been talking to me for a year and I have them shortlisted, but haven’t paid much attention to them.
“How come you’re just telling me this now?” I’m curious as to why he didn’t say something last week. We’re supposed to be best friends.
He shrugs. “I don’t know. It seems like nothing compares to what you have sitting in front of you.”
“That’s bullshit, Mason. You worked hard. You deserve this. Are you signing today?”
He nods. “I’m nervous though,” he admits which causes me to sit up a bit straighter.
I nod. “Me too.” I pick at the hem on my jeans before looking at him. “Do you ever want to quit and do something different?” Because I do, every day, but I don’t tell him that.
“Nah. I don’t see the NFL in my future like you do, but I want to coach and give back to the community. I want to do my four years, get an education and come back here and marry Katelyn.”
“Yeah that sounds good.”
“Why? Do you think about quitting?” he asks.
Out of habit I look at the bottom of the door for the tell-tale sign of someone standing there. When I don’t see anyone I look back at Mason and nod. “All the time, man. I don’t love the game like I used to. The pressure has been too much and I feel like I’m a bomb about to detonate. I hate all this school bullshit. In two hours I have to decide what school I want to play for and if I don’t pick Auburn, Sterling is going to freak out.”
“So just pick Auburn.”
I roll my eyes. He makes it sound so simple when it’s not. “I don’t know.”
“Dude, you have it so easy. You have all these colleges coming after you. I would’ve given my left nut to be in your position. Stop bitching. Pick a school and say ‘fuck you, dad’. Hell, come with me that will really piss him off.”
He’s right. If I was to pick a school that isn’t in Sterling’s top five, he’d be livid. Doing so means he could cut off my trust fund and even though my schooling will be paid, for I could use that money for Josie.