by S. Moose
The chef comes out shortly after and puts on a great show with his cooking utensils. I think my favorite part is when he makes a volcano out of the onion.
Riding back to the house with him I’m thankful for the music filling in the awkward silence in the car. As soon as we get to the house, he walks me to the door, holding my hand. "I had a lot of fun with you tonight, Zara."
"I did too, Henry. Thank you so much for taking me out."
Standing on the porch, I reach for the doorknob and feel him pulling me to his body. The door quickly opens and to my surprise there's Treston and Jackson, with Katy and Jamie in the background laughing.
I glare at the four idiots and roll my eyes. I'll deal with them later.
"Say goodnight, Henry." Treston commands, looking fiercely at him.
"Don't be rude." I push them away and close the door. "I'm sorry about them. They're ridiculous."
"It's okay. I know Jackson's your ex, but what's the deal with Treston? He seems pretty possessive over you."
I wave my hand, dismissing his comment. "Treston's a jerk and doesn't know what he's doing. But I should head back in and do my homework. Like I said, thank you so much for tonight."
"I'll text you sometime, if that's okay?"
"Sure," I smile, before heading into the house. When I close the door, they're all looking at me, waiting for me to tell them about tonight. "The four of you are ridiculous and embarrassing!" I shout, stomping upstairs to my room.
Tossing my purse on the floor, I drop on my bed, burying my face into my blanket. Why am I not interested in Henry? He's sweet and caring, funny, kinda silly, and cute. Sure he talked about himself the whole time and doesn’t understand my passion for teaching. Maybe he was nervous? That’s it. He was nervous and I should give him another chance even though I was picturing Treston in my head the whole time.
"Peaches?" His voice. God, his voice turns me on and I have no idea what the hell I'm going to do.
"What, Treston?"
He sits on the bed, placing his hand on my back. "How was it tonight?" I groan, sitting up and looking at him. "Come on. Grab your books. It’s study time." He smirks, making me shake my head and smile at him. "That's my girl."
My girl. Seriously being friends is not going to be easy!
A few hours pass and I'm ready to pass out. If I look at any more books, I'm going to throw them out the window. The house is quiet. It's just Treston and me up right now. We're in the living room, resting on the couches. Looking at the time, I open my eyes wider and groan.
"I'm getting sleepy," I tell Treston, putting away my books. It's almost one in the morning and I'm ready for bed. "Thanks for tonight."
"No problem, Peaches. Why don't you stay over and tomorrow morning we'll go running."
An uneasy, but good, feeling takes over. He's asking me to stay over. Where would I sleep? On his bed? Oh no I can't do that. "I should get going back though. I can't spend the night here."
"Katy does and sometimes Jamie."
"Well, Katy's dating Gavin and I don't know about Jamie. Plus, it'll be weird." I have to be honest. I can't have slumber parties with a guy, whom I just starting liking as a friend, and my ex is living in the same house. It's weird.
"I'll walk you back to the house then. How about a run tomorrow morning?"
"Deal." I smile and help him clean up. When we walk out of the house, toward mine, it's quiet and I like it. That's the funny thing about hanging out with Treston. We can be around each other and not talk. It's not uncomfortable or anything.
When we get to the front porch, part of me is screaming that I'm an idiot for not taking his offer and spending the night. I'm not exactly ready to say goodnight.
"Tell me more about yourself," I tell him, "I want to know more about you."
"Not much to tell. What you see is what you get."
"You seem so up and down sometimes. Like you'll act like an asshole and then, when no one's around, you're sweet. What gives?"
"Nothing." He quickly answers. I don't believe him. There's more to Treston than meets the eye. I'm not sure why he hides who he is from everyone. The walls he has guarding himself makes me want to push it down and figure him out. He's a puzzle and I'm very good at solving puzzles.
"Just one thing?" I ask.
"Fine. I'm scared of the rain."
This surprises me. I wonder what the story is behind his fear, but I don't ask. That'll be a later question. "I've never been to New York City and I've always wanted to go."
"Why haven’t you?"
I shrug. "Didn't really have the time. It was always school and lacrosse. Those were my priorities."
"Maybe one day we can go together." He touches my cheek and I smile.
"Maybe."
The next day goes by without any issues. Treston and I go for our run and I feel great when we're done. We head back to the girls’ house and I make him an egg white omelet with mushrooms, ham and peppers. We sit outside, enjoying the sun, and talk about random things.
Practice isn't too bad today. More conditioning and running. Coach Kaler is the best. She's been around for a while, playing lacrosse and coaching, so we listen and look up to her.
"Girls, grab your sticks," she blows her whistle, giving us instructions. "I know this is going to sound like child's play, but we need to practice scooping and cradling. The key thing to remember is passing and passing accurately. Nothing’s more embarrassing than passing the ball only to have it intercepted by the opposing team. We have about six weeks before the Fall Invitational. I don't think I need to remind you how tough the teams are going to be. Ladies, you need to stay focused and trust me. I know what I'm doing," she finishes, blowing her whistle.
The drills are easy and juvenile. We're all capable of completing the drills without any issues. Weaving in and out of the cones, cradling my stick, I aim and shoot for a goal.
Boom.
After completing the drills, two players stand in front of us. We get into two lines and our goalie, Grace, is in the goal. Coach instructs us that one person will be flying down the field with an assistant and the other player is the opponent. As a midfielder, I love these drills. Not only do I get to run and catch with the ball, but I get to play a bit of offense and defense.
The drill goes by quickly and the team looks good. There's some things we need to work on, like communication and thinking faster, but it's all with how you practice together.
"Awesome," Coach claps her hands, "Awesome girls. Get some rest and I'll see you tomorrow night. Check your emails and start the workout plans I created."
Body on fire...Check.
Can't breathe...Check.
Feeling great...Check.
Heading back home with Jamie and Katy, I decide on going for another run. The adrenaline running through me is still high and I have a lot of energy.
Getting ready for my run, I put in my ear buds and let the upbeat music help push me so I can run faster. People say that music distracts them when they're working out. Not me though. I love it. Music is my life, especially when I find that one song that touches me. It can be in any genre, as long as the lyrics and beat are good.
I hit the two-mile mark without any issues and start back home. In the corner of my eye, I see Treston running too.
"Treston," I call out, hoping he hears me. Realizing he probably has his ear buds in, I run over to where he is and run next to him. He looks over at me and I wave.
"Hey. Another run? Didn't Kaler kick your ass today?"
"Yeah, but I have so much energy and I didn't want to sit around."
"Fair enough. Think you can keep up?"
"Of course!"
Treston and I run a little more before heading back. He's fast, but I keep up.
"Damn," he breathlessly says, "Morning run tomorrow?"
"Yep! But I want presents!"
He raises a brow, "I'll come with muffins, coffee and juice."
"You know the way to my heart. I like chocolate chip muffin
s, but just the top." When he smiles at me, I swear my heart is beating loud enough for him to hear. Melting at the sight of his dimples and the way he looks at me is my undoing.
"Sounds good," I keep my voice cool. "I'll see you in the morning."
"Sleep well, Peaches."
"You too..." I try to think of a clever nickname for him, "Cheese."
Neither of us says anything. I watch him shake his head and turn away, walking into the house. Peaches and cheese goes well together, right?
After showering and getting ready for bed, I slide under the covers, instantly falling asleep.
The doorbell rings the next morning, causing me to race to the front before the idiot wakes up a bunch of pissed off girls. Without looking through the peephole, I open the door and suddenly am thankful.
"Morning," I smile.
"Hey." Oh, his voice is so deep and sexy. I love his just rolled out of bed hair. I wonder how soft his hair is. Hmmm.
He walks inside and heads to the kitchen. I notice the bag and two cups of coffee in his hands.
He remembered.
"Is that for me?" I walk next to him, looking up at him.
"Nooo, it's for this other chick that loves the top of a chocolate chip muffin. You know how hard these are to find!"
I clap my hands, "Oh Treston, you're so good to me." Climbing on the chair at the island, he takes out my breakfast and hands me my coffee. I'm trying not to be a girl about this, but seeing him makes me happy.
"Thank you!" I open the bag, smelling the aroma of heaven and start eating. "Did I ever tell you that you're my favorite?"
He sips his coffee before setting it down. "It hasn't happened today, but I know I am. Who else would wake up at the ass crack of dawn and put a smile on your face?"
"Very true," I smirk, cocking my head.
We finish our breakfast and lounge around in the living room for a little before going for our run. I've come to the conclusion to never eat this much before going for a run.
Treston looks at his watch, "So we've been sitting here for almost two hours," he laughs, "Ready yet?"
I groan, "Okay."
Watching him stretch and stand before me looking impossibly sexy is doing bad things to my body. I can’t stop looking at him. Honestly, Treston Parker is the definition of hot. If this is going to be a daily morning thing, I think I'm going to need to control my emotions. Being near Treston feels so good. I love the way he smells and the way he smiles. When we're together it seems as though no one else matters, like I'm the only one he sees.
"Music time." Putting in my ear buds, I press shuffle on my iPhone and start running. Treston gives me a thumbs up and we pace one another.
Feeling the cement against my feet, I watch my breathing and remain completely focused. All the worries and stress slip from my mind. I love running. It's like a drug. I need it and want it. I love the burning feeling that starts in my chest and spreads down to my legs. I love my muscles working hard so I can push myself to the limits. When I'm running, I don't think about the drama or anything else that's going wrong. I'm happy. I'm free.
After about five miles, we're back at the house and I feel good. "Same time tomorrow?"
Treston winks and nods his head.
Heading upstairs, I get ready for the day and send him a text.
Me: Thank you again for running with me...Maybe we can shoot around later?
Cheese: Sounds good
Finishing my classes for the day, I adjust my bag and walk back home. Soon an arm is around my shoulders and I smile. Turning my head, my smile goes away.
"What's up, Zara?"
"Oh hey, Henry. How are you?"
"Pretty good. You?"
I really don't want to be nice to him and hate that his arm is around my shoulder. "Good. Just got done with classes so I'm heading back home to do homework and rest before practice."
"Mind if I come?"
YES! "Actually I’m really tired and need to take a quick nap before practice. Can we catch up some other time?" I smile and tell him I need to go. Having his arm around me didn't feel comfortable. During the date, he didn't give me any weird vibes. I did have fun and I would hang out with him again. Just not in a romantic way.
“Sure thing. I’ll catch you later.” Henry says. He walks away and turns back to wave before heading into one of the buildings.
Taking out my phone I text Treston, wondering where he is and what he's doing.
Cheese: At the house...Coming over?
I smile.
Me: On my way!
Getting to the guys’ house, I take the stairs to Treston's and find him on his bed wearing baby blue workout shorts and a white tee. Oh, sweet baby goodness me.
"What's going on?"
I put my bag down on his bed and sit in front of him. "So, Henry's coming to my practice today?"
"Uhhh, why?"
I shake my head, "No idea. He came up to me today, put his arm around me..."
"He what?"
"He put his arm around me."
"And you let him?" The intensity in Treston's eyes is scaring me. One minute he's relaxed and happy and now he's pissed.
"Well, it's not like I said sure go ahead. I didn't want to be rude."
Treston rolls his eyes, "He's a douche."
"Okay, can we change the subject? I have a lot of reading to do so move over so I can lay down." Yep, no idea where this is all coming from. I relax my mind and remind myself that we are friends. Friends do this and it's okay.
It. Is. Okay.
After a few hours of studying, Treston and I head back to my house so I can get ready for practice. Honestly, it was nice being with him. We each did our homework and talked a little.
"Have fun at practice today, Peaches."
"Thanks." I give him a hug, still not sure why or how I'm doing this, and feel his arm wrapped around me. "I'll see you later."
"Sounds good."
Going inside, I rush upstairs and find Katy standing by the window with her mouth open. "What the hell did I miss?"
"What?" I innocently respond.
"Sooooo," Katy cocks her head, "Are you two dating?"
"No!"
"Do you like him?" I shrug, and then nod. "Do you think he likes you?" I raise a brow.
"No idea."
Katy sits on the edge of her bed, smoothing out the sheets in front of her. "I think you both like each other, but since there's a lot of baggage that you guys are each carrying, it's hard. I think that you'll both end up together."
"Then there's Jackson," I wag my finger, "He thinks I like him and said to like him. It’s so weird. I mean I don’t know my feelings and Treston annoys me, but I like it when he does.”
She sits down next to me on the bed, "If you really like Treston then I say spend more time with him. I've known Treston for a while and he's an amazing guy. However, he has a lot going on."
"What do you know?" I need to know. I hate that I'm doing this behind his back. It feels so wrong.
Katy shakes her head, "Not my story to tell. All I can say is, be patient with him."
I think about what Katy said and let it sink in. Being patient won't be a challenge. If it's worth it, then I'll wait. I don't want an ordinary love story. I want extraordinary and Treston's extraordinary.
When we get to practice, I stop dead in my tracks. "What the hell?" I mutter under my breath. Here, in front of me, are Treston and Gavin.
"Oh your lover boy's here," Katy nudges my shoulder and pulls me to the field.
As soon as we're settled, Gavin starts us off with suicides. We do this for a little while and then more conditioning. Up and down the field, knee highs, sprinting, grapevines and shuttle runs. Holy hell, my body is on fire.
This season means so much to all of us. For most of these girls, it's their last time to play for Duke. Some are going to try to go pro and others are doing something else. I still have four years to decide, so for now I'm going to live it up and have fun. I love the game and t
hat's where my focus is.
Gavin blows his whistle and tells us to take a water break. Holy hell, my legs are hurting. Sitting down, I stretch out my legs and lean forward, touching my toes. I love this stretch. I feel my body relaxing as I lean forward and take easy breaths.
"Looking good out there, Peaches." I look up and see Treston standing in front of me.
"Hey! Why didn't you tell me you'd be coaching today?" He shrugs, "You ass." We both laugh and go back to the field.
"Grab your sticks, ladies," Treston yells.
Gavin and Treston explain the next drill. We get in a group of three for the triangle rotation shooting drill. This is a great drill for midfielders, but really for all players. It's simple. The point of the drill is get open and think on your feet.
College lacrosse is different from high school. A part of me is nervous, but I'm ready. This is my moment.
Katy, Jamie and I get in position further down the field and start the drill. "So Jamie, did you hear that our little one is playing house with The King?"
"Mmmm, I sure did!"
"Ha! You both are so freaking funny! Nothing is going on between us!"
"Yeah okay," Katy says, throwing the ball to me. "Treston doesn't do this and remember, I've known him for a while."
I disregard her statement and focus on the drill. This is the first time I've heard that Treston doesn't do this. I wonder what she means? Even though we haven't known each other for very long, I remember him dismissing Audrey, which I still don't get why. She's so pretty and every guy wants her.
"What the hell is Henry doing here?" Jamie stops, looking toward the sidelines, then at us.
"He said he was going to come and see me. It's so weird," I explain, "I don't like him."
"Little fucker," Katy seethes, "He better not come over here. Oh wait, he is." The three of us watch him walk over. He has a cocky smile on his face and he's wearing cargo shorts with a blue polo. Did he change? When he comes closer, I swear I smell Abercrombie and Fitch. Sweet Lord. The thing that guys should know is when they wear an awful amount of cologne it actually makes girls want to vomit. I want to look at him and scream subtle.
"Ladies. What's up?"
