Fair Catch (Love and Sports Series) (44 page)

             
“Sure.” He replied. “Let me grab a beer and I’ll meet you out there.”

The girl grinned and sashayed herself out to the back of the
house. Jake reached in the fridge and grabbed a beer. He popped off the top and took a very long swig. If he was going to get through the next couple of minutes, he was going to need some liquid encouragement.

             
When he made his way out back he saw Marcus, Lexi, Margo and Parker all talking, waiting on him to show up. Jake knew Lexi had no clue he was partners with the basketball slut because the look on her face when he saddled up next to his partner was priceless.

             
Marcus looked up and frowned. “Uh, hey. Didn’t know you two were partners, Jess.” That’s right, her name was Jess, Jake thought.

             
Jess wrapped her arm around Jake’s waste and squeezed tightly while planting a kiss on his cheek. It took all of Jake’s energy not to wipe the kiss off in front of everyone. He needed to act like he wanted to be there not like he wanted to punt the annoying Jess across the yard.

             
“It was a surprise to me too.” She said, “But here we are, aren’t we baby?”

             
She was putting on a show. Jake glanced over at Lexi who was now frowning at him. What was her deal? She was the one who was hanging out with another guy. Out of spite, Jake wrapped an arm around Jess and pulled her in tight causing Lexi to turn away.

             
Margo piped in. “Hey, why don’t we take this game and give you two a break.” Margo said to Lexi and Marcus.

             
Marcus looked down at Lexi and whispered something in her ear. She shook her head and he said something else. Jake was seconds away from throwing the table to the side and ripping Marcus’ whispering lips right off his face.

             
“Uh, we’re going to play.” Lexi said to Margo.

             
“Are you sure?” Lexi just nodded. “Alright, Parker and I are just going to stand here and watch then.”

             
Jake knew Margo and Parker had people they wanted to talk to and hang out with but they knew better then to leave Jake alone with lover boy and Lexi.

             
After many rounds of shooting ping pong balls in to plastic cups, slugging beer and staring Marcus down, each team was down to their final cup. It was Jake’s turn to shoot, if he made this then he would win. Jake wanted to make the shot not only to win the damn game but to show how he was better than Marcus, in so many ways. Jake knew it was stupid because it was a beer pong game but if he could make this shot then in his mind it would seal the deal on all the reasons why he was better than Marcus.

             
Jake took a deep breath and shot the ball. He watched as it landed safely in the cup and he threw his hands up in celebration. Marcus rolled his eyes and Lexi just looked down at the cup in disbelief. Next thing he knew, Jess had both legs wrapped around his waist and his head in her hands. She planted a huge kiss on his mouth and then started cheering. Jake was so stunned he didn’t know what to do. He glanced over Jess’ shoulder and saw Lexi look at him with the most hurtful look he had ever seen and then she walked away.

             
Panic wrapped his heart as Jake instantly shimmied Jess off of him and chased after Lexi. He heard Jess scream something at him but he didn’t care what it was, he was going after Lexi. He caught up to her right outside the front yard while she was reaching for her phone. He spun her around and was struck in the heart when he saw tears rolling down her beautiful face.

             
“Don’t” She said and started walking away again. What was her problem? She was the one who started all this.

             
“Don’t what? Come after you because I’m worried about you?”

             
She spun around and jabbed her finger in his chest. Even though he knew jabbing his chest was a mad tendency of hers, it was almost reassuring because it was part of the Lexi he knew and loved.

“You don’t care about me. If you did you wouldn’t have been squeezing that chick’s ass all night and letting her kiss you all over.”

              “I was not squeezing her ass!” Lexi gave him a “get real” look and Jake conceded. “Ok, maybe once but it was only because that ass-fuck had his hands all over you.”

             
“That wasn’t my choice. He was the one making the moves, not me.”

             
“Why were you with him in the first place?”

             
“It doesn’t matter Jake because we aren’t together.”

             
Jake wanted to punch a wall. He didn’t need her or anyone else reminding him of the fact that they were no longer a couple.

             
“You don’t think I know that? You are slowly killing me each day Lexi by not being with me. I don’t understand why you’re doing this. Clearly you were upset when I was with the other girl so why don’t you give up the charade and come back to me.”

             
Anger lit up Lexi’s blue eyes. “Did you do all that to prove a point?” She pushed Jake in the chest. “God, you’re such a dick. Why would I ever go back to someone who would play mind games with me? Just so you know, I came here tonight to have one last night with my friends. I got here before everyone else and when Marcus asked me to play. I decided to go for it, have a little fun since it would be one of the last times we would all be together. Simple, innocent fun. But you had to take everything to another level by rubbing your little basketball player in my face. I would never do something like that to you, Jake.”

             
“But you did.” Jake shouted. “By playing with that ass-hat you hurt me.”

             
“Oh, so am I not allowed to ever talk to another member of the opposite sex ever again? Grow up Jake, I wasn’t doing anything wrong and you know it. You were the one who took it up a notch because you’re a jealous bastard. Well I hope you’re happy because after tonight you completely destroyed any chance of ever getting back together with me. I don’t want to be with someone who would purposely try to hurt me with someone else.”

             
Jake felt his stomach sink to the ground. She didn’t mean what she said. Jake tried to get closer to her but she wouldn’t let him, she kept backing away.

             
“Please, Lexi. I’m sorry. I was an idiot I just didn’t know how to react when I saw you with Marcus. I’m sorry I hurt you. Can we please talk about this?”

             
“No, Jake. Clearly you didn’t get it when I said I needed some time. Instead you tried to hurt me and make me jealous. Well you’re an ass and I don’t ever want to see you again. Good luck with your professional career, I’m sure you’re going to be fully satisfied especially by all the women who will be knocking at your door.”

             
With that Lexi turned around and ran off toward a cab that she must have called when Jake was chasing after her. Jake didn’t know what to do. He felt completely numb. Did he really just blow his last chance at ever getting back together with the love of his life? There was no way he was going to let that happen. He wouldn’t be able to go on if he knew she wouldn’t ever speak to him.

             
Jake turned toward the house to go back in but decided to go to take a long walk instead where he could think about what he did tonight and how he possibly destroyed his future, the only future he really wanted.

Chapter 19

              Lexi pulled her graduation cap off her head and shook her hair loose. She never understood why the graduation caps had to be so hideous but she made it look as good as possible. Her mom showed up to her graduation but her dad stayed away which was a good call on his part because Lexi would not have been happy to see him. She was still bitter toward her dad and Lexi wasn’t sure when that feeling was ever going to leave.

             
She felt tired and not excited to be graduating. Life for all her friends was changing all around her and she felt like her life was at a standstill. The other night at the football party, Lexi thought she would have fun, never did she think she was going to see Jake hanging all over another girl right in front of her. The whole night made her physically sick, just thinking about it now twisted her stomach into a knot. She knew she was the one who broke things off with Jake but never did she think he would move ahead with someone else so fast.

             
When she left that night, she went straight to the apartment she was sharing with Margo and cried herself to sleep. Luckily by the time Margo arrived back home, Lexi was done crying so she didn’t have to deal with a million questions from Margo. Margo tried to bring up the party the next morning but Lexi refused to talk about it.

             
Lexi started her job at the shelter on Monday and she wasn’t really excited at all about the prospect of picking up dog crap and answering phones. This was not what she planned for her life. She had higher hopes for herself but she washed them away. Lexi occasionally thought what life would be like if she didn’t break up with Jake. She sure as hell wouldn’t have the awful nagging pain in her heart that she had to deal with on a daily basis. She would be taken care of and probably in some nice apartment looking over the ocean instead of sleeping on her friend’s couch.

             
Sometimes when Lexi looked at the decisions she made, she considered herself an idiot but then she would talk to her mom and realize why she broke up with Jake, she needed to be independent. She needed to find her own way before she could live a life with Jake, that’s if they even had a chance now. She blew up at him the other night and the look on his face was something Lexi would never forget. She had never seen Jake look so defeated, except for when she told him she didn’t love him. Why did she ever say that? It wasn’t the truth. She loved Jake, more than anything and she didn’t think she would ever stop loving him.

             
“Lex, take a picture with me.” Margo said, jarring Lexi out of her thoughts.

             
Lexi plastered on another fake smile so she could get through the day and just get home. She didn’t even want to walk in her graduation but her mom made her. Lexi would have been just fine with receiving her diploma in the mail.

Ha, he
r diploma, much good that was doing her. No employer wanted to touch her with a ten foot pole. That was what she got for spending her whole life focusing on softball and then her senior year focusing on helping someone else accomplishing their goals rather than thinking about her own future.

             
“Can I get a picture too?” Parker walked up next to Lexi and pulled her into a hug. “You look good, kid. So do you, Margo.”

             
“Thanks.” Margo beamed.

L
exi felt bad for Margo because Parker would be leaving for Atlanta shortly and Margo would never get the chance to act on the feelings she harbored for Parker. She wished there was something she could do for her friend but she knew there was nothing. Parker and Margo were going their separate ways, maybe someday they would meet up again, who knew?

             
“What are you girls doing after this?”

             
“Going out with our parents to eat.” Lexi chimed in.

             
“Look out!!!!! In coming graduate!” Mason nearly knocked Parker over with a tackle. Margo laughed and Lexi once again plastered on a fake smile.

             
“Dude, what are you doing?” Parker asked trying to catch his balance.

             
“Celebrating!” Mason threw his cap in the air and cheered.

             
“Don’t mind him, he’s drunk.” The all too familiar male voice came up from behind them. Lexi didn’t have to turn around to know who it was.

             
Jake.

             
“Let’s all get a picture together.” Margo said.

She handed her camera to Lexi’s mom and then grabbed Lexi’s waste to pull her in. Jake stood on the other side of Lexi and wrapped his arm
around her shoulders as well as Mason’s who was doing the can-can while holding onto Jake.