The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden(78)

He gapes at me unfathomably. “I can’t believe this.”

I inch to the side out of a man’s way. “Believe what?”

He shakes his head in awe. “You’re in love with him.”

I roll my eyes, almost laughing. “I am not. Now can we please go get you something to eat before the game ends and we get taken out by the crowd.”

Shaking his head, he backs toward the last flight of stairs, still thinking the same absurd thought, but he’s wrong. I’m not in love with Kayden. I barely know him and love requires a lot of time, a lot of trust, and a lot of other things I don’t understand.
***
Seth leaves me in the tunnel, just outside the locker room. He has a date tonight with Greyson and he walks off toward his car with a skip in his walk. After the crowd clears, I sit down on the concrete and check my text messages.

Mom: Hey sweetie. I’ve been trying to call you for the last few hours. I wanted to know if you were coming home for Thanksgiving. I know it’s kind of late notice and I already told you we’re going out of town, but our plans changed and we are going to be home. Call me.

I sigh at the thought of going home to the memories and the lies. I put my phone in the pocket of my jacket and direct my concentration to the side as rain begins to pour down from the sky and flood the sidewalks and streets. The streetlights flicker through the raindrops and I inhale in the scent, closing my eyes.

“Holy f*cking hell.” Kayden’s voice rises over the noise.

I open my eyes. He’s standing just in front of me, dressed in a grey Henley, dark jeans, and boots. His hair is damp and his eyes are locked on the rain. I push to my feet and brush the dirt off the back of my jeans.

“I was right about your luck,” he says. “We totally kicked their asses.”

I shake my head. “I think that was all you guys. Not me.”

His legs stretch toward me as he closes the space between us. “No way, that was all you. I played better than I ever have because I knew you were watching and I was trying to impress you.”

“You know I’ve seen you play before, right?”

He tilts his head to the side. “When?”

I shrug. “Sometimes my dad would make me go with him to practice because my parents thought I needed to get out of the house more. I would hang out under the bleachers and watch.” He looks at me sadly as I tuck my hands up in my sleeves and change the subject. “What are we going to do about the rain? Luke didn’t happen to drive, did he?”

His eyes wander to the veil of rain pouring down from the roof. “No, we always walk over. I could go ask someone for a ride. I think a few people drove here.”

I watch the rain splatter against the concrete, knowing if Seth were here he’d make me go out there. “There’s a thing on the list that says I have to dance in the rain.”

Kayden’s eyebrows furrow as he redirects his concentration back to me. “You want to go out there and dance?”

I look at him, deciding. “No, but I think I’m going to run home. I’ll meet you back there.”

Before he can respond, I run out of the tunnel, putting my arms over my head, shivering as the cold droplets soak through my jacket and drip down my face. Puddles splash underneath my shoes as I race down the sidewalk, feeling invigorated and alive. Thunder booms from the sky and the rain lashes down harder, but I let my hands fall to my side, letting go and being myself as I live in the moment.

Kayden

I was pumped up the entire game. Something about Callie being up there, not judging me only being there for me, lightened the pressure my dad always put on me. She brought the fun back to it and I played better than I ever have.

After I change out of my uniform, I head out of the locker room. She’s sitting on the ground with her face turned to the side and her eyes shut. I stare at her for a moment, taking in her parted lips, her long eyelashes that flutter every time the thunder snaps, and the way her chest moves as she breathes. I finally look over at the end of the tunnel and holy f*ck, it’s raining hard.

As I try to figure out a way to get us back to the dorms without getting drenched, she says something about dancing in the rain being on her list and then takes off into the rainstorm. I’m stunned as she sprints down the sidewalk, splashing in the puddles with her hands out to the side like it’s one of the best moments of her life.

“Fuck it.” I take off after her. When the water hits my body it’s like ice. It’s hard to keep my eyes on Callie because the rain is so thick. I shield my face with my arm and keep my chin tucked down.