Ecstasy

Eli

Wednesday night, I’m walking out of the gym from practice, duffel bag slung over my shoulder when I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. I hear the guys behind me talking, and someone asks if I want to grab di

I ignore them, walking toward the fountain outside of the gym as I pull my phone out.

Zara’s name flashes on the screen. Since late Sunday night, or early Monday morning, I guess, we haven’t texted. I know she met Alex for lunch on Tuesday because he told me about it last night. But he said he’s not really ready to trust her again.

If it’s up to me, he won’t, ever again.

It’s dark outside already, kind of cool for mid-September, and as I unlock my phone, I feel a chill run through my body, wicking the sweat from practice away.

Her: Tell me about Kylie and Alex.

I smile at my screen. So maybe she wants to try to trust me now. I shrug off my bag, setting it on the concrete ledge of the fountain.

Me: What do you want to know?

She replies immediately, and I wonder what she’s doing. I want to see her and Alex went to the bar with Dwight for wing night.

Would she come over, if I asked her?

She’s probably pissed I lied to Alex, but I don’t care. I’ve been waiting for her for too fucking long. I don’t want to wait anymore.

Her: Everything.

I glance up at the night sky, see the stars overhead. I don’t know how long we’d have before Alex got back. Practice was later than usual tonight because the wrestling room was being used for some other shit, but it’s only like eight now.

Alex probably won’t be back until after midnight.

Me: Let me pick you up.

I stare at my screen in the dark, waiting. She starts to type, then stops. Then starts again.

Her: Are you going to get me in trouble again, Eli Adonis?

I smile in the dark, biting my cheek. My mom used to call me that.

Me: No. I promise.

Her: I don’t trust you. Pick me up anyway.

And then, right after that text, I want to experience everything, remember?