Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 71915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Bailey loved being in relationships, and I supposed it suited him, but once he fell, he was loyal to a fault. A lot of the time, his schedule was a detriment to his dating life. Mine too, but I was more than okay with that.
Walking to my afternoon class, I felt refueled after morning practice and a huge lunch. When I sensed someone speed-walking to catch up to me, I turned to find Jordan at my side.
“Hey, been meaning to ask you something,” he said, out of breath.
I tensed, afraid Bailey was right, that Jordan might actually ask me out and I’d have to turn him down. Not only because I didn’t feel the attraction I did when being around Remy again, which was a curse all its own, but because I didn’t want to ruin our team chemistry. “What’s up?”
“So I joined the university’s LGBTQ club,” he said, which startled me, and I wondered why I hadn’t even noticed there was one. There had to be leaflets or brochures I’d ignored with my narrow focus on classes and practices. “Anyway, it’s cool because they do group outings but also community work.”
“Really?” I probably sounded like a dope as I tried to process the information.
“Uh-huh. I’m actually interested in volunteering at the San Luco LGBTQ teen center. I had it rough in high school, and I’ve always wanted to, like, pay it forward,” he said, and my stomach squeezed tight, feeling guilty that I had accepting people all around me. Sure, there were bullies, but people had my back there too. “Anyway, I didn’t know if you wanted…maybe this is stupid. But you mentioned your education degree and maybe working with kids. If you wanted to join the club, you would’ve already—”
“I had no idea it even existed!” I replied, suddenly making up my mind even if my schedule was tight and the season had only gotten underway. “I’m interested, especially with the community stuff. Thanks for asking.”
“Yeah?” His eyes lit up. “Awesome. There’s a group meeting coming up where we could get more info. They take place twice a month, but you can drop in whenever.”
“I wonder how often the volunteer stuff is.” I sighed. “Our schedules are so tight.”
“No kidding. They need volunteers most Saturdays, so I figured we could help during weekends when we don’t have meets.”
“Sounds doable. What sort of things would they need volunteers for?”
“Guess we’ll find out, but from what I heard, it’s either activities with the kids or projects they need help with around the center.”
Once we agreed to meet at the group, I headed to class. But I couldn’t stop thinking about what Jordan had said about having a hard time as a kid. I wondered if swimming had helped him cope like it did me sometimes. When I was underwater, it balanced me, made me feel part of the bigger world, even with a nose full of chlorine.
To kill time before my last class, I walked to the student center vending machines to grab a soda, hoping it’d help keep me awake after an afternoon sleepy streak. Just as the can was tumbling down, I heard an all-too-familiar voice.
“How’s it going?” Remy asked as he waved goodbye to whomever he’d been walking with. I noticed a spot of paint on his forearm that he’d likely missed, either from a painting class or after working on his various projects. Like the exhibit he’d mentioned. Apparently, the university had an art studio where the students signed up for slots of time to complete their course assignments. I might’ve gotten on the campus net one night and clicked around, simply out of curiosity.
“Pretty well,” I replied. “I was just thinking about you, actually.”
“Yeah?” Remy smirked. “Is that a problem you have often?”
“Very funny.” I suddenly felt hot under the collar. The flirty banter that never quite got started as teens was liable to send me straight to a cold shower as adults. Suddenly, jumping in the pool after class sounded even more refreshing. “It’s because I was asked if I wanted to join the campus LGBTQ club.”
He scrutinized me. “And that made you think of me? Because I’m such a joiner?”
I was fishing about his sexuality, and Remy likely figured it out. It was just that I hadn’t heard anything about him dating men or women since our kiss and so much more that one morning. I also wondered if he’d had more opportunities, and in turn, more experience, with guys in college. Honestly, it was none of my business.
“I just wondered if you ever heard of the club since I’m new around here.”
His eyebrows drew together. “Maybe? Probably from flyers pinned to bulletin boards around campus.”
“Ah, makes sense. Well, they sometimes volunteer in the community. There’s a gay teen center nearby, so…I’m gonna join.”