Best Two Out of Three

Part 17

Wednesday, August 5, 2020
Jacksonville, Florida

Alex stepped off the elevator, her vision blurry with tears. She took a left, realized it was the wrong way, and turned around, trudging down the hall. Their room was a little more than halfway down. Her arm felt weak as she raised her hand to knock.

It was only a few seconds before the door opened. Chuck's face instantly creased with worry when he saw her. "Alex? Why are you crying?" He didn't wait for an answer before he pulled her into the room. He led her over to one of the beds. She sank down onto the mattress and folded into him, her shoulders shaking.

Chuck didn't ask any more questions. He just hugged her and let her quietly cry, soaking his t-shirt with tears. The adjoining door to Trent and James's room was open, and they both came in—first curious, and then just as concerned and confused as Chuck.

"Can—can I stay here tonight?" Alex eventually choked.

"Of course," Chuck returned. He pulled back so he could look at her. "What happened? Did he hurt you? Because I swear to God—"

She shook her head. "Cash and K-Kenny got in ano-other fight."

"What?" Trent moved across the room and sat down on her other side. "When? Just now?"

She nodded.

"Why?" Chuck asked.

A second wave of guilt and sadness overtook her, and Chuck pulled her back into him. She clutched his shirt and said, "Because I kissed Kenny."

None of them said a word. Chuck squeezed her tighter. Alex could only imagine what they thought of her. Cheater. She wished she could curl up into a ball and disappear.

"Did you tell Cash?" Chuck asked.

She nodded into his chest. "Of course. I had to. And he—he ran to Kenny's room and pu-punched him as soon as he o-opened the door. The B-Bucks had to come pull him off of him." She let out a pained sob. "I'm a fu-fucking cheater."

"No," Chuck firmly returned. "You made a mistake and you copped to it." He pulled back again and looked her in the eye. "You hear me?"

Alex's face screwed up. She couldn't even nod that time. She didn't know what she'd done to deserve such good friends.

Trent put a comforting hand on her back. "Did Cash say anything to you?"

She sat up and wiped her cheeks with her t-shirt. "He gave me an ultimatum. And then he told me to—to sleep somewhere else tonight." Her lip quivered. "All my sh-shit is still back there. I just grabbed my phone and came straight here."

Trent shook his head. "Don't worry about it. We'll get it for you."

"I'll go get it in full gimmick," James added. "I don't care."

When she heard that, a fresh surge of sobs rose up Alex's chest and she started crying all over again. "I don't de-deserve friends like you..."

"What?" Chuck pulled her back into him before she'd even finished her statement. "Shut the fuck up. Yes you do. And you know what? You're coming to Philly."

"What?" she asked.

"You heard me. You're coming to Philly, and we're all gonna get drunk and stupid like the good ol' days. I have a bottle of The Rock's tequila with your name on it."