I Hate Football Players 3 | 18+

Chapter 25: Ellie

"Hey girlie," Charlie's bright voice greeted me at her apartment door a few hours after Logan literally ate his gripes about mushrooms, took a nap, then went to practice.

Since today was a Thursday evening prior to a Saturday game, Wes and Logan stayed after practice with the rest of the offensive team for film review. I'd rushed home after my library shift, threw together a container of leftovers for our dinner, and changed into an outfit that obviously lacked her approval.

Her blue eyes traveled down over my appearance, her lips pursed, and she shook her head. "Not wearing that, are you?"

I looked down at my baggy T-shirt, which looked perfectly clean, and black yoga leggings. "What's wrong?"

"I'm pretty sure a bag lady looks sexier," she mused while she stepped out into the hallway and locked the door. Her bright pink and black racerback yoga top and leggings hugged every muscle on her athletic body. Her thick, blonde locks were pulled up into a high ponytail like mine, but hers fell in shoulder-length casual curls while mine hung straight down to my upper back.

"You know that shirt will just ride up and annoy you once we get there." Her voice was light but both of us knew she was right because my shirt annoyingly shifted every time we went into forward fold.

I had no argument on the riding up part, but frowned at her other words while I trailed behind her. "Why would I want to look sexy?"

"Hmm... let's see..." She paused at the top of the stairs, cocked her head sideways, and tapped one finger against her lips. "To catch a hot guy's attention."

"I don't want to catch Logan's attention," I replied quietly, brushed past her, and stepped down the stairs. A round of giggles chased after me, so I paused and turned around to a very amused, borderline smug look on her face. "What?"

"I didn't say Logan was the hot guy." Her lips parted into a bright smile. "But you're admitting he's hot, slow and painful but still progress. How is married life with the walking GQ model?"

"Confusing," I mumbled while we made our way down the stairs.

"Wes told me he's got some mad skills on the field," she offered casually, then her voice shifted slightly and she teased, "Test out the bedroom skills yet?"

"Charlie!" I huffed and balled my fists tightly.

"I'm teasing... Mostly." She asked once we reached the outside and headed up the sidewalks towards the UW Recreation building. "Did he apologize?"

Charlie had discovered the recreation building's services our freshman year. Ever since, she'd dragged me to many, many classes until we found something that worked. Twice a week, at least in the past, she and I attended two yoga classes. One class was Bikram, or Hot Yoga, for strength building and one Vinyasa class that worked on flow and balance.

Unlike my Heisman-worthy athletic brother, I was barely coordinated and, more accurately, really clumsy. Walls and corners jumped out into my elbows, shoulders, and hips. I tripped over both my own feet and thin air, and when I walked both up and down stairs. Logan himself had physically caught me more times than I counted during our relationship.

It was kind of romantic when he did though.

With Charlie and yoga's help, my balance and center of gravity slowly improved. I wasn't the most athletic, buff person but I was stronger at holding my own body weight in some of the balance poses. Others, like toe stand, I'd just accepted would never be my cup of tea and happily watched as the rest of the class wobbled in place.

"What does Logan have to apologize to me about?" My eyes couldn't have stretched any wider.

"I'm the one who needs to apologize to him."