Fortuitous || Jack Steele [1]

nineteen

It was nice not having woken up at all during the night. It was nice not waking up to an alarm or Max trying to scare me awake. Perfect wakeup, I'd say.

Ratts had told us yesterday that we could sleep in but the hard work would start later today. He wanted to make sure the boys were fully recuperated from the journey before training commenced back up. We play Fremantle at Metricon in the coming days.

It's 9am when I check my phone. The Queensland sun is trying to fight through the curtains of my room and set alight everything with its rays. I push myself upright with my legs under the sheets.

My mind wanders over the night walk Jack and I had last night.

It was a lot different to all the other times we've interacted. We've always spoken with people around or at least the prospect of someone being around. Last night there was absolutely no one. No one was out there with us or listening in. It was refreshing to speak to him without the possibility of outside forces imposing on our conversation.

There was no worrying about the game ahead or COVID being jammed down out throats. It was just us, our thoughts and the serene atmosphere of the starry night. It's what we both needed after a stressful first half of the year. We both just needed a moment to be brought down the earth. Last night did us exactly that.

My stomach grumbles, signifying I need to get something to eat. I get out of bed and it's easier than I thought. Maybe it's because I'm not freezing my ass off.

The birds chirp outside as I get changed into appropriate clothing. I do my hair, grab the keys and exit my apartment.

The hallway is empty which really isn't that surprising. Everyone is either still in their rooms or went to go get breakfast. I take the elevator down and head towards the dining hall.

The hum of chatter intensifies as I approach until I finally walk inside and it's all I hear.

Almost all of the boys are in the dining hall. Most look like they just arrived as they line up waiting to be served. Some of them are at the coffee machines in the corner whilst others have already received their eggs and cereal. I decide to go with the oats sprinkled on top of some yogurt and banana. Eggs disgust me. The only egg I like is Humpty Dumpty.

"Look who decided to finally turn up," a voice says from behind me. I whip around.

"My sincerest apologies, JB, that I wanted to get a good sleep after waking up before 7 for the past two mornings," I comment with snark.

"You're really not a morning person, are you?" JB laughs.

"She certainly isn't." Bytes appears from my left with a coffee in hand. "I would know."

"You definitely would." I smile at him tauntingly. Bytes cringes.

JB goes off to get his breakfast whilst Bytes and I sit at a vacant table. We sit there quietly for a few minutes as we take bites (haha, puns) of our breakfast.

Bytes takes a sip of his coffee. "When and where do we have to get the COVID tests done again?"

"You're the athlete, why would I know?" I pull a face at him, chewing on my food.

"Because you have to get one done too. Everyone does," he states with an obvious tone.

"Doesn't mean I'd willingly want to know when and where it's done." I snort out. Why would I want to know when I have to get my nose tickled and the dangling thing at the back of my throat touched? It's unsettling.

"But you need to know." Bytes takes another swig of his drink casually.

"And so do you, so why are you asking me?" I laugh at his stupidity. "It's hypocritical that you say I need to know when you asked the question because you don't know."