Blinded By Destiny

Chapter 10

Colton's POV

My muscles flexed as I extended my legs and reached for my toes, feeling a slight pull in my hamstrings.

The whole team had finished morning scrimmage and was participating in after practice stretches. 

Well, almost everyone. I tilted my head, watching Dawson who seemed to be watching everyone else with interest.

I looked past him as a few students were walking across campus for class before lunchtime rolled around. It was nothing new to see people coming and going. Classes were random and started at all different times of the day, even the night, which made it confusing as to what was holding Dawson's attention out there.

He was leaning against the chain link fence that wrapped around the field. It had a perfect view of the south side of the parking lot that faced the front of the University.

I had checked in on Dawson over the week, consistently, to the point I think I was getting on both of our nerves. The cut above his eye seemed to be healing though, thanks to Kennedy. The stitching was hardly noticeable. As were the demons Dawson buried deep inside. Thankfully, there had been no more repeats of that night, causing Ryan to randomly break out in song, rejoicing at the reprieve.

"Are you witnessing a murder out there?" I asked, causing Dawson to jump at the shattering of the silence.

"What?" His eyes widened at me in alarm.

I nodded toward the front of campus where he was staring. "I was just wondering what has captured your attention. You seem distracted."

He rolled his neck and turned back to his position of leaning on the fence, watching. "I'm not distracted. I scored two goals."

That was true, he killed it in practice. But, he was distracted. I had felt that emotion enough this week to know what it looked like.

I'd never known him to gaze off into the sun before or whatever he was pretending to do.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Dawson snorted before I could even get the whole sentence out. I shook my head at his back and stretched my arm across my torso.

That wasn't just a no, but a hell no.

Honestly, women amazed me. They just got together and spilled the tea on all their issues, completely at ease with confiding in one another. Men would sooner die than admit we don't have a handle on things or openly discuss what we may or may not be feeling.

Even now, my palms were sweating just trying to broach the subject of Dawson talking to me. We did talk, all the time, but not often enough about the things we should be talking about. He was hard-headed and life had kicked him down every time he tried to stand, but at least he was trying.

I jumped to my feet, determined to get Dawson to tell me what was up with him, when his shoulders tensed.

He stood, coming out of his hunched position as his eyes narrowed in on something across the distance.

My head jerked to the direction of his stare. A lithe form with blonde hair whipping in the wind was coming out of the doors leading into the university.

There was something familiar...I squinted across the space that separated us. Was that...Kennedy?

I pulled back as if pushed. It was her. Dawson was intently focused on her as she wrapped her arms around herself against the breeze sweeping through.

My mouth parted in surprise as I glanced quickly from her to Dawson and back again. Had he been perched on the fence this whole time, hoping to catch a glance of...Kennedy?