The Game

Day Off

"Nat," Tom jogs over to catch up with me. 

"Hey," I say in greeting. 

"What were you and Matt talking about last night?" Tom asks, trying to speak nonchalantly like it's no big deal.

"Were you spying on us, Tom?" I ask in an accusing manner. I pick up my pace and Tom has to continue to jog beside me. I see Sydney and J.T. already sitting under our tree together. J.T. watches Tom and me approach but Sydney is staring at her tablet. 

"What? No, no, of course not," Tom stutters and protests the idea.

"It's fine," I cut him off before he can trip over the foot in his mouth. "Matt and I were just setting boundaries." I make up the excuse on the spot and Tom's face turns red. I knew the subject would make him uncomfortable.

"Oh, okay. Good," Tom says and it's my turn to look shocked.

"What?"

"Yeah, it's good for you two to have boundaries. Your history together shouldn't interfere with our team," Tom says, making me angry.

"Why would it interfere with our team? Why the fuck do you think we have a history?" I stop in my tracks and turn to face Tom. Tom's face is red once again, or maybe it never recovered from my first statement. 

"No, that's not what I meant," Tom tries to explain. I cross my arms and stare down at him. "I just mean, that relationships can get in the way."

"No, you explicitly said our 'history', Tom. So explain to me what that means?" I step toward him,  putting my hands on my hips and narrowing my eyes at him.

"Well," Tom hesitates. 

"Well what? Have you been fucking spying on me for the entire time you've known me?" I step toward him again and he steps back, falling off the walkway but he remains standing.

"No, I swear I haven't," Tom pushes at his glasses and looks down at his feet. "I'm just invisible and people say things and do things around me because they don't see me. I saw you two one night."

"Saw us what, Tom?" I step off the path and stab my finger against his chest.

"I saw you, well, I saw the two of you..." Tom seems uncomfortable but I press him.

"Saw the two of us, what? Did you see us making out, Tom? Did you see us fucking? Did you just see us standing near each other and made an assumption? Lots of guys hit on me and try to touch me, Tom. That doesn't mean there is anything going on between us. You should know, you've tried too," I throw the memories at him and I see tears form in the corner of his eyes. 

"Natalie, I'm so sorry... I apologized for that," Tom's voice wavers.

"And I forgave you, Tom, because you are my friend and I trusted you. I know that you were in a bad place and you didn't mean it. So tell me, what did you see when you were spying on me?" I question him and Tom coughs a little.

"I saw you," Tom starts and I wait, "I saw Matt take you into his room."

"So?" I tap my foot waiting for the details.

"His hand was...his hand was up your dress. And you weren't wearing underwear," Tom adds and I look at him. Maybe he would be a better chameleon than I am but we did not see anybody in the hallway that day. I choose to ignore his comment about my underwear. I don't say anything for a few seconds, I just stare at him. "I didn't mean to offend you, I just know relationships can affect people." Tom says it again and an anger bubbles inside me.

"Good thing that Matt and I were never in a relationship," I say and the blush on Tom's cheek darkens further. "It was pure, unadulterated, passionate sex," I add each new word with a fire and Tom seems to shrink.