One Last Shot

[37] Practice Punches

            Liam

I get home and change quickly for practice. I'm already going to be late but I'd like to be as on time as possible. Due to my rushing, I haven't had a chance to unpack what the fuck just happened. I drive to practice and rush into the gym, only about 20 minutes late.

"Where have you been?" Coach asks.

"I got hung up with something." A phone starts ringing and Marcus picks it up. This is the end.

"Hello? I'm at practice, why? WHAT?!" Marcus shrieks into the phone. Looking up, now having everyone's attention, he laughs awkwardly. "Start with dribbling drills, I'll be back soon." He starts to walk out of the gym walking past me and snorting. "Should've just told the coach why you were late, go you."

Drills start, and I try to shake off the internal embarrassment I'm feeling from Marcus' response.

"Hey," Archer and Grayson jog over as we're doing dribbling drills. "You good? You're never late. Did something happen with Iris? I know that was the last place you went before practice," Archer inquires.

"Well..." I feel embarrassed to finish my sentence in the middle of basketball practice. "We kissed." Grayson's ball stops bouncing, and rolls on the floor, his mouth agape.

"No fucking way," Jasper practically yells from a few feet away. "Is that why Marcus left?"

"Yeah. This is so embarrassing," I sigh.

"Congrats man," Grayson laughs. "You're officially down bad and liplocked."

"Oh, you finally kissed her?" Chad walks over, a smug look on his face. "Nothing like when I get her screaming my name." Jasper and Grayson step in front of me, knowing I've nailed Chad in the head once before and I'd do it again.

"Don't do this Chad, you don't want to fuck with this," Jasper says.

"Please, it's not like she'll stay with you. While she's kissing you, she's probably fucking 3 other people, a walking STD." Jasper and Grayson step to the side, because if anyone's going to put this ass in his place it'll be me. Immediately free to hit, I nail him in the head, coach running over. Chad hits back, and the two of us start a full on fight.

"Boys!" Coach barks. "Cut this out." Marcus runs in between us, pushing us apart.

"What is the meaning of this?" He asks, looking at me knowing there has to be a good reason I'd punch a teammate.

"He said Iris is a walking STD, and that the kiss meant nothing."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Marcus shouts, turning to Chad. "Not only do you have the audacity to talk about a woman like that during practice, you have the audacity to talk about my best friend and Liam's girl like that? Practice is canceled. Everybody needs a cooldown, and coach and I need to figure out what to do with you," he points to Chad, who looks like he's just seen death.

Marcus called Iris my girl. Does he know something I don't? Definitely, but I'll kill myself if I overthink it. The guys and I head back to the house, and walking in, we see Iris sitting on the couch with Connor.

"Oh god," Connor twists his face in disgust when he sees me, "What happened to you?" He walks over, inspecting my face, with bruises and cuts on it.

"Connor!" Grayson exclaims, pulling Connor's attention away from me and onto his boyfriend. "What are you doing here?"

"I coordinated a little surprise with Iris," I look over and see Iris smiling. That smile. My heart melts at the sight.

"Why are you out of your house?" Jasper asks.

"I couldn't do another night with just Thomas and Lilly, even earplugs aren't enough."

"Relax, I picked her up, she's in good hands with me," Connor winks at me. Sensing Iris is here for another reason, everyone scatters except for the two of us.

"What happened?" Her arms are crossed, and she looks disappointed.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Why do you look like Chad that night at that party?" I cough on air.

"I got into a fight."

"No shit. With who? Why?"

"Chad."

"Seriously?" She groans, rolling her eyes. "He's not worth it, just a dickhead frat guy. Why'd you hit him anyway?"

"He said stuff."

"Noooo," she says sarcastically. "About?"

"You."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"You defended me?"

"Of course."

"Thanks."

"Yeah."

"Can we talk about today?"

"Can I clean up my face?" I laugh.

"Help me up."

"No, you stay."

"I know how to clean up bruises and cuts, I'm kind of a natural now." I walk over and carefully help her up. My hand on her back, our proximity to each other is very close. We walk to the bathroom, and I sit on the closed toilet seat. She rummages around in the medicine cabinet before dumping a bunch of things on the counter and walking over to me. "So," she shifts closer, tending to my face. "What did he say?"

"I'm not telling you that."

"Liam." Her voice is stern, serious, and she pulls away to look into my eyes. God, this woman. "Tell me or your face stays unattended."

"Just how he wanted to make you scream his name." She lets out an ugly laugh. "And how you're a walking STD." Her laughing stops. "When Marcus heard that one he lost it. He's a good friend."

"You are too."

"A good friend?"

"Yeah." My heart sinks. Maybe that kiss did mean nothing. "I mean, considering a few months ago we were ready to kill each other, I'd say we've come a long way."

"Yeah," I'm less enthusiastic about the fact that Iris is in between my legs right now, inches away from my face, inches away from my lips, I've been friendzoned. Nothing to do about that. She finishes cleaning my face, and stands back.

"Voila, as good as it can be."

"Thanks."

"Is something wrong?"

"No. Do you need a ride or are you all set?"

"You want me gone that quickly?" She scoffs.

"Do you need a ride?"

"No, Violet is on her way once her date with Sarah ends, so she should be here any minute."

"Okay." She looks at me, confused, walking out of the bathroom. I follow her, heading into the kitchen to grab some water. "I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?" She's annoyed, her arms crossed in the living room.

"Nope."

"Then why are you acting so cold?"

"I'm not. It's warm."

"Enough with the fucking around."

"I'm not fucking around. Listen," I turn to look at her. "Just because you like to fuck around doesn't mean everybody else likes to."

"Where is this coming from?" She asks, exasperated. A car horn honks outside. I don't say anything. "You're an ass. Fuck you, Liam." She turns and leaves, getting in the car. Jasper enters the kitchen.

"Dude. What did you just do?"

"She friendzoned me."

"Oh. I'm sorry man."

"I'll recover, I think." No I won't. I felt my heart break.

"You're an ass. Fuck you, Liam." That will ring through my ears for years to come.