Contrast

24

I quickly apply a layer of lotion and primer to my face to let it sit in.

After breakfast Olivia and I will have to come back up and get ready for the game. We both changed into a pair of sweatpants and Olivia into one of Noah's hoodies, but I soon realized I had no causal shirts to wear downstairs.

Not knowing how I somehow forgot to bring any t-shirts, I decided to wear Blake's hoodie.

I can't help but smile when I notice that it smells like him again after he wore it last night.

Looking down at the sewn-in number 11 on the bottom of the sleeve, I softly run my fingers over it.

I also texted Lucas this morning just to tell him that a got a little too drunk last night but I'm okay. He wasn't happy, but I shifted the conversation over to his ankle and that seemed to work.

"Alright, Noah and Blake are meeting us at breakfast. Is that okay with you?" Olivia questions, putting her phone in her back pocket.

"I don't want to make things weirder than they already are, so yeah that's fine," I reply confidently, not sure if I'm trying to convince her or myself.

Hopefully Noah was still asleep when Blake showed up in their room looking well-rested and shirtless.

I'm not sure how it will feel to see Blake after last night and I'm wondering if any more memories will come back at the sight of him.

I can't believe how confused about him I was a couple of days ago, it's nothing compared to how I feel now.

"Alright cool, they're heading down, let's go," Olivia replies, wiping the toothpaste off of her mouth.

We make our way out of the room and down to the lobby with ease. I suddenly remember looking into this same lobby last night, but it was much blurrier then.

I swear that when Olivia and I walk by the front desk, a few of the workers stare at me with strange looks. I hope they didn't see me stumble in.

We make our way over to the breakfast area which is completely crowded with players on the team and a few girls from the squad.

I suddenly spot Noah and Blake at a table in the corner of the room and my throat immediately tightens as we make eye contact. I can't even begin to understand how I am supposed to feel about Blake anymore, but my bodily reactions are uncontrollable.

Like a bolt of electricity, Blake's distant voice suddenly rings through my memories yet again, but this time with new words.

"Even take my father... who sent me away. We haven't seen each other in five years. When he tries to text me and asks me how I'm doing and how football is going, he doesn't actually care about me. He just wants to make sure I don't ever come back..."

Blakes's words sound weak in my head. Not in the way that the memory is weak, but in the way that his tone of voice sounds completely broken. I somehow know for certain he said that to me last night.

His father sent him away? Have they really not seen each other in five years?

The thought of that alone makes my heart hurt for him, but I'm sure that's only the tip of the iceberg.

As we walk over, I take in both of the boy's appearances. For the first time in my life, I observe that Blake looks more well-rested than Noah.

Blake's eyes have a new brightness to them; his bags are practically gone and he overall looks less miserable than usual. Noah still looks like his golden retriever self, just a bit more lethargic.

"I'm glad to see you're alive El," Noah laughs as the two of us sit down.

"Yeah, it was dicey there for a minute or two but it turned out alright," I laugh before continuing with a more serious tone in my voice. "But thank you, Blake, for helping me. I could've gotten thrown off the team if Janet or Coach Wilson saw me like that."