GROUNDING 🏈 Nick Bosa

#FIFTY FOUR.

I lay as still as possible while over-hearing Shanahan and Nick talking by the side of the car as Nick pumps gas. My heart was pounding so hard I was worried he would be able to hear it.

As long as he stayed on the side where there were tinted windows, I'd be safe, but if he walked in front of the car I'd be totally fucked.

After they talk for awhile Shanahan starts to walk away, but instead of going around the back he walks directly in front of the car. He passes right in front of me and I can visibly see him. He turns his head and we make eye contact through the windshield.

Fuck.

"Liliana?" He says, muffled from the outside of the vehicle. It looked as though seeing me completely shocked the shit out of him.

He comes to the passenger door and opens it, staring down at me. "What is going on here?" He asks.

"I was worried that this was going to happen." I say, sitting up.

"What about? Getting caught doing something you know that you shouldn't be doing?" He holds the car door open and motions me with his finger. "Step out here. We need to talk."

I step out of the car. "No, listen. My car broke down and Nick... I mean..." I clear my throat and correct myself. "—Bosa happen to be passing by and he is just giving me a ride home. I was only hiding from you because I know you were going to think something entirely different about the situation." I tell him, lying my ass off.

He looks at me for a long time, causing me to feel utterly uncomfortable. "I don't buy it." He finally, says.

Nick comes around the car and stands beside me. "I swear coach, that is the truth." He tries his best to aid in my defense, but it made me feel worse that he was having to lie for me.

"Listen, I have a feeling you are both lying to me right now, but I'm going to walk away and pretend I didn't just see this. If I find out you two have been hooking up there's going to be serious consequences, and if I catch you two together again it'll be the last time. Do you both understand me?"

"Yes, sir." We both answer him like scolded children.

"—And I suggest whatever this is between the two of you to be over. I don't want to see you two interacting at all unless, for medical purposes from now on. Got it?"

We both nod.

As he starts walking off he turns his head and points at Nick. "Take her fucking home right now." He says, before disappearing into his car.

Nick and I both get back into the car and we sit there for a moment in silence.

"Well, just when we thought this night couldn't get crazier, huh?" He says, looking at me.

My head felt light and foggy. "I can't believe that just happened."

"We have to be more careful." He replies.

"Nick, should we really be doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"This. Us." I breath out loudly.

"What the fuck? Yes, Liliana. I love you." He says, his tone becoming frustrated.

"That was just really bad." I tell him.

"We've been through so much worse, Lili. That was nothing." He replies.

"Yeah, to you.. but my job is on the line. Yours isn't. I mean, I have no idea what I would do if I got fired. I worked so hard for this position, Nick."

"If you got fired, I would take care of you, Lili. You don't even have to worry about that." He says.

"—But that's not what I meant. I want to keep my fucking job, Nick."

"What about me then, Liliana. Do you want to keep me?" He asks.

"Of course I do!" I stare at him. "I just don't know how this is going to continue.. us hiding and lying, and keeping our relationship a secret. How long are we going to keep going on like this?"

"We are going to keep going until we can't, and when we can't, we'll figure it out when we get there."

"—And then what? Just say.. Oh, hey everyone. Sorry we've been lying this entire time and we are in love with each other?" I look deeply into his eyes, knowing we were headed for a breaking point.

"Liliana, we have had one of the longest fucking days and you are trying to sit here and argue about something I cannot change right now. There is no point to it. Unless, you like going around in circles?"

I sit quietly for a moment, thoughts rushing through my mind of everything that happened tonight. Nick punched Joey in the face, I smashed a glass over Johns head, Shanahan caught Nick and I together. He was right, it was one of the longest days, and I felt as though, I was only making it longer. I was just ready to go back home with him and sleep. My body felt the most exhausted it had felt in awhile.

"I'm sorry." I eventually, reply.

"Don't be sorry, Lili. It's going to be okay, at least we are in this together." He says, starting up the car.

"When will this get easier?" I ask, softly.

"I don't know, but everything I've ever wanted wasn't easy. So, I'm pretty sure this is right." He answers, his eyes gently stare at me.

Nicks house.

We arrive back to his house and I stand at the edge of the kitchen tile looking at the blood on the floor.

"Don't worry about that, I have someone coming in the morning to clean it up." Nick says, as he notices where my gaze was.

"Fuck, I'm so, so sorry." I feel my eyes start to sting, I felt as though seeing the blood was the last straw for me. What was I supposed to do or even say?

He comes from behind me and hugs my body tightly. "Everything is going to be okay, Lili." He whispers. "Let's just get some rest, okay?"

"Okay." I reply, almost in a comatose like state.

He leads me upstairs and we get undressed. I lay down in his bed and he gets in beside me. His arms scoop me up into his body.

"I can't wait to see you in the morning." He says, his voice was deep, but quite as his mouth presses softly against my ear.

"I can't wait to see you either." I reply, in a whisper as my eyes gently close.

🏈