You Play the Field - I Play the Strings ✔️

Chapter 52

"Okay, drop my stuff off and start my walk. Well, grab Will. I try to do a mental checklist of what I need to get before I head to the theater for practice.

It has been a perfect schedule for me. Get done with class at 2:30. Grab my stuff and start walking. I usually get to the theater around 3:15, and that gives me thirty minutes to get my guitar and myself ready for the terrifying practice, which involves running parts of the show and finding the perfect lineup while we critique each other's performances. I thought I'd hate that, but it's actually been great. A few times, I've had suggestions on changing a note or two in my songs, and let me tell you, some of those ideas or changes were absolutely spectacular.

Anyway, we practice till about 4:30, and I speed walk to our dorm, getting there around 5 or 5:10ish, just in time to pretend I was never gone.

Conner leaves his last class, which is a later class, and goes straight to physical therapy and then a light workout. So he usually gets home around 5:30.

I just don't know how to tell him about it. Maybe I want to just wait and surprise him. The show will be coming up soon, so I'll just invite him to that. He'll be so shocked. It'll be a great thing. Yeah, it is just so awkward to bring up. What if he doesn't care?

I juggle all my stuff and grab my key, tapping it over and over again on the door until it finally beeps, letting me in. With a pep in my step, I sporadically place everything on my bed, not trying to be organized like I usually am, and instead grab my guitar case and turn around.

Yet, fate had a different script in mind. As I turned around with my guitar case in hand, I collide right into Conner. My head smacking right into his firm chest. A startled noise escaped my lips, and I hastily adjusted my grip on the guitar, fearing a mishap.

"Hello to you, you got out of class early? Will you be going to physical therapy today?" I wasn't going to be an asshole and just run off. So instead, I set my case down and wrap my arms around my lovely boyfriend's neck, giving him a small kiss.

The weird look he's got on his face changes into a smile as he wraps his arms around my waist.

"Decided to skip class today. I had some investigating to do, and I'm ahead enough in the class," he shrugs as I give him a questioning look. Investigating?

"You know, yesterday I didn't have physical therapy. I came back, and you weren't here. I decided to hold back on texting you because I know I've been a bit overbearing lately," he murmurs before squeezing my hips.

"But then yesterday, I skipped my workout after therapy to see if you were gone again, and sure enough. I ended up going to work out anyway since I didn't have you to preoccupy me," he explains as I start to sweat a little embarrassed and feeling guilty. I guess I wasn't trying to be so sneaky, but I was.

"My lovely prince, where have you been going? What are you hiding?" He whispers, leaning over to nuzzle his head into my neck. I squeeze him tighter, and he just rocks us. His breathing is heavy and frantic, and I realize now that I've made him panic.

"Conner. It's nothing bad. I was going to surprise you. So don't panic. Just breathe. I signed up, or well, auditioned for something just like you suggested," I assure him as he pulls away a bit more, his eyes wide but his body more relaxed.

"You did?! What is it?!" Suddenly he is excited for me. Such a fast switch-up.

"It's a talent show in a way. I'll be performing on a stage. Like in front of lots of people. That being said, I really need to get going if I'm going to make it to practice. I promise I'll tell you everything when I get—" my phone buzzed in my pocket, and I hastily check it, knowing it could possibly be an update on practice or just some suggestion from the directors. I roll my eyes when I see the text before looking up at Conner again.

"For some reason, the world seems to always be in your favor. Something came up, and practice has been canceled," I tell him before moving to put Will away and tossing my phone on my bed.

I walk past him, taking his arm so he'll follow me to his bed. He does so, and I sit down, waiting for him to as well, and when he does, I quickly cuddle into his side.

"I was going to surprise you. I know I said it before, but I just want you to know I wasn't trying to hide anything from you. I appreciate you trying to give me space and stuff too. Which must have been so hard for you," I chuckle, looking up at him.

He groans before laying down in the bed, wrapping an arm around my waist so I'm pulled down with him. So there we laid face to face, but a big smile was once again on his face.

"You don't even know how bad it was. I was so paranoid, and I swear I thought you were going to be dead in some ditch." He huffs, his hand running down my back.

"Is that why you randomly texted me about the clouds being extra fluffy looking?" I whisper, trying to contain my laugh because I had thought that was funny and random and lame. I asked him if we needed to go back to the doctors to ask about concussions.

"Yeah, I just wanted you to answer me, and you did. Had to make sure you were alive without being too overbearing, you know," he smirks, his look turning mischievous as he runs his hand down my back to the back of my thigh. He hikes my leg up, pulling it over his body where he continues to knead into my thigh, keeping direct eye contact with me.

I roll my eyes but reach my hand forward to play with his hair some more.

"I love your thighs," he repeats something he says all the time.

"I know. Trust me, I know," I whisper back, leaning into to press a chaste kiss against his lips.

"I'm very proud of you," he adds something weak, and that one makes me more flustered than the comment on my thighs.

"Thank you, Conner. I appreciate it," I whisper back, having a hard time staring into his serious gaze.

"Of course— dear god, you're so warm," he shifts, flipping onto his back, hands immediately trying to grab me.

"Is this a bad thing?" I ask. He shakes his head no vigorously before grabbing me and forcing me onto him.

I give in too easily until my legs are on either side of his hips, and my head is laying at the top of his chest.

"Feels so nice," he hums, sucking my warmth away from me, his hands once again exploring my body.

"What are you going to perform?" I close my eyes, just snuggling into my lover, suddenly exhausted.

"Our song. Or the one I wrote for you," I tell him quickly.

"You're kidding. You're definitely going to be famous after this show. So many people hearing your original song that is actually phenomenal, and you know I'm sort of in it too, which makes it pretty awesome," he yawns into his hand, experiencing the same sort of sleepiness I was.

"Mhmm for sure. That will definitely happen," I chuckle, reaching over to just have a hold of his arm.

"Where is it at, what theater?"

"Redwood theater," his hands tighten on my body as he whips his head up to look at me. I turn to look at him as well.

"Cally— how have you been getting there?!" His face tells me that I should definitely lie if I want to save myself.

"I definitely am not walking— would never. Probably couldn't," yeah lying. That is definitely going to work.

"Callum, you crazy little man, I- that's like a- what is it a 20-minute walk!?" He dusts up taking me with him.

"30," shit shut your mouth, Cal!

"30! CALLY I SWEAR TO GOD! Nope, I'm driving you from now on," he grabs my face, forcing me to look at him as he begins to lecture me.

"You have class."

"I do not anymore. Or I'll get Tanya to do it. Or Eden maybe Troy. You're my prince you should not be walking 30 minutes and back!"

"You're crazy," I shake my head laughing before leaning into kiss him.

"You're crazy!"