First Kisses Are Never Forgotten

Chapter 38

AARON

Today's match is going great. We lost the first set but one the second and third. We will start playing the fourth in a few minutes.

I look to the benches and see Addison wearing my necklace and focusing on treating Gavin.

He fell really hard during a dig, but I know he's okay. I'll talk to him before we go back in but I know he wants to be playing the court, he doesn't want to sit it down yet.

Addison has been wearing my necklace to all my games.

I wished she wore my jersey too but she told me she had to dress formally for the games, so I settled for the necklace only. The jersey was a one time thing, thanks to my little niece.

Now, she is wearing the necklace all the time. It looks beautiful on her. Radiant, just like her.

I want to get her another one, and other stuff too. Maybe, I can get her those violet earrings she was eying at the mall last weekend.

Addison shoots me a smile which melts my heart. My smile. She has a smile specifically for everyone she loves in her life. I got that smile a while ago and I feel like I'm the luckiest man alive. I love my smile, it's mine.

I want to go kiss her but I stay next to coach Dean, who is screaming into my ear right now.

"Do you get it?"

"Yes, coach." Joshua nods and leaves us to go drink water.

Coach Dean gets angry during matches, I thought it was because he's competitive but sometimes it feels more than that. It is as if he hates us. I tried with him many times to treat us better during games, but he doesn't listen.

"Why didn't you do the interview before the game?"

This again.

These past few months where everything I have imagined with Addison, I felt like I was on cloud nine. But that doesn't mean I'm suddenly cured and I don't get anxious anymore. I get my attacks and my thoughts sometimes drift to that dark place, but I pull myself back.

I understand now that it is okay to have bad days, as long as I don't give up and succumb to them. I am getting better finally, I feel better. I feel like this Aaron can be good for Addison.

My social image at the beginning of the season was awful. Every sports news outlet made me the dark prince of volleyball. I know the bad name. But they really did call me that and everyone was waiting for my mental breakdown on court.

Now, since I started working on myself and dealing with my anxiety in a healthy way, my image has changed in the media.

They have talked about my real estate work for the shelters I'm building and my wins with the team. I like that the world too is seeing how far I have come.

I don't want that to change. So I stopped doing any interviews with those trashy sports magazines before the games. They are not worth it.

Last interview I did was with a great reporter and he asked me what was the reason behind my great comeback and my improvement on court and outside. He asked about the reason I am better now. I told him the reason is my doctor with the biggest smile on my face. First smile from Aaron Diaz on Tv since two years.

I am never meeting with the other ones ever again, they are toxic and troublesome and I don't want to deal with them.

"I'm not doing those anymore, you know that."

He releases a frustrated sigh and nods to the referee that called for him.

"I want you in my office after the game, Diaz."