G O O D L U C K - kate martin

CHAPTER EIGHT: 08

||| KATE MARTIN |||

          It's been about a week since my interaction at the bar with Macey. We've been fine; I guess. She's still with Adam and all Jada, Gabbie, and Caitlin are talking about is how Adam treats her. Getting her flowers, buying her jewelry, he bought her new cleats the other day. I can tell you right now, she's not a gift person. She prefers quality time over all of the glitz and glamor. I would know, that's how we got so close so fast. I've only known her for about 2 months and me and her were inseparable, now she's connected to Adam's hip. The only time I see her gorgeous self is at workouts, and even then, since our seasons are getting closer and closer, the teams are splitting up. We're now working more ok team work and physical communications rather than just working on stamina and lifting weights. She's had less and less time to hang out, so I've been stuck with my basketball girls. Feigning for Macey.

I want her to know how much I'm thinking about her. Of course I like her, but as a friend too. It's been forever since we hung out since Adam has come into her life. I miss our FaceTime calls, I miss our movie nights. I just miss her. Sure, the incident wasn't that deep or serious, but when there's this random tension between the two of us, its scary. Scary to think anything can slip and can fuck it all up.

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          Tonight, Gabbie is hosting a game night at her apartment for a late birthday get together. I already know who's going to be there; no doubt. Walking up to her building with a bag consisting of goodies. A bottle of rosé, a container of dominos, and her gift of course. Walking up the stairs, I hear a familiar voice. She's laughing while on the phone. Her brunette hair pulled back into a slick ponytail. Wearing some baggy jeans and a tank top. She knows how to style perfectly, that's one thing that attracts me to her. My face lights up and I'm debating on if I should go up and hug her, but she just waves and mouths hi. I continue walking as she runs down the stairs, still talking on the phone. "Adam, I told you, it's just the girls and Gabbie's boyfriend." I stop in my tracks, purposefully ease droppings. "What do you want me to do? Come pick you up and prove it to you? Proof of life picture? Like come on!" She starts getting heated. I put my bag down and pretend to rummage through it, act like I'm doing something. Once she's far enough, I pack my things and make my way to the elevator. The door begins to close and I her hand stops the door before closing together. She's still looking down her phone, reading a paragraph before hitting send. "You alright? I haven't seen you in forever." I nervously say. She sighs before tucking a loose strand behind her hair, frustrated. "Yeah, I guess." She puts her phone in her pocket, "I know, sorry," she faces me, "I've been just so busy and- ugh," She crosses her arms and rolls her eyes, "Mace, what's wrong?" I adjust my shirt and bag as we start to reach Gabbie's floor. "Adam," she starts, "he's just being a dick. Like," she begins to explain and the door opens. I motion my hand to let her go first and offer to grab, what looks like Gabbie's present, from her right hand. Our hands brush each others. "He doesn't fucking believe I'm with you and the girls." I turn to face her and make a face, in a way questioning his speculations. "Yeah, I know. He's a great guy, really, but sometimes he can be so immature." She sighs, "So immature." We turn down the hall and silently walk to the end. "Sorry 'bout that," She stops and makes eye contact, "How's Harper? I didn't know you guys were a thing." She smirks while playfully poking my side. Her face lights up with a smile. A smile I've missed. "She, she was nothing. She asked me out and I just couldn't say no," She nods, "you know how I am." She nods once again before taking her bag out from my hands, then once again touching. The warmth lingering. We keep eye contact before she raises her hand and knocks on Gabbie's door three times.

The door opens and we're welcomed by Gabbie and Jada, arms wide open. "Hey guys!" We both hand Gabbie our gifts for her almost simultaneously. "You didn't have to guys," She rolls her eyes and brings us in for a hug. I swing my right arm around Gabbie's neck and place my left on the small of Maceys back; where it naturally rests. The warmth of Gabbie's homey apartment is so easy to love. The amount of decor she has feels like a home owned by a small family rather than just an apartment on a college campus rented by her and her boyfriend. Caitlin and a few girls are already playing Uno on the table and looks like they've already gotten High Noons out. Macey is setting her stuff down, making herself comfortable as I'm reaching for a drink. "Hey Mace," she looks up with a grin on her face, "You want anything?" She gets up and walks my way. She looks into the fridge, her side fully touching mine. "Mmm, I'll take a Cayman Jack." She looks up as I hand it to her, "Thanks." She smiles and walks off as she cracks open the can before sitting on the couch and texting once again.

An hour or so has gone by and Macey hasn't left the couch. She hasn't set her phone down and I haven't seen a moment where she wasn't typing. "Yo, Mace," Jada calls to Macey in the middle of our poker game, she barely looks up, "just ignore him. Put that damn phone down and come over here!" Jada jokingly yells, she's clearly has had a few to drink. She groans and sets her phone down before coming up behind me and watching my cards and plays closely. I turn my head and look up at her, "Whatchu think?" She presses her lips together before pointing at one of my cards. I nod in agreement before setting the card down face down. "Nuh uh, this is not a group effort!" Caitlin exclaims. I hold my hands in defense, "I'm just trying to be a good friend and include her, chill." Caitlin rolls her eyes before glancing over at Gabbie.

Towards the end of the game, Macey ended up sitting next to me and being practically my partner. She eventually got her phone as she knew it was blowing up. I would occasionally look down and peep at the texts. Texts and texts from Adam were filling up her phone. I happened to look at her while she was reading a text and her eyes started welling up with tears. At this point everyone was too drunk to even pay attention to the girls emotions so I just took her phone politely and put it on the other side of my arm. I scooted closer to her and started asking what card I should play. This is exactly what I wanted. Her attention to be on me and realize there are people that love her. I don't care who she's with or who she's hanging out with. I would never doubt her and her plans.

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          It was nearly three in the morning when it was time we head out. Everyone that was still there was far to drunk to leave so Caitlin and Jada ended up staying the night along with two other girls. I had only had two seltzers as I didn't feel like drinking tonight. Macey on the other hand had one too many due to the stress she was under from Adam. As I'm about to order Macey her Uber, she rests her head on my shoulder. "Can you- you just take me home?" She asks me, slurring her words like crazy. I immediately turn my phone off, "Uh, yeah of course, Mace." I sit her up and we make our rounds saying goodbye to everyone. I grab her purse and my keys. We start walking down the hallway and she begins walking slower and slower. I stop in the hallway and look back and chuckle at how slow she is. "Come on, soccer player," She rolls her eyes before she drunkenly jogs towards me, shocking me by interlinking her hand with mine. Making our way to my car, I open the door for her and protect her head from potentially hitting it in the top of my car. As I'm getting myself comfortable in the driver seat and starting my car, I feel a gaze burning into my skin. I turn my head and immediately lock eyes with the girl I can't stop thinking about. She breaks the contact by groaning as she turns her body facing the window. Faint music playing as I drive the 15 minutes to her apartment. Pulling into the closest parking spot I could find, I grab her purse off her lap. "Mace, let's go." I tell her. We make our way up through the apartment, nothing but silence. I dig her apartment keys out of her purse and hold the door open for her. I lead her to here bedroom before grabbing a hoodie and shirts for her to change into. I set the clothing on her dresser as she slowly walks towards me. I turn and nearly bump into her. "Mkay, I'm gonna head out. You gonna be alright?" I ask. She nods, looking up into my eyes with sparkle in her hazel eyes. I can't help but be mesmerized by the brunette standing in front of me. Despite more than half her makeup rubbed off, her hair falling out, and her drunk eyes, she's still so beautiful to me. My breaths start getting harder to control as I feel her warmth radiating onto me. "Mace," I begin, trying to knock her out of whatever land she's in. "Kate," She says. I take a small step back, practically up against her dresser. "Are you gonna be alright?" I ask once again, she steps towards me, she's now standing between my legs, me towering over her. "Yeah, I'll be fine." Her warm breath right below my neck. I look down at her but I can't help but look at her lips she just licked, leaving them glistening. "Come on, Kate." She quietly says. I know she's drunk but I'm starting to feel a buzz due the adrenaline I'm getting from this rare interaction. Knowing this might be my only shot with her. I bring my hand up to the side of neck and graze her jaw with my thumb. I lean in, connecting our lips together. Everything I've been waiting for since two weeks ago. She snakes her hands around my neck, pulling me in closer. She moans into the kiss once I finally realize how drunk she is. I quickly pull away. "Macey," She leaves my lips and begins kissing my neck, "Mace," My voice a little louder this time. She finally takes the hint and steps away, moving her hands from my neck to my hands around her waist. "Your drunk. I can't," She shrugs, "Sure you can," She attempts to lean in again. "Not tonight. Not tonight I can." I shake my hand as I guide her hands away from mine. Leaving her in her steps. "Look, maybe when your sober. Don't take it the wrong way." She tilts her head, "I just, I know better." A smile grows across her face before I walk out. I don't let my smile and blush grow on my face until I leave her apartment. Shocked but yet so in awe about her.