SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL, J.HUGHES

FIFTY ONE

JACK'S POV

"Are you sure you're okay?" I ask Morgan as she paces back and forth in the house. She nods, but she looks all stressed and frazzled. I'm not even sure what to do; I've never been good at dealing with feelings, and I'm sure it shows.

"Yes, I'm just stressed with the holidays and all that stuff," she waves dismissively. I want to believe her, even though I'm not fully convinced.

I was about to head out from her house to the arena for tonight's game. She's supposed to attend, but she wants to come a little later since she's not feeling her best. Since I saw Thomas a couple of days ago, his words have been stuck in my mind. I had to vent to Luke in the car about how much of a coward I think Thomas is. It's like he's been craving Morgan since the first day he saw her. I mean, we're not going to pretend he didn't want her in his bed. Friendship between a guy and a girl? Just a lie. There's always someone who's gonna fall for the other. Period.

"Gab is on her way," Luke says, coming out of his room. He heads to the kitchen, grabs a shaker, and starts mixing his protein drink. I stand there in my suit with my backpack on, glancing back and forth between them.

Morgan is driving me nuts with her pacing, biting her nails like a freak. I feel the tension in the room. It's like she's on the edge, and I'm not sure what to do about it.

Luke finally glances over, his head tilting slightly, just his eyes lifting. "Are you... okay, M?" he asks, closing the tap water.

"Yes, I am. Stop asking me that. Leave me alone," she snaps, storming into my room.

Luke and I exchange surprised looks. "Wow, okay... I'll wait for you in the car," he says, heading out, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I'm left standing there, feeling the weight of her attitude. She's always had her ups and downs, but lately, it's been worse than ever. Still, it doesn't change a thing. I love her no matter what. I just wish I could figure out how to help her through this.

I take a deep breath, trying to shake off the frustration. I follow her into the room, but she's already slammed the door shut. I knock softly, trying to keep my voice calm. "Morgan, can we talk for a minute?"

There's a moment of silence before she opens the door, her face still tense. "What is it?" she asks, her voice softer now.

"If this is all about your ex and everything, we've talked about it a million times. And I'll say it again—it doesn't change anything about how I feel for you, I swear. Just calm down, people will forget about it in a couple of weeks. You're stuck with me forever anyway."

I pull her close, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. She seems to relax a bit, the tension in her shoulders easing.

"You really mean that?" she asks quietly, her voice cracking slightly.

I nod, holding her a little tighter. "I really do. I'll be looking for you in the stands tonight. I'll score for you," I promise, giving her a reassuring smile.

Her eyes brighten a little, and she nods, her smile returning. "I'll be there, cheering you on."

...

And then she did cheer me on, maybe even a little too much. She didn't stay until the end, though. She had to leave early with Gab. Why, you ask? Because she was wasted. Fucking wasted.

It was a mix of frustration and concern as I watched her stumble out of the arena. I wanted to be there for her, to make sure she was okay, but I also had a game to focus on. I couldn't help but feel a pang of annoyance. Wasn't tonight supposed to be about us, not her getting plastered and leaving early?