Chapter 43: He’s Leaving Next Week

Chapter 43: Chapter 43: He’s Leaving Next Week

The front door of the apartment clicked shut.

Audrey dropped her heavy camera bag onto the floor, her shoulders slumping. The adrenaline from the match had finally worn off, leaving behind a heavy, uncomfortable exhaustion.

She walked into the kitchen.

Chloe was sitting cross-legged on the kitchen counter. She was wearing a pair of sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt, casually pulling the tab on a canned alcoholic seltzer.

Pop. Sssss.

Chloe took a long sip, her expression completely unbothered. She didn’t even look up as Audrey walked in.

"Chloe," Audrey said, leaning against the kitchen island. "What was that?"

Chloe lowered the brightly colored can. "I was honest. People usually appreciate honesty."

"You annihilated him," Audrey said, her voice laced with disbelief. "You completely crushed him in front of the entire bench. You didn’t even give him a chance to breathe."

"He didn’t need to breathe. He needed a reality check," Chloe replied smoothly. She took another sip of her drink, swinging her legs lightly against the cabinets. "He was practically proposing on the touchline, Audrey. I wasn’t going to stand there and hold his hand while he made a fool of both of us."

Audrey stared at her roommate. Chloe genuinely looked like she didn’t care. There was no guilt in her eyes, no lingering regret. She was just drinking her canned margarita like it was any other Saturday afternoon.

"He really likes you, Chloe," Audrey said softly. "He was devastated."

Chloe rolled her eyes, tracing the condensation on the aluminum can.

"He’s a college football player, Audrey," Chloe stated flatly. "He falls in love every time a girl remembers his name. He’ll be flirting with a cheerleader by Tuesday. Trust me, it’s better to rip the band-aid off now before he actually got attached."

Audrey sighed, rubbing her temples. She knew there was no point in arguing. When Chloe built a wall, she built it out of solid steel.

"You didn’t have to be so harsh," Audrey murmured.

"I did," Chloe said, hopping off the counter. She grabbed her drink and headed toward her bedroom. "Because if I was nice, he would have thought there was still a chance."

Chloe shut her door, leaving Audrey standing alone in the quiet kitchen.

Across campus, the atmosphere in the athletic dorms was a completely different kind of disaster.

Leo was lying face-down on his mattress. He hadn’t bothered to change out of his sweatpants. He looked like a deflated balloon.

Jackson was sitting at his own desk, casually eating a protein bar while playing a racing game on his console.

Mason was standing by his closet, sorting through clean laundry, but his eyes kept darting toward his miserable friend.

"It physically hurts," Leo’s muffled voice came from the mattress. He slowly turned his head, pressing his cheek against the blanket. He pointed a dramatic finger at his own chest. "Right here. It feels like someone took a cleat to my ribs."

"You ate four slices of pepperoni pizza after the match, Leo," Jackson said, not taking his eyes off the television screen. "It’s heartburn."

"It’s heartbreak!" Leo wailed, burying his face back into the pillow. "This is the tenth time my heart has been pulverized. Ten times, Jackson! You’d think a man builds an immunity to the pain. You’d think there’s a callous over my soul by now!"

Jackson paused his game. He looked over his shoulder. "You dated the last girl for exactly four days."

"Time is an illusion!" Leo yelled defensively. "The pain is real! Every single time a heart breaks, it feels brand new! Like I’ve never felt sadness before in my entire life!"

Mason sighed. He walked over and sat on the edge of Leo’s bed, giving his friend a heavy, sympathetic pat on the shoulder.

"I’m sorry, man," Mason said quietly. "I really am."

Leo sniffled, turning to look at his captain. "Did she say anything else? After she walked away? Did she look back?"

Mason winced slightly. "...No. She just left."

Leo let out a long, tragic groan and threw an arm over his eyes. "I am going to become a monk. I’m taking a vow of silence. Football and misery are my only companions now."

Jackson rolled his eyes, unpausing his game. "Give him forty-eight hours. He’ll fall in love with the girl who makes his smoothies on Monday."

"You have no empathy, Jackson!" Leo yelled.

Mason just shook his head, offering Leo another comforting pat before grabbing his jacket. He felt terrible for his friend, he really did. But underneath the sympathy, there was a quiet, selfish warmth spreading through his own chest.

He needed to see Audrey.

Two hours later, a soft knock echoed through the girls’ apartment.

Audrey walked over and unlocked the front door.

Before she could even say a word, Mason stepped inside, shut the door with a quiet click, and immediately wrapped his arms around her.

He didn’t hesitate. He backed her gently against the closed door, wrapping his arms securely around her waist, and buried his face in the crook of her neck. He let out a long, exhausted sigh, his massive frame completely relaxing against her.

Audrey stood there, her hands hovering in the air for a second before she slowly rested them on his broad shoulders.

"...Hi to you too," Audrey smiled, feeling her pulse jump.

"I missed you," Mason mumbled against her skin, his breath warm on her neck.

Audrey laughed softly, running a hand through his dark hair. "You saw me a few hours ago at the stadium."

"Too long," he replied stubbornly.

He pulled back just enough to look at her, his dark eyes heavy and affectionate. Without asking, he leaned down and kissed her. It was slow and lazy, completely devoid of the frantic energy he had on the pitch.

When he finally pulled away, he didn’t let her go. Instead, he grabbed her hand and walked her backward toward the living room couch.

Audrey sat down. Before she could even adjust her position, Mason sat down right next to her, wrapped an arm around her waist, and pulled her sideways so she was practically sitting in his lap.

He rested his chin heavily on her shoulder, intertwining his fingers with hers, keeping her pressed firmly against his chest.

Audrey looked down at his arms wrapped tightly around her.

She was still getting used to this. For three months, Mason had been the respectful, distant, untouchable captain. Now that the wall was gone, she was quickly learning that Mason Calloway was an incredibly clingy boyfriend.

He needed to be touching her. Whether it was playing with her fingers, resting his hand on her knee, or using her as a human pillow, he was constantly seeking her warmth.

And the scariest part was... Audrey loved it.

"You are like a massive golden retriever," Audrey teased, leaning her head back against his shoulder.

Mason kissed her temple. "I don’t care. I’m comfortable."

"Is Leo okay?" Audrey asked, tracing the veins on the back of his hand.

"He’s currently lying on the floor listening to a playlist called ’Acoustic Tears,’" Mason sighed. "He’s dramatic, but he’s genuinely crushed. He really thought Chloe liked him."

Audrey shook her head. "Chloe is impossible. She acts like she doesn’t have a heart, but I think she just panics when someone tries to get too close to it."

"Well, Leo tried to sprint right through the front door," Mason said, his thumb absentmindedly drawing circles on Audrey’s palm. "He doesn’t know how to do anything slowly."

"Unlike some people," Audrey smiled, looking up at him.

Mason met her eyes, a slow, gorgeous smirk spreading across his face. "I happen to think taking my time paid off perfectly."

He leaned in, capturing her lips again. Audrey melted into him, her hands coming up to grip his hoodie. The apartment was quiet, the glow of the streetlights filtering through the blinds, casting long shadows across the living room.

Everything felt incredibly safe.

Everything felt perfect.

Buzz. Buzz.

Mason’s phone vibrated violently against the coffee table.

He groaned, pulling away from the kiss. "I’m throwing that thing in the river."

"You should probably check it," Audrey laughed, her face flushed. "It could be Coach."

Mason sighed, keeping one arm securely wrapped around her waist while he reached over to grab his phone. He unlocked the screen, expecting a text from Leo complaining about his broken heart, or a schedule update from the assistant coach.

He opened the email notification.

Audrey felt his entire body go completely rigid.

The lazy, comfortable warmth radiating from him instantly vanished. His arm tightened around her waist, but his eyes were locked onto the glowing screen, completely wide.

"Mason?" Audrey asked, her smile fading. She sat up slightly. "What is it?"

Mason didn’t answer right away. He just stared at the text on the screen, his chest rising and falling in quick, shallow breaths.

"...It’s from the National Development Academy," Mason finally whispered.

Audrey’s eyes widened. "The premier training camp? In Florida?"

Mason nodded slowly, never taking his eyes off the email.

"Mason, that’s amazing!" Audrey gasped, a massive smile breaking across her face. She knew what this meant. This was the fast track to a professional contract. This was everything he had been working for since he was a kid.

She turned to look at him, expecting to see a victorious smile.

Instead, Mason looked at her, his dark eyes filled with absolute, terrified panic.

"...They want me to report to camp," Mason said, his voice entirely hollow.

"Okay," Audrey nodded, her smile faltering slightly at his tone. "When?"

Mason swallowed hard, his fingers tightening around the edge of his phone.

"...Next week."

Complete silence crashed down over the living room.

Audrey stared at him, the air rushing out of her lungs.

Next week.

He wasn’t just going to a camp. He was leaving the university. He was leaving the team.

He was leaving her.