Page 173 of Just for the Plot

OC:But did it seem like there was a chance for Bennett?

Maple:It did, but I could see her pulling away. I could see her sparing him from the disruption everything would cause. I don’t know how helpful this is, Bennett, but I know there are feelings there for you. It just depends on if she will allow herself to feel them or not.

OC:How do we get her to feel them?

Graydon:I think he pushes for it. I don’t think he lets up, because when I was pushing Maple away, that’s what she did. She hung on, knowing there was a future there. Bennett, you need to do the same.

Maple:I agree. I think you fight. If you really like her, and I know she likes you, then you need to make her understand that you both can work through her fears.

OC:Agreed. I don’t think this is over. I think this is just the beginning and how you handle this moving forward will set the tone for your relationship. Fight, man. Fucking fight.

I let out a deep breath and rest my head against the wall, letting their words sink in and calm my raging nerves. They’re right, if I want this, then I need to fight. I need to show her that I’m the one. And the minute I get back from this away trip, that’s exactly what I plan on doing.

The phone rings and rings and rings.

“Hey, you’ve reached Bower. Sorry I missed your call, but feel free to leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks.”

I clear my throat as the phone beeps, telling me to leave my message. “Hey, Bower, it’s me. Wanted to give you a call after my game, see how you were. Our texts earlier left me worried, so I’m just checking in. Give me a call when you can. See you soon.”

I jump off the treadmill after warming up my legs, needing to get nervous energy out this morning, and I grab my phone and head toward the locker room. Last night we lost. I played like shit, and we’re so close to making the playoffs. We’re in a tie right now for the wild card seed, barely hanging on by a thread. It would be incredible if we made it, given everything the team has been through, but then again, we’re still a little disconnected and we make a shit ton of mistakes we shouldn’t.

Staring down at my phone, I check to see if there are any messages from Bower, and when I see nothing, I know that she’s avoiding me, because she’d have at least texted me by now. I try not to let it bother me, but instead, keep pushing forward like Graydon said.

So I call her.

It rings and rings and rings and just when I think it’s going to voice mail, she answers.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Bower,” I say, feeling awkward all of a sudden, like I’m back in high school trying to talk to a girl.

“Hey, uh…how are you?”

“Doing better now. Just wanted to call and see how you’re doing.”

“Fine,” she says, sounding weird. Not her normal, bubbly self.

“You don’t sound fine.”

There’s silence for a moment, and then I hear a sniffle, and my heart nearly rips out of my chest as I pause in the hallway.

“Bower,” I say, panic in my voice. “What’s going on?”

“It’s nothing, I’m sorry, I’m just…fuck, I need to go.”

“No, don’t fucking hang up, Bower. I’m not kidding. Tell me what’s going on.”

“Bennett, I can’t…I can’t do this and I’m sorry. I know…I know you have feelings for me, but it’s just so complicated and I don’t want you to get hurt—”

“Then what the hell are you doing? You’re seriously going to tell me this over the phone?”

“Because you come home tonight and I don’t…I don’t want you to…to…”

“To what?”

“To think that, that there’s something between us.”

“But there is and you’d be lying to my fucking face if you told me otherwise.”