章 87: Eleven over ten

　　BEN

　　I think Gracie is mad at me. Shit. I fucked up again. I shouldn’t have snapped. But it was so hard to keep calm with the false niceties. Gracie won’t be here again in two months time and I want to spend every second with her, not answer some lame questions about my life. I haven’t touched a ball in over a year.

　　Asher throws one leg over me without looking away from his iPad. They spoil him too much. I prop a pillow behind his back to make him more comfortable, he flashes me a smile and continues watching one of those kids show from Disney or Nickelodeon. I sneak out of the bed and he rolls to his stomach.

　　“Where are you going?” he screams.

　　He wouldn’t have to scream if he removed those ear buds but he won’t. They were the first things Josef gave him after they exchanged greetings and he won’t take the damn thing off. I gesture to the door and he nods. I’m going to get my girlfriend before they recruit her to their team. She’s mine and mine alone.