Dirty Little Secret

twenty-three | beach

Lucas

"It's just a mild concussion. Nothing I can't handle." I shrug. "You should probably drive, though." I hold out my keys.

"Um... I'm in my car."

"Oh." I chew on my bottom lip. "Give me a second."

I pull out my phone and call Corey. "What?" He grumbles.

"Dude. I can't fucking drive." I say and he groans. "I've got a ride, but only if you think I could leave my car here for the weekend."

"I don't know. Ask Coach, I'm sure he's still there."

I nod, knowing he can't see me. "Okay. Yeah. Text you later." I lock my phone and place it in my pocket. "I've got to run back inside real quick. You coming with or staying out here?"

"I'll come."

I nod and start walking inside. I lead Riley towards the changing rooms just as Coach turns the corner.

"Oh, Lucas. I didn't think you'd still be here."

I chuckle awkwardly. "Usually I'm not, sir." I scratch the back of my neck. "Um, I can't drive. But it's okay, I've got a ride. I just don't know what to do with my car... Can I leave it here for the weekend?"

Coach ponders on it for a moment. "I don't see why not. Park it out in the back, in one of the trainer's spots."

"Thanks, Coach."

"Have a good weekend." He smiles and brings his phone up to his ear.

"Think you can handle it?" I ask Riley, dangling my keys in front of her face.

"Um..." She pales. "I mean... I can try."

I chuckle. "I'm just fuckin' with ya. I can manage doing that."

"Oh." She softly chuckles. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. It's just around the back."

I walk Riley to her car and instruct her to just follow me before I hop in my truck and start the engine. When I pull out of the student parking lot, my phone starts ringing.

"Hello?" I ask once I hit the Answer button on the steering wheel.

"Hey." Gabe breathes out. "You don't happen to know where Riley is, do you?"

"Umm... no. Why would I?"

"I don't know. I'm just curious." He says through another deep breath. "Will you be home tonight?"

"No. Corey and I are actually headed out of town for the weekend." I lie.

"Oh, even better." He's still breathing heavily. When I hear a voice in the background, I grip the steering wheel tighter.

"Are you with someone?"

"No," Gabe answers, a little too quickly. "Well, I mean I'm at the gym. So there's a few guys around."

"Ah," I answer skeptically.

I pull into the parking lot behind the arena after entering the pin code and pull into an empty parking space. "I gotta go. I'll see you Sunday. It'll probably be late."

"Sounds good. See ya."

I kill the engine and step out of the car. I pull the back door of my truck open and grab the duffel bag I happened to have packed just in case I didn't stay home tonight.

"Came prepared, did ya?" Riley asks when I toss my bag into the backseat of her car.

"Can never be too careful." I slide into the passenger seat and move the seat all the way back so I have at least some room to stretch my legs. "On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your driving?"