"just please, please keep eyes on mike for me." lex begged jamal that morning as the basketball player entered the locker room and his eyes landing on the 6'10 power forward who was already in warm-ups and chatting away with their teammates.
jamal walked away from the rest of the team, making sure no one heard the conservation because the last thing that he wanted to happen was get everyone involved, "i got you, little one. he'll be under lock." he promised, as he heard the youngest arenado let out a sigh in relief, "go study or whatever college students do." he joked as lex let out a small giggle.
"thank you, thank you, thank you." she let out, "i can't stop thinking mike might actually pop cole's head off." though he had been warned and talked to all week leading up to this event, lex wanted mike out of harms way and out cole's way as well.
"i am on his side, though. the cole kid, ain't no man. no man just cheats after you've been away in college. that's a fool. if i could get a couple swings in, i would."
"do i need to get someone to look after you as well?" she joked making the older man laugh telling her that she had nothing to worry about.
"i got you and and mike, little one. that's a promise. i'll keep you posted."
haylee with the assistance of someone strolled into the locker room, one of her hands covering her eyes, "can i come in?" she questioned, as a series of yes rung through her ears, a smile on her lips as she uncovered her eyes, "well good morning, giants." she joked as she unlocked her ipad to inform the players of the events for the day, "and the rapids will be here in five, and someone we'll be there to help choreograph this while i will be pulling players from each team to do a series of interviews and questions from fans."
strolling down, michael was first to follow haylee as he jogged up to catch up to her, "hayls." he yelled after her as they both came to a halt, allowing mike to catch up to her. haylee smiled at her best friends boyfriend as he got closer, letting out and airy breath before words slipped his mouth, "how you feeling?" he asked as he he knelt down in front of her. it was a genuine question, as mike had seen how crumbled she was after her miscarriage and her divorced and how lex pushed her to get up and going once more. he was there to pick up the broken pieces cole had left after he had left her with no explanation other than he had met someone new.
"i'm okay, anxious but mostly for you, big guy."
she confessed, she was nervous to see sam again. to see how mike would react after he met cole and how it would all play out and she knew lex felt incompetent as she was away in college, "i think lex is feeding into me too. she called me this morning and was a mess. she cares too much for you."
mike felt his cheeks turn red as he smiled widely at the woman, "she called me too." he added, "that's my girl, i guess. loving as she is spiteful."
the players started to come out of the locker room, chatter filling the quiet halls as they passed haylee and mike, "lemme push you." mike spoke as jamal came and stood next to him as the three of them walked onto the court where the rapids team was already. his eyes scanning the players before it landed on cole's figure who was in a conversation with seb anderson and sam vines.
"talk about a glow down." haylee snickered as mike smirked at her words, "and let's talk about how lex improved." she winked once mike had turned her around she had good view of the whole court.
"honestly, just shove his ass or something." haylee pleaded going against what lex had made them promised to do, "i know i shouldn't be edging you on but he broke her heart and i'm still angry at him and if i could strangle him right now i would."
lex was a mess. she say through her class anxious. her nerves eating her alive because the last thing she wanted was for mike to do something stupid. in denver, mike felt some sort of superiority over cole. like he had won something that was fought over for, "i don't think i want to put myself in the positions where i feel like i'm going to lose her." he confessed as he looked at lex's best friend.
