Part of the Team

I realized that there was a continuity error between Volley and Collide, specifically about Roux playing, when I was listening to the Collide audiobook. Obviously, I forgot that I still had Roux on the team in Collide, but this book was already finished and it wasn’t a simple fix to get Roux back on the team. So here is the scene to tie the two books together and keep Collide accurate.

Roux

I’m relieved that it’s my last year. I’m so ready to graduate. I’m not entirely sure that I’m going to find a job I want to do for the rest of my life, but I’m kind of over school.

Last year, despite the soccer hiccup, was by far my best year—in large part because of my boyfriends. I’m not sure I made the kinds of friendships I hoped I would by moving away from Southern California and the constant fear that Trevor would show up again.

He’s dead, so that’s not going to happen. I sometimes wonder if, had I stayed at Longwood U, I would still be looking over my shoulder despite knowing that. Would his ghost appear?

I shake my head to rid myself of these thoughts. It doesn’t matter. He’s gone, and I’m happy. I have a good life now. I’m so damn close to graduation, I can taste it. Though I’m still working on the friendships thing. 

The portal to my classes for next semester finally populates, and I look them over. I’m not an overachiever by any means, but I’m hoping that the classes were confirmed so I can get the books early and look them over. My grades are good, but maybe I can pull off this last year with fantastic grades. That seems achievable.

As I’m backing out of the class information and into my dashboard for the next class, my eyes catch on the “status” line. It reads: athlete – soccer. I click on it, trying to see if there’s more information there, but it’s not a navigation link.

That doesn’t make sense though. I quit last year when everything went down with the assholes on the team. Had it simply never changed, and I’m only now noticing? That’s possible, I guess.

Picking my laptop up, I head for the living room in search of Alka. He’s not there, so I call for him in a game of Marco Polo. “Alka?”

“Out back,” he answers.

Ah. That makes sense. This man is almost always outside. I’m not the least bit surprised to find him kicking around a soccer ball. He does this a lot when he’s thinking about the team or plays or anything at all. Anything that requires him to focus, he’s kicking a ball.

It brings a smile to my face. For a moment, I simply watch him. The way his lean body moves. How his muscles contract and stretch. His skin glistening in the summer sun.

Alka looks up and meets my eyes, a smile spreading across his face. Without even looking at the ball, he gets his foot under it and kicks it up so he can catch it in his hands. That’s why he’s a damn good coach. He knows how to play the sport, not just tell other people how.

“Hey,” he says, stopping to give me a kiss. His eyes drop to my laptop. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah. I wanted to see if you knew what this meant.”

Alka follows me inside where he can see the screen without having to fight through the glare of the sun. I point to the status.

“Huh,” Alka says. “Was it like that at the end of the term?”

I shrug. “Honestly, I don't know. I just noticed it while I was checking out the materials I need to buy for my classes next year. There’s a chance it’s always been like that, yet I simply never noticed.”

He hums thoughtfully and takes his phone from his pocket. I wait as he dials then listen to the one-sided conversation, standing close enough to hear Assistant Coach Harper’s voice, but not clearly.

“Hey. Are you working on the roster for next year yet?” Alka asks. He pulls the phone from his ear, so I can hear her response.

“I’m always working on it. Why?”

“Do you see Roux on the roster?”

“Yes. I thought you put him there.”

“You know I don’t have anything to do with that. I hate recruiting. That’s why I let you do it. When did he appear?”

“Couple weeks ago. Just as the year ended. When the graduates dropped off and the list updated, Roux’s name appeared again. I assumed you put him back on the team.”

Alka meets my eyes with a frown. “I didn’t. And you didn’t. So…?”

“Dean Cooke?” Harper asks.

Alka sighs. “I’ll find out. You should have said something.”

“I thought you added him back to the team,” she repeats. “In hindsight, I can’t imagine you’d do that without a discussion. Sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll figure it out. Not your fault.”

“Keep me posted.”

Alka agrees and hangs up. His eyes meet mine, just as confused as I’m feeling. “I don’t know,” he says. “I’ll make some calls and see what I can find out. Don’t worry about it for now.”

I nod. “Then I’m going back to buying expensive textbooks while you play sleuth.”

He grins. I love his smile. It lights up his entire face. Alka kisses my cheek before I head back into the living room.

I find Oscar there. I’m not sure where he’s been, but he looks up with a smile as I take a seat beside him. “Ruby-Roux,” he murmurs, leaning into my space and capturing my mouth. I sigh into his kiss, wrapping my arms around his neck.

“What’re you up to?” he asks.

“Shopping textbooks. You?”

“Editing porn,” he counters.

“Ah. Want to trade?” I offer him my laptop.

He grins. “Sure.”

I take my laptop back because I don’t know how to edit video. Not even a little bit. I can maybe figure out how to cut a scene off, but… No, I don’t even know how to do that. Never mind.

We lean into each other as we do our own thing for quite some time. I’ve already ordered my books, so I’m just doomscrolling when Alka comes into the room.

“Time for a field trip to campus,” Alka says. “Dean Cooke is there and available for a quick meeting.”

“What’s going on?” Oscar asks as we get to our feet.

“Somehow, Roux was added to my team again, which is nothing he initiated nor did Harper or I. The only one I imagine having the power to get him back on the team is Dean Cooke,” Alka says, shrugging.

Our house is right around the corner from the university. I moved in once the school year ended a few weeks ago, though, in all honesty, I hadn’t slept in my dorm for a couple months prior to that. It’s a little unbelievable that I’m actually here, living with these two men. That they love me and want to spend their lives with me.

There are still days when I wake up thinking that I’ve been dreaming. On really bad nights, I think I’ll wake up and Trevor will still be there.

I take a breath, shoving the thought of him away. We park close to the administrator building and make our way to Dean Cooke’s office. His secretary is there, as always. I think she lives there.

“I’ll let him know you’re here,” she tells us as soon as we step off the elevator. I’m sure she recognizes Alka since he’s been the soccer coach for a while now. Then again, she might remember me too thanks to last year’s mess.

I sit between Alka and Oscar, unsure why I’m nervous. Probably because when you’re a kid, being sent to the principal’s office was never a good thing, and this feels very similar to that. Oscar takes my hand and kisses the backs of my knuckles. I let out a nervous breath.

It isn’t long before Dean Cooke opens his door. His smile is wide and his voice is just as loud as his presence. “Coach, good to see you.” As we get to our feet, he crosses the room and takes Alka’s hand. He takes mine directly after. “Roux. Summer’s been good so far?”

I nod. “Yes, Dean. Yours?”

“Very good, thanks. Taking the family to Venice next week. I’m not sure I’m so excited about that, but I’ll report back upon our return. Oscar, good to see you.” He shakes Oscar’s hand as well. “Come on in. You’re welcome too, Oscar.”

“Thank you, Dean,” Oscar says.

His office is just how I remember it. Nothing has changed, though I’m not sure why I’d think it would. Maybe just nervous energy.

We take our seats in the empty chairs facing Dean Cooke’s desk.

“As I stated over the phone, Roux’s dashboard reflects the same thing my roster says—he’s back on my team. Since none of us made that happen, we’re hoping you have some answers,” Alka says.

Dean Cooke inclines his head, then he picks up a folded piece of paper from his desk and hands it to Alka. “Read it together, please.”

Alka gives him a wary look as he unfolds the paper and leans closer to me so I can read it too. I’m far too nervous to read it all, so my eyes skim the words before darting down to the signatures. There’s a dozen of them and then names at the bottom of the sheet. All names I recognized. Members of Alka’s team.

I force my attention to the letter, which is only a couple lines. The lines that stick out to me are the last few, and I read them over and over again.

We understand that our behavior last year was unacceptable. We’re incredibly sorry about the parts we played in the events that took place. Please consider putting Roux Kipler back on the soccer team where he deserves to be.

My breath catches as I look up, meeting Alka’s eyes.

“My team did this?” Alka asks, turning to look at Dean Cooke.

He inclines his head again, this time with a very big smile. “They did. Several members of your team came to me before the school year ended and asked if there was anything they could do to right the situation. How could they get Roux back on the team? It resulted in this letter which I took to the Board before the year even ended.” He meets my eyes. “Welcome back to Rainbow Dorset University’s soccer team, Roux. If you’d like to play again, that is.”

“Was I not going to get a letter or anything?” I ask.

He chuckles. “Athletic letters don’t go out until the end of June, but yes, you would have.”

I take a breath. “I don’t know if this is a good idea,” I admit. “I really don’t want to go through that again. I want a peaceful, productive year.”

“Maybe some fun and friends,” Oscar adds, nudging my arm.

I nod. “Yeah, that too.” 

“That’s understandable,” Dean Cooke says, “but do me a favor. Don’t make any decisions right now. Think about it and talk it over.”

I’m not sure I really need to think about it, but I nod in agreement anyway.

Dean Cooke leans forward. “What happened last year is not how this school behaves. Ever. I hate that it was one of your first impressions of us. Give it some consideration, Roux. You’re a great soccer player, and we’d love to have you represent us again as one of our student athletes.”

I don’t expect his words to hit me quite like they do, but I nod. “Okay. I’ll think about it.”

“Good. Now, go enjoy the rest of your summer. We’ll see you in the fall.”

“Have fun in Venice,” Oscar says as we leave the office.

I’m quiet as we return to the car, thinking about this entire situation. I appreciate the gesture, not just from Dean Cooke but from the team. However, who's to say next year won’t be a repeat? I’m still seeing Alka, and that’s not going to change.

We stop outside the car, and Alka pulls me to his chest, dragging my attention from my thoughts. “I think you should play again,” he says, surprising me.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yes. It’ll be different this year.”

I sigh. “How can you be sure?”

“I can’t be. I can’t promise that it will be, but I’m sure it will be anyway. Our team wants you back.”

“So does Alka,” Oscar says, kissing my shoulder.

Alka nods his agreement. “I do. I hate that you didn’t get to play this year.”

“It’s made him a very bitter coach,” Oscar adds.

I smirk as Alka rolls his eyes. “It has,” Alka agrees, “because I still can’t believe my team would treat you that way. It made it difficult for me to see them as anything but a bunch of assholes, and quite frankly, I’m not interested in training assholes. Why should I want to help them succeed when they treated one of their teammates that way?” He shakes his head.

Leaning forward, I rest my head against his. “I’ll think about it,” I say again. “Soccer isn’t my future, Alka, but it is your career. Yes, I love to play, but regardless of the whys and whatever, this was the right decision.”

“It was,” he agrees, which is impressive because even though he’s supported my decision to quit the team, he never agreed that it was the right decision before. “But this is a new year. A new decision. Our relationship is public. People know, so the team will know coming in. Promise me you’ll actually think about it.”

“I promise.”

“Good. What do you want to do for the rest of the day?”

I sigh. “Let’s go swimming. Lake or something.”

“What I heard is that you want to go skinny dipping,” Oscar says, moving around to the driver’s door. “Get in. I know just the place.”

“Oh no,” I mutter, cheeks already heating. Alka grins.

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