THERE WAS NO SIGN OF HIM ANYWHERE

Chapter 7

I stayed quiet for a moment, phone pressed to my ear, until my Nathan's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Max? You still there?"

"Yeah," I said softly. "I just don't know, man. I feel like I made a mistake coming here."

There was a pause on the other end, like he was giving me space to get it all out.

"It's only been a few days but it feels like everyone already decided who I am. I keep thinking about just leaving, just walking away from all of this. But then I tell myself I worked hard to get here. I didn't cheat my way in, I didn't pull strings. I deserve to be here just like everyone else. So why does it feel like I don't?"

I heard my him sigh, not in frustration but in that way he does when he's about to say something important.

"You do deserve to be there, Max," he said finally. "You earned this. Don't let anyone make you feel otherwise. Look, you've been through worse and came out stronger. Don't let one guy, no matter how much he tries to get in your head, decide your future for you. Even if he's your girlfriend's elder brother."

His words sank into me the way it should.

"I just hate how much he's getting to me," I admitted. "It's like no matter what I do, he'll be there waiting to tear me down. And I don't want Freya to get caught in the middle of it."

"That's exactly why you can't quit," he said firmly. "Stay. Prove to him and to yourself that you belong. You told me once that you wanted to be the best before you go pro, right? This is where that dream starts. Don't give him the satisfaction of watching you give up."

I swallowed hard. I had never met Nathan before, and we've been friends for five years now, we speak almost every day for just as long.

He knew me better than anyone except Freya. Somehow, even through a phone, he could still talk me off the ledge.

"Remember when Jake kept pushing you around at training four years ago?" he continued. "You were ready to stop going there altogether but I made you face him instead."

"Yeah and I got a bloody nose and two weeks suspension from it."

"But he never bothered you again after that. Sometimes you have to show people you're not going anywhere."

I rubbed my face with my free hand. "This feels different though. Jake was just some random guy who happens to be in my team. This is Freya's brother and he knows exactly how to get under my skin."

"So what? He's still just one person trying to make you feel small. Don't let him."

"What if he's right though? What if I don't belong here?"

"Max, listen to me. I've known you for five years now . You've never backed down from anything that mattered to you. Basketball matters to you. Freya matters to you. Don't let some asshole with a superiority complex take either of those things away."

I closed my eyes and leaned back against my pillow. "You're right. I know you're right."

"Of course I'm right. Now tell me about this roommate of yours. Jordan, right? He sounds cool."

"He is cool. Really easy to talk to and he doesn't seem to care about any of the usual college drama. But Ace, Freya's brother, he's already making assumptions about us being friends."

"What kind of assumptions?"

"I don't know exactly but the way he looked at Jordan today, like he was sizing him up for something. And he made this comment about seeing a pattern and maybe telling Freya about the friends I'm making."

"That's just him trying to mess with your head. Don't give him that power."

"I keep telling myself that but it's hard when he's right across the hall from me. I can't escape him."

"You don't need to escape him. You need to stop letting him live in your head rent free."

I laughed despite everything. "When did you get so wise?"

"I've always been wise, you just never listened before."

"Thanks," I said quietly. "I needed that."

"That's what I'm here for, man. Now go show them what you can do."

When we hung up, I stared at the ceiling for a moment, letting the conversation settle in my chest. My phone buzzed with a text from Jordan saying his practice got moved to later so he'd be back around eight. That gave me some time to myself to think.

I pulled up Freya's contact and hit call.

She answered on the second ring, her voice warm and bright. "Max!"

I smiled instantly, my chest loosening just hearing her. "Hey baby. I miss you."

"I miss you too," she said. "How was your day? You sound tired."

"Just a long day. Basketball practice was intense and I had some other stuff going on."

"Other stuff?"

I hesitated. I didn't want to worry her with details about Ace but I also didn't want to lie to her.

"Just adjusting to everything here. It's a lot different from home."

"I bet. I wish I could be there with you. I talked to my dad and I should be able to come visit in three weeks."

Three weeks. It felt like forever but at least there was a date now.

"I can't wait," I told her honestly. "I've been thinking about you constantly."

"Good things I hope."

"Always good things. I keep thinking about that night before I left when we walked around the lake and you made me promise to call you every day."

"You haven't been calling me every day," she pointed out with a laugh.

"I've been texting though. That counts."

"I suppose I'll allow it. Tell me about your classes. Are they as hard as you expected?"

We talked for another twenty minutes about school and her job at her dad's law firm and random things that made us both laugh. By the time we said goodbye, I felt more like myself than I had since arriving here.

"I love you, Freya."

"I love you too. Stay out of trouble, okay?"

I laughed softly. "I'll try."

After we hung up, I realized I was hungry and it was already past six. Jordan still wasn't back so I grabbed my wallet and headed to the dining hall alone.

The dining hall was less crowded than usual, mostly upperclassmen who looked like they'd been studying all day. I got a burger and fries and found a table near the windows where I could watch people walking across campus.

I was halfway through my meal when someone sat down across from me. I looked up expecting to see Jordan but instead it was Bright from one of my classes.

"Hey Max. Mind if I sit? Everywhere else is taken."

I looked around and noticed that wasn't exactly true but I nodded anyway. "Sure, no problem."

"Thanks. How are you liking it here so far?"

"It's good. Still getting used to everything."

"Yeah, I remember my first week here. I was convinced I'd made a huge mistake and kept calling my mom crying." She laughed and took a bite of her salad.

"Now I can't imagine being anywhere else."

"How long have you been here?"

"This is my third year. I transferred from community college so I know what it's like to feel out of place."

That caught my attention. "Really? I wouldn't have guessed that."

"Most people don't. I've gotten good at blending in. But those first few months were rough. Everyone seemed to know things I didn't, like there was some secret handbook I never got."

"That's exactly how I feel."

"It gets easier. You just have to find your people, you know? Speaking of which, are you still up for studying together sometime this week?"

"Definitely. I could use the help with that marketing project."

"Great. How about tomorrow after classes? We could meet at the library."

"Sounds good."

She finished her salad and stood up. "I should get going. I have to meet up with my coach in the next twenty minutes. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, see you then."

After she left, I sat there for a few more minutes thinking about what she'd said about finding your people.

Maybe that was part of my problem. I was so focused on Ace and his hostility that I wasn't giving other people a real chance.

I decided to go watch Jordan's tennis match before going back to the dorm.

The courts were buzzing with people when I got there and I spotted Jordan on the far side, his stance focused, racket ready.

He was good, way better than I expected to be honest. Fast, precise, confident. The way he moved reminded me of how I felt when I was really in the zone during basketball. Like everything else disappeared except the game.

I found myself cheering quietly every time he landed a point. His opponent was taller and probably stronger but Jordan was quicker and seemed to anticipate every move.

For a moment, everything felt normal. Just a guy watching his friend play sports.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw him.

Ace.

He was standing near the fence, half hidden under the shade of a tree, his arms crossed, watching. Not the match. Watching me.

My stomach tightened.

Something about the way he stood there made every alarm in my head go off. He looked like someone waiting for the right moment to act and I hated the thought of whatever he might be planning.

I tried to ignore him and focus on Jordan's match but I could feel Ace's eyes on me. It was like having a target painted on my back. Every few minutes I'd glance over and he'd still be there, just watching.

Jordan won his match in straight sets and came jogging over to where I was standing by the fence, grinning and sweating.

"Did you see that backhand in the second set? I've been working on that shot for months."

"It was incredible. You made it look easy."

"Thanks for coming to watch. Most people think tennis is boring."

"Are you kidding? That was intense. I was nervous for you the whole time."

Jordan laughed and grabbed his water bottle from his bag. "Want to walk back together? I need to shower before dinner."

I nodded but as we turned to leave, I automatically looked toward where Ace had been standing.

He was gone.

My heart kicked up a notch. I grabbed my bag and scanned the area but there was no sign of him anywhere.