10 Planning the Summer

'I am seriously carrying her to her room?' I think as I walk with her in my arms, she is asleep and I mean deeply asleep. I have her keys in my left hand as I carry her very small frame, she is lighter than I had expected. I get some bad looks from some of the girls who are in the building as I carry her to her room, I guess I can see why.

I lie her down in her bed and take off her shoes. I put her in bed and realize that she is awake, "Sorry."

"You actually did it? You carried me to my room? It was a joke."

"I thought you were serious, I am not good with sarcasm or jokes like that," I smile nervously, "Well, I hope you sleep well," I yawn, "I have to go to my room now, or I won't be getting up at all tomorrow."

"Not a fan of staying up late?"

"Nope, I am a morning guy."

"Well, goodnight babe."

"G-G-Goodnight Cassandra," She looks at me weirdly. I blush.

"Babe?" I turn bright pink, "Is me calling you babe making you blush?" I shrug, "Well, I think you should get used to it, I will probably call you that every now and then, what are you doing tomorrow?"

"50 ton workout."

"That thing, well, I might join you, just don't kill yourself."

"I won't, you should probably close your door," I say leaving the keys next to her bed and then walk out of the door, "Goodnight."

"'Night babe," I walk out of the building, probably still blushing, and now, even more exhausted than before, but there was nothing in the world that could, now, make me want to change my life, 'Maybe I should kiss her, not hold back so long.'

Music blasting in my ears, the cast iron moves up and down above me, sweat rolling down my forehead. I was alone once more in the gym, doing a heavy workout just after a game. I lock the weights and stand up and begin unloading the sled, "So that was, um, so 500 times 5, so 2500, times 4, 10 tons, well, 40 more to go," I load weight onto the stand of the chest press machine, safer than the bench press, same effect, "So 50, that seems good," I sit down and begin pressing, I have 50 of these to do, 2 and a half tons to press. As I press some people enter the gym, not football guys, 'Those guys,' they notice me and one of them taunts me.

"Fat boy trying to get in shape?" The other two laugh. I ignore them and continue to press, "How much is that? 20 pounds?"

"110."

"Nah, you're not strong enough for that, how much is it really?"

"Look at the plates and count, if you know how to," I say as I continue to push the weights, "It is only 110, but I ain't going for weight, I am doing a full workout."

"Yeah right, you've only been here for 10 minutes probably and you are sweating like crazy."

"You came to workout or do I have a fan club now?"

"Watch your mouth fat boy."

"You don't want to mess with us."

"I am scared, so, so, so scared," 'Michael doesn't annoy me anymore, but now they do, fuck those guys.'

I exit my shower, 'I am done for today, time to get some breakfast,' I look at my phone and see a message from Cassandra Good morning babe, I wanted to ask you something, text me when you what to hear it. 'Well, I guess I can text back,' Seconds after I send my message she responds Since summer is nearly here, and I checked with Coach White that you have no games or practice, I was wondering if you wanted to go with me on vacation, you know, since I guess you live far and I assumed you wouldn't be going back, 'Okay, I am definitely not spending an entire summer with my uncle and aunt, what is she proposing?' She answers my question nearly instantly Since you have a bike, we could drive up to my parents place? If you want, since they normally come get me, but if you are coming we might as well, and you said you would show me your bike, I stare at my phone, thinking of a way to answer, even, what to answer to that, 'Maybe we could talk more, face to face, and I, I need breakfast, before I take this decision.'

Cassandra is sitting, in the cafeteria, sitting in the spot I always sit in. She never is up this early on Sundays, but there she is. I sit down next to her and say nothing until she notices me.

"Good morning, babe," I feel myself blush, "You didn't answer my message."

"No, I didn't, I haven't ate yet, so I didn't," I say as I begin eating, "Did you sleep well?" She yawns, "I guess not, why are you up so early?"

"I couldn't sleep, I wanted to send you the message yesterday but I assumed you were too tired, so I didn't and it have been on my heart since," She smiles at me, "Why do you blush when I call you babe?"

"I don't know, I am not used to it," I smile nervously, "Well, um, I am not going back to Barcelona this summer, no way in hell, so, like, sure if meeting your parents won't be something crazy."

"It won't, I am sure you will like them."

"Do they know?" She shakes her head, "Great, um, how do they react to things like this?" She shrugs, "Okay, well, I guess there is nothing I can do about that, where do they live again?"

"Wyoming."

"How far is that? Like, timewise?"

"14, maybe 15 hours? I am not sure."

"Okay, that is fine with me, I can come with you if you want," I smile at her, "What do your parents do?"

"Retired."

"Both?"

"Yep, my dad's job wasn't a usual one."

"Okay, I won't ask, I kinda want to be surprised."

"Of course, babe, are you really fine with driving that long?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, don't worry, I am fine with driving, and highways are pretty fine," I smile at her and she smiles back, 'She seems a little nervous,' "You want to ask something?"

"Um, no, no, I don't think so, why do you ask?" 'You are clearly nervous, Cassandra,' I roll my eye as look at her, making her blush, "Why are you looking at me like that?" I say nothing, "You are making me nervous."

"You want to ask me something."

"You really read me like a book."

"Are you going to ask?"

"Have you ever, have you ever had, um, how do I say it?"

"No, If I haven't ever kissed, what do you expect?"

"I assumed that, um, yeah, well, um, yeah."

"You don't have to be nervous about it, we decided to be open about our relationship, so we might as well be open with each other, sounds logical, doesn't it?" She nods and then shugs, "Do you have a helmet?" She shakes her head.

"Wait, maybe Ines can give me hers, since she has one and I don't think she is going to use it this summer, maybe she can lend it to me."

"You should ask her," I say finishing my breakfast, "I have some stuff to do, what are you doing today?"

"Nothing really, what stuff do you have to do? Gym?"

"Did that already, so I have some film to study about the, um, the Longhorns, the next team we face, both offense and defense, you can stay in my room if you want, but I'll be mostly busy."

"I'll be there in a little time, I have to get ready, like shower and stuff."

"Just don't beat me there," I joke as she walks away, blowing me a kiss, "Coach White should've sent me something like ten games worth of offense, let's see, yep he did, perfect," I get up and leave the cafeteria, it is 8:30, and it began to get crowded, something I hate, I am a little demophobic.