Interception

"We've been sitting here for thirty minutes Marissa. I'm starting to think you don't wanna talk," he said.

I exhaled nervously, "Believe me, I want to tell you. I'm just afraid of what you will happen after I do."

His face was set in its seriousness, "Tell me."

"A couple of weeks ago after my dad's wedding, your dad came to town to see me."

His brows raised in surprise, "What for?"

"I don't know if I should tell you..."

"Cmon Marissa, tell me what's going on," he commanded.

"He told me that he knew I was sleeping with you. Then he demanded that I  stay away from you because you're a star and I'm distracting you."

He just sat there staring at me.

"I'm sorry, what? Did you tell him to go to fucking hell?"

"I did, but then he told me that he was going to cut you off, so I had to listen to him. He said he'd stop paying your tuition, take away your cars, your apartment and stop paying for your gears and I didn't know what to do. I freaked out," I explained .

"Every way that I thought of for you to still have everything that you needed and we could still be together didn't make sense in my mind. So because I wanted the best for you, I did what he said and broke up with you."

He was just staring at me in disbelief for a good ten minutes without saying anything.

"So let me get this straight, you broke up with me because my bitter father asked you to do so?" He asked.

When he said it out loud it sounded stupid.

"Jeremy I had to. I wanted the best for you and if that meant staying away then so be it," I replied.

He huffed out a laugh, "How could you possibly think breaking up with me would be what's best for me?"

"Well, what did you want me to do?" I asked in frustration.

"I wanted you to tell him to go to hell, then come and tell me what he said and let him cut me off."

I scoffed in disbelief, "Have you lost your goddamn mind? We're talking about your future and doing what you love which is football."

"Here's what I would do next, you're gonna love this. I would go to my mom who's just finalized divorce from my father and gotten half of his assets and ask her to cover my final year expenses."

I was shocked to say the least.

"Your parents are getting divorced?"

"It's been an ongoing process," he admitted.

"So you're saying I broke up with you for nothing?"

He smiled, "It appears so."

I huffed and pushed his shoulder playfully.

" I really screwed up didn't I?"

"I wouldn't say that. I think we both learned something today," he responded.

"From now on I'll be honest with you about everything."

"That's all I've ever wanted you to be."

He took my hands into his own.

"Are you mad at me?" I asked.

He exhaled loudly, "No, I just hate how things turned out. I never wanted Marcus to find out about you and I like that. He's my best friend and I had plans to announce our relationship in a better way."

"We wasted so much time..."

"I know but I want to be with you and I'm willing to try again if you'll have me," he replied.

I raised an eyebrow, "If I'll have you? I want you so bad and you know it too."

"I love you Marissa and I want this to work. I love football, but I love you more and I'll do whatever it takes to prove that."

"I love you and you don't need to."

I kissed him before we could utter another word.

It was one of the most intense kisses I've had with him since the first time we kissed.

~~

When I got back to our apartment Marcus was there on the couch. I went and sat beside him and covered under the blankets with him.

"You were with him weren't you?"

I nodded in answer.

"Are you going to forgive him?" I questioned.

"I have to. He's my best friend and my team mate. We're through to the state finals and we have to put our differences aside in order to win the game."

I rested my head on his shoulder and he kissed the top of my head.

"I'm sorry for overreacting. I'm just so protective of you. I didn't want you to get yourself caught up in Jeremy's world and everything and everyone that comes with it."

"I know but I can handle myself Marcus."

"You're my sister and we have such a special connection. I will go to the ends of the earth to make sure you get what you deserve always," he replied.

"You know Jeremy and you know his heart. You know that he wouldn't hurt me."

He smiled, "You can never know somebody too much."

There was a knock at our door and he went to open it.

It was a couple of guys from the team including Scott, Daniel and Jeremy.

They had beers, food and games.

"I don't know if it's bad luck to celebrate early but we made it to finals baby!" Daniel yelled.

Marcus was smiling so hard as he let them in.

Jeremy made his way over to me.

"Hey."

"Hey, I just saw you and I didn't know this was going to happen."

He smirked, "It was a spur of the moment type of thing..."

He kissed me and the boys were whistling and howling so loud.

"Please not here," Marcus said as he came over to us.

There was an awkward silence that passed through as both of them looked at each other.

"Manning, I'm sorry about how I reacted. I know you're a great guy but my sister comes first."

"I'm sorry for not telling you and I completely understand. I love her though so you're gonna have to deal with that."

Marcus laughed, "You've loved her since that summer when we were sixteen, I know."

"Yeah I did," he leaned towards me and Marcus interrupted.

"No,no, no. If you kiss her again I'm going to vomit my guts out in this place," Marcus stopped us with urgency.

I laughed and pushed him to go away.

Marcus and Jeremy shared one of those complicated bro handshakes that they've been doing since they met before Marcus went over to his other team mates.

"Can't wait for the season to be over so I can spend some time with you," he said. "I have a lot of making up to do for lost time."

"I know exactly what you mean when you say that..."

"Are you interested?"

"Interested in getting thoroughly loved. Well of course I am," I whispered.

He started telling me what he was going to do to me in my ear and then it all stopped when Scott told us to come over and have a drink.

Everything was falling back into place.

I was scared though, because I was happy and happiness for me almost always never lasts.

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