Worth the Chance (Watertown University #2)

10. Eliza

Chapter 10

Eliza

O ver the past few weeks I’ve fallen into a routine which feels so nice. Moving away from my parents and my childhood home wasn’t easy for me. I’m a creature of habit. I always have been but ever since my diagnosis, that part of my personality has been amplified. I learned that it was harder to get sick when you stick to the same foods, same restaurants and same routine.

Coming to Watertown has been great for me. I’ve been learning a lot in my classes, despite some of them kicking my butt. Mia has quickly become a great friend, maybe even a best friend. I haven’t had one of those since Ivy. Mia is even trying to convince me to join her intramural volleyball team this winter. It does sound kind of fun but I am not the most athletic or coordinated person so it could end disastrously.

Living with Garrett has been great too. I’m able to bake as much as I want and it doesn’t go to waste or end up with me having a stomach ache from eating too many sweets because he brings the leftovers to his team. Speaking of Garrett, our fake relationship is still going strong. I mean we haven’t really had to do anything yet but tonight that changes. It’s the first hockey game of the season and it’s a home opener. Garrett asked me at the beginning of the week to come to the game.

“Hey, Eliza.” Garrett saunters into the living room, shoving his hands in his hoodie drawing my attention away from the show I’m watching.

“Hey, roomie.” I joke, earning me a quick quirk of his lips. “What’s up?”

“We have a home game on Friday. You’re going to come, right?”

“You want me to come?”

“Well you are my girlfriend, in my team's eyes and Sam’s so it would be weird if you weren’t there.”

“Right.” I don’t know why but it stings a bit to hear that. I’d rather him actually want me there but he’s right. Sam being the fanboy he is will probably be in attendance and so will Garretts fangirls. “Yeah, I’ll be there.”

Okay, so asking me to come to the game is a bit of a stretch but whatever, either way I’m going. There’s a knock at the front door pulling me from my thoughts and away from the taco shells I just pulled out of the oven. I open the door to a smiling Mia, who’s already wearing her game day attire, leggings and a white Watertown University crewneck with navy lettering.

“Hi El.”

“Hi Mi. Come on in.” I give her a quick hug. “I just pulled the shells out of the oven so we can assemble our tacos.”

We move into the kitchen each making our respective tacos. “How are your residents?”

“They’re good. It’s a bit weird since it’s a junior dorm and I’m a junior. I don’t think they feel like I have any real authority but nothing bad has happened yet.” She laughs as she sprinkles some cheese on top of her tacos.

Once our dinner is assembled we move around the peninsula, each taking a barstool. Before we can even dive in, Mia spots something on the other end of the counter.

“What’s this?” She reaches over to the note that was left with a navy jersey, the number twenty three and the last name Moore stitched onto the back.

Cupcake,

Wear my number on your back tonight? Please?

~ Garrett

Mia’s eyes go wide as she reads the note. “Cupcake? He’s still using that?” Her gaze is questioning.

“Sometimes” I shrug, taking a bite of one of my tacos.

“This doesn’t seem very fake.” She gestures to the note and jersey. “Seems pretty real.”

“It’s not real.” I shake my head. “I told you he doesn’t do relationships.”

“Okay, but what does that even mean?”

“It means he doesn’t date or ever plan on it. I suspect he has a reason but I have no idea what it is.” Mia just hums in response next to me as we eat our pre game fuel. I have a feeling she’s not satisfied with that answer and wants to dive deeper on the topic. I mean, I do too. Why doesn’t he do relationships? Did a woman hurt him? Are his parents divorced? While we’ve been friendly and I feel like we have a decent relationship, he hasn’t opened up. I’ve been tempted to text Ryan or Emilia and ask them what Garrett’s deal is but that would be opening myself up to questions I don’t want to answer.

Garrett

We only had to get to the arena an hour and a half before the game but I left the house nearly fours early. Things have been going well with Eliza, living with her that is, but earlier in the week when I asked her if she’d be at the game because it’d be weird if she wasn’t I could tell she wanted me to say more, that I actually wanted her there. The thing is I do want her there despite the fake relationship. I don’t know why. Something about her is comforting I guess.

“You good, Gar?” Bryan bumps his shoulder with mine as we sit on his couch eating chicken and rice to prepare for the game, before we head to the stadium. It was too early to go there when I left the house so I called Bry and came over.

“Yeah. I’m good.” I focus my attention on the television which is currently playing the NHLs highlights of the week.

“You sure this little girlfriend of yours isn’t getting in your head.”

“Fake. Fake girlfriend.” I clarify.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t forget that detail.” He rolls his eyes. “King of singleness.”

Now, I roll my eyes at him. He knows the gist of what has caused me to want to remain single forever.

“She’s cute, ya know. Maybe when you fake breakup I can take a real shot at her.” My jaw tightens at the thought of them together. She deserves someone like Bryan, he wants to fall in love, to build a life and a family with one girl.

“Maybe you can.” I try to shrug my stiff shoulders. Bryan side eyes me but I ignore him. We eat the rest of dinner while watching more highlights and moving on from the conversation of Eliza.

Eventually we make our way to the stadium to get ready for the game. We do our warmups on the ice before making our way back to the locker room as we wait for the season to start.

“Hey Garrett. Your girl coming to the game? I could use some more of those cookies.” Alex asks as he changes out of his practice jersey into his game one.

“She’ll be here.”

“Nice. Excited to meet her after, I heard she’s hot.” Bryan reaches out smacking him upside the head before I have the chance to lunge at the fucker.

“Shut up.” Bryan warns him and he just holds his hands up in return. He’s lucky we’re here and not literally anywhere else. He’d regret those words ever leaving his mouth.

Growing up I never really had anyone who came to my games. I didn’t start playing hockey until my life was already falling apart. Over the past few years, Emilia and Rosie, would come to some of my games. Rosie more so than Emilia since she was always working.

The thought that no one would ever be here cheering for me specifically was one I’ve gotten used to. Sometimes it got to me but I knew it was what I was choosing for myself. Except tonight, tonight someone is here for me and it feels nice. As I skate onto the ice to take my position, I spot her in the front row, a beaming smile on her face as she laughs at something her friend says. The sight of her in my jersey does something funny to my chest, something I choose to ignore. It probably has more to do with it being the first game of the season. Yeah, that’s it.

Eliza finally looks my way, that big, dimpled smile still on her face, she sends me a wave. I send her one back, trying to be subtle as I take her in. She’s wearing my jersey. I left it out for her to wear but I wasn’t sure if she really would but she did and it brings a smile to my face.

“Forget your girl, who’s her friend?” Bryan slides up beside me and waves to El and the blonde girl.

Alex slides up on my other side, also sending a wave in her direction and I swear I can see her face flush slightly from all the way over here. Which makes me glare at both of them.