When He Gives Me His Warm LoveChapter 1
During the tryout period, Jason Wright's flings came and went like clockwork.
Some comments quipped, "Bro, isn't your girlfriend gonna flip?"
He replied, "I hung in there for a year—what am I, a charity case?"
I showed up at the birthday bash as expected. He figured I'd learned my lesson, so he flaunted his childhood sweetheart, making a show of it in front of the guys.
"Into her? She's keeping her virgin act and we're living apart. Who'd put up with that? Depends if she plays nice."
But he didn't know I was there just to end things.
Later, I made it to the top of the world, just as I'd hoped, and he regretted it.
I finally got Jason's contact. He texted me his location, telling me to come over.
The message took me by surprise.
Cloudbrook Heights, the swankiest spot in Arlington City.
He'd never mentioned that before.
Today's his birthday, but we'd fallen out a month back over his state badminton team tryout.
"Grace, even if I'm getting engaged today, you wouldn't show, right?"
"Sorry, I'm starting; I can't back out—"
"A stupid game over me?"
Those were his last words to me.
Summer rains are quick, and I was drenched stepping out of the car.
Security blocked me, so I called Jason.
He replied coolly, "Got it."
Background noise mingled with music and laughter.
Then the lobby phone rang.
"Yep, letting her in now."
He handed me a beat-up umbrella, missing the neat row of new ones stashed in the back room.
The downpour made the twenty-minute walk feel like an eternity.
I remembered Jason's harsh words in a spat.
"Grace, you're 19. Others have conquered the world at your age. What's your end game? Why can't you be with me? What do you want that I can't give?"
Back then, I thought he was just mad, but he truly looked down on me.
During the team selections, his new squeezes rotated in and out.
Some comments quipped, "Bro, isn't your girlfriend gonna flip?"
He retorted, "I waited a year, and she didn't care. Why should I? Am I running a charity?"
Perhaps I was always a joke to him.
My dedication was laughable. I'd been hitting shuttles since I was five, fourteen years of sweat, and still no spot on the state team.
I was nothing next to what he had.
"Miss, who are you here for?"
The door swung open, revealing a chic crowd in the lobby.
I stashed my umbrella outside and said, "Hello, everyone, I'm here for Jason Wright."
"Check out her umbrella, how gauche."