Asteroids and Athletes Ch. 06

I played absentmindedly with my lightning bolt earrings as my Econ 102 professor lectured class. It was the eighth week of the second semester of my sophomore year in college. After Professor Camara finished and dismissed the class, I put away my notes into my duffel. In front of me, like always in this class, were Justin and Cesar. Justin was wearing black clothing and a spiked choker with pale makeup and dark eyeliner. His electric blue hair had fallen into his small eyes. He pushed his bangs back and shoved his notes into a black shoulder bag. Cesar wore a denim jacket with numerous patches. The ones that stood out to me were DangerHunters and Death Saves. Beneath the jacket he had a white vee neck tee and an onyx wolf head pendant around his neck on a silver chain. He tied up his chin-length hair in a top knot before standing and packing his textbook into a leather messenger bag.

"Hi Maddy," Justin said with a smile as he turned to me.

"Hi." He gave me a hug.

"Hey," Cesar said.

"Do you want to come with us to Sakana for lunch?" Justin asked.

"You haven't eaten yet?" It was almost one in the afternoon.

"No, I kinda got a late start."

"You too Cesar?"

"The sushi at Sakana is good enough to wait for," he said.

"You ok Cesar? You seem quiet."

"I've been better", he admitted, stroking his well-manicured beard.

"I figured good food might cheer him up," Justin said.

"I was going to the gym, but I could hang," I said.

"Ok dope," Justin said.

* * *

"You want to talk about what's got you down?" I asked.

"Eh... not now," Cesar said. He stuffed a rainbow roll into his mouth.

"You want some saki?" Justin asked.

"I don't like that stuff," I admitted.

"Cesar?"

"Sure."

If you haven't eaten at Underhill Sakana and you like sushi, you should really go. It's better than most. I had a sashimi salad, while Justin and Cesar both did the all-you-can-eat special.

"I heard you tried CapeHunters on Wednesday with Cesar," Justin said to me.

"Huh?"

"The comic book RPG."

"Oh yeah, it was lit."

"I'm not into capes and tights, but Cesar has been talking about it for a while."

"You aren't into comic books? Not even the movies?"

"Nah, not my jam. But you had fun?"

"Yeah, having powers is so lit. I definitely want to keep going, but... I guess it will be tough with the other..."

"Campaign, yeah," Cesar said. "Not sure when we'll have time to play again. To be honest, the other game is a lot of work too. I think I'm going to take a break from the game this week."

"Reals?" I said. Something must have been very wrong if he didn't want to play.

"Maybe someone else could GM if you were willing to give it up?" Justin said.

"I still have some things planned with the Red Nova campaign. I'm just not feeling up to it this week. You know I like giving it one hundred percent. "

"Just let me know if you ever want to be a PC. I'm willing to GM again."

"Justin, when did you GM?" I asked, taking a sip of green tea.

"Cesar and I were co-GMs when we did a LoreHunters campaign last year. Which is knights and magic basically. It was pre-gens though. Easier to switch back and forth."

"Same people in the game?"

"Yeah," Cesar said.

"Except Keeya was there. But she left the campaign at the end of the year to join one with her boyfriend," Justin said.

"Woah," Cesar coughed.

"Too much wasabi?"

"Yes... way too much," he was nearly crying. "One more round?" he asked after recovering.

Justin looked at the sushi rolls in front of them and waved no. He was finishing a Philly roll.

"Ok, check," Cesar said to the waitress.

"I need to head to my apartment and get ready for work," Justin said.

"Where do you work?" I asked.

"The student bookstore," he replied.

"Oh, you get a discount?"

"No it sucks, but keeps my parents off my back."

"Yeah, I heard that," I laughed. "What are you up to next Cesar?"

"Nothing," he replied.

"You need a ride home?"

"Yeah that would be great."

* * *

I took a sip of my beer and set it down. It was a quick drive to Cesar's house. We were in his garage sitting at the game table next to the beer fridge. He took a large sip and looked at the cards in his hand. We were playing Crazy Eights, something I hadn't done since elementary school.

"Jas isn't talking to me," he said, setting down a three of hearts on the face up, three of diamonds. Jasmine was the blonde I met at his place a few weeks ago. She wasn't his girlfriend, but something was going on between them. "S- she's pretty angry."

"What happened?" I put the seven of hearts on Cesar's three.

"Well... I gave her a gift and she did... didn't... Let me backup and tell you the whole story. We were at Catie's Card Castle playing games for a couple hours, and we came back here afterwards. We were on my bed and... well...," he paused. "I had a gift in my nightstand I pulled out and handed to her."

"Ok..." I said.

"The way she responded I should have known she was going to be mad... I just, I guess I didn't see it at the time. So she opened it and it was the ruby necklace I had bought her. She's born on July twenty fourth, so her birthstone is ruby," he explained.

I nodded.

"And then after she opened it and saw what it was, she gave it right back to me." He scoffed. "I don't have anything to put down," he said, taking cards from the pile. He pulled the eight of spades and put it right down on my seven.

"She didn't like it?" I asked, putting the two of spades on the eight.

"Not that... uh..., I just... well we've known each other for a year now," he explained. "Eh my cards suck," he started drawing cards until his third when he found the ten of spades to lay down on my two.

"Was it an anniversary thing?" I laid down the King of spades on Cesar's ten.

"Not really, but kinda..." He laid down the ten of hearts on my ten.

"You gave it to her right after you fucked?" I said with a laugh, setting down the ten of clubs on the face up stack.

"No, we were just making out, I mean... I guess we were about to," he said as he laid down the three of clubs. "But I wanted to give it to her before."

"Ok. And you want to be exclusive with her?" I dropped the two of clubs onto the stack. "Uno," I said.

"Wrong game," he said with a frown. "Exclusive? She doesn't want to officially date anyone and I think that's fuckin' smart. We don't need to be exclusively dating in college. And sex without girlfriend drama is amazing. I like the way it is." He placed the six of clubs on my two.

"So why?" I said. "Hmm, guess I draw." I started pulling cards, getting the four of hearts and six of hearts. I set down the six on the face up stack.

"Just a gift b-between friends." He set down the six of diamonds.

"What did you tell her it was for?" I didn't have any cards to play so I pulled the eight of diamonds and immediately placed it on top. "Thank you for the sex?"

"No, that's stupid. I said she's been a great friend this past year, and then I gave it to her."

"What did she say?"

"She said, Cesar, we talked about this. No gifts. Then I tried to explain, but she said... that's the rule. And then she left."

"Damn... You ever had arguments like that before?"

"No." He finished the beer he was drinking and popped open another.

"Well..." I cocked my head and took a sip of my beer. He might be fucked, but I didn't know Jasmine well enough to be sure.

"We weren't supposed to give each other gifts. And she's right... we agreed to that, but... it's not like a promise ring or something. It's just a necklace... a token of friendship." He played the Queen of diamonds on my eight.

"She said no gifts before?" I had to draw again, but got lucky with the five of diamonds.

"Well she had... rules if we were to be friends with benefits. Like no spending the night, no jealousy, no judgment, no gifts, no invites to life events like weddings or funerals. We were supposed to keep... keep it casual." He drew three cards and played the seven of diamonds.

"So you broke one of the rules." I had to draw, but got lucky again with the King of diamonds.

"Yes," he sighed. He started drawing cards. "I didn't think it through. I've not had... friends with benefits before her. Just regular girlfriends. It seemed too good to be true. I mean I really like her. I-... I don't know anymore." He had drawn five cards before he laid down the Ace of diamonds.

"How much was it?" I started drawing cards.

"The necklace? Ahh, like three hundred..." He took a sip of his beer.

"Wow, when are you gonna get me a necklace like that?" I laughed. I found the four of diamonds, which I laid onto the Ace.

"Damn I fucked up. I really like Jasmin. And I ruined it. Having a great friend and amazing sex, it...

"Amazing huh..."

"What?" he asked, setting down the four of clubs.

"Nothing, just at first it was good, now it's amazing?"

"Oh sorry, I won't talk about it if..."

"No that's ok," I set down the seven of clubs with a smile.

"Ok... She is amazing. Very generous in bed. Probably the best I've been with." He laid down the Ace of clubs.

"Really?" I said. I suddenly had the image of her smiling face on my mind and her short pleated skirt. I could see Cesar and her together. A scene of their half-naked bodies ran through my mind.

"Oh yeah," he nodded. He looked at me just staring and must have noticed me drifting off.

"You have anything to play?"

"Oh uh no," I said, a bit embarrassed, looking at my cards. I began to draw, needing five cards until I got the Jack of clubs. "Uh look, just... just give her time," I said. "And... when she's ready, tell her you're sorry. Sounds like that pussy is worth it," I said with a smile.

"She's a good friend too," he said.

"But mainly the pussy?" I said with a cocked eyebrow.

He laughed and put down a Jack of spades on top of my card.

"I-I've had a fuck buddy situation before," I admitted, putting the Jack of hearts down. "We didn't have strict rules. I don't think that's as important as being open and clear what everyone wants from the relationship. Can't have one person wanting a committed relationship and not vocalizing it. We were just having a good time and we knew it."

"Who was it with?" He drew and immediately put it down the Ace of hearts.

"Actually..." I put down the four of hearts. "It was one of the sophmore cheerleaders on the football team."

"Oh damn," he said. "Our college team, the Anacondas?"

"Yeah."

"Oh shit."

"When was that?

"At the start of the season just last year. No one else really knew."

"How long did you... have that situation?" He drew a couple cards and put down the two of hearts.

"Uh... until the season ended at the end of last year." I had to draw three more cards until I found the King of hearts. "Anyway... how did you and Jasmine meet?"

"At a friend's party." He drew a card and immediately laid it down. It was the nine of hearts.

"Who approached who?" I asked giving the beer a swig. I laid down the Queen of Hearts.

"Uh, actually I used to date one of her friends." He drew and laid down the five of hearts. "I met her and her friend at the same party. Although her friend and I didn't work out, I kept in touch with Jas and just started hanging out more and more.

"Alright." I drew a card. "Crazy eights," I said with a grin, laying down the eight of hearts. Cesar stood and went to the refrigerator and got a couple more beers.

"Hey, you want another?" he asked.

"I'm only half done with this one,'' I said.

He cocked his head to the side as if to say 'girl please.'

"Sure," I laughed. I finished the beer with a quick chug and belched.

He chuckled.

"Sorry, but that's what happens if I drink too fast."

He chugged his beer and tried to belch, but he ended up just coughing. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Hey thanks for talking with me," he said. He laid down the eight of clubs.

"You saved that card?"

"Yeah."

"I didn't know you could do that."

"Hey... I mean it. Thanks for talking with me on a more personal level. I know we're not too close, but I thought you might have some good advice."

"No problem, I don't mind at all," I said. I gave his shoulder a squeeze.

"Sweet."

"So how long have you known her then?" I said putting down the Queen of clubs.

"I's been about a year now. Remember the whole necklace thing?"

"Oh right." I said.

"And I thought I was drunk," he laughed.

"Shut up," I said, with a gentle punch to his shoulder and a laugh.

He smiled at me and drew a couple cards then laid down the five of clubs.

"So you've known her for a year- '' I said.

"Yes I think we've established that much."

"Little shit," I chuckled.

He coughed on his beer as he laughed.

"Serves you right," I said with a laugh, laying down the nine of clubs. "Anyway... when did you two start fucking?"

"Uh... About six months ago," Cesar said. He laid down the nine of spades on my nine. Then I put down the King of spades.

"How... how often?" I asked.

"Three or four times a week." He slapped down the Queen of spades and took a big swig of beer, smiled and nodded his head.

"Shit," I swore.

"Why are you so curious?"

"Uh... I guess.... I guess I'm jealous," I said with a laugh. I drew the four of spades from the deck and immediately placed it on top of the face up stack.

"Sorry I... it's-" he stopped and rubbed his beard for a second and frowned. He drew a couple cards. "Well it's not like she belongs to me. I mean she's sometimes with other guys." He put down the seven of spades.

"Oh," I nodded. "And you're ok with that?"

"I wasn't at first, but I got over it. But... I mean yeah, I don't own her. I sometimes get jealous too, but I don't know... Most of the time I just think about her and me, and forget about everyone else.

"So how about you, are you with anyone else?" I said.

"Uh I mean... every once and a while, but nothing consistent. Jas is... she's the best."

"Have you met any of the other guys?"

"No, but she doesn't keep it a secret either. It seemed weird at first, but she said something that really made sense in this whole situation. She continues to choose me right? If she didn't want me then we wouldn't be having sex. She keeps coming back."

I nodded and he paused... maybe he was thinking she might not come back this time. She liked to keep her options open. I didn't blame her, the double standard of women having to be prudes always annoyed me. I was a bit surprised at Cesar though, he didn't seem the type to be in this sort of arrangement. He seemed very reserved. Except he was drinking like a fish...

"How long has it been since you had sex?" he asked, setting down the six of spades.

"Two months."

"Shit that's rough," he said.

"Eh, I'm used to it now."

"Reals?"

"No, it sucks so hard," I admitted with a nervous laugh. I didn't have a card to play, so I drew one from the deck, getting lucky with the Ace of spades. I immediately set it down.

"Sorry," he said, laying down the five of spades. He was down to two cards. I think he meant sorry for my dry spell, not for almost winning. I was nearly there too. I had the Jack of diamonds and the ten of diamonds in my hand. Unfortunately I couldn't play either.

"Eh, not much you can do about it," I said. I drew the last two cards and put down the three of spades.

"Yeah, well maybe-" he stopped and raised an eyebrow.

I looked up at him expectantly. I thought Cesar might be hitting on me, and because of how much we had to drink, I honestly didn't know how it might go down, but then he took out his phone from his pocket.

"Sorry," he said.

"Who is it?"

"You ever feel like your phone is ringing, but it isn't? Like..."

"Yeah I know what you mean," I admitted.

"I thought she was calling me."

"You... you love her don't you?" I asked bluntly.

"Yeah."

"I thought so."

"But not like that. She's just great."

"You're not in love with her, but you love her?"

"Right," he said. I wasn't so sure. He grabbed another beer. "Another?"

"Not yet," I replied. "You sure you don't want to slow down?"

"I'll be fine, I don't have class till later tomorrow. So... hmm... I'll wait for her to call me?"

"Uh.. maybe?" I said. "You should probably text her and say you're sorry. If that's how you feel. You'll return the jewelry and..."

"Yeah that's good," Cesar replied, getting out his phone.

"You don't want to rush anything, but wherever she's ready, you'd like to talk."

"That's great Maddy."

"Don't send it yet. Let me see what you wrote."

"This look alright?" He asked, handing me his phone.

"Yeah it's good, but do you really feel that way?"

"Yeah, I mean. I just want things to be like they were. Ok... sent." He took a long sip.

"Now you wait."

"Hey uh... could you help me move the table?"

"Sure, why?"

"I just remembered that my roommate is going to come back late tonight and parking fills up real fast. He asked to park his car here."

"Yeah sure."

I took off my jacket and helped him move the table and the chairs so a car could fit on one side of the garage. It took just a couple minutes.

"Hey could we... arm wrestle like we did a few weeks ago?" he said, looking at my muscles as I set the last chair down.

"What? Why?" I asked, smirking. "You've been working out?" I asked. "Doesn't look like it."

"Shut up," he laughed. "I have... a little."

"Ok," I smiled. "It seems unfair though, you're so drunk.

"Shutup and play!" he said loudly, clearly annoyed.

"Shit, fine."

We both sat down at the table. He took some deep breaths, really preparing. I simply put my elbow on the table with my hand up and ready.

"On the count of three alright?" he said. "One, two... he started moving before three, pushing my arm a few inches. I wasn't caught off guard though. I caught his momentum and forced his arm back onto the table."

"Shit," he said. "Almost."

"You little bitch, you tried to cheat." I said with a laugh.

"You're too strong," he said seriously. "I had no chance."

"Whatev-"

"You hungry?" Cesar asked.

"We just ate," I argued.

"A couple hours ago."

"Shit it's after four," I realized, looking at my watch.

"Do you have to leave?"

"No. Just didn't realize how late it was. What were you thinking?"

"I'm really in the mood for pizza," he said.

"Pizza? Man you're bad, I shouldn't be eating that shit."

"Don't you have a cheat day or something?"

"Yeah on the weekend, but it's Monday," I sighed. "Well if you want, but get some naked wings for me."

"No sauce?"

"On the side if you want," I replied. "I could probably kill ten all by myself."

"It will be later by the time they get here, and we can finish that Crazy Eights game while we wait for delivery," he said as he pulled out his phone.

* * *

"Sorry I feel like I've just been talking about me and Jas," Cesar said, putting down the crust to the slice of cheese pizza he just finished. "How about your..."

"What?" I said. I dropped the bone of the chicken wing onto the paper plate and took a sip of beer. I had already polished off three in the time it had taken Cesar to finish one slice.

"Are you seeing anyone?" He asked.

"No, remember I told you I hadn't... in a while."

"That was just sex I thought."

"I haven't really been dating much either. Nothing that lasted more than a couple dates. I've been on a few apps, but I haven't found anyone interesting," I admitted.

"What's your type?" He asked, sipping his beer.

"That's tough. I... I guess most of my history is femme girls, but I've also dated more androgynous girls and even guys."

"You've been with guys?"

"Sure. Why do you sound so shocked?"

"Oh I'm not shocked I just-"

"Thought I was lesbian?" I asked, taking a sip of beer.

"Well you had that cheerleader story. What do you consider yourself then?"