Chapter 415 - Stay With Him

Chapter 415: Chapter 415 - Stay With Him

Roxie woke sometime after midnight with the television still playing quietly across the room and her phone resting against her stomach. For a few seconds she forgot why she had fallen asleep on the couch instead of going to bed, then she looked toward the dark hallway and remembered Zac leaving after Dylan’s call.

There were two messages waiting for her.

He’s okay.

The second had come almost an hour later.

Still here. I might be late. Go to sleep.

Roxie checked the time and frowned when she saw it was already 1:47 a.m. She rubbed her face, sat up properly and opened their messages.

How bad?

The typing bubble appeared almost immediately.

Bad.

That woke her up completely.

What happened?

This time Zac took longer.

Family stuff.

Roxie stared at the answer before typing again.

What kind of family stuff?

The typing bubble appeared, disappeared, then came back.

It’s Dylan’s thing to tell you. I’m sorry.

Her curiosity immediately got worse, but so did her concern. Zac usually told her enough that she could understand what was happening even when he kept details private. This time he was being careful in a way that made everything sound more serious.

Okay that sounds fucking bad.

It is.

She sat straighter.

Is he safe?

Yeah. I’m here.

That made her breathe a little easier.

Stay there then.

Zac answered quickly.

You sure?

Roxie frowned at the screen.

Why are you asking me that?

Because I told you I’d come home.

She rolled her eyes before answering.

Zac, stay with him. Seriously.

A few seconds passed before he replied.

Okay.

Roxie stared at the conversation for another moment, curiosity digging at her even though she knew better than to push.

Can you at least tell me if someone hurt him?

Instead of replying, Zac called.

Roxie answered immediately and leaned back against the couch. "You could have just typed yes or no."

"I know."

His voice was quiet enough that her expression changed.

"What happened?"

Zac exhaled. "I really don’t want to tell you something he should tell you himself."

"I’m not asking you to tell me his deepest secret. I just want to know if he’s okay."

"He’s physically okay."

The wording made her pause.

"Physically?"

Zac went quiet.

"Zac."

"He had a problem with his family. They found out something about him."

Roxie frowned. "What?"

"That’s the part I’m not telling you."

"You’re making this sound worse."

"I know."

"Did they threaten him?"

Zac hesitated. "They said a lot of fucked up things."

Roxie’s expression tightened. She wanted to ask what Dylan’s family could possibly have discovered that made things explode badly enough for Zac to leave in the middle of dinner, but he had already made it clear that whatever happened belonged to Dylan.

"Okay. I’m not going to make you tell me."

"Thank you."

Roxie pulled the blanket higher over her legs and thought about Dylan’s family. She had met them before, and they had always seemed warm. When Arthur kicked Zac out and Roxie still had no idea what was happening, Dylan had been the one who gave him somewhere to sleep. His family fed Zac, let him stay there and treated him like he belonged while his own father refused to let him come home.

Now Dylan was sitting in his apartment after hearing those same people say things bad enough that Zac wouldn’t repeat them.

"That family?" Roxie asked quietly. "That’s weird."

"Yeah."

"I thought they were nice."

"So did I."

There was enough disbelief in Zac’s voice that she left it there. Whatever happened clearly made no sense to him either.

"How is Dylan now?"

"Angry. Embarrassed. Mostly angry."

"Is he talking?"

"Sometimes."

That sounded like Dylan.

Roxie glanced toward the kitchen. "Did he eat?"

Zac gave a tired laugh. "You sent enough pasta for four people."

"So?"

"Yeah. He ate."

"Good."

"He complained about the amount."

"Then he’s alive."

That got another laugh out of him.

Roxie smiled too and looked toward the bedroom. She minded losing the night. She had been looking forward to it, and judging by the way Zac had been kissing her against the kitchen counter earlier, so had he. She had spent most of dinner watching him walk around in boxers for a reason.

Still, being disappointed about missing sex was very different from minding him helping Dylan.

"Stay with him tonight."

There was a brief pause.

"You really don’t mind?"

"I mind that my plans are ruined."

Zac laughed.

"I had excellent plans."

"I remember."

"You didn’t know all of them."

"That sounds promising."

"They were. I planned to keep you up all night."

"Damn."

Roxie giggled.

"I’m sorry," Zac added.

"Stop apologizing. I can sexually harass you tomorrow."

"That’s a promise."

"You better survive practice first."

The humor faded naturally after that, and Roxie pulled the blanket closer around herself.

"Seriously, Zac. Stay there. Make sure he’s okay."

"I will."

"And if whatever happened is something he doesn’t want me knowing yet, that’s fine. Tell him I’m worried, though."

"I will."

"If he needs anything, tell me."

Zac went quiet for a moment before saying, "I love you."

Roxie smiled. "You’re getting sentimental because you’re tired."

"Probably."

"Go take care of your friend."

"I’ll call you in the morning."

"Okay."

"Love you."

"Love you too."

The call ended.

Roxie stayed on the couch for another few minutes before finally getting up. She was curious enough that she knew she would probably spend half the night wondering what happened, but curiosity didn’t give her the right to pry into something Dylan hadn’t chosen to tell her.

Whatever was going on, Zac was there with him.

That was enough for tonight.

She went to bed alone and slept better knowing Dylan wasn’t.

The next morning Roxie woke to the sound of her alarm and another message from Zac.

Still here. He barely slept. I have practice soon.

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes before answering.

How is he?

Zac called instead.

Roxie answered while she was still under the blanket. "Morning."

"You sound asleep."

"I was."

"Sorry."

"You apologize too much."

She heard movement on his end followed by a door closing.

"How’s Dylan?"

"Better than last night. Still pissed."

"That I believe."

"He finally slept for a little while."

"Good."

Roxie sat up and pushed her hair away from her face. "What are you doing now?"

"I have practice in about an hour."

"So you’re leaving him?"

"I think he’ll be okay for a few hours. He told me to go before Coach decides I’ve already become a problem."

That sounded much more like Dylan.

Roxie smiled. "At least he’s insulting you again."

"Exactly."

"Are you coming home after practice?"

"I was planning to."

"Good."

Zac hesitated. "Unless he needs me."

Roxie caught the hesitation immediately.

"Then go back there if he does."

"You sure?"

"Zac."

He laughed softly. "Okay."

Roxie got out of bed and headed toward the bathroom with the phone still against her ear.

"What time are you done?"

"Around one if Coach doesn’t keep us."

"I’ll pack you lunch."

"You don’t have to."

He went quiet for a moment before adding, "I miss you."

Roxie smiled and started twirling a piece of her hair around her finger. He had only been gone overnight, but sleeping alone had made the apartment feel strangely empty.

"I miss you too. I want to see you."

"You have things to do today."

"I can make lunch and still function."

"I’m just saying."

"Do you want food or not?"

"Yes."

"Then stop arguing."

Zac laughed.

Roxie switched the phone to speaker and set it beside the sink while she started brushing her hair.

"I’ll make extra too."

"For Dylan?"

"If he wants it."

"He will."

"Good. Then you can take it to him if you go back there."

There was a small pause before Zac said, "Thanks."

"It’s food."

"I know."

Roxie looked at herself in the mirror while gathering the things she needed for the morning. She still wanted to check some things on campus before classes properly started, even though Zac had already teased her for walking her routes more than once.

"What are you doing today?" he asked.

"Getting ready, checking my schedule again, then maybe going to campus."

"You already checked your schedule."

"I know. I want to look around again."

"Come early with me."

Roxie stopped brushing her hair. "Absolutely not."

"Why?"

"I’m not going to school an hour early because you have football practice."

"You can watch."

"I can also sleep."

Zac laughed.

"If I go there later, I’ll bring your lunch."

"So you are coming."

"I said maybe."

"That usually means yes."

Roxie smiled and started applying moisturizer. "Maybe I just want to inspect all these new teammates you keep talking about."

"They’re not that interesting."

"You spent half of last night telling me about them."

"That was different."

"How?"

"I was trying to tell you about practice."

"You spent five minutes talking about some linebacker trying to kill everybody."

"He hits hard."

Roxie laughed. "See? Football language."

Zac started telling her about practice again while she got ready, explaining what Coach wanted from them that morning and complaining that everybody had been warned nobody was getting special treatment because they were tired.

His voice sounded more normal now.

That helped.

"Did you sleep at all?" Roxie asked.

"A little."

"That means no."

"I slept."

"How much?"

Zac went quiet.

Roxie stopped what she was doing. "Zac."

"Maybe two hours."

"Jesus Christ."

"I’ll survive."

"You better or your new coach is going to chew you out."

"I’ve played games on less."

"That is not the argument you think it is."

He laughed again while Roxie went back to getting ready.

"Eat before practice."

"I will."

"That sounded fake."

"It wasn’t."

"I’m asking Dylan later."

"Why?"

"Because he’ll betray you immediately."

"That’s true."

Roxie smiled.

She could hear Zac moving around now, probably gathering his football things before leaving Dylan’s apartment.

"Go practice," she said. "I’ll see you after."

"Okay."

"And I’ll bring lunch."

"You’re coming there?"

"Maybe."

"That sounds suspicious."

Roxie narrowed her eyes at the phone. "What? You sound like you don’t want me there."

"I want you here. You can come right now and watch me every single minute of your free time."

Roxie laughed. "Hmp. If I’m always around, how will those hoes stare and flirt with you?"

Zac chuckled. "I love it when you get jealous."

"Fuck off."

His laugh got louder.

"Love you too."

Roxie smiled. "Bye."

She ended the call and finally went to shower.

By the time she came back out with a towel wrapped around her hair, she already had lunch in mind. She could make enough for Zac and Dylan, drop it off after practice and handle whatever she needed to do around campus while she was there.

Her concern about Dylan was still sitting in the back of her mind, but it had settled into something manageable now that she knew he was safe. She still wanted to know what happened. Zac being so careful about it had probably guaranteed she would think about it until Dylan eventually explained.

But Roxie and Dylan had never been especially close.

He had always been a little aloof with her, even back in Briarwick. They joked around when they were together, and he had become part of the group through Zac, Mason and Kyle, but Roxie had never been someone Dylan came to when something went wrong.

Zac was.

That was enough reason for her to care.

If Dylan wanted her to know what happened, he would tell her when he was ready.

Until then, Roxie could bring lunch, leave him alone and let Zac be there for his best friend.