Atlas had been riding a high since the game on Sunday. They hadn’t earned the Monday off as coach didn’t want them getting relaxed after one victory, but he showed up bright and early. Even the sprints weren’t enough to dull his good mood. His free time had been spent between scrolling through the TikToks his friends kept sending him and checking his messages to see if he somehow missed Savannah’s.
Two days later, without a peep, Atlas tried not to let it discourage him too much. Even if Savannah didn’t want to be friends, he was still glad he finally got to say the words he had held onto for a decade.
Atlas wiped the sweat from his face after re-racking the squat bar and moved to the side for Alex to step in. He plopped down on the bench and watched his friend go through the set with relative ease despite hitting their ninth hour in the training facility.
“Hey, you wanna grab some food after this? Kayla’s visiting her parents this week, and I don’t feel like ordering take-out.” Atlas had no other plans, so he agreed with a nod.
“Sure, maybe you can show me some good spots. I can’t say I know much about the area.”
“Which is insane for someone who has lived here his whole life,” Alex pointed out, loading another plate onto the bar.
“Yeah, but I lived outside downtown before coming to college, and then I was always studying or at practice.” The rookie settled under the bar again, shuffling his feet to get comfortable. “Plus, it’d be boring if there wasn’t something new to discover every week. I go three blocks from my apartment and guarantee I’ll find something I’ve never seen before.” Atlas loved living in a city for that exact reason. He enjoyed walking around the downtown streets with little time he had during the offseason and was eager to keep finding new places to explore.
“Well, I’m sure you have plenty to see with how little you go out,” the older man teased, patting his shoulders as he slowly squatted until his muscles threatened to give out.
“Oh shit, you goin’ out tonight?” Atlas rolled his eyes at Lamar as he hopped over their discarded bench and shook his head.
“Just to grab food. You’re welcome to join, man.”
“Nah, I’m gonna go see my girl. She’s off work tonight, so we’re gonna catch a movie and then a late dinner,” Lamar grinned. “Appreciate it, though. You guys will just have to cope without me.”
“I’m sure we’ll manage,” the rookie replied, giving the running back a tiny smirk as he slid out from under the bar. “Can you grab my phone? Before I forget, I need to text my dad back about my mom’s birthday present.”
“Sure thing, nerd.” Alex shook his head and rubbed at his brow.
“It’s gonna be so hard to be your wingman.”
“I don’t need a wingman?” It came out more like a question than he intended.
“How else are you gonna get your popstar?” Alex questioned. “What, gonna dazzle her with your dimples?”
“One, she’s not some trophy to acquire. Two, you’re just jealous that all the old ladies think I’m cute,” Atlas replied, poking out his tongue. “Like I said yesterday, though, I’d be happy with being friends.”
“You might be happy, but it’s definitely not what you want.”
“It doesn’t really matter what I want. There is no way in hell a girl like Savannah Summers is gonna give me the time of day,” he said with a deprecating smile. “It’s not like I offer much. She’s far richer than me, more traveled, and lightyears ahead of me in terms of experience.”
“It’s astounding how you see yourself,” Alex muttered, shaking his head with a heavy sigh. “Look, Atlas, you got to meet the girl of your dreams by chance. You just happened to be cute enough for the internet to like you. She could have found a hundred reasons not to show up last Sunday, but she came to see you play. I mean, she’s got to at least think you’re hot.”
“Let’s just drop it, okay?”
“Fine, I’ll just psychoanalyze you over dinner,” the older man shrugged. Atlas opened his mouth to argue, but Lamar’s return made him think better of it. He took his phone with a quiet thanks and pulled up his messages, only to pause when he saw an unknown number at the top. His fingers twitched as he tapped the icon and read the texts.
Unknown: I don’t know the difference between a drive and a down
I also don’t understand the route names
I have a lot of questions
Its Savannah btw
“Atlas?”
“Huh?” He asked, not bothering to look up.
“Your mom’s present that important?” The screen was snatched from his view, and his neck snapped up to find it in Lamar’s hands as he read the exact words he just did. “Holy shit! She texted you, dude.” Alex turned to look at him with a suspicious stare.
“How did she get your number?” Atlas looked away as his cheeks heated.
“I might have written it on her hand,” he said slowly, leaning away from the other man as he seemed to go through all five stages of grief before settling on disbelief.
“You have no skill with women, and somehow that worked. You wrote your stupid number on her hand like a damn rom-com character, and it actually worked!” He shouted, taking a deep breath as he swiped his hair from his eyes. “That being said, text her back, you idiot.”
“I would if you guys would give me the phone,” he grumbled, still blushing as he yanked his phone back. He stared at the keyboard for a minute and then looked back up.
“What do I say?”
“Tell her you can explain better over dinner?” Lamar suggested, fingers tapping his chin thoughtfully.
“Nah, too fast. Just answer her questions and apologize for the late response,” Alex urged, reaching out to tap his screen impatiently. “Hurry up, though. I’m starving, and we still need to shower.” While the two ambled into the locker room, Atlas tapped out his replies.
Atlas: A drive consists of four downs
If they get over 10 yards then the downs start over
And I don’t really understand the play calls either
Also sorry for the late reply, practice just let out
He waited a moment longer, wondering if she was already texting back, but then shoved his phone into his pocket. Atlas took a quick shower and dressed in a pair of worn joggers and a baggy sweater to brave the brisk Tennessee air. He met Alex outside, where they climbed into the back of their Uber to head further downtown. The rookie stared out the window the whole ride, marveling at every neon sign and bright storefront.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
The driver let them out on a busy street, dozens of people filling the sidewalks, searching for their own destinations. Atlas politely moved through the groups as Alex led them into the restaurant, thankful when they were taken to a private booth near the bar. The pair ordered their drinks as they settled in, and Alex grinned at him.
“You can’t escape this. You need to communicate your feelings.”
“Ya know, I didn’t believe the guys when they said how annoying you can be with your psychology major,” Atlas pointed out. “I should have.”
“You know you want to talk about it,” the blond sing-songed, giving him an expectant look.
“I hate that you’re right,” he huffed. Their server returned with their drinks, and the rookie sipped his Long Island with a content sigh after placing their orders.
“So, what is it about Savannah Summers?” Alex asked after a moment, idly twirling the stir straws in his old-fashioned.
“Honestly, I don’t know. I always thought I’d outgrow the crush, but then I just… didn’t,” he finished lamely. “I mean, obviously, I don’t know how to talk to girls. I’ve been on, like, five dates in my life. Everything I know about women and dating is from romance novels.”
“See, you have a unique advantage. Savannah’s dating history is all across the internet, so you can see where her exes went wrong.”
“For one, that sounds skeevy, dude. I don’t need to know about her ex-boyfriends, especially not through a Google search. Two, she doesn’t really talk about them after they break up.”
“She just writes songs about them,” Alex adds, slightly smirking. “You think she’d write a good song about you?”
“Uh, I’d hope so? I’ve never been a boyfriend before, so I don’t know how good I could be.” The young man had gone out with a few girls, but he had never made it past a second date. There was always a reason why it wouldn’t work out, but Atlas always felt a bit more dejected after each failed relationship.
“Have you actually thought about dating her? I mean, really thought about what it would be like?” To be honest, Atlas had tried not to think about it. His dad always said that nothing came from dwelling on improbabilities.
“Not really,” he admitted sheepishly.
“Your life would change, man. You’d have paps up your ass worse than ever; you’d never get a moment of peace. Plus, how will you feel when she’s touring for twelve months?”
“I can handle the paparazzi; I’m six feet tall, so I’ll just part the sea like Moses. For the tours, I’d just have to get over it. Her music is important to her, and I’d never get in the way of that. I wouldn’t let a girl keep me from the game either.” Part of why his previous relationships had never worked out. They never understood his dedication to the game, making him feel guilty for the hours at practice or away games. Savannah had her own life, and it was partly what made her so attractive to him. There was something hot about a woman who didn’t need him at all.
“And you’re not gonna feel emasculated dating one of the most successful artists in the world?” The rookie pondered the question as the server returned with their meals and then shook his head.
“Nah, I’m pretty secure in my masculinity.”
“What about the people who are gonna call you a gold digger?” Atlas stared at his friend, brows arched.
“It’s no secret that I’m among the highest-paid rookies in the NFL. I don’t need her money.” Alex leaned back in the booth with an appraising look as he slowly chewed his burger.
“You got all the answers, don’t you?”
The rookie shrugged. His pocket vibrated, and he quickly pulled out his phone after wiping the grease from his fingers.
Savannah: No worries practice is important and all that
We spend hours in rehearsal before a show
Atlas: Yeah it’s the exact same
Minus the dancing
“She texted back, didn’t she?”
“Shut up,” he muttered, trying to force the smile from his face.
Savannah: That’s a shame
Finally done for the day tho?
Atlas: Thankfully
Me and Alex are grabbing a bite actually
Savannah: I can let you go if you need
Atlas: Nah he can be the third wheel for once
“Are you gonna ignore me now?” Alex whined, finally drawing his attention again.
“I told her you could be the third wheel, so shut up. This is more important than your forced therapy session,” Atlas shot back, though he grinned when another bubble popped up. “She said I should be nicer to you, though.” He tucked his phone back into his pocket.
“Not gonna text her back?”
He shook his head.
“She said to text after we’re done,” he explained, happily tapping his fingers as he resumed eating. Alex took another bite and then waved his eye at the rookie.
“Is she comin’ this week?”
“No, she has an interview taping. We’re goin’ to Baltimore anyways, and I’m sure the last thing she wants to do is fly some more,” Atlas replied simply. While he enjoyed flying, he obviously wasn’t doing it as much as the singer did. “She said she’d be watching, though.”
“I still can’t believe your move actually worked,” he stated with an equally disbelieving look.
“I don’t know, man, how’d you get your wife?” A dopey grin spread across his face like any time brought up Kayla, his better half, as he liked to remind everyone.
“We technically started dating in middle school, Atlas. She and I had been neighbors since kindergarten, and when I finally started to really notice girls, Kayla was the only one I had eyes for,” the older man sighed. “We were inseparable outside of school. She would do homework in the bleachers while I practiced, and after, she’d help me with mine over dinner.”
“And you guys really managed to stay together the whole time?”
“It was rough, especially when she went away to Harvard and I was playing for LSU. We made it work, though.” Atlas couldn’t imagine it had been easy with the considerable distance, but it was nice that they beat the odds. “I don’t think I ever really asked her to go steady or anything. Kayla just grabbed my hand one day and said I better have a pink tie for the eighth-grade dance because we absolutely had to match.” The two shared a quiet laugh as it was totally something his wife would do. Kayla was a formidable woman at only 5’2” and could scare the pants off of anyone, making her such a powerhouse lawyer.
“Were you into her after that?”
“Hell yes, I was! Even thirteen-year-old Alex was hot for strong women, and that has not changed. She’s just as bossy as ever, and I’m still into it after five years of marriage.” Atlas smiled to himself as he downed the rest of his drink and wondered if he could find the same. The rookie had always held unrealistic expectations of love from growing up with his parents’ marriage as the only guideline, and then adding romance novels didn’t help. There was a picture of him as the definition of a hopeless romantic, with emphasis on the hopeless.
“Wait,” Atlas looked up. “Did you say you’ve been married for five years?” Alex nodded.
“Yeah, got married at eighteen. We went the day after graduation and got hitched at the courthouse; we wanted to make sure we both felt secure in our relationship,” the blond recounted proudly. “Her parents called us idiots, but mine were happy enough to give their blessing after they found out. Knowing that I was waiting to see my wife and not just a girlfriend made everything a bit more bearable, to be honest.”
“That’s sweet,” Atlas replied honestly, sharing the smile.
“Yeah, we wanna renew our vows on New Years. We already have the venue booked, everything figured out, but I did have a question for you.”
“Shoot,” he said, popping a fry into his mouth.
“I need two more groomsmen. I asked Lamar, and he agreed, so how about you? Wanna be in my second wedding?” The rookie was silent as he stared at his friend, unsure what to say. “If you want to just nod or shake your head, that could also work,” Alex teased, kicking his shin lightly under the table.
“I mean, are you sure?”
“My brother’s my best man. Kayla’s little brother is one of the groomsmen, and then two other pro players I went to college with. If you agree, that just leaves Lamar and you,” the blond beamed. “Our suits are gonna be blue, so there’s no risk of lookin’ bad, at least.”
“I’d be honored to be at your wedding, Alex. Really, it means a lot.”
“Good. Now, enough with the sappy shit. We have to figure out how to get your girl.” Atlas chuckled and settled into the booth, wondering just how he got so lucky.