Chapter 4 Why Did He Join?
533 Words
The firm put together an in-house basketball tournament to raise money for charity.
Arthur hadn't signed up. HR had asked him twice, and both times he said no, too much on his plate. My friend Sophie thought this was a real shame. The way she saw it, Arthur not playing cut the whole event's entertainment value in half.
On the day of the scrimmage, I sat courtside with her, holding Ben's jacket and handing him water whenever he came off the court.
Ben took a drink and leaned down to say something to me. He was standing a little too close, and I was just pulling back when the whole gym went quiet.
Arthur walked in wearing black, a wristband around one wrist.
Sophie elbowed me. "I thought he wasn't playing."
News to me too.
Arthur didn't look at the stands once. They put him on the other team at the last minute, guarding Ben. Five minutes in, he'd already stripped the ball off Ben twice. The third time, he pulled up and hit a three right over Ben's head.
Ben looked like he was rethinking every decision that had brought him to this moment.
Me, I had no loyalty at all. Arthur looked way too good out there.
That night, he and I sat on the rug in my dream apartment, Winston sprawled between us. Trying to sound casual, I asked, "What made you decide to play after all?"
Arthur toyed with one of the cat's paws. "I didn't want you watching anyone else."
My heart skipped a beat.
"I was only holding Ben's jacket."
"Mm."
He sounded perfectly calm, but he moved Winston aside and lay down with his head in my lap, clearly signaling that he had no intention of discussing Ben any further.
Of course, this was only my dream telling me what I wanted to hear. The real Arthur might not even have known I was in the stands.
Oh, the misery of it all.
On the day of the actual tournament, he led our department to victory.
Afterward, a crowd gathered around for photos. Evelyn, wearing a cheerleading skirt, rushed through the group and threw her arms around him. Arthur's hands lifted, then stopped in midair. In the end, he merely took the towel a staff member offered him.
I was too far away to make out his expression.
That evening, everyone went to a hotel buffet. Ben was sitting beside me. Halfway through an animated story, he absent-mindedly picked up my glass and took a sip.
Before I could stop him, Arthur passed behind us and plucked it straight out of Ben's hand.
"If you've drunk from it, don't give it back to someone else."
Ben apologized awkwardly.
Arthur put the glass on a collection tray, then brought me a fresh one. Instead of ice water, it held the warm water I usually drank.
"Thank you," I said softly.
He gave a noncommittal hum and turned away to speak to one of the project managers, as if he had merely been particular about hygiene.
But I kept staring at that glass of warm water, ridiculously pleased.
I couldn't help it. I was grinning like an i***t.
- Writer
