Page 14 of Breaking Free

The guys liven up. “Sorry, I just didn’t expect you to be gay,” Tim says.

“Right, because of stereotypes.” When they all go quiet again, Dominic laughs. “I’m fucking with you. Don’t worry about it. It’s not the first time I’ve shocked people. If you don’t have a problem with my personal life, I don’t have a problem with you. Plain and simple.”

Conversation moves on after that, but I can’t help but think about how confidently he came out and announced that to everyone. A football team that he’s a new member of. He had no qualms, hesitation, or concerns. Is it really that easy?

An hour later, everyone starts leaving.

“All right, man. See you later,” Jayden says, knocking his fist against mine. “Dom, nice getting to know ya, bro. See you tomorrow.”

I don’t talk to Dominic until we’re outside. “So I guess I’m taking you home.”

“Don’t sound so thrilled. It’s all right. I’ll catch the bus from here.”

And now I feel bad. Great.

“It’s fine. Really. I can take you.”

His lips curl up on one side. “Don’t change your tone now. It’s okay. I’d rather take the bus.”

“Do you live on campus? My place is nearby. It wouldn’t be a hassle.”

He begins walking away, but turns around and continues moving backward. “Careful. It’s starting to sound like you want me to join you.”

I roll my eyes. “Do you want a ride or not?”

His teeth drag across his bottom lip. “Do you?”

“You know what? Okay, fine. See you tomorrow.”

His laugh hits my ears right before I open my car door. As much as he annoys the fuck out of me, I don’t want to leave him stranded. I look back at him before I get in.

“Go, Campbell,” he says with a chuckle. “I’m a big boy. I’ll find my way.”

With that, he turns on his heel and disappears around the building, and I hate that I wish he was still here, even if it just means we’d bicker the whole time.

Dominic

6

It’s beentwo weeks since I transferred and started school at South River, and it’s a lot better than I thought it would be. The campus is a little bigger than my last one, and the athletic compound is definitely better. They clearly have more funding here.

That’s not to say I didn’t like Grand Valley. I enjoyed my time there and had good friends and a steady job. Football wasn’t my top priority there, and I was content on the bench for the majority of the season, because my attention was on passing my classes and working my ass off.

Half my money was sent to my mom to make sure she had whatever she needed since my dad was a controlling, alcoholic asshole who didn’t allow my mom to live freely.

I actually grew up an hour and a half away from South River, and as soon as I graduated high school I was quick to flee to Grand Valley just to get away from my dad, because I was afraid one of our fights would explode into something I couldn’t come back from.

I begged my mom to leave him but she wouldn’t. In one of his briefI’ll be bettermoments, they decided to move to South River for a new start, but I was already up at Grand Valley. I came here twice to visit, but only when I knew my dad wouldn’t be around.

My dad died four weeks ago, and now I’m here for an indeterminate amount of time, but definitely until I graduate.

Mom needs my help. She hasn’t had a job in years because my dad stopped allowing that when he was afraid her co-workers were getting in her head and giving her confidence to leave him. My dad was the sole breadwinner, and while she has some insurance coming her way, she’s not going to get a lot.

For reasons I don’t understand, she’s actually grieving the prick. I don’t know when she’ll be ready to start looking for a job, so I’m here to help her financially and emotionally.

Because the coach at South River knew my parents, he was vaguely aware of the toxic situation I left behind, and when he found out my dad dropped dead of a heart attack, leaving my mom a widow so unexpectedly, he, along with my coach at Grand Valley, helped me get transferred here quickly while also getting me on the football team.

Coach Bennett here at South River came down to watch me play, and after talking to my coach, he allowed me on the team without having to attend their tryouts. My circumstances definitely helped. Thanks, Dad.