Something to Look Forward to

The rest of the week was as slow as slow gets. Between the last of our midterms and our few remaining practices before the break, I couldn’t help but glance at a clock whenever I could see one.

“Focus up, Ria.” Tea said, helping me up after I’d tripped while missing an easy shot in our practice.

I tried to shake it off quickly as I got up, but Tea added one more thing, whispering in a low voice so only I could hear.

“Do you think he’d want you to be distracted?”

She smirked and skipped backwards to her position as practice resumed.

While she was just messing with me a little, it brought up a very good point. A big part of what interested me in Liam was his level of focus and dedication. After seeing and admiring that in him, I couldn’t very well go and get distracted, losing my own focus.

The next day, the final day of practice before break, I had one of my best sessions I could remember. Everything I tried worked perfectly. Every shot went in, every dribble left my opponent in the dust, and every pass found its mark.

As practice ended, I allowed myself to fully take in my situation.

Tomorrow, Saturday, I will be joining Liam on a hike. The slight relaxation of the bitter cold in the air reminded me of the coming weekend. While I couldn’t yet call it a date, I could confidently say I was making progress.

I’d have to remember to thank Tea later for her advice.

However, I had a feeling I’d be more or less on my own from here. Tea was a great friend who could give me great advice, but I couldn’t rely on her every step of the way. From here on out, it would be up to me to deliver myself to my dreams of what our relationship could be.

First things first, I had to prepare for tomorrow.

I’d decided not to set any goals for myself this time, and instead simply enjoy the time that I spend with him. In the library the other day, I was so preoccupied with my objectives that I’d almost forgotten to actually talk with him. Tomorrow, however, would be different.

I took a few minutes to set out my clothes for the day, as well as a bag with a few things I’d want to have on me. Lastly, I sent Liam a quick message to make sure we were still good, and then went to bed for the day, struggling to fall asleep before eventually passing into the world of dreams, envisioning an exciting day ahead.

—-----

The days after Ria’s visit to the library were a bit too dull for my liking. It was an odd realization to come to, since I was doing the same things I had been for a while now. Yet despite that, something felt like it was missing.

I didn’t make a habit of getting attached to people. I’d only considered myself close to Marcus while attending Eastfield after all. So, when I concluded that ria may be someone I now felt attached to, I didn’t quite know how to feel.

The most annoying part of it all was that it wasn’t the weekend yet. If I could meet up with her I could progress towards figuring out what she means to me, and what I should do.

Either way, I’d have to be very careful in regards to my work, since knowing athletes on a personal level can often lead to unwanted bias.

Friday, in particular, was very rough. I spent most of the day in the library, finishing the last of my work for the semester. Every few minutes, I caught myself looking up towards the door, hoping to see it fly open.

After the dozenth or so time of this happening, I packed up my belongings and made my way out of the building, deciding that the rest of the work could be finished at home.

Later that night, the work finally finished, I prepared everything I intended to take with me the following day before passing out almost instantly.

The sun rose with satisfying speed the next day as the morning passed by in a blur. Everything I could think of was prepared, and the weather was absolutely perfect.

The sun had chased the clouds away, and the warmer than normal temperatures left us with a manageable level of cold. A nice, warm layer of cold weather clothing was all that would be necessary for the day. It was, in every way possible, a perfect day for a hike.

As I parked and stepped out in the parking lot for the hiking trail, I noticed that there were more cars than I would normally expect at this time of the year. I guess I hadn’t been the only one who planned on making use of the good weather.

While I walked towards the trail, a familiar and warm sight met my eyes.

Ria was leaning against the notice board, watching the trees move with the slight, passing breeze. She turned at the sound of my footsteps, and an all-too welcome smile greeted me.