It's Wednesday. The guys decided to join me for dinner at the Michigan Lakefront Hotel after Sophie and I's study session.

She's here somewhere, too, but the manager is out sick, so she has some things to take care of.

We're finishing up dinner. Davis sits beside me, looking pretty beat. Balancing being a professional athlete with being a law student is hitting him hard, and now that he's thrown Jen into the mix, I'm not sure when he sleeps.

Mitch is leaned back in his seat, one arm resting on the back of the booth, a beer in hand, looking utterly relaxed, as always. How he manages to do that while wearing clothes that probably cost more than my yearly scholarship payment, I have no idea.

I finish off my burger while turning my eyes on Saltz. He's been preoccupied tonight, not even complaining when Sophie refused to serve him alcohol. He's staring at his phone, a crease between his brows, suddenly tapping away for a few seconds, and then back to waiting.

"You okay, Saltz?" I ask him.

He glances up, blinking a few times like he'd forgotten where he was. "Uh, yeah..." He runs a hand through his hair, grinding his teeth together. "You know that feeling when a guy is ignoring you on one platform but answering on another?"

No, can't say that I do.

"Why on earth are you texting the same guy on different platforms?" Mitch asks, turning towards Saltz in his seat.

"Cause it's for different purposes."

"Are any of those purposes dignity?"

Saltz looks over at our oldest teammate, indignation on his face. "Of course not! Haven't you been listening? I'm texting the same guy on different platforms."

Saltz throws the phone down on the table, dropping his head into his hands.

"Do you want us to beat up Nick?" I ask.

He glances at me. "Who says it's Nick I'm texting with?"

"Isn't it?" I lift an eyebrow, staring him down. He narrows his eyes defiantly but then sighs.

"Yeah."

His phone pings on the table. Before Saltz can pick it up, Mitch grabs it off the table. "Now he can see what it's like to be ignored."

"Are you sure this relationship is working for you, Saltz?" Davis asks quietly. I wasn't sure he was paying attention. I figured he might be trying to sleep with his eyes open.

Saltz shrugs. "I dunno. It's not even really a relationship; we're not exclusive."

"But you like him?"

"I guess so. I just don't think he likes me as much." A big sigh leaves my youngest teammate, and he seems to deflate. "I should probably stop seeing him."

His eyes are downcast, while he draws patterns with the condensation on his soda glass.

I look helplessly at the two other guys at the table. Dating advice really isn't my thing. But they both look at a loss too, so I clear my throat. "Uh, if you're looking for a rebound, Sophie mentioned that one of her colleagues was interested."

His head flies up instantly, eyes searching the room until they land on the bar by the far side. Two people are standing behind it; the bartender who was here last week too, who's trying to inconspicuously look at us, and then the young receptionist, staring at our booth dreamingly while toying with the edge of her hijab.

"Which one?" Saltz asks, looking over at me, his brows furrowing. "Wait, I don't know who I want it to be." He throws his head back, groaning. Then point straight at the two people. "They're the definition of bi panic."

The moment he pointed at them, both of them jerked, suddenly looking everywhere but at us. The dude went over to serve a customer, a flush creeping up his neck, and the girl spun on the spot a few times, arms flailing before she fled to the lobby.

Mitch chuckles. "I think you have your pick, man."

"I should probably actually end things with Nick first, though," Saltz says.

"Maybe it's for the best," I say, suddenly thinking the better of my previous suggestion. While I don't think Sophie would care if Saltz dated the bartender, she might have opinions when it comes to the girl. "Are you really sure you want to date one of Sophie's friends?"

Saltz looks confused like he can't fathom why that should be an issue. It makes sense; he hasn't witnessed Sophie's wrath yet.

"You don't."

We all turn our eyes on Davis, and both Mitch and I snicker. Davis isn't even dating Jen yet, but he's already been on the receiving end of Sophie's mistrustful looks and interrogations.

It's really a testament to Davis' interest in Jen that he still wants to pursue her, even though it means getting past her bodyguard.

Not that Sophie is entirely wrong there. Jen just got her heart broken, and Sophie doesn't know Davis the way I do.

It's one of her best qualities. Whatever else she is, she's protective to a fault.

I pat Davis on the back and look at Saltz again. "See?"

He smiles, rolling his shoulders. "Okay. Change of subject?"

We all drink, trying to come up with something else when Mitch speaks up. "Thanksgiving is next week. What's everyone doing?"

Oh right. Thanksgiving. Antonella usually visits her parents in El Paso, which she'll also be doing this year. Ollie alternates between staying here with me or going with her. I told him to go with her next week because even if he doesn't know it, it'll probably be the last time he has the chance.

"I'm not doing anything," I say, shrugging. I haven't really told my two new teammates the whole story, but both of them are aware that my parents are dead. I look at Davis. "What about you? Heading home?"

Davis' moms just moved to Nashville in Tennessee because one of them got a new coaching position there. He normally heads back to spend time with them and his sisters, but he shakes his head. "Mom's team is playing, so Mum is taking the girls to London to see our grandparents."

His two youngest sisters still live at home. I nod. "What about Diana?"

"She has a game too, and Lea is swamped with exams, so I'm completely free." He takes a sip of his drink. "But they're all coming out here the weekend after."

The three oldest Davis siblings all live in the northern U.S, so the family usually convenes around here since both Davis and his twin sister are professional athletes, and their older sister, Delilah, is in med school- which means they're all insanely busy.

Talk about a family of overachievers.

"I'll be here, too," Mitch says. "I'll see my parents at Christmas, so there's no point flying out now."

He doesn't look too bothered not to be spending the holiday with his family.

We all turn our heads to Saltz. He's staring at the table again. "Any plans, Saltz?" I ask, and then suddenly feel unsure. "Do Jews celebrate Thanksgiving?"

Maybe that was insensitive or something, but I honestly have no idea.

He looks up, a smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah, we do, but, um, I told my parents that we had practice."

"But we don't," I say.

"I know."

We're all quiet for a moment, waiting to see if he wants to talk more about it, but when he doesn't, Mitch pipes up again. "So, since we'll all be here, maybe we should do something? Like a Friendsgiving or something?"

He smiles, but I notice his fingers tapping restlessly against his glass.

"Yeah." I nod. "That sounds great."

The other guys agree, too, Saltz's shoulders sagging a bit, a relieved look on his face.

"What about Byers? Think she'll wanna come?" Davis asks.

"Nah, she's heading home," Saltz answers.

"You could invite Sophie," Mitch says, gesturing at me with his beer before drinking.

"Good idea," I say. Sophie seems to enjoy spending time with my teammates, so if she doesn't have plans, she'll probably be on board. "Maybe Jen could come too."

"She's busy."

We all turn to look at Davis, who grimaces, rubbing the back of his neck. Underneath the table, his feet are shuffling restlessly.

"And how is it you know that?" I ask, smirking.

He shoots me a look, clearing his throat. "Uh, she told me. She's heading home."

Maybe Sophie will go with her. That thought makes me kind of sad.

Before I can tease Davis further, Sophie arrives at our table. Instead of sitting beside me, she slips onto my lap, curling an arm around my shoulders, and burying her fingers in my hair. She sighs, taking a sip of my beer and leaning back against me.

"God, I just want to sleep," she complains.

I snake my arm around her waist, tugging her a little closer, placing a kiss on her cheek. "Rough shift?"

She shakes her head. "Everybody who works here are idiots. Expect Val." She looks at my teammates, smiling. "Anyways, what're you talking about?"

They glance at me. I rub her knee with my other hand. "We were just talking about doing a Friendsgiving thing next week. Do you wanna come?" Why am I suddenly nervous?

Sophie seems a bit surprised, looking at me strangely. "Really?"

I nod, now wishing we could have done this alone instead of in front of the three others.

"Oh well, yeah, that sounds fun. You guys don't have practice?"

I try not to look too relieved. Saltz answers for me. "Nah, after morning practice Thursday, we're free until Monday."

"Wow, that's like a mini-vacation," Sophie says. Then something sparks in her eyes, and she looks around our group, a calculating expression on her face. "And you'll all be here?"

None of the others seem to notice the change in Sophie's attitude, so they just murmur their consensus. She asks them something about our plans, the scheming look gone, and I vaguely register that Davis agrees to host at his place.

I'm not sure if I should read anything into it, but there's a sinister sensation crawling up my spine. What does she have planned?

🏊‍♂️

The next day is a rare sunny day. When I exit the Canham Natatorium at eight and am greeted with a blue sky, I decide to take my morning coffee to go.

I find a bench on campus, planning to soak up a bit of vitamin D before my first class. I'm looking out over a peaceful part of campus. A few rouge trees are casting shade over the grass, and in the summer, people would be lounging there, but despite the sun being out, it's still chilly, so no one is around. I'm not alone for long, though.

I feel someone sitting down on the bench beside me, far enough away that it could just be a stranger wanting to enjoy their morning being a nature freak too, so I don't bother checking who it is until she speaks up.

"Jayden."

I jump in my seat because I know that voice. Not overly well, we haven't spent much time together, but she's always polite when I come by the apartment. I look over at the blonde by my side. It's weird, but somehow I had forgotten that Jen goes to U-M too.

"Jen," I say, trying to smile, but it's more of a confused grimace. I'm not sure we've ever spoken, just the two of us before.

She's bundled up in a cream-colored sweatshirt, her blonde hair compiled in a messy bun, and her glasses perched on her nose. She's holding a coffee cup in both hands, something between discomfort and determination on her face.

She's quiet, turning her head to glance at the trees. I mimic her, my whole body tense, wondering what the hell is going on.

"You can't push her," Jen suddenly says, without looking at me. I don't need to ask who she's referring to or what she means. Those four words cast clarity on exactly why she's here right now.

"I know," I answer.

"No, you don't. You don't know her."

I huff, shaking my head. "She doesn't exactly make it easy."

In my peripheral vision, I see Jen glancing at me. "No, well, that's Soph for you."

Wow, so enlightening.

I don't think this is supposed to be a discussion. I don't think Jen intends for it to be a long conversation, but I can't help myself. If there's a chance I might understand Sophie just a bit better, I have to ask.

"But why?"

Jen turns towards me, a grim expression on her face. "Sometimes there are no good reasons, only messed up circumstances."

I don't like the sound of that. I want to ask what it means, but Jen is wearing one of Sophie's masks, the closed-off one that hints at secrets and maybe just a bit of pain.

She won't answer me.

My stomach is contracting, and I feel dizzy. 

"So what does that mean for Sophie and me?"

Jen's fingers smooth over the surface of the cross hanging around her neck. She seems to weigh her words, picking the right ones, and when she speaks, it's in a slow voice. "I think the whole dating thing is great. I'm happy to see you guys having fun, but Jayden, that's all it is. Fun. She doesn't have any more to offer you."

I want to argue. I want to tell her about the heart-to-hearts we've had. The secrets we've shared. But I know that even though Sophie has opened up more, the balance is uneven. I basically handed her my whole backstory on a silver platter, and she showed me a horse and told me she didn't grow up here.

I don't actually know anything about Sophie. I'm not sure what to say, so I stay quiet. A bit of sympathy seeps into Jen's expression, and she sighs.

"You want more from her, and she can't give it to you right now, maybe never. I think you should consider whether you can be content with what you have. And if not, you should leave before you get in too far." She pauses. While she's doing a good job of keeping up the tough facade, there's one thing betraying her. Unlike Sophie, Jen's eyes are unguarded and open. I can clearly see the worry swirling in them right now. "Sophie doesn't let people close to her, but she's allowed you to see more than anyone else. This is uncharted territory, Jayden, and I don't know what it would do to her if you pushed her too far. I-" her voice breaks, and the mask falls. She looks scared. "I can't let you do that."

I don't know why it's taken me this long to realize it. Maybe it's because Jen is quieter and more reserved. Because she's friendly and kind, and it made me dismiss her as being timid. That was wrong, though. Because the way she's squaring her shoulders right now, staring me down with previously unseen ferocity, is oddly familiar.

Maybe Jen and Sophie are more alike than I figured.

"You're very protective," I say,

Jen leans back on the bench, turning her gaze away again. "When you've seen the things I have... All I want is for her to be happy."

I wonder what exactly she's referring to. I look at the trees, but I can't focus on anything. "Do you think she is?"

"Hmm?" Jen sounds a bit unfocused like she'd been far away in thought.

"Happy?" I clarify.

"Oh." Jen is looking at me again. "Yes, I do."

She gives me a tight-lipped smile that looks eerily similar to an expression Sophie tends to send me whenever some of my questions get a little too close to anything real. It's all carefully concealed emotions and hidden meanings. Then she looks down at the cup in her hands, and I don't bother mentioning that I know she's lying.

I'm not sure it's for my benefit. She might just need to believe it too. 

A/N: 
Excited for Friendsgiving? It'll have lots of... surprises 😏

And yes. All five Davis siblings have names that start with D... Any guesses for the two youngest's names? ➡️

Just a little note: I recently discovered two inconsistencies in the story that I've fixed. 
1. In chapter twenty-one, I stated that Ollie was ten years younger than Jayden, but then later in the same chapter, I said that their mom died when Jayden was twelve... Since she died giving birth to Ollie, obviously, Jayden was ten. (I'm bad a math, okay). 
2. In chapter two, I said that Mitch had followed his coach from Florida, but then in chapter six, I said that Mitch had trained at Stanford University - in California - before coming to Michigan. This doesn't make sense, and I got things mixed up. Mitch grew up in Florida, but he went to college in California and stayed there until moving to U-M. 

Okay, I think that was it. Please feel free to message me if you notice any inconsistencies. Remember that this is the first draft, and parts of the story are made up as I go 🤷

- Hanna 💙