Madison’s voice fills my truck, soft and slurred from whatever she’d been drinking. It wasn’t surprising, seeing as it was the ninth anniversary of her mom’s passing.
"I miss you, Jax."
I close my eyes, letting the words hit me like they always do. It’s been months, and I’ve listened to this voicemail more times than I can count, but it still wrecks me, still makes my chest tighten like my ribs are caving in.
"I don’t even know why I’m calling, but…I just… God, I hate not talking to you."
My grip tightens on the steering wheel. If only she knew what this did to me. What itstilldoes to me.
A deep breath in. A slow exhale out.
I don’t know if she even remembers leaving this message, but it doesn’t matter. It was enough. Enough to make me uproot my entire life, entering the transfer portal with seconds to spare. Enough to bring me here.
I rub a hand over my jaw and glance out the windshield at the campus in front of me. This is it. No turning back now.
Shoving my phone into my pocket, I push the door open and step out, rolling my shoulders to shake off the weight pressing down on me. One thing I will definitely miss about Michigan is the change of the seasons, with September bringing a mix of chilly days while still feeling a bit like summer. Here at PCU, fall is just a cooler version of the hot summers I’ve grown up with.
Heads turn as I pass. Some people recognize me, and some just give me a once-over, curiosity flashing in their eyes. It’s nothing new. Transferring as a top-ranked wide receiver brings attention, but I don’t care about any of that.
I’m here for one reason.
Madison Blake.
My best friend growing up, my first crush, and the girl I've adored since handing her my Valentine in first grade. Her laughter was infectious, and her smile could easily bring me to my knees.
As I climb up the steps to the mathematics building, my phone starts buzzing in the pocket of my shorts. I adjust my bag so I can grab it, my mom’s name flashing across the screen.
“Hey, Mom.” I can’t help the smile tugging on my lips. My mom has always been a little over the top, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. She just loves to love.
“Hey, baby! How’s your first day going?”
“I’m headed to my first class now, but so far, so good. Found a decent parking spot at least,” I say with a chuckle.
“I keep forgetting the time difference when I go on these trips.I’ll have to start setting reminders now that you’re closer to home.” I can hear her shuffling papers in the background.
“Still working on that one case?” My mom is one of the top family law attorneys in the state of California and does everything in her power to reunite families while also ensuring the child's safety comes first.
“Yeah, your father isn’t loving that I brought it with me on vacation, but he’ll get over it.” Dad grumbles in the background, saying something about lunch reservations. “I want to hear all about your first week this weekend when we get home. Maybe you can get Madison to come too? It’s been ages since we’ve seen that girl!”
That’s one thing about Mom: she absolutely adores Madison, almost like a daughter. The comment makes me a little nervous, though—Mads still doesn’t even know I’ve transferred to Pacific Coast University, the school she decided to ditch our college plans for after I was already settled across the country.
“I’ll let you know, Mom. I gotta go, though. Don’t want to be late on the first day.”
Opening the main doors of the brick mathematics building, I look for the room numbers to figure out which way I need to go.
“Alright, alright. Love you, Jaxon.”
“Love you too. Bye.” Ending the call, I make sure my phone’s on silent before putting it back into my pocket. I definitely don’t need a repeat of the first day of my senior year of high school.
The teacher had just gone on a long tirade about how cell phones were ruining our generation, and, wouldn’t you know it, my phone started ringing from my bag. Mrs. Cross already hated my guts, so when her eyes flashed to me, I definitely started sweating.
But once again, Mads saved the day; she reached down and silenced my phone through the side pocket before taking it out and turning it off fully. She took the blame, and all I had to do was make sure she got her fix of a king-sized Twix bar and a large sweet tea from the gas station on the way home. Pretty good trade off, if you ask me.
Finding the right room, I grab a seat towards the back of the class and pull out my notebook. Being a lefty, I like sitting along the outside, and sitting in the back means that, hopefully, I get called on less. It also makes for an easy escape once the class is over.
I run my hand down my face, trying to mentally prepare for later, when I swing by Madison’s place to deliver the news of my presence. I’ll ease into it, though.
I know her. If I just show up unannounced, she’ll probably slam the door in my face, and I’d really like to keep my head intact for at least the first week.
