Bounce Back

Chapter 45

Ryan's POV

I wasn't completely sure how I managed it to class the next morning. I headed out after Tyler did last night and got a bit of work done in the library. I didn't end up sleeping that well and headed to my first class earlier than normal.

"What the matter?" Alex asked.

"Tyler broke up with me," I said.

He stared at me for a second, clearly slightly surprised.

"Do you want me to hurt him?" he asked.

"No," I said plainly.

He nodded and we stopped talking. I continued to work until our teacher started to teach. I made sure to keep myself busy all day but of course there was a basketball game tonight. Luckily like all the other games it was here in LA so it wasn't too bad.

Tyler didn't even look at me as the team started to warm up. Instead he was talking to Luke as the team started to work. Usually I would watch them but instead I focused on the other team.

I still wasn't sure what to think about my breakup with Tyler yet. I hadn't allowed myself to think about it yet because I was pretty sure that I would start crying. I was glad when the game started because it gave me something to focus on.

The team was good and were yet to lose a game. Most of the games were convincing wins so they looked good. Once again they started well and continued to play well for the whole game. I didn't say much to Coach because I didn't need to.

As soon as the game finished I shut my laptop and promised Coach to send him my notes later. I didn't want to hang around here. He nodded so I headed out. I headed to the library so that I could write.

The first thing that I did was type up all my notes for the game and emailed them to him. I thought about doing more work but first I stepped out of the library to call Jordan.

"Hey, Ryan, we missed you the other day," he said.

"Yeah, I'm sorry for not being about to make it," I apologised.

"It's alright. How are you going?" he asked.

"Tyler broke up with me," I admitted.

"What?"

I then explained to him what had happened. He hummed on the other end a couple of times but didn't say anything until I finished.

"Ryan, how are you feeling?" he asked.

"I'm not sure yet," I admitted.

"Are you still living together?"

"Yeah, he told me that since I'm not in the room much so there is no point."

We talked for a little bit longer and I listened to him talk about what he had been doing and how he was going. We didn't get to talk for long because someone called him from the other end and he had to go.

When I headed back inside Alex was sitting at the table I was using and was typing on his own laptop.

"I thought that you would still be at the basketball game," he said.

"I was there but it's finished and I've sent Coach my stuff so I thought I might as well get some more work done," I said.

He nodded and we both started working. I still had a lot of work to get done in the next couple of weeks so I focused on what I was doing. I still found my mind wandering away from my work. It was slightly awkward at the game today but I wasn't going to quit because Tyler was on the team.

This is what I want to do for the rest of my life and I wasn't going to turn down an opportunity. If Tyler could do it then so could I. I wasn't going to bother making a big deal about it. I pushed through and continued to work.

Alex and I both headed out of the library at the same time, just before midnight. I had tucked my books into my bag and headed up to my dorm.

"Just call me if you need to," Alex said.

I nodded and we separated. Luckily when I pushed the door open Tyler was already in bed and asleep. I made sure to be really quiet and when I finished getting ready I sat down on my bed and looked at Tyler for a minute.

He was facing me. His eyes were shut and there wasn't any tension in his shoulder. I wished that I could move across the room and wrap my arms around him but I couldn't. Instead I turned the lights off and lay down on my own bed.

I woke later than I usually did the next morning and it meant that Tyler was already awake. We didn't talk at all as we moved around each other. It was extremely awkward and I think we both felt like we had to say something.

"You played well yesterday," I said.

"Thanks."

He didn't add anything more and I couldn't find anything else to say. I grabbed some fruit before heading out. I was way too early for class still so I took a seat outside and started to clear my emails.

I had one from Coach asking me a couple more questions about the game yesterday that I answered before I started doing work. Alex joined me not long later and I shut my laptop as he wrapped an arm around me.

"Are you sure that you are okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," I told him.

"Well you are frowning at your laptop more than normal so do you want to think about that answer?" he asked again.

"I'm honestly fine Alex," I told him again.

I rolled his eyes at me and I could tell that he was waiting for me to say something.

"Maybe you are right but I just got broken up with so it's normal," I said.

"Yeah but most people don't have to keep living and working together," Alex said.

I hummed slightly but didn't say anything as we had head inside for class to start. Honestly I still didn't want to think about it so I wasn't but clearly that wasn't going to work for Alex.

"You promise that you will talk to me if you need to," Alex said before we headed inside.

I nodded and that seemed to make him happier. When we talked more about it later he asked me if I would think about dating anyone to move on. Right now I don't think that I could and I have enough work to distract me that I think that I'm fine. I think I am better off being single at the moment.

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The Wise One