Bounce Back

Chapter 53

Ryan's POV

Classes started with a bang the next day, professors not caring that we had had a couple of weeks break. It meant that we jumped straight into new content. Alex was waiting for me inside my first class and he smiled at me.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked.

"Yeah, still a little bit sore but so much better than yesterday," I said.

He hummed and our professor started talking immediately. I fell back into the habit of writing notes and soon enough class was over.

"Do you want to go over content?" Alex asked as we walked out.

"I promised Tyler that I would meet him for coffee. He said that you can come too if you want," I said.

Tyler and I had talked this morning and I knew that he was also worried about burning myself out too so we reached an agreement. When it worked we would meet after my first class and he said that it was fine for Alex to join us.

He told me that I could work between classes as long as I stopped for at least half an hour for lunch in the middle and I made it back to the dorm at ten at the very latest. I knew that he had worked with Jordan on this because it has his fingerprints all over it.

I agreed with him because he was possibly right and I didn't want to burn out and I knew that Jordan would call me up or do something serious if I didn't agree.

We headed to our favourite café and Tyler was already there. When we talked closer I could see that he had a couple pages of basketball notes spread out on the table since he hadn't had a class yet so didn't have any work to do.

"What are you looking at?" I asked as we reached the table.

"Just some basketball stuff. I've been looking over some of the medical stuff because the physio suggested that that is something that I might I study," he explained.

"So, what is it exactly?" I asked.

"He gave me some the medical stuff and what sort of things they do so that I could see if it is something that I want to do," he added.

"And is it?"

"Yeah, it sounds really cool."

"Anyway, Tyler this is Alex. I wasn't sure if you guys have met," I added.

Tyler nodded at him and Alex smiled back. We both ordered before sitting down with Tyler. For a few minutes we talked about our first class for a bit and Tyler talked about the basketball team. It was nice to see Alex and Tyler getting along.

Tyler had to leave before us as he had to get to class but Alex and I couldn't bother moving yet.

"I can see why you like him, he's really nice," Alex said once he was gone.

I blushed slightly and ducked my head which made him laugh.

"He's really nice and you really balance each other out," he then added.

"In what ways?" I asked.

"He's a little more relaxed than you and he helps you calm down and you help him as well," I explained slightly vaguely.

I nodded because I could see what he was saying. He also wasn't the first person to point it out. We didn't have that long before our next class so we used the time to quickly go over our notes from our first class before also heading out.

I think that Tyler explained to Alex the schedule when I was in the bathroom because he strongly encouraged lunch. I didn't really mind that much but I had been in the middle of doing something so the timely wasn't amazing.

I didn't feel a need to go to the library after our last class. Instead Alex and I sat on one of the bench outside for twenty minutes and talked about it without actually doing any work. There was basketball game on today so once we were finished I headed there.

Most of the players were already there and when Tyler noticed me he offered me a slight smile before returning to what he was doing.

Now that Tyler had pointed it out I had to be careful to make sure that my comments were fair. I always believed that they should be the truth but after reading them back again I realised that I could and should be kinder as well as mention what he was doing well.

The game itself was a little boring as it was a bit of a blowout and an easy win for UCLA who were still yet to lose. There was about two months left of this before the Pac-12 tournament and of course the main NCAA tournament.

I finished typing my notes before sending them off to Coach and instead of heading straight out I decided to go and find Tyler. I walked past the locker room but he wasn't in there, instead he was with the medical team.

I stood in the doorway as he was lain down on bed and his ankle was tested. I had forgotten that he had hurt it over a month ago and if I had to guess I would guess that it got aggravated a week or so ago which is why it is still giving him pain.

He didn't notice me until the physio left him and he sat up. I moved across the room and sat down beside him.

"How is it?" I asked.

"It could be better but it could also be worse," he said as he put his sock and shoe on over the taping.

"Are you guys going out?" I asked.

"The team is but I really don't feel like it tonight so I was just going back to the dorm with you," I said.

I nodded and we didn't talk as he headed back into the locker room to grab his stuff and we headed out together. Given it was the middle of January it was cold outside and I was regretting not grabbing a thicker jacket. He must have noticed because he wrapped an arm around me and we still didn't talk until we reached the dorm room.

"Are you feeling alright?" I asked as he sat down his bed, clearly starting to get ready for bed.

"Yeah, just exhausted," he said.

I glanced at him and wasn't completely sure that he was telling the truth but I didn't push it now. I could later but it wasn't the time now so I got ready for bed as well and I was drifting off to sleep not long later.

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The Wise One