Page 55 of Disarm
Okay, maybe not complete silence. I’d kill for Miguel in my bed with me. Even if he snores sometimes.
The dorms are dead when I get there. Everyone is asleep or—as I hear a headboard hitting the wall as I walk past a closed door—engaged in other activities. I unlock my door, popping my head into the shared bathroom, checking to see if my roommate’s door is closed.And it is.Dropping my bag by the bed, I click the door shut and stand there for a second, just breathing.
In and out.
That’s when my phone rings.
Fuck. My. Life.
Dad.
Of course.
I stare at his name, lighting up the screen, thumb hovering over decline. But that’ll only make it worse later. So I swipe to answer.
“Hey,” I say. My voice sounds rough, like it’s coming from somewhere else.
“Caleb,” he says, in that warm, clipped lawyer tone that’s supposed to sound like care. “Hey bud! I just watched the replay. Great game. You were on fire out there.”
“Thanks.”
“You’ve been working hard,” he says. “I’m proud of that. Looks like you really had your head in the game. Did you celebrate with the guys afterward?”
“Not really.” I rub my eyes and sit on the edge of the bed. “We all kinda went and did our own thing. They got food.”
“Everyone but you, I take it?”
“Yeah.”
Another pause. “Did you meet any girls down there? Bet there’s some cute SoCal girls itching to meet up with a basketball player.”
I force out a quiet laugh. “I told you I’ve been seeing someone.”
“Wouldn’t hurt to… live a little. You’re so young. Monogamy can wait until after college. Just remember to use protection. I’m too young to be a grandfather.”
Not like that’s going to be an issue with Miguel.
My mouth goes dry. “I didn’t meet any girls, Dad.”
He hums like he expected that. “Well, I hope you at least spent time with your teammates. That kind of bonding matters, especially for a sport like basketball. You can’t isolate yourself.”
Something in my chest tightens. “I wasn’t isolating. Besides, Miguel came down to watch me play. So we hung out at the hotel.”
There’s a beat of silence and I can already tell this is gonna be a shitty conversation.
“Caleb,” he says, careful now. “Look, I know he’s your stepbrother, and you’ve always been close, but you can’t make him your universe. He’s older. He’s… different. And he prefers to be alone. That’s fine for him, but not for you. Don’t let that drag you down.”
Drag me down.
It hits harder than I expect.
My hand curls into a fist against my knee. “He’s not dragging me down,” I say, voice low. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Hey,” he says sharply. “I’m just saying?—”
“I don’t care what you’re saying. You don’t get to tell me what he is.”
There’s a long exhale on the other end. “You’re tired. I’ll let you go. But Caleb… You can’t keep shutting people out. That’s what worries me.”
