Page 37 of Rookie Attraction

A blush spreads across my face. Even though the words make me happy, I’m awkward when it comes to receiving praise. To distract myself, I reach for my coffee.

“I’ll have to give him a call,” I reply and take another sip. “So, you guys talked? Everything okay?”

“Yeah, it was good. Weeks overdue. And our conversation gave me a new perspective. He wasn’t downplaying what I’m going through and the pressure I’m under, but he pointed out there’s a flipside to it. I’m not hiding, and if some people don’t accept me, then they were never my friends to begin with.”

I raise my coffee cup and tap Sel’s.

“Cheers to that.”

“What about you?” Sel asks. “How was the rest of your night? Did you have a wild time at the club?”

“Got the full VIP treatment, and shit, that’s a whole other level of partying. I hung out mostly with Berg, Makela, and Sorensen, and then I left around one. I’m sure it only got wild from there.”

“No doubt.”

“A couple of the guys were hooking up,” I continue. “But that’s not for me.”

“It’s not everyone’s scene.”

“Not that I don’t notice beautiful people, I mean you know, but I can’t, uh⁠—”

Shit, stop talking Finn.

“It’s okay, Finn. You do you.”

“I’m demi,” I blurt out.

Sel lowers his cup and nods.

“Okay.”

“I told you I had a girlfriend back in high school, but what I didn’t mention was that we were friends first. I never went in for hookups, still don’t. It took me ages to accept that I felt different about sex, that it wasn’t an instant thing for me. Not like it was for my teammates. You know how locker rooms are; guys are always bragging about who and how often they fuck. I used to bullshit to fit in. It wasn’t until Sutton U that I felt comfortable letting that persona go.”

Sel smiles and taps my cup in return. “To being true to ourselves.”

It’s so cool that I can talk to him about this. Eventually, maybe I can tell the rest of my Rush teammates.

“So, why did you and—” Sel pauses and looks away. “Sorry, it’s none of my biz.”

“Why did Simone and I break up?” I offer. “She didn’t want to do long distance. And her future is in Nebraska, mine isn’t. Don’t get me wrong, I miss my family, and I’ll always go back, but I want to see the world first.”

“And there’s been no one since?”

“Nope. Didn’t meet anyone special in college.”

I’m admitting I’ve been celibate for years, which, to some, would be inconceivable. But when I look at Sel, I don’t see judgement.

“I hung out with a lot of awesome people, but that was it,” I confess. “I didn’t have a single date.”

Sel groans and drops his head into his hands.

“Ugh, don’t mention dates,” he grumbles.

“Why? Have you had some bad ones?”

“Yeah, but it’s not about that. I’ll be going on one in the very near future.”

“You’ve met someone?”