Tongue Tied

"What did she say?" Tyson gasped.

"That she knew Nathan 'too well'." Matt said, using air quotations.

"So what? He fucked her and hasn't talked to her since so she thinks they're buddy-buddy?" Ryan asked.

Gabe shook his head. "It's more than that." He finally spoke. "It wasn't just a one night thing. She seemed, like, resentful."

"Exactly. She got fucked and chucked by the kid and now she's out for blood." Ryan went in depth.

"I think she might be an ex or something." Matt ignored Ryan. "Didn't he have a long term girlfriend before he came? What was her name?"

Gabe nodded. "Yeah, and I think her name was Alex, too."

"We need to talk to him." Tyson sighed. "I'm going for lunch with the kid, anyone wanna come?"

"I have a date." Ryan grinned. "With that blonde, Alexa."

"I'll come." Gabe shrugged towards Tyson. "Nothing better to do."

They met up with Nathan before the three made their way to some diner. It was a man date. They went on them regularly. It would be weird for some, but with the share of girls each had, it was strictly platonic. They ordered and talked about the upcoming season a bit before their food arrived. They ate in silence. Maybe because they didn't just eat, they devoured their food. Tyson was the first one finished. He wiped his mouth before he leaned back.

"Nathan, how does Alex know you?" He asked, bluntly.

Gabe shook his head. Nathan swallowed his mouthful of food. He took a deep breath before he reached for his milkshake. He took a sip to was down his food. Really, he was trying to stall. He licked his lips and fiddled with some napkins. Tyson and Gabe just stared at him. He finally caved.

"My ex. We had a nasty break up and I never expected she'd come out here." He confessed.

"What happened?" Gabe frowned.

"I came out here to play and just got caught up." Nathan tried to defend his actions.

"So you got drafted, started ignoring her, she dumped you, and now she's in Denver too?" Tyson recapped. Nathan nodded. "Well it's been, like, two years. Shouldn't she be over it?"

"She probably would be if I hadn't slept with her when I went home this summer." Nathan growled.

His two teammates let out noises to express the toll of his actions. He just nodded, drinking more of his milkshake. They fell silent since no one knew what to say. Tyson's phone buzzed. It was a text from Kya. Gabe looked over before he looked at Nathan.

"You and Alex might wanna patch things up because Tyse here is sleeping with her friend." Gabe stated.

"Ry's seeing her blonde friend so don't make me out to be the bad guy." Tyson spoke as he typed.

"This isn't happening." Nathan shook his head. "We aren't having some team dating convention. You guys can't all go for my ex's friends."

"We can do what we want. You're the one who had a falling out with her, not us." Tyson smirked. "Do you hate her? Is that why you don't want to be around her?"

"No, God, no. Nothing in this world could ever make me hate that girl." Nathan defended.

"Then what is it, Nate?" Gabe cocked a brow.

"She hates me. I broke her heart, then came home, and broke it again." Nathan frowned.

"Well, looks like you'll have to be friends with a foe." Tyson shrugged.

Nathan let out a growl. Gabe and Tyson continued talking while Nathan just sat there. It was just his luck that Alex had decided on Denver and now her friends were dating his teammates. Just his luck. They finished eating and Tyson went his separate way. He grinned as he told them he was going to see Kya. Nathan just glared.

Tyson knocked on Kya's door. It flew open and Alex stood in the doorway. She narrowed her eyes at him. He sent her a smile. Erica stood from Alexa's bed and walked over. She peaked over Alex's shoulder. She sent Tyson the same look. He felt threatened. Maybe they were against him seeing Kya? He stood tall though, he knew someone had to say something. Alex's face broke and she smiled, stepping to the side.

"Kya's in the shower. Come on in." She sang.

Tyson walked in. He looked around for a place to sit. He didn't feel right sitting on either bed. It might imply something. Alex rolled her eyes at him and pulled over the desk chair. He smiled at her and sat down. She took her spot on Kya's bed while Erica went back to Alexa's. The three sat in silence. Tyson knew he had to get something out about Nathan.

"So, uh, Alex," He began. She looked at him. "You and Nathan have some history, huh?"

She took a deep breath. "Too much history." She sighed.

"I heard what he did, props on being an asshole to him." He shook his head.S

he shrugged. "I mean, I kinda thought it was gonna happen but it still hurt when it did." She explained as she pulled her hair up.

He spotted the charm on her chest. "Is that for him?" He nodded at the necklace.

"He got it for me before he left. It's my birthday." She told him as she played with it.

"That's why he's number 29." Erica piped up.

"Really? He never told us why he picked his number." Tyson chuckled. "So you pretty much hate him now, eh?"

Alex shook her head. "I don't hate him. I'll never hate him. I just don't know how to act around him." She confessed. "I'm sure he hates me though."

"Actually, he said he could never hate you." He blabbed. "I probably shouldn't have told you that."

Alex laughed. "Potential friendship?" Erica sang.

"Only time will tell." Alex sighed as she laid back. "Did you charm Kya just to get me back with Nathan?"

Tyson cackled. "No offence, but I don't care about what that kid does. I just really like your friend." He explained.

"Her friend really likes you." Kya said as she walked out of the washroom.

Her hair was soaking wet but she was dressed in some shorts and a tank top. Tyson smiled at her. She smiled back. She went back into the washroom and wrapped her hair in a towel. She dug around for her make up bag before she walked back out.

"I just have to put on my make up and then I'll throw my hair up and we can go." She told him.

"You don't even need make up. Just go." Erica rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I think we should go now." Tyson rose. "Time is of the essence."

"You're ganging up on me?" Kya gasped.

"Not ganging up, just go!" Alex hollered.

Kya growled. She shook her hair out and brushed it quickly. She put it in a bun before she walked over to where her shoes were. Tyson stood to her side. She slid them on and then looked at him. He extended a hand to her before he led her out of the room. Alex and Erica followed, crossing the hall to their room.

"Have fun, kids. Make sure you take up who's going where for the night with Alexa and Ry." Alex teased before she closed the door.

Kya leaned into Tyson's arm as they walked. "You know Alex is still 100 percent, completely, head over heels, in love with Nathan, right?" She told him, looking up into his eyes.

"Yeah, he's about the same with her." Tyson frowned. "I don't understand why they won't make it work. They're both in the same place now, for the long haul, why not try?"

"The fear of being hurt again, on Alex's part, and the fear of hurting her again, on Nathan's part." Kya sighed. "But that's where Erica comes in."

"And that's where Gabe comes in." Tyson smirked.

"Wingmen." The pair said together.

Notes