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"Remind me again why you're suddenly disappearing for a week," Luke said, pulling his shoes on while sitting on the bench inside the locker room.

"Because my brother's getting married," I answered, grabbing my bag and closing my locker.

"So, you're going back to San Francisco?"

"No. I'm going to Spain."

"Oh, destination wedding," he sang. I ignored him and quickly pulled my shoes on. "You look like you're in a rush. Where are you headed?"

"I have to go buy a tux," I mumbled, tying my laces. "For the engagement party. Tell Coach I left already. Bye." I walked out of the locker room and then through the doors after signing myself out, climbing into my car and dropping my duffel bag in the passenger seat. I started up the car and began driving to June's boutique. It's a boutique Joshua showed me when I first joined the team and needed a new tux for our first and welcoming party and it sells clothing for both men and women too.

I stopped at a red light near the boutique, I only had one more corner left to turn and I was still waiting for the light to turn green when I spotted three paparazzi photographers lingering on the sidewalk. I let out a soft sigh, hitting my head against the headrest while drumming my fingers on the wheel. When the light turned green and I got closer to the boutique, they recognized my car, pointing and nodding towards it. I rolled my eyes and kept driving, stopping across from the boutique where I found a free parking spot. I turned off the car, grabbed my keys, and climbed out, ignoring the three men yelling at me to look over and tell them if I'd be back on the field the next season.

"Adam! Over here!"

"Adam Blackwell, here, please!"

"Adam, will you be back on the field next season?"

"Have you recovered from the severe injury?"

"Was it you at last weekend's party with Ivy Pierce?" "Are the rumors true? Were you her date to her father's launch party?"

"Are you in a relationship with Ivy Pierce?"

I made it into the boutique and glanced at them through the glass doors. "Who the fuck is Ivy Pierce?" I mumbled, reaching the table.

"Adam, welcome back, we haven't seen you in a while," June grinned at me.

"Hey, June."

"What can I get for you today?"

"A tux, as always."

"What's the occasion?" she asked, leading me to the men's room.

"My brother's engagement party."

"Oh, tell Aspen I said congratulations," she beamed.

"I'm surprised you remember him. You only met him once," I replied.

"Once is usually enough to remember a name and face," she shrugged. "Who's the lucky lady?"

"His high school sweetheart."

She chuckled softly, mostly to herself. "All right, well. The room is all yours, nobody else is here right now, so all changing rooms are open."

"No one else is at the boutique?"

"There's a girl in the women's room. She's looking for an engagement cocktail dress, so I'll be with her. If you need me, just holler."

"Got it. Thanks, June."

"Sure, no problem." She left with the door closing behind her and I started looking around.

I grabbed a few, one being navy blue, the others mostly black, and then went to try them on. I pulled my t-shirt over my head, hung it on the coat hanger, and pulled on the black button-up. I fixed the sleeves and then grabbed the black silk tie, pulling it on. I faced the mirror so I could tie the tie and sighed in frustration looking at it. Ties always give me a hard time, I never remember how to put one on.

"Right side is smaller, the left side is longer," I mumbled to myself, clicking my tongue in frustration.

Which side goes on top again?

I paused, trying to remember the instructions from the first time she taught me how to tie a tie. Emilia did. She's the one who taught me.

"How come you don't know how to tie a tie? You're like an adult," she scoffed, sitting at the foot of my bed and watching as I struggled with it.

"If I'm an adult, so are you. We're seventeen."

"Yeah well, I know how to tie a tie. You're the one who doesn't," she snickered, crossing her feet at the ankles.

I spun around to face her. "Aren't you the one who wanted to go to prom? I have no problem not going."

"You can just go without a tie," she replied, standing up and smoothing her hands over her black dress. "But it won't look good without one. I'll teach you."

"Do we really have that much time?"

"Yes, we do. It's prom, nobody will be there early. I'll tell you what to do, you do it. Capiche?"

I huffed, rolling my eyes. "It would be much easier if you just did it for me. You can teach me another time."

"Another time might never come. Come on. The right side is shorter, the left side is longer."

I listened. I followed her instructions and managed to tie it. "Okay, finally, it's done," I exhaled.

"Do it again."

"What? Why?"

"It looks crooked."

"I'm not wearing a tie." I slid it off, throwing it on the bed.

She caught it mid-air and grabbed my arms, turning me to face her. "You can't do anything on your own," she scoffed, putting the tie around my neck, going on her toes to reach me. She focused on the tie while I focused on her.

"You're pretty short still, Emmy," I mumbled.

"You're the tallest in our grade, Mr. Six foot tall."

"Six foot two," I corrected.

"And growing," she chuckled, taking a step back. "There. All done. Now, you can't tie the best ties but just remember the steps. Someone will fix it for you. Hopefully."

"You can. Whenever, wherever."

She gave me a sarcastic smile. "Oh... because you'll bring me around just to fix your ties?"

I nodded.

She rolled her eyes and pushed me away from the mirror, fixing her hair and dress.

"Because you'll always be there," I mumbled, glancing at the tie, fixing it.

"Are you sure I will?"

"Obviously, where else are you going to go? You're with me for life, Rubes."

"Sure, I am." She swatted my hands away. "You're making it crooked," she scolded, fixing it again. "Don't touch it now."

"Fine, I won't." But I touched it again.

She sucked in a frustrated breath through her teeth and then grabbed my hand. "I should handcuff you. It would make things so much easier," she sang, pulling me towards the door and out. "Bye, Mrs. Blackwell!" she called out.

"Wait! Let me take a picture!"

I adjusted the tie, surprised I was able to tie it perfectly. The first suit was good enough. It seemed better than the tuxes I chose, so without trying on the others, I changed back into my clothes, deciding on this one. I walked out with the suit in hand and made it to the table, handing it to June.

"Should I pack it up?" she asked.

"Yeah."

I heard a sigh and turned to the door, seeing a girl standing there. Another redhead.

My fate is testing me.

She had a bag from the boutique in hand and a purse on her shoulder as she stared at the crowds and paparazzi gathered outside. She wore a red sundress with half her curly hair pulled up into a ponytail.

Damn it, Adam. Every redhead isn't her.

She pushed the doors open and squeezed through the crowds, speed walking away.

"Was that the other customer?" I asked, facing June again.

"Yeah. A new one actually. She seems sweet. Real pretty too. It's weird, kind of. She bought a dress for her sister's engagement too."

"Probably just a coincidence," I shrugged it off.

"Probably. Here ya go. Pay up, sir."

I handed her my credit card.

She swiped, I entered the pin and she gave it back to me, dropping the receipt in the bag. "Thank you, see you soon," she sang. "Oh but next time, try not bringing paparazzi with you. It's not convenient for other customers."

"Will try. Bye, June." I grabbed the bag and walked out, the paparazzi naturally clearing the way for me, unlike how they did for that girl. I got in the car and started it up, stopping when someone knocked on my window. I stared ahead of me, rolling my tongue along the inside of my cheek in frustration. I rolled the window down, turning to the man holding the camera to my face. "No cameras," I shook my head.

He put it down. "Can you confirm your relationship with Ivy Pierce as of today?"

"How do you know her?"

"When did you two meet?" Others joined in, snapping more pictures.

I rested my wrist on the wheel. "I don't know who she is," I answered with a shrug.

All cameras stopped.

"Move," I ordered.

Everybody took a step back.

I rolled the window back up, started the car, and drove off, losing the cameras behind me.

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