Week 1: Saturday

Did I think I was going spending my Saturday night at a bar getting ready to meet a new potential friend who just happens to be a professional football player. No, no I did not. Which is exactly why Abagail is in the seat next to me, ready to intervene if necessary.

I called her when I got home from the grocery store. I told her to come over, I'll make lunch and tell her about the meeting. I ended up telling her about Austin Lax, the newest draft for this season. She then invited herself along tonight saying that it was a necessary safety measure. We both know she just wants to see if he's cute.

I look down at my phone and see that it is just 6 o clock. We agreed to meet at this time, so I start to look towards the main doors. "Do you think this was some sort of prank?" I ask Abagail as I turn around towards her.

"Relax, everyone isn't right on time like you. Give it a few minutes." She dismisses my thought before taking a sip of her drink. I do the same, hoping that it will take some of the edge off. I'm not that good at making friends.

Like I told Ares, my professional life can be very intimidating to a lot of people. The fact the Austin approached me after already knowing who I am puts that out the window, but it means I actually make a friend, that part never happens.

"Indigo?" I quickly turn around at the sound of my name. Austin stands in front of me with what looks like a motorcycle helmet in his hand. His head has helmet hair, but he pulls it off well. "Sorry, I'm a little late, I'm still learning to navigate the city."

"No problem. I understand." I gesture over to my best friend, "This is Abagail, I hope you don't mind that I brought her along."

Austin sits down and smiles at Abagail. "I don't mind at all. I'm Austin." Abagail just nods her head, side eyeing him will sipping her drink.

"Are you drinking tonight?" I ask Austin, I take a sip of my own drink as he sets his helmet on the floor under the stool.

"No, I have a game tomorrow. Can't be hungover."

"I don't even know why I asked, I only have a Shirley temple myself. I did not feel like getting drunk tonight, unlike this one." I point at Abagail who is in the act of ordering another drink proving my point. Austin chuckle while ordering himself a root beer.

The conversation continues from there, we talk about my business and how I began it. Not wanting to talk to much about myself, I ask him how he got interested in football. He tells me from his dad. At first, he didn't like it but then grew to love it. He played down in Florida for college and he was the second draft pick for The Rams this season.

He's 23, which I didn't expect but he took two gap years after college to do an accelerated masters program to get his masters in computer science before being drafted. He seemed really proud of himself and his accomplishments. Not in a boastful way either.

"Damn! It's almost 8. I have to get home." I wave him off when he gives me an apologetic look.

"Don't worry about it, we will definitely do this again." He stands and gives me a hug. He then moves to Abagail doing the same.

"Do you need me to call a cab or anything?"

"No, I live a 5 minute walk from here, she'll crash at my place." I look over Abagail who smirks at me. She isn't drunk, more tipsy if anything.

"Okay, I'll see you." Austin picks up his helmet and with one last look, leaves the bar.

"Okay, he is cute!" I turn towards Abagail and roll my eyes at her. I move my drink to the space at the bar in between the two of us.

"He is in a little brother kind of way."

"Oh right, I forgot, you are all about Ares right now." I scold her for her loudness, looking around the bar making sure she didn't attract any attention.

"Not in that way, he's a good friend."

"Mhm, a friend who wants to know what you sound like. I have never heard of a man actually saying they want to hear how you sound."

Suddenly, I'm regretting telling her about Ares and I conversation last night. "I don't think he means it in a romantic way; Besides, most friends don't meet the same way we did."

"Mhm, keep telling yourself that. But I'm calling it. You'll end up together. Trust me, I know you better than you know you, and I know you will end up falling for him sooner or later."

Once again, I wave her off. "Please, I don't have time for a man okay. I have time for friends. Platonic!"

She's not buying it. I can tell by how she is looking at me with her drink up to her lips. I roll my eyes and check my phone. "Come on, it's almost 8:15. Let's get going."

"Yep! You gotta call your man!" She yells, causing heads to turn towards us.

"Ares is not, my man." I say through a tight lipped smile.

By the time I get Abagail settled in her room, it's about 9. I don't think about what I do next, because I know that if I do, I might chicken out. I don't want to chicken out. I want to do this. So, before I can think about it, I grab my phone and call Ares.

The phone rings three times before the line connects. Out of muscle memory, I immediately speak.

"Hey."

There is straight quiet on the other line. I can't even hear breathing. I start to move towards the kitchen to make some tea. I move the phone from my ear to see if the line is still connected before moving it back to my ear. "Hello?"

"Hey, sorry, I'm here." I stop in my tracks. The kitchen only a few steps away. "Indie? Are you there?"

The sound of my name coming from the deep, raspy voice on the other end sends chills down my spine. I don't know what I was expecting, but I wasn't expecting this. I've talked to multiple men on the phone, I have never had this feeling before.

I have to mentally check myself because I know that there is a distinct difference between a phone voice and an in person voice. Plus, he could've just woken up.

"Hey Ares, I'm here. How are you?"

"I'm doing good. It's uh- It's good to hear your voice. It's nice." I can't stop the grin that forms on my face as I continue to to the kitchen. I put my phone on speaker before reaching up for a cup for my tea.

"Just nice?" I tease, not really knowing where it came from.

"What? You want me to call your voice sexy on our first phone call? I didn't know we were going that fast mini me." I can hear the playfulness in his tone.

"Maybe not sexy, but I was expecting more than nice."

"I'll remember that for next time."

"Question, you wouldn't happen to have just woken up?" I move my electric kettle to pour the water in my mug. He chuckles at my question.

"Nope, I haven't taken a nap today."

Damn it! That means his voice is like this on a daily basis? That's going to take some getting used too honestly. I wonder if his voice is just as deep in person, maybe not as much. Or maybe he is close to his phones mic to give the illusion of an overly deep voice?

"So, how was your day today?" I can hear pots and pans rattling in the background. I move to the living room to relax on the couch. "Sorry for the noise, I just finished cooking,"

"No problem, Ares. As far as my day, it went pretty smoothly. Though I didn't plan on dragging my tispy best friend up a hill."

"Where were ya'll going?" He chuckles.

"We were coming home from the bar. I knew better than to drink, but she didn't get that memo. She's upstairs right now knocked out." I follow up with my own chuckle.

"Honestly, that sounds like my best friend before he got married. Now his wife handles the majority of that. I think it's only fair since I'd been doing it for a good 10 years."

***

Talking to Ares has been great. It's so much better than texting. To actually hear the tone of his voice when he speaks about his best friend and how his day went. It's better because we are naturally speaking versus planning out our messages through text.

When I look at the clock, it's 11 o clock. "I didn't even realize how late it got." Ares says in the phone. I've found myself curled up on the couch with a blanket over the majority of my lower body and my phone sitting on the side of my knee.

"Do you have something to do tomorrow?" I ask him since he pointed out the time.

"Nothing that I have to rush getting off the phone for now. I have a morning work out at 5. My niece is coming over around 12. I haven't seen her in a little while."

"Aww! So, this is your brothers daughter?" I'm met with some silence. "Ares?"

"Yeah, sorry, I zoned out for a second. Um, yes, she is my brothers daughter. She is a 10 year old firecracker." I can hear the love in his voice, but I can also hear some sadness in it.

"Sometimes, I wish I had siblings. Just to experience that kind of love that all siblings seem to have. The constant fighting with each other over the littlest things. Yet, they know that they have each others backs."

"Yeah, it's, honestly an amazing thing. My brother and I always bumped heads until I was around 18. I think it was mainly because he had to be my mother and my father. He wasn't my brother growing up, he was my guardian." He chuckles, "I think like other siblings, as we got older, we got closer."

"I'm happy you got to have that in your life. It's a wonderful thing, I'm sure." I can't fight my yawn even thought I tried.

"Yeah, it is."