Short Coming

Long legs in high heels and short skirts had always been her style, from cheerleading through high school and college to dancing for tuition money. But today wasn't about a job. Today she was trying to catch an eye. A certain football playing eye.

Candy walked through the co-ed gym like she owned the place. She was Becca's best friend, so of course when she'd heard that Zecca was having trouble, she was going to do something about it. She'd caught the tail end of Zack's gym bag disappear through the door to the men's locker room. So few men were even out on the machines, so she doubted there was anyone but him in the room. Even better, she thought as she walked back towards the off limits area. Ignoring the "men only" sign, she pushed the door open just as Zack was covering up with a towel. 

"Hey!" was his immediate response when he heard the door open and saw the scantly clad bestie of his girlfriend walk through the door. 

"Don't hey me!" she snapped back as quickly as he'd gotten the word out. She walked up to him shamelessly and jabbed her finger into his chest. "What the hell's wrong with you? Becca's been on double shifts three times this week and you couldn't even send her a smiley face? Seriously?! You're her boyfriend!! The least you could do is text her!!"

Zack only chuckled in response to it.  He caught her wrist as she tried to jab her finger into his chest again and laughed, "Candy, c'mon.  Becca could have texted me too.  We're both busy!  It's just how things are right now.  It's cool."  Then he turned his back to her and stuffed his gym shirt back into the locker, pulling out his shower stuff and a towel.  "Gotta put this on pause for a minute, I need a shower."

Candy narrowed her eyes. The way he laughed things off really struck a nerve inside her. Coldly she crossed her arms "You know she's drinking again?"

He stopped at that.  She watched him as the words sunk in, then he slowly turned back and he sighed heavily.  "She said she stopped that..."  Candy just scoffed at him.

"Spare me.  If you didn't realize something was going on you're the world's biggest idiot.  And if you did and you're lying right now, you're as bad as she is.  Worse even!"

But Zack cut her off before she could finish anything else she tried to say.  He whipped around to face her fully and snapped, "Candy!  I know!  But God's sake, gimme a break!  I haven't even seen her in like a week, how could I have known?!"

Candy could only sigh, "Zack, everyone knows you mean well. But honestly, if you were really that worried about her you would have made an effort. Fact is, you say you love her, but you're treating this whole relationship like she's holiday only family. Face it. She deserves better." And with that, she left. She had nothing more to say and she wasn't in the mood to hear anything else he had to say. She was done. 

Falling Short

Zack and Becca had been dating almost as long as Derick and Kelly.  Their names were like Branjelina among their friends - Zecca and Delly.  The girls were never seen without the guys and vice versa.  That's the way it had always been, through high school and college.  That was the way it was probably always going to stay.

For Delly at least.

After sophomore year at the same big state school... Zecca had started falling through the cracks.  He never noticed before now.  Zack got real busy with football and keeping the coach happy with his C+ average, and Becca got real busy with her pre-med courses so she could get into the best nursing school in the region.  It just made sense that of course they were going to see each other a lot less.  Late nights making out in the back of his car had turned into quick dinners and kisses before they had to part.  Then those turned into kissy faces on text messages and over chat rooms.  Now, as Zack counted off in his head, he realized.  Not a text, or a call, or any kind of contact from Becca in three days.  In an hour it would be four.  He was at the gym jogging on the treadmill and his phone had vibrated in his pocket.  He'd pulled it out automatically expecting Becca's name... But instead it had been his brother.

That moment, even though it had happened a thousand times before this, made him stop like a brick had just been dropped on his head.  Becca wasn't texting him.  She wasn't calling him, or instant messaging him.  She wasn't even commenting or liking his stuff on facebook.  And she hadn't tweeted him in forever.  What hit him even harder was when he realized he wasn't doing any of that back to her.  When was the last time he asked her on a date instead of just picking up takeout for her and leaving it on the kitchen counter where she could get it later?  When was the last time they'd posted a couple picture for their relatives to ogle at and their single friends to seethe over?  He couldn't remember.  She probably couldn't either.

God, he sounded like the girl in the relationship here!

Zack quickly stuffed his phone into his gym bag and took off the sports jersey he exercised in.  Tossed it into the bag too, then grabbed a towel and went to shower.  His head always went clear in there.  He could run a hundred football plays perfectly in under a minute sometimes.  And he needed to, too.  Practicing in the park wasn't enough.  Open recruitment for the state team was coming up in a month.  This was his shot.  The flu in his senior year of college had ruined it for him once.  Zack wasn't going to let anything get between him and the pros this time.