Synonym

"This is the last time I ask either one of you to have breakfast with me." Jason muttered. "Why am I even friends with you? I basically signed myself up as designated third wheel."

Finn pulled his keys from his lacrosse shorts as we pushed through the glass front doors and entered the warm humid air filling Maryland and DC today. "Because you had no friends at trials because no one from the fucking Boston Cannons is making the Olympics." Finn mocked 'Boston Cannons' in an odd voice and Jason hit him upside the head. "Sorry. One person from the Cannons is making the Olympics." It wasn't a secret that they sucked.

Jason was just unfortunate enough to get drafted. Pro-lacrosse players make like $20,000 a year so most of them had side jobs. Jason was taking the opportunity of being trapped in a college town to go back and get his Masters of Computer Programing. On the side he had a job as a waiter at a fancy restaurant. Luckily, it seemed like Lacrosse was a growing sport and the salaries of pro-players and college coaches was starting to creep up into the hundred thousands. Hopefully by the time Finn and I get there, they will be making enough for us to be full time.

Jason was really our only friend in DC, just like we were his only friends. Most of the players on the Olympic team were pros or players from the National team. Finn and I were two of four college students. The other two went to North Carolina but are taking a year off for the Olympics.

Devin quit lacrosse after a torn ACL in practice playing for the Iroquois sometime in between trials and now. David took a coaching job in Canada because they were paying big money. That left Finn and I virtually alone. We had no incentive to become best friends with the other players. We would know them for another 10 months and be done. Besides, almost none of them wanted to talk to us because we were 'cocky' when really we were just younger.

Sure we all joked around, but none of our friendships would translate to out of practice activities. This wasn't high school and this wasn't a sorority. We didn't have to be friends, just friendly.

"Nah. He's friends with us for our cars." I remarked as I climbed into the front seat of Finn's brand new Suburban. For a graduation and a 'making the Olympics' gift we each got new cars to add to our collection. The Jeep and the Range Rover were back in CT but right now we had Finn's black 2018 Suburban and my grey 2018 Corvette Stingray. We used each others cars interchangeably depending on the destination.

Finn loved to drive my car more than he loved to breathe so whenever we didn't have gear, we took my car. I was partial to the Suburban but I was also in love with my car. I mean, all our shit would fit in my car but the Suburban was just easier. "Well I'm sorry my parents can't buy me a $60,000 dollar car." Jason grumbled and hoped in the back seat.

Our fathers might not exactly be around much, but they did it to provide us with a comfortable life. On top of that, we were both trust fund babies...... but that's besides the point.

"Look, I'm sorry we forgot about breakfast Jason. I'll buy you lunch to make up for it." I said while nibbling on my protein bar. It was a little early but I needed something in my stomach. Finn was the opposite. He didn't eat anything before practice ever.

"Hell yeah you are. It's cute you think that's an option and not an obligation." Jason retorted.

"Practice ends at two and I have classes at 3 and 5 so can we just do dinner at 6:15, actually?" I said remembering that classes start today. Finn and I both had two classes a day, five days a week. Luckily, they had time slots for the classes I wanted when I didn't have practice.

For both of us, it was looking like we had about an hour or a half hour between all our daily events. Over the summer we both had jobs. I was waitressing with Jason and Finn got a job at a coffee shop. We both quit those jobs last week to fit in classes.

"Practice ends at two and I have classes at 3 and 5 so can we just do dinner at 6:15, actually?" I said remembering that classes start today. Finn and I both had two classes a day, five days a week. Luckily, they had time slots for the classes I wanted when I didn't have practice.

The only problem with our schedule was college practice.

The morning practice was 12-2 six days a week but Finn and I were exempt from the first hour because it was just conditioning and we were already conditioning at UOT, the United States Olympic Training center. The night practice was from 7- 10 six days a week, also. Olympic practice was from 5-12 seven days a week. That's 80 hours of lacrosse a week.

Eighty fucking hours.

At least classes were only five days a week. That gave me afternoons on the weekends and Friday nights. But all in all, To say I'm a little stressed out is an understatement.

"You're going to tire yourselves out." Jason said, voicing my thoughts. "You know you're supposed to get 8 hours of sleep when training."

"Yeah well, how many hours is anyone on this Olympic team getting? No where near 8. They all have jobs where they work seven hours a day to keep their lights on. The only difference is we go to school and back to practice for 7 hours a day." Finn tried to reason.

"More like 8 hours." Jason said. He knew our schedule and he did not approve. "Just think about that. You have from 10:30 to 4:30 to sleep. Tell me that's enough. I dare you. When are you even supposed to study?"

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"Well if we stick to your 10:30 to 4:30 then we'll get six hours. That's fine. And study? That's why you're here. Your driving form now one. It's an hour from here to UOT and back."

"I get to drive this car?" Jason asked, almost shocked.

"Yeah?" Finn asked, confused as to why it was a big deal. His green eyes met Jason's in the mirror.

"Sweet! Yeah, you two can tire yourselves out all you want, as long as I can drive this thing!"

"Great to know you care about our wellbeing, Jason."

Lord save me, this year is going to kill me.