Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Breck shuttered his expression. Gave a shrug. “Yeah, so? I mean, Jesus, how many chicks could there possibly be left?”
Ned coughed a laugh. “A lot.”
Breck feigned a smirk. “Of honeys that make the cut. The list is short.”
Ned rolled his eyes and fought his smile. “Whatever. Well, since you’re clearly done with our contest, then so am I. Competing against myself’s not any fun. God knows, I can’t count on Tad or Jay to pick up the torch.”
Breck chuckled through a breath of relief. That stupid competition had dragged on way too fucking long.
Serving the ball, he got the next rally rolling, with Ned back to prattling on about this and that. Not only had he landed a part-time gig at the parkour facility, but he’d also scored a summer internship at ZeniMax. That game design company had been on his radar for ages. Now he finally had his in and, going by that smile, couldn’t be more stoked.
Not that Ned’s happy vibe was anything new. His very nature had always been carefree. For the umpteenth time, Breck found himself envious. How in the hell did Ned sustain that mindset? More and more often, Breck found himself yearning to know. God knew, that kind of knowledge could really help him in the weeks ahead.
Fuck it. If he wanted the answer, he’d have to ask.
And what do you know, Ned just missed another ball.
Must be a sign. I see you, universe.
“Twelve – two.” Breck smiled, panting.
Ned swiped up the ball and laughed. “You got me good on that return.” Breck strutted to the service box with much bravado. Ned snickered and tossed him the ball. “Enjoy it, Harland. That’s the last taste you’re gonna get.”
Breck grinned and turned to face him. “Man, what’s your secret?”
“My secret? You mean, how do I always manage to wipe the floor with your ass?”
“No,” Breck laughed, unable to help it. “Your other secret.”
Ned canted his head.
“You know,” Breck waved his racquet Ned’s way, “the way you’re always so happy-go-lucky. Never worried or stressed out about anything. How the hell do you do it?”
“Hm.” Ned didn’t answer at first, as if maybe he’d never really thought about that before. As if the way he functioned was just a byproduct of his code. The way he was wired or something. And in that respect, it probably was. Eventually, he shrugged. “I just go with the flow.”
Breck frowned, not finding that especially helpful. “You just go with the flow.”
“Yeah. You know, what will be will be.”
Still not helpful. “Yeah, but how does that perspective translate into everyday life?”
Ned scratched his head, eyes turning thoughtful. “I guess by just kinda doing what I feel like doing. Whatever prospect excites me most at any given time—within reason, of course. I just, ya know, go after what I want. What gets me pumped. I mean, that’s what living’s all about. In my book, anyway.”
Breck furrowed his brow. That felt entirely too simple. “But if you only do the shit that excites you, and only go after the things that get you pumped, then what happens with all the stuff you don’t want? Work and stuff, things that need to get done?”
Ned shrugged again. “I said within reason. And in cases where I gotta do shit I’d rather not, I make the best of it. Besides, if it’s supposed to get done, it’ll get done. If it’s supposed to happen, it’ll happen. If it doesn’t, then the way I see it, it wasn’t meant to. I trust the universe.”
Breck stared at him incredulously.
Ned laughed. “Hey, you asked. But before you decide whether or not to believe me, consider this: my method always works. And because of that, my life’s like a great big parkour course. So many ways to play it, some paths more exhilarating than others. But that’s okay. Every leap of faith’s fun.” He made a face. “Although, sometimes, I do land on my ass. And that’s not fun. But you know, that’s par for the course. I just brush my ass off and keep on following my passion. And that makes me happy. And my dude, when my vibe is happy, good things always fucking happen. That Law of Attraction biz is seriously badass.”
“The Law of Attraction?”
What was he talking about now?
“You know, when energy attracts like energy? Dude, it’s a thing.”
Breck quirked a brow.
Ned laughed. “Just google it.”
If that’s what it’d take to get good things to happen, then Breck was totally on board with giving that bitch a ride.
Not that the future he’d worked so hard for wasn’t positive, because it was. It’d just be nice if other aspects of his life felt positive, too.
Satisfied for the moment, he whacked the ball back into play, then got back to having it out with his disgruntled body for the remainder of their time.