Page 84 of Advanced Chemistry

“While I’ve been in love with you for less time, I echo Sebastian’s points. You’re simply wonderful,” Chase said, right behind him, a sweet smile overtaking his face. “For the record, I’ve spent ample time around so-called smart people, people who’ve published articles and conducted extensive scientific research. And they’re all, well…boring as shit.”

Emotions clogged my throat. I wanted to believe them, but I was still scared. I’d never been in a relationship. I’d never attempted anything serious. Would I be good at it?

Changing everything could be great…or a huge, flaming disaster.

“How about a little game of water basketball?” I pointed to the basketball hoop and tossed the ball between my hands. I had to stay in motion.

I passed the ball to Sebastian. “Two against one. You need all the extra help you can get, Seb,” I said, egging him on.

Sebastian couldn’t turn down a challenge.

“What are we playing for?” he asked.

“Just a friendly game.” I bopped in the pool.

“Let’s make things interesting. A game isn’t as fun when there aren’t stakes attached,” Chase mused.

“What are you boys thinking?”

“If we win, then you have to be our boyfriend,” Sebastian said. “First to five.”

He threw the ball at me before I had a chance to object.

“Okay,” I said. “And if I win, then we keep the status quo.”

“Deal,” said Sebastian, with Chase nodding behind him.

And we were off. I was on fire from the jump, intercepting a pass to Chase and sinking an easy basket. For points two and three, I weaved around Chase to dunk and then scored a lucky break half-court shot. The universe was on my side. Yet each point I won didn’t make me feel more victorious. It felt like a door closing, darkness rolling in off the hills.

The victory was short-lived.

After a quick huddle, Sebastian and Chase brought more passion and force to their game, as if they were playing for their lives. Chase, who until this point had zero basketball skills, nailed a clean shot and then a dunk. For the tying point, I waved my hands in front of Chase who used his height to leap above me and pass to Seb for a dunk.

It was three-three, but I wasn’t giving up that easily. As I faced Sebastian down, I was held in place by the intensity of his eyes. The want, the hurt, the years of longing. I got a glimpse behind the thick curtain.

I turned my back to him in an attempt to weave around to the basket. He pushed against me hard, really making me work for it.

I squeezed past him and hurled the ball at the basket before sinking underwater. I let myself hang there for a moment, a quick respite from the grueling game. I could win this. Yet the thrill of potential victory wasn’t there.

When I came back to the surface, Chase informed me that I’d clinched the lead. Four-three.

This time, Chase was in charge of blocking me. Like Sebastian, he stared me down with a naked intensity, a glimpse behind his own rigid wall. The aloof Chase was gone, and all I wanted to do was protect him and bring that sweet Chase back.

Fortunately, I was more agile in the water than Chase. He wasn’t as fast as I was, so I darted around him with ease. But when I went to shoot, Chase punched the ball out of my hands with such force I thought my hand was going to fly off with it. Dang. Darts wasn’t a fluke. Chase really was just as competitive as Seb and me.

Sebastian scooped up the floating ball and easily shot it into the basket.

“Tie score,” Chase said.

“Game point,” I said.

For the final point, Chase and Sebastian met me at the half-court line, both staring me down. The win was in my sights. But what was I winning?

Lighten up, dudes, I wanted to say.It’s just a game.

Only it wasn’t. They were fighting for me.

I’d never had someone fight for me.

---