Page 34 of Game On

Hurrying, I take a shower and get ready before bounding down the stairs to the kitchen. Mom’s already there, a pale pink robe tied around her. She’s just turning the coffee maker on, and when I come up behind her, she jumps. Spinning, she places her hand over her chest when she realizes it’s me. “Tess, oh my God.”

“You okay?” I ask, moving around her to grab a cereal bowl.

“Out of it this morning, I guess,” she says. She looks at me and smiles. “It was so nice to see you playing yesterday. How’s everything at school going?”

I shrug because what else am I going to say to her? The Ballers are terrible people? She’ll either want to move me back to Broadwell or take it to the principal. Neither one of those things is going to get me on the basketball team, so I’m content with where I am. Plus, for some ridiculous reason, I’m still holding out hope that I can win them over. Call me a Baller groupie, I don’t know. “It’s fine.”

She puts the pod in the Keurig coffee maker and then turns again. “That’s good. Your dad says he wants to have a party here at the house when you make it on the team. Invite all the players, all that good stuff.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Dad wants to have a party here?”

She dribbles her fingers over the counter and nods.

“But he doesn’t live here.”

Mom shrugs. “I guess for show.”

I just shake my head. I don’t know what to say to her only, “We don’t even know if I’ll make the team. I need to concentrate on that now.”

She pats my head and then cups my cheek. “Of course, Tess. You just let me know if you need anything, okay? I can start making your lunch. I can time your sprints.”

I love that she’s trying. These are all things Dad used to do. He knew exactly what to put in my lunch because it was the fuel my body needed to perform well. We’d also spend hours out on the court. It almost seems lonely out there without him. I wonder what he’s doing for working out right now. He must have to go to a gym to get his playing time in, which is ridiculous. Mom wouldn’t stop him from using the court or anything here for that matter, including her.

I glance up at the time, abandon the cereal bowl, and grab a few protein bars and stick them in my bag. “Got to go. I’ll see you later tonight. I’ll let you know if I have to do anything after school for basketball.” I give her a quick kiss on the cheek and then head out. On the way to Alec’s house, I eat two protein bars then brush my shirt down as I pull onto his road. I park in his driveway, and then I do a quick check to make sure I don’t have anything in my teeth or on my face.

A screen door screeches open. I flip the visor up and look over at him. He walks out casually, his dark hair styled perfectly like he hasn’t had the time to mess it up yet. His bag is slung over his shoulder and even though I know we’re both in the same grade, he looks so much older. I gulp as I watch him approach. When he gets to the car, he gives me a sly smile. “Do you mind if I drive again?”

“Oh…” I look around the car. I’m not sure what for, but it’s almost like I’m looking for a reason not to have him drive. “Sure.” I swing the door open and go around the front. We pass each other and Alec lets his hand tangle in mine for a second as we brush against one another. My heart thumps loudly. I’m telling myself it was just a mistake—an accident—but the other part of me wonders if Alec isn’t just tolerating me. Maybe there’s something more.

Since the top is already down, Alec places his bag in the back, and I do the same before scooting into the passenger seat. This time when he gets in, he seems much more at ease. He rubs the steering wheel with a sly smile. “I think when I make it,” he says. “I’m going to get myself one of these.”

I lean back and put my seatbelt on. “When I make it,” I tell him. “I’m going to have one of these and probably a Corvette, too. A purple one.”

He chuckles. “Your dad would probably just buy you one now.”

I look over at him, eyebrows scrunched together. “You don’t know my dad. Plus, there’s something to be said for buying yourself the cool toys. I don’t want him to give them to me, I want to earn them.”

His head shifts just slightly until he’s staring at me. His green eyes are almost emerald this morning as he appraises me.

Something in me instinctively reacts to his lingering stare. My pulse beats like crazy at my wrist. My heart flies up through my throat, lodging itself there until it’s stealing my breath away. As if pulled by the same invisible force, Alec and I start moving at the same time. Our eyes lock, we both lean in. His lips are full and part just before—

His phone rings.

I throw myself back in the seat like he’s shot me. My hand over my heart, I will myself to calm down as he pulls his phone out of his pocket, his complexion pale. “Yeah?” he says tersely. “I’m coming,” he finally says.

Without a word about it, he ends the call, places it back in his pocket, then pulls around his driveway and back toward the school. The drive is quiet. The wind is whipping our hair around, but it seems to be almost challenging me, too, whispering in my ear as it screams past.What are you thinking? Holy shit. Alec wanted to kiss you, too. You were that close! Nooooo.

We pull into the school parking lot because Alec, of course, is allowed to park wherever the hell he wants. When he pulls in, he heads straight for the Jeep I know belongs to Sloan. He looks over as he pulls into a spot, and I follow his gaze. All of the other Ballers are staring us down. None of them look all that happy.

“Just push this button?” Alec asks.

I look over and see that he’s asking about the top, so I nod. We wait for the top to unfold over us and then we just sit in the car for a beat after he’s shut it off. So, when the ass hits the hood of the car in front of me, I hold back a scream and jump. Right outside the windshield, Ryan has the girl he took to the dance pressed against the car.

My stomach drops. He’s groping up the side of her body, his hand inching under her shirt. He keeps going higher and higher, and I hear her moan. I can’t take it anymore. I turn away.

I turn right into Alec’s eyes. He swallows. “It’s always been Ryan, hasn’t it?”

He throws me the keys and immediately pushes the driver’s side door open. I don’t even have time to say anything much less process anything he’s said. I hurry and step out, but Alec is already walking up to Sloan and Lake. There’s no damn way I’m going to follow after him now.

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