Page 69 of Game On

Pick me up?, Alec sends me just as I’m walking out to the car. I’m dressed in a plain black skirt and white shirt. Today is our first scrimmage. I’m not even starting, but I’m super nervous. Right after school, the team will take a bus to Broadwell Academy. I know I’ll be seeing Andrew and possibly even Tiff if her vulture-like tendencies toward athletes still stand.

Sure., I tell him, putting her out of my head. All the years we went to school together, yet I feel closer to even Ryan than her at this point.

I’ve been looking forward to competing in a game again. Practice is a close second, but there’s nothing like the hype of competition and working with your teammates toward the win. Tonight will be a true test to how we’ll play together. I’m hoping to get some minutes in. Fucking Lake can’t play the whole game even though he likes to tell people he can. The only thing I’ll be waiting to see is if I’m shooting guard number two according to Coach, or if I’m number three.

Dust kicks up in the air as I pull up to Alec’s house. He doesn’t come out right away, so I push the car door open and head toward the front of his house. I’m just about to knock when the door opens in front of me. Alec’s standing there, his face twisted into a scowl. I take a step back, but he immediately wipes his face clean, giving me a small smile. “Hey, babe.”

When he steps out, my mind wanders to how perfectly handsome he looks in his black suit pants and crisp, white shirt. It’s almost like I’m back at the academy again. The guys there always had to wear nice suits. I don’t know if it’s all those years of that, but I love a guy in a suit. It makes my stomach fluttery. Add to that the fact that I know what’s under that suit, I’m almost buzzing. If I close my eyes, I can still see all four Ballers I like in my pool with their shirts off. What a sight. All the girls at school would’ve wanted to be me that day.Allof them.

Too bad, bitches.

“Answer a question for me,” Alec says, looking me up and down. “How is it that you can look just as hot in this, the clothes you wear to school, and your swimsuit?” He makes a face. “Well, maybe the bikini was a tad sexier.”

I slap his chest. Ever since Sloan had that um, talk, with me in the school classroom, I’ve been trying to chill out a bit more. I’ve been known to be obsessive and have a one-track mind. I’ve finally gotten to be a part of them like I’ve always wanted, so I need to relax. “You say that to all the girls.”

He follows me to the car. I sneak a glance behind me when he says, “I haven’t been with another girl since you. None of us have. Well, except Lake.”

I turn and walk backward. “You don’t need to tell me ‘except Lake.’ When I talk about us, you can be certain I don’t mean Lake.”

Alec worries over his lip and looks away. “He’s not…bad, Tessa.”

“He’s an asshole.”

“We’re all assholes.”

True enough.“He’s you guys in triplicate though.”

His shoulders tense. When he looks back toward me, he comes forward, pinning me against the passenger side. “Let’s stop talking about Lake.”

I stand on my tiptoes to peck his lips. He hugs me to him, his huge body making me feel small.

“You ready for tonight?”

“I can’t wait,” I tell him. “That’s why…” I give him a polite shove to create some distance. “…we better get to school. I don’t want any reason not to play tonight.”

“Um, we’re the Ballers. They’re not going to stop us from playing.”

“How nice for you,” I call out as I walk around the front of the car. “I’m not a Baller though.” I smile at him over top of the car. “I doubt Coach will give me the same leniency.”

Alec shrugs. “I mean, Lake will probably play the whole game anyway, so we could sneak off.” He shifts his head back toward the house.

It doesn’t have the effect on me he wants it to. I glare at him, the smile dropping from my face.

He realizes right away. “Tessa…”

I open the door and get in. He’s right behind me. I start the car up and pull out of the driveway toward school. The tension in the car is thick now, which is not what I want. “I understand Lake will be starting and playing the most, okay? I’m not an idiot. But I’d like to be able to play at least a little. You know what I want. You know why I did all this.”

He sneaks his hand over and places it on my thigh. “And Lake wants the same thing.”

The area where his hand touches me burns. I stare straight ahead. I don’t know if I’m overreacting or if what Alec just said was hurtful. The way I see it, four out of the five Ballers have come around. Lake’s still a piece of shit, and in my head, he doesn’t deserve to play. “He told me to watch out, did you know that?”

Alec laughs. “Lake? He’s full of it. All bark and no bite.” I shake my head. He’s obviously forgotten the track incident. When I remind him gently, he says, “A dick move, yes. Totally. He didn’t really hurt you though.” I pull into a parking space in the school too fast and have to slam on the brakes so I won’t hit the curb. Alec’s hands come up on the dash. “Jesus, Tessa.” He stares over at me wide-eyed.

“That fear that you didn’t know what was going to happen? Yeah, that’s what I felt, so don’t—”

He closes his eyes. “Fuck, I’m sorry. I’m an idiot. Tessa…” He turns in his seat and palms my cheek. “You know I won’t let anything happen to you, right? Nothing. This is just fucked up. Your best friend not liking your girl? It sucks.”

It kills me that they’re all best friends. I close my eyes and breathe in deep. I’m the new one here. Lake and I should learn to get along. At least, I can be the one to try. He can just go on spewing his hate, I guess. “I’ll try to hate him less,” I say, and that’s as good as I can do for right now.

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