Page 19 of Foul Line

“I’m pretty sure as my partner you’re not supposed to make fun of my goals.”

I smile, my lips moving in this incredulous way like I can’t believe he has the nerve to say that to me. “Anything else, Christopoulos? Do you want to shit rainbows while you’re at it?”

“Fuck you.”

I burst out laughing. “Fuck me? Seriously?”

“I’m trying to tell you I want to be a better fucking person and you’re mocking me.”

“How did you think I would react? Do you want a fucking badge of honor or something? You shouldn’t have totryto be a better person. You just do it.”

He shakes his head and looks away, muttering something incomprehensible. “Five years,” he says finally, indicating the worksheets again.

“In five years, I’ll be finishing up my winning college career and bartering with WNBA scouts about who’s going to give me the best deal.”

His gaze zeroes in on mine. It’s like he’s trying to see me for the first time. At least, that’s what it seems like. He’s quiet for too long, but eventually, he says, “In five years, I’ll be finishing my winning college career and be handling offers from several different pro teams.” He swallows hard. “Several different probaseballteams.”

My mouth unhinges. “Baseball?”

He nods slowly.

“Are you serious?”

Bringing his knees up, he rests his forearms on them as he stares out over the lake. I feel like he just dropped an atomic bomb. Sure, if it were anyone else, no one would care. But Alec is a Baller. A fucking Baller. And he’s so good at basketball. Seriously.

“I’m shocked,” I tell him honestly.

He shrugs. The tips of his ears are turning red.

“I didn’t say there was anything wrong with it, I just thought you guys all had NBA dreams.”

He scratches the side of his face. “Once upon a time, but we can change our minds, can’t we?” He turns his full gaze on me. “Last year, I often looked back at you while you were riding the bench and wondered how come I was out there and you weren’t. It’s messed up, Tessa.”

“You’re the best power forward we have,” I tell him, just speaking logically.

“I like being known as the best power forward for RHS, but even more, I want to be known as the best third baseman Rockport High has ever seen. Did you know my stats are out of this world amazing in baseball? No one ever talks about them. I have the highest batting average the school has ever seen.”

“Jesus, Alec,” I say at his revelation. I knew he liked baseball; I just didn’t know he loved it.

He blinks and looks over at me. “If I could, I’d trade places with you. Right now. I wouldn’t look back.”

I bite down on my lip. The full force of what he’s just said hits me in the chest. “I’d be a terrible power forward,” I say quietly, knowing full well that isn’t what he meant. “Do the guys know?”

Alec shakes his head. “I think Ryan suspects, but the others have no idea.”

“What are you going to do? I hate to say this, but you should be focusing on baseball, if that’s what you want. Shit, Alec, if you got hurt playing basketball…”

“I know.”

“You shouldn’t even be here. I’m sure there are summer baseball camps.”

“I know,” he says a little more tersely.

I snap my mouth shut then. Clearly, Alec has other problems with the Ballers besides not sticking up for me when he had the chance. “You could have told me,” I tell him. No matter how hard I try not to, my heart hurts for him. He’s stuck somewhere he doesn’t want to be, too.

He smiles at that. “I wanted to. It’s just that you love basketball so much, I didn’t know how you would take it.”

“Obviously, I think basketball is the superior sport, but Alec…” I say, all kidding aside. “You have to say something to someone. You can’t just keep living a life that’s not yours.”

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