Page 51 of The Riley Effect

The football game is halfway through the second quarter by the time we make it downstairs. Ivy’s in my sweatpants–that she had to roll over at the waist a few times- that paired with her wet hair leaves nothing to the imagination about what just happened. Byron moves over to give us the corner of the sectional. I sit back against the curved leather and pull Ivy so she is seated across my lap. Byron looks like he is about to make some kind of comment, but before he can get anything out, I shoot him a look.

“Where’s Mia?” Ivy asks Byron.

“She’s in her crate in my room. She was tired from the dog park today.”

“Bummer, I think I’m gonna go now. I was only really here to see Mia.” I pinch her sides, and she starts to giggle. “Okay, I’m just joking, but she has my heart.”

“Yeah, she’s pretty damn cute.” Byron beams with pride.

Ivy puts her hand on my thigh and gives it a squeeze. “So I was thinking that you could pay up for the loss you took on our first date before your hockey lesson with Caleb this week.”

“I want you to know, just in case you want to think it over, that I’m good at basketball and will have no problem kicking your ass.” I give her ass a little pinch for emphasis.

“You’re delusional,” she tells me before she kisses the side of my lips.

I pull her back tighter to my chest. I don’t want to let her go. I never knew I could be so happy committing to one girl. A girl who is okay sitting on the couch in a room full of my teammates watching Monday Night Football.

“Come on, if that’s not a holding call, I don’t know what is,” Ivy yells at the TV.

Yeah, this girl is perfect.

27

Ivy

For as long as I can remember, the gym has been my happy place. A place I come to when I need a moment of solitude or when my anxiety becomes uncontrollable. It’s a weird feeling to be excited to share my happy place with my boyfriend. I still can’t believe Jalen is my boyfriend. This was the last thing I expected to happen this year.

I finish lacing up my basketball sneakers before making my way to the ball rack that I had to ask the men’s assistant coach to get for me. Jalen thinks he’s going to gain some kind of advantage by playing with a men’s regulation-sized basketball, but I’m not concerned.

I’m working through my warm-up routine when Jalen strolls through the gym’s doors. I thought the butterflies would have died down by now. I have seen him almost every day this week, even if it was only a couple of hours at the shelter or Jalen coming to my house to do homework, but they’ve only gotten stronger.

Spending more time with Jalen has made me realize that opening up to him was the best thing I’ve done for my own happiness. For the first time, I’m free. Free to live life like a normal college student, free to make mistakes, free to be myself. Jalen brings out a part of me I haven’t seen since that life-changing Halloween all those years ago.

I jump into his arms and wrap my legs around his waist.

“Hey,” I say after a kiss.

“Hey, Vee,” he laughs and puts me down. “You miss me?”

“It’s a little conceited to think I’ve missed you, when I saw you twelve hours ago.” Jalen lets me down and when I turn to pick up my ball, Jalen pinches my butt. And it’s not a playful pinch.

“Ow, what was that for?”

“Lying,” he tells me.

“Okay, so I’m a little happy to see you. I’m just really excited to watch you and Caleb skate today. He called me this morning and all he wanted to talk about was you.”

I pick up the ball I discarded when Jalen got to the gym and step behind the three-point arc. I tuck my shooting arm into my side and let the ball free. Jalen jogs to the baseline and grabs my ball as soon as it falls through the net. He continues to rebound for me as I make my way around the arc.

“Did you play any other sports growing up?” Jalen asks as he’s running down a missed basket.

“I started playing organized basketball when I was five. It was my Dad’s favorite sport, so he had me practicing on one ofthose Little Tikes basketball hoops as soon as I could walk. I played volleyball and lacrosse in middle school, but once I got to high school, I wanted to focus on basketball.”

I take a deep breath, readying myself to give a little more of my story to Jalen. “Basketball always made me feel close to my dad. He was my best friend, and I know what he did was horrible. Bu–but he was still my dad, you know. He had just one bad year.” I take the hem of my t-shirt and use it to dab away my tears. “I know he loved me.” There is no way to control my tears, so I just let them flow freely.

Jalen pulls me close and allows me to process all my emotions, something I’m still learning to do. I take the hem of his shirt now to clean my dripping mascara.

“You should feel special. I only cry in front of people I’m comfortable around.”

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