by E. M. Moore
The sun is so bright, I close my eyes until I hear the RHS bus start up across the lot. I turn my head, shield my eyes, and see Alec walking in front of the bus toward me. He’s dressed in jeans and a polo shirt, his huge sports duffel filled with baseball gear slung over his shoulder. His head is down while he walks, so it’s hard to gauge his mood. Is he mad? Is he wondering when we can do that again? I sure as hell am even though I know it’s a dumb move. This could throw everything off.
Then again, no one liked me before, and that was a sucky dynamic, too.
When he gets closer, I sit up and dangle my feet over the car. The motorbus pulls away. The windows are so tinted that it’s impossible to see if anyone is looking at us or not. Alec slows his steps until the bus takes a left at the end of the road and moves out of view. Then, he drops his bag and moves into me, pushing my legs apart so he can scoot inside. In this position, I’m a little taller than him. His hair is now completely wet from the showers, but it’s been combed through. He looks so clean cut now that his dirty uniform is off and he’s in nice clothes.
I let him make a move. I don’t put my arms around him. I don’t say anything. Chalk it up to being confused as to what’s going on. I know what I want to do, but I let him take control.
He puts his hands around my hips and pulls me closer. The wind whips my hair, so I shake my head until it all falls behind me. His green eyes latch onto mine. “I’m sorry and not sorry that happened.” His gaze sweeps over my lips. “Actually, the only thing I’m sorry about is that it happened where it did.”
I stare into his eyes. “I don’t understand,” I tell him, and I’m pretty sure that’s the most honest thing that’s ever passed my lips.
His fingers dig into me, his thumbs passing over my skin in small circles. A momentary cloud passes over him, but then he says, “Is it enough for right now if I say I like you Tessa?” He looks away, his jaw hard. “I thought you were one way, but now that I know you’re different, I want to see what this is.” His gaze falls to my lap, and he slides his fingertips down my arms. “Maybe it was me being hyped from the game, but you’re the first person I thought to share it with. I wanted to wrap my arms around you. God, I wanted to do so, so much more.”
“We did do more.”
His hand drops to my calf, then he brings it up, the pads of his fingers teasing my skin all the way until he holds my hip again. In his eyes, I can tell he wants to do more again. Now.
“What about the rest of the Ballers?” I ask. His eyes flare. “I mean, they hate me, and if you think I’m just going to be another Baller groupie, you’re wrong.”
“You think if you were, I’d actually like you? They don’t know the difference between a layup and a dunk. They don’t even know what position I play or the time I need to train or my stats. They only care that everyone looks at them when they’re around me.”
I had no idea he even cared about stuff like that. With the way he lets some girls hang off him, I figured that was what he wanted. “The Ballers?” I ask again, not letting this go. They won’t be happy.
His lips move into a thin line. “I’ll take care of them.”
I roll my eyes. “Right. The insults and the incidents are just going to go away. They’re suddenly going to feel bad.”
Alec pushes away from the car. He pulls his hands through his hair. “I can’t promise you anything, okay? So, if that’s what you want, we’ll put an end to this right here. Those four guys are my best friends. I don’t always agree with what they do, but they’ve got my back, and I’ve got theirs, always. We’re friends for life.”
I turn away and rub the back of my neck. There’s that determination for them that I see in myself sometimes even after they’ve done something cruel to me. For some reason, I still keep trying to show them they should like me instead of just blowing them off all together. There are other schools in the state I could make a splash in. I didn’t have to pick RHS. My mom probably would’ve taken me anywhere I wanted. It’s the pull of the Ballers though. Sometimes it’s like I crave them. I would go with my dad to any RHS event just because I knew I would see them there, and I wouldn’t miss camp for the world. That’s why I trained so hard. My dad wouldn’t have allowed me to go if I wasn’t top three in the state. Spending the summer with them was just the extra motivation I needed to get up early or get my workouts in. “I can take anything they throw at me.”
One side of his lips pull up. “Is it crazy that that turns me on? You’re strong, and fierce, and loyal to a fault. But aren’t we all?” he asks, his voice trailing like he’s trying to work something out in his head.
I rub my temple, then pull my hair behind my ears. “The guys…they’re not going to be mad at you, are they?”
“Ha.” He chuckles, but then he cuts himself off. “They’re going to be fucking furious.”
My face pales. I go to slide off the car because there’s no reason to even continue this—whatever this is—but Alec pulls me right back into place until I’m practically only perched on his hips.
“Trust me when I say that everything’s going to be fine.”
I arch an eyebrow. “Trust you? Seriously?” Not fucking likely.
“I can promise you that you can trust me from this point forward.”
His gaze pins me. I so want to believe him. I want an ally. A friend. Someone who can make me feel like he just did. Someone who understands what basketball means to me and not have to explain anything else about it. “Do you want to come see my basketball court now?”
He smiles, his eyes dazzling. “There’s so much I want to see, Tessa.” At his insinuation, he hardens underneath me. I squirm in his lap, but he holds me steady. “Not here.”
“I’m not trying,” I say, my pulse already erratic.
He leans back and pulls just far enough away that I slide down the car and his body until my feet are on the ground again. “Let’s go check out this court. Maybe we can play a little one-on-one.”
The look in his eyes tells me he’s not using that phrase in the traditional basketball way.
21
The alarm on my phone goes off. I fumble with it until I slide the arrow on the screen over to get it to quit beeping. Moving to my back, I stare up at the ceiling. Part of me still can’t believe what happened. Alec Christopoulos made me orgasm. He came to my house. He likes me. I think…
No. He said I could trust him from now on. He does like me.
If Mom hadn’t been home yesterday who knows what would have happened. As it was, we didn’t stay long. I showed him the court, the pool, and only the part of the house from the front door to the backyard. Mom was on us as soon as we stepped in. She knew Alec, of course, and she had no problem watching us the entire time we were there. I could feel her stare on us as I walked him to the court. We made a few baskets, but both of us were uncomfortable with the audience. At least, it was that way for me. I don’t know why since Mom knows nothing about the way they tortured me. To her, they’re just good kids who play basketball.
My phone buzzes, so I look over. Seeing Alec’s name on the screen, I scoop it up right away. Coach called an early morning baseball team meeting. I guess I won’t be needing that ride.
I swallow. I lay back and groan. Going to bed early didn’t help get the night over with, just so I could see him this morning on our terms. I kept running over everything in my head. Mostly the way my body responded to his touch.
Another buzz makes me look at the screen again. See you at school though.
How do I tell him that’s not enough without sounding like one of the girls who hangs off him all the time? No matter how I play it in my head, I can’t think of anything to text that doesn’t sound desperate and needy. So, instead, I go with, Cool. See you then.
Be on the lookout for the Ballers today.
Okay… I sit up, my bed sheets pooling around me. What is that supposed to mean? Um…why?
I wait for as long as I can until I have to get in the shower or else I
won’t be able to fit one in before school. Even when I get out, there’s still no answer from him. My heart starts thudding in my chest as I dress. Is this more Recruit things? Or does it have to do with me specifically?
Mom isn’t around when I go downstairs and grab a few protein bars. Of course, because she’s only around when I specifically don’t want her to be.
Dawn also doesn’t need a ride from me. David’s been picking her up, so I drive to school by myself and park a block away again just in case. Maybe that’s what Alec meant by his cryptic text? Whatever it was, I walk into school without seeing any of them. And I look, too. Mostly for Alec, but he must still be in his baseball meeting. They’re headed to summer season playoffs, but the team they have to play first is really good. It’s the team that’s projected to win the whole thing, so it’s no surprise that his coach called the meeting.
Hands surround my hips, and I freeze. I’m at my locker putting my books away. The move is possessive, strong, reminding me of the way Alec held me. My heart beats like mad in my chest. Would he really touch me like this in school? The body behind me gets closer and closer. Something feels…strange though. Ryan?
A husky moan comes. “I see why Alec got lost in you. Responsive. And these fucking hips...”
I whirl, and there stands Sloan Ivy. His hazel eyes are a slight green today or maybe that’s just me picking out what reminds me of Alec in him. His lips are curled into a full smile, but it’s not a fun one. It’s discerning. “W-what?” I ask because I’m positive I heard him wrong.
“Good morning, Daddy’s girl.”
I narrow my gaze at him. “Screw you, Ivy.”
“I’m thinking…yeah. I might just do that.”
He goes to grab my hips again, but I shove him off. It doesn’t deter him. He just laughs.
After a moment, he says, “So, you and Alec, huh?”
I turn away and start getting things out of my locker. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“No?” he asks. His voice lowers as he moves in, his lips near my ear. “I think you do. I think you know all about how you creamed your panties when he played your clit.”
My textbooks fall from my hand. The loud thump of it hitting the tile at my feet is the only thing that makes me move again. Alec told him. Not just that he liked me but told him everything. I shove everything into my bag and start to walk away. Sloan’s right there even though his class is in the complete opposite direction. I look over my shoulder at him. “Leave me alone.”
“Not happening,” he says.
I stop and turn. “I mean it, Ivy. I’m not in the mood.”
When I turn back around, I land right into a broad chest. Looking up, I stare right into Alec’s green eyes. He’s looking over the top of my head to Sloan. “What’s going on?”
“Just talking to our girl, that’s all.”
I don’t even look behind me. I wait until Alec looks down, and then ask, “What did you do?”
Sloan walks forward, his arm landing casually around my shoulder. I try to shrug him off, not because I hate his touch, but because of the way he’s giving it to me. He’s being patronizing. “Alec didn’t tell you we don’t keep secrets?”
My mouth goes dry. “Alec?” I ask, needing him to explain himself. It’s one thing if he told them he likes me, but to give them such intimate details.
He brings his hand up to cup my face but stops. “They’re my best friends.”
“They hate me.”
“Hate’s such a strong word,” Sloan says, his lips are a whisper against my ear, making me shudder.
Alec gives a minute shake of his head, but I push past him and head toward my classroom. What the fuck was he thinking? I get to class and take my seat. I’m staring blankly at the notebook I opened to the last notes I took, but I’m not reading them at all. I’m thinking about Alec, about Sloan, and yes, of course, Ryan. A hand covers the page in front of me. I look up to find Sloan sitting in the seat next to me. Up the aisle, the girl who usually sits there is finding another seat. “What the hell?”
He winks at me. “Nice to see you, too.”
Mr. Schaffer walks in and looks around. His eyes immediately stop on Sloan’s. “Mr. Ivy, you’re not in this class.”
Sloan leans back in his chair. “I have a free period during first, so I thought I’d get some extra study in for the next test.”
Mr. Schaffer just eyes him, but shrugs eventually. What is he going to say to that? No? Instead, he pulls out a TV from the corner of the room. Normally, I’d be ecstatic because that means I can run through basketball plays in my head, but today, it means Sloan’s presence is going to bother the fuck out of me. Mr. Schaffer gives a slight introduction to what we’ll be watching and then shuts the light off, retreating to his desk.
Sloan carefully moves his desk closer to mine. “Bad angle,” he says even though no one would say anything to him about moving, not even Mr. Schaffer who seems way too preoccupied with a book he’s reading. The first few minutes of the movie are quiet. The right side of my body burns. Sloan inadvertently keeps touching me. I have a death grip on my pen every time he does. Finally, he leans over and whispers, “You shouldn’t be so tense.”
Slowly, I look over at him. His hazel eyes are dancing with amusement.
Looking back toward the TV, it’s not a minute later when he says, “You shouldn’t give Alec a hard time. That’s just the way it is with us.”
“The way what is?” I ask.
Sloan leans forward and takes the pen out of my grip. He brushes his fingers against mine as he does so. “Relax, Dale.”
I look away, breathing in so slowly I can actually feel my nostrils flaring. “If it makes you feel better, he told us it was super hot.” He leans closer, his voice nothing but a throaty whisper. “His fingers shoved down your pants, swirling over your clit, and then you coming apart in his arms. I got to admit, I was fucking hard when he got done telling us.”
My face feels like it’s on fire and there’s a faint ringing in my ears. Inside, my stomach is turning. They know what we did. All of them. Ryan, fucking Lake, Hayes, and Sloan. “Why did he tell you?”
“Just like I said, we don’t keep secrets.”
“Not anything?”
He shakes his head. “You’re fair game now, Tessa. I’ve been waiting a long time for this.”
My brows furrow. I have no idea what he’s even saying, and suddenly, he doesn’t seem so keen on elaborating. He leans back in his chair, his jaw tense as he stares at the TV with the rest of us. My body is on fire from having him recount what Alec and I did, but that’s not killing my other questions. What exactly did he mean when he said I’m fair game? More torture? Something else?
When the bell rings, he stands, pulling his backpack strap over his shoulder. “There’s going to be a Recruit thing during lunch. I’ll walk you.”
With that, he leaves the room ahead of me. I’m not even out of my seat yet, so I stare after him. When I finally stand, my legs are like Jell-O. I’ve been craving their attention so much. Now that I have it, I can’t deal.
22
True to his word, Sloan meets me outside my class right before lunch. Five minutes ago, I received the text to meet everyone at Timothy Dale Court for a scrimmage. Sloan throws his arm over my shoulder when he sees me. I try to shrug it off again, but it’s no use. He seems to like it there, and since I’ve dreamed about this, I don’t try too hard to get him away from me. Other people are openly gawking at us, too, so that helps in my decision to leave it there. Let them wonder. Let them stare. They’re not the only ones who have no idea what the hell is going on.
“How did you know what class I had?”
Sloan shrugs. “I know things.”
“What? Are the Ballers given special privy to everyone’s schedule?”
He smirks. “Something like that.”
When we get to the glass doors leading into Timothy Dale Court, he actually opens the door for me and lets me in first like a
true gentleman. When we get there, everyone else is already stretching. Ryan stands when he notices us. “Good. Huddle up.”
Sloan jogs away from me. I drop my bag close to the stands and follow him. When I get there, Ryan stares me up and down, his eyes narrowing in a way I can’t quite place even though I know it has something to do with the fact that he knows what Alec and I did. Speaking of Alec, he won’t even look at me. He’s quickly stretching out his calves as we stand in a circle.
“First off, let’s give it up for Alec and the RHS baseball team for making it to summer season playoffs this year.”
Everyone but Alec claps. He’s looking at the floor now. If I was more confident, I’d call him out right now for telling his friends what he did. But I don’t want Shawn and Matt to know about what’s happened between us. I wouldn’t want them thinking I’m getting special treatment. I better kick ass during whatever it is we’re doing today. I don’t want anyone saying I got handed anything. I’m not like that.
“Here’s the deal,” Ryan says. “Since Alec is going to be busy with baseball and we’re—all of us—going to be busy supporting him, we have to move some of our Recruit times to school. Be prepared to lose all of your lunch time for the next week and a half at least.”
I make a mental note to bring protein bars or even a shake I can mix up myself. It’s better than the crap they sell here anyway.
“Today, we’re going to have a playful scrimmage,” Ryan says, eyeing us new recruits up and down. He pauses on me, but only for a split second. “You want on the team, you’re going to have to show us what you’re made of. We’re going to have a friendly one-on-one between positions.” Apprehension claws its way up my throat. “That means Shawn with Hayes, Matt with Alec, and Dale with Lake.”
Fuck me. I look up to find Lake smiling cruelly. It’s a far-off smile that makes me wonder what he’s thinking in that sinister brain of his. For the first time, Alec looks at me. His gaze is serious, and it lingers, almost like he’s trying to warn me.