by RH Tucker
“Then ignore him,” Jen commands, as she gets up from the bed and browses through my makeup. “You’ll know who he is, and he won’t know who you are. But honestly, I want you to point him out to me, okay?”
“Why?”
“I wasn’t kidding, Emma.” She gives me a serious look. “That guy is gonna get kicked so hard he might never be able to have kids.”
Laughter bubbles out. I’m well past being angry at him for standing me up, so even if I do see him, I don’t think I’ll tell Jen who he is. I don’t hate him that much.
When we get to the gym, I scan everyone for a red headband. Even standing in line to get our tickets, I keep looking around, cursing myself every time I do, because I don’t know what I’ll do if I see him. Just ignore him? Go over and introduce myself? I have no idea.
Once we get inside, I’m still scanning the crowd, so it doesn’t register that our team and the other school is on the court. Not until Carter comes running over.
"Hey, gorgeous," he says quickly, running by me with a basketball.
I spin on my heels, keeping my eyes locked on him. He stops running and jumps, shooting the ball. I want to say he makes it, but I have no idea because my eyes are solely on him. His shoulders glisten as he keeps his arms raised. He turns back around, looks over at me and grins, giving me a wink. My knees wobble.
“Okay,” Jen tugs at my arm and gets me moving again. “Someone’s gone lovesick.”
If I were thinking more coherently, I would shush her, but I'm not. As we find seats in the bleachers, I can't stop watching him run around the court. Once the game starts, it's the same.
I don't know the rules of basketball. I know the teams go back and forth, shooting the ball, trying to score points. That's pretty much it. But even knowing next to nothing about the game, I'm transfixed. I keep my eyes glued to the court, watching Carter as he runs around, passing and shooting the ball. I know who some of the other players are, like Matt and Lucas. But for the most part, my eyes are locked on Carter.
"Emma, if you keep staring like that, you're gonna burst into flames." Jen pokes me in the ribs.
“Sorry.” I finally break my line of sight, feeling my cheeks get hot.
“It’s all good, girl. Franco looks amazing out there.”
I find Franco on the court, and I can admit he is good looking. He has black hair that's trimmed in a buzz cut, and he's definitely fit, but it's not the same as Carter. The hair that's usually poofy on top has become sweaty, sticking to his forehead.
“Hey, so have you seen him?” Jen asks.
“Who?” I reply, still watching the court.
She laughs. “Girl, you’re helpless. Douchey Doucherson.”
Her words bring me back to reality. I totally forgot about Baller. Anxiety builds again, and I scan the crowd, looking for someone with a red headband. I'm not sure why he would be across the court, on the visitor's side, but I look over at the small crowd. Still nothing.
“I don’t see anyone.”
"Yeah, me either. What a sleaze. He didn't even have the balls to show up again."
“Whatever.”
“You’re okay with it?”
"You know what? I am. I was so wrecked that day he didn't show up. But now," I look at her and smile, "I'm not. It's no big deal."
She lets out a loud laugh. “That’s because you’re falling head over heels for Carter.”
I don’t disagree. I don’t even get embarrassed. I just give a small nod and lift my shoulders.
“Holy crap, Emma. Are you really?”
“I don’t know. I like him. And I know he likes me.”
“Are you in love?” She stretches the word in a sing-song and I know she’s joking, but I blush anyways, remembering Carter’s confession.
“What the? Really? You’re seriously in love with him?”
“No,” I say, but it doesn’t feel right. I don’t think I’m in love but quelling it so decisively doesn’t feel right either. “But it’s a possibility. He says he knows me and that I know him. I mean, I know stuff about him. But the way he talks to me, the way he looks at me. I honestly think he really does know me. It’s weird.”
“Weird good or weird bad?”
A buzzer sounds in the gym, and all the players start walking off the court. I watch as Carter scans the crowd and his eyes find mine. He unleashes that smile that warms me to the core.
“Weird good,” I answer, keeping my eyes on locked on him.
She leans over and hugs me. "That's awesome. Come on, I have to use the bathroom. Keep looking for Red Headband though. He's not off the hook yet."
I let out a laugh and this time I don’t get the angst I’ve had all day. If I see him, then I see him. If I don’t, then I don’t. I just want to see Carter again.
Chapter 37
Carter
I grab my phone and the red headband from my locker and shoot Emma a text.
BigBaller27: Running late. I just got to the gym. If you want to meet me, feel free to find me
I seriously hope once she finds out the truth she doesn't scream at me and slap me in the face. In all honesty, I probably deserve it. Maybe I should've just told her it was me back when I met her at the oak tree, but she was so furious. And then she told me off.
When I told Coach I needed to put together a half-time performance, he wouldn’t hear of it. The team we’re playing isn’t in the playoffs either, but they’re at the bottom of the standings. Even so, he only agreed to it if we held a twenty-point lead by half-time. I worked my ass off during the first half and thankfully, by the time the buzzer rings for half-time, we’re up by twenty-three.
“All right, bro.” Matt looks over at me. “You sure about this?”
Putting the phone back in my locker, I put the red headband on. It looks ridiculous, but hey, the things we do for love, right?
I told Matt the plan and got him to help after history class. I'm glad he's my best friend and comfortable in front of crowds since he's going to be on the microphone in front of everyone.
I nod, giving him a confident stare. “Let’s do it.”
Emma
As we make our way to the bathroom, I get a text from Baller. I deleted our conversation and his number, so it doesn’t show his name, but I know it’s him from what he writes.
“Jen.” I grab her arm.
She turns around and looks at the phone. “Oh, forget the bathroom. Let’s find this asshole.”
I want to say no. I want to tell her to forget about it. But now that he’s texted again, I want to know who he is too. Deleting the text as we walk back, I scan the crowd but don’t see anyone.
“Hey.” Jen pulls my arm. I spin around, thinking she sees him. “Isn’t that Empire of the Sun.”
I give her a confused look and then listen. I always play them in my room or her car, so she’s heard most of their songs. The moment I hear it, I know it’s them. It’s my favorite song, DNA.
Jen and I give each other confused looks. They played snippets of music during the game, but all of it was stuff to get the crowd riled up. This is the actual song.
“Ladies and Gentlemen,” someone says through the PA system. “We’ve got a special halftime show for you right now.”
I look over at the announcers' table and see Matt. One of the teachers who was making announcements during the game seems annoyed, staring up at Matt with the microphone.
“Most of you guys know we lost a game last week, so we didn’t make the playoffs. But tonight’s game is a big one. Well, for one player at least.” The music is playing along as Matt looks over at me and winks. What the?
“We’ve got a special performance lined up by a big baller." I gasp at his words. "He's our starting shooting guard. He's our captain, and he's number twenty-seven. Carter Dixon!"
If my eyes were any wider, they might fall out of my head. I raise my hand to my mouth, unsure I'm even awake.
“No way.” Jen gasps.
Carter runs out, bouncing a
basketball, now wearing a red headband. I didn't pay attention to his jersey before, but as I watch him now, there it is. Twenty-seven.
“He’s quite a big baller, isn't he folks?" Matt says to the crowd, again emphasizing the words I know.
Carter finds me and smiles. After a flurry of moves that look extremely hard to do, Matt runs over and brings along with him a rack of basketballs. Unlike the game ball, these are all white and have little red hearts painted on them. I'm still trying to digest everything, as Carter begins shooting.
Carter is BigBaller27? What? How is that even possible? But it is possible. In fact, it's the truth. I'm going through my memories as I watch him shoot. His words that he knows me. That I know him better than I think I do.
Other memories flood through me. Him listening to Empire under the oak tree that day. The nervous habit of rubbing the back of his neck when he’d admit something. Something that I probably should’ve pieced together. The small things, like bringing me a Pepsi. The big things, like talking about his grandmother passing away or why his parents got divorced.
Then the main memory: Baller didn't stand me up. He was there. Carter knew exactly who I was, but he showed up anyways. He took a chance, and I threw it in his face. Of course, he wouldn't have told me the truth after that. In all the time I've known him, the little attention I showed him was cold and harsh. I thought he was a player who just hooked up with girls.
While everything else runs through my head, Carter grabs the last ball as the song is coming to an end. He pulls off the red headband, and as he walks closer, I see the apprehension on his face.
“I know it’s corny.” He holds the painted ball out to me with a nervous grin. “Full disclosure, I got the pun from a Valentine’s Day card Matt’s little brother had.”
I look at the painted basketball and see words between the red hearts. I’m head over hoops for you. I want to smile, but the shock hasn’t worn off. I’m faintly aware that some of the crowd is watching us, but others have started to go about their business. I look back up at him, unsure what to say.
“I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you before, but I just never knew how. And I knew you hated me—”
“I didn’t hate you.”
“Okay, strongly disliked.” He laughs, nervously. “You heard all the rumors. And it’s what I let people believe. Emma, I really do—” He stops and bites his bottoms lip. “Well, I won’t say it, because I know what you said before. But now you know. Now you know why I say I know you. Because I do. And you know me too. The real me.”
I quickly glance at Jen, standing there dumbstruck, before I meet Carter's eyes again. I know he's telling the truth. More stuff clicks into place. How Baller said he loved basketball, then I remember the memories he told me about going to games with his mom. It was Carter all along.
“Say it.”
He gives me an unsure look. “Say what?”
“Say what you told me at lunch.” I smile, and it inspires one of his own.
“I love—”
I don't let him finish. My lips crash into his, he drops the ball, wrapping his arms around me. There's noise around us, and I think I hear Jen squealing in excitement, but I'm not sure. I'm not sure about anything around me, only what's going on within me. My hands run through Carter's hair, as he pulls me in tighter. I finally break my lips away from his, looking up into his eyes. He has a little of my lip gloss smeared on him, so I reach up, brushing my thumb over his swollen lips.
“I love you, too.”
“You’re not mad at me?” he asks with an unsure smile.
“I mean, you could’ve acted a little more jealous earlier today.”
"Don't worry." He laughs. "If you ever tell me that again, I'll handcuff myself to you."
“Oh, kinky,” Jen blurts out, nearly deflating the moment we’re having.
“I thought you had to go to the bathroom?” I growl at her but keep my eyes on Carter.
“I went already. All this excitement made me pee my pants.”
I shake my head at my best friend, just as Carter kisses me again.
“Sorry, bro.” Matt walks up behind him. “Coach wants us back in before the half starts.”
“I know,” Carter grunts, but keeps a hold of me. “Text me after? Since, you know, you already have my number.”
“I deleted it,” I respond, blushing.
“I’ll take that as a good sign that you really do love me.”
“My word isn’t good enough?”
“Maybe.” He grins as I raise an eyebrow. “If you say it again.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“Oh, my God!” Jen yells. “You guys can totally send pics now. Let the sexting begin!”
"Jen!" I yell at her, my cheeks blushing, as I watch her walk away towards the restroom.
“I like your best friend.” Carter smirks.
“Yeah, you want to trade?”
“I heard that!”
Epilogue
Matt
It’s been a month since Carter went all Juno and confessed his love for Emma, dropping three-pointers in a red headband, outing himself as BigBaller27. I'm happy for him. For them both.
I nudge his shoulder, as I make my way to the lunch table and he scoots over for me. It's been a little weird basically changing friends. Jeremy is such an ass that I don't mind not sitting with him. But I didn't know Lucas has a huge crush on Jen. He doesn't eat lunch with us because he doesn't want to look stupid in front of her. At least, that's what he says. Which I find odd because Lucas has always been a smooth talker. Calm and confident. I think the real reason is that Jen's made it obvious she wants to go out with Franco.
I guess they have two other friends, Micah and Lana, but Emma said they broke up. I know I'm still the new guy, so I don't get the details. I've crossed paths with him a couple of times, but every time I show up at the table for lunch, Micah conveniently takes off. Whatever.
Spring break is coming up, and I'm excited to be heading to New York. My little brother and I are visiting my mom for the week and attending a comic book convention. I've been hiding my excitement though because not even Carter knows I'm a closet nerd. Actually, a HUGE closet nerd. I love to cosplay at conventions. And I don't just go out and buy the costumes; I make them from scratch. I always make sure I have a mask, so that if anyone from school is there, they won't recognize me. But being in New York, I can let my guard down. It's going to be awesome.
“So, come on.” Carter nudges Emma’s shoulder. “You’ve been keeping us dangling here.”
"Emma, this is ridiculous," Jen says. "We're all here now, and you wanted to tell us at the same time. Just spit it out."
“But Micah isn’t here.”
“He’s been spotty for the last couple weeks.”
“I’m getting a little worried about him.”
“Don’t be.” Jen waves her hand. “He’s fine. I can’t believe he broke up with Lana, but I see him in psychology. He’s okay.”
“Emma,” Carter groans.
"Okay, okay. So …" Emma reaches around into her backpack and pulls out a folded letter. The smile that spreads across her face is adorable. No wonder Carter fell so hard. "I got the scholarship!" she cries out.
“Ohmygod!” Jen shouts.
“Congrats, Emma,” I offer.
"See." Carter wraps an arm around her. "I told you you were gonna get it." He leans over and kisses her.
“There were a lot of great artists who submitted their work.”
“Yeah, but your work is awesome.”
“Hey, I’m gonna grab a drink. You guys want anything?” I get up from the table.
“Pepsi.” Carter and Emma say at the same time, then smile at each other.
I’m happy for them, I really am. But that cutesy, say it at the same time thing? I do everything can to not roll my eyes.
After I pay for the sodas from the snack stand, I start to head back when I see the screen of a laptop open.
It’s on a YouTube channel about comic books, anime, and all things nerd. Everything I love.
“He’s so hot.” One of the girls says, leaning over her friend.
It’s a channel I’ve seen before. The host is some college guy who calls himself Geek Dood, which is also the name of his show, and he’s going over the latest X-Men release. He looks like one of those hot college guys that girls drool over. These ones obviously are. Except one, and that’s when I notice who they are.
Izzy Jacobs, and her two friends.
“Yeah, he’s cute,” Izzy says, still staring at the screen. “But how does this guy have so many more subscribers than my page? Does sex sell that much?”
“Yes,” her friends say in unison. “Izzy, if you wear something a little more revealing, you’d gain a thousand new subscribers.”
A grin hits my lips. Isabel Jacobs is hot. She's curvy in all the right places. She's got olive-toned skin, with shoulder-length black hair. And she's known around the school by anyone who likes pop culture stuff because she hosts her own YouTube channel, SoCal Nerd Girl. She covers all the things I love that no one knows about. And it's not just a few hundred followers she has. If I remember right, I think she has over thirty thousand subscribers.
My eyes float back to the screen because I don't think this is an episode I've seen of Geek Dood, and now he's talking about a new cross-over that Marvel Comics is doing with X-Men and the Avengers. I'm so pre-occupied with the video, it's not until I hear a cough that my attention is diverted back to the girls.
“Did you need something, Mr. President?” Izzy looks over at me.
“Oh, no. Sorry.” I can feel my face getting red and turn to leave.