“If you don’t mind me asking what was that about?” Nick asked cautiously.
“You know I don’t mind Nick I never have. That was Sarah.” I stated. He gave me a weird look when I said who it was.
“My best friend, Sarah Ward” I explained.
“Oh yea I remember her.” He said. I nodded my head and continued explaining helping him unpack.
“She called cause her and the rest of the girls are gonna come over and play a little ball before the game.” I stated.
“Cool we’ll get to see you in action before the game.” He smiled. I nodded my head smiling. “Oh what was that thing about Aj?” He asked.
“Sarah has a huge crush on Aj. She was just asking if all of you guys were here.” I laughed. He nodded his head laughing as we continued to unpack his stuff in silence.
“Thank you Katie.” He stated quietly after about a minute of silence.
“For what?” I asked confused.
“I really don’t know. I guess for just not being totally pissed at me and for talking to me when you seen me. When you hugged me I never really expected it. I mean you know with us hardly talking and we always seem so uncomfortable around each other. That’s never been something we’ve ever had to worry about. For not getting mad and kicking me out when you saw me. I don’t know just for being you. ” He sighed at the last part. I giggled a little at him, I couldn’t believe he’d think that I’d throw him out.
“Nick I…God I don’t even know what to say. I was glad to see you. I’ve missed you being in my life, really missed it. Your something I can’t seem to let go of no matter how hard I try. It’s like…” I said.
“We’re destined to be together.” He finished my sentence. I nodded my head.
“Exactly.” I said.
“I feel the same way Katie. No matter how hard I tried to forget what we had that summer, to let go of my love for you, to let you go, I couldn’t. I tried so hard to let go and move on but nothing ever worked so I just gave up.” He said.
“I know how you feel Nicky.” I said looking into his eyes. We stood there staring into each other’s eyes as our lips slowly drifted closer together. Before we knew it our lips were connected in a kiss, the kiss that would bring us back together. Just seconds after our lips connected the doorbell rang. We jumped apart startled. “I better go get that. It’ll be the girls.” I stated. He nodded his head smiling. I realized that the tension and awkwardness between us wasn’t quite as strong but it was still there. I quickly walked out the door and down the stairs. *Stupid doorbell* I thought before I opened the front door to see all but 3 of the girls there. “Hey girls come on in.” I smiled.
“Where is he?” Sarah joked and the rest of us laughed. The doorbell rang once again before I had the chance to say anything more. I turned around and answered it. It was the rest of the team. They came in and I shut the door in time to her Aj yelling.
“Katie aren’t you going to get the door?” Aj yelled running down the steps.
“I already did J.” I replied.
“Whoa!” He said surprised. “Yo Rok did you know you have 8 very hot girls standing in your living room and that includes Kat.” He yelled up the stairs. All of us cracked up laughing while Sarah blushed. You could definitely tell she had a crush on him.
“J what are you talking about?” Brian asked walking down the stairs with Kevin, Howie, and Nick following him.
“That!” He said pointing to us.
“Damn you’d think the boy was star struck or something instead being the star.” Kelly West joked. Everyone laughed at Aj’s expense.
“Yea yea laugh at the blue haired freaky star dude.” Aj said sarcastically which only sent the girls and I into more fits of laughter.
“This is the rest of the basketball team.” I explained once I had calmed down enough.
“Oh.” All the boys but Nick said.
“Well I’ll introduce ya’ll so we can get outside.” I said. “You guys remember Sarah?” I asked. They nodded their heads.
“Hey Sarah how are you?” Brian asked walking up and giving here a hug. (AN: Remember Brian and Kevin have known her for as long as Katie has)
“I’m fine Bri. How are you?” She asked pulling away.
“Doing pretty good.” He replied.
“Hey Kev.” She said giving him a hug.
“Hey Sar. You excited for tonight?” He asked.
“Yea but really nervous.” She replied pulling away.
“Ok now for rest of you. This is Kelly West, Liz Janson, Becky Jackson, Kristy Linzer, Kasidy Phillips, and Jennifer King.” I introduced pointing to each one of them. The boys all said hi or some other greeting every time I introduced one of them.
“Ok now that’s done can we go play a little ball.” Sarah asked. I laughed and shook my head.
“Ya’ll can come watch if you want.” I said to the boys.
“I’m gonna watch.” Brian said and all the other boys agreed.
“Ok let’s go.” I said and we all walked out the door. “Ok what are we going to play to?” I asked.
“How about 25?” Becky asked.
“Works for me.” I said and everybody else agreed. Sarah and I got on separate sides of the driveway to pick teams.
“You can go first Katie. You know try and get a team that you can actually win with.” Sarah joked. Here we go. We did this every time we played like this, just for fun.
“Oh no Sarah, losers first.” I replied.
“No really Katie I insist.” Sarah replied.
“Oh no I couldn’t. You always lose it’s only fair to let you pick first. Now go!” I said. The last part was the only thing I really meant. I was ready to play.
“Yea yea whatever. Come on Jen pick your team.” She said. We had always done it this way. One of us would pick a name and then they’d pick which team they wanted to be on. We did it this way so nobody’s feelings got hurt. Jen walked over to Sarah’s side.
“Ok, Becky.” I said. She picked Sarah’s side too. “Man do you guys not like me today or something.” I joked and they laughed.
“Kasidy.” Sarah said. Kas came to my side.
“OK Kristy.” She came to my side.
“Kelly” She also came to my side and Liz went to Sarah’s side. The teams were Sarah, Liz, Jen, and Becky and me, Kasidy, Kelly, and Kristy.
“Dang my whole team’s K’s.” I joked but it was true. They just laughed.
“Let’s get started!” Kristy said excitedly.
“I agree. Brian would you mind tossing the ball?” I asked him.
“Not at all.” He said. I threw him the ball and Sarah and I came to the middle of the driveway where we were to start the game. He tossed the ball up and Sarah and I both leaped to get to it first. The game has begun.
*1 ½ hours later*
“Oh yeah! We won!” Kelly yelled as I made the winning point. The score was 25-23 my team.
“Damn that was a close game.” Sarah said plopping down on the grass.
“Oh tell me about it.” Becky said as her and the rest of us sat down on the grass.
“Hey guys you ok?” I asked looking at the boys who were all sitting on the porch. They all nodded still not speaking.
“Wow.” Was the first thing I heard from one of them and it happened to be Howie that said it.
“You girls are amazing.” Aj said standing up with the rest of the guys.
“I knew you guys were good but I didn’t know you were that good.” Brian said as the walked over and sat on the grass with us.
“Thanks” The 8 of us said blushing from all the compliments. A couple seconds later Mom pulled up in the driveway.
“Well I see you’ve gotten to see our girls in action.” Mom said walking up to us after getting out of the car.
“Yes we did and they’re amazing. Now we know why they made it to state.” Kevin said.
“Yes you have. Now I haven’t seen you guys in a year and I don’t even get hugs?” Mom said.
“Of course you do Mom.” Brian said standing up, as did the rest of the guys.
“Hey Baby Duck.” Mom said as Brian enveloped her in a hug.
“Hey Katie?” Kasidy whispered trying not to interrupt the reunion.
“Yea?” I whispered back.
“We’re gonna go, let you have time with the rest of your family and all.” She stated.
“Ok I’ll see you guys tonight.” I replied still whispering.
“Yeah see ya.” They all whispered and got up and left. I looked back to see that they had all given Mom hugs except Nick.
“Hey Jackie.” Nick said giving her a hug.
“Hey Nicky. Now since when did you start calling me Jackie again? You haven’t done that since the first week I met you.” Mom said. I giggled a little at how she greeted him. Of course I knew she’d say something like that when he called her Jackie although he called her Jackie most of the time. He actually only called her mom when he’d first see her when they got here, when they left and at different times when he felt like calling her that or wanted something.
“Sorry Mom.” He chuckled. She laughed a little then turned to me.
“Where’d the girls go Katie?” She asked.
“They went home to shower and relax a little before the game.” I replied lying down on the cool grass.
“Ok. You should probably come in and shower and eat something.” Mom said.
“Yea I know. Go on in though, I’ll be in in a bit.” I replied.
“Are you ok?” She asked.
“Yea Mom I’m fine.” I remarked.
“Ok well we’ll go in. Come on boys.” She said motioning them to follow her. They all went inside or so I thought.
“You don’t mind if I stay out here do you?” Nick asked quietly. I shook my head and he plopped down beside me. I just looked up at the sky asking God to help me through this night and through the next two weeks. “Katie what is it that’s bothering you? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Nothing’s wrong.” I said turning away from him my voice cracking just a little.
“I don’t believe you Katie.” He said. He gently laid his hand on my cheek making me face him. “I know you better than that.” He said looking me in the eyes and a single tear ran down my cheek.
“At the moment it’s everything. It’s school, you, basketball, Brian's surgery. It’s everything in my life.” I stated getting and running inside. I ran up the stairs pushing play on my cd player and collapsing on my bed in tears.
Chapter 13
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