Basketball is Not Life

Chapter Sixteen

Instead of doing my afternoon workout, I woke up early to do an early morning workout. That way, I was not at the house in the morning. I had made a few friends at the gym and felt weird when my usual workout buddies were not there. The workouts were some of my favorite things about college. I was out the door before Parker was out back shooting. We had yet to talk since Saturday morning when I asked him how many pancakes he wanted. Sunday, I did something I hadn't done since being here; I shopped. I bought a lot of clothes. I carried all ten bags in from the various stores into the house. Parker was hunched over a bowl of most likely mac and cheese. He looked up at the door; I could not tell if he was waiting for me. He looked at the bags in my hands, and then I swiftly carried them all up the stairs. I stayed in my room the rest of the night; I ate before arriving home. Spartan scratched at my door, and it killed me to not open and let him in with me, but I wanted no reason for Parker having to come into my room.

I bumped into Connor from creative writing after I showered and was headed to the coffee shop to get a bit of caffeine in me before class started.

"Are you free to collab at all?" He asked with that boy next door a smile of his. Parker had rounded the corner and was headed into the sports complex. He stopped for a split second to stare at us.

"I'm free. Just tell me when and where."

Connor and I had decided to meet up at my place to collab. I felt good about being able to do it at my own house instead of his dorm. The downside is if I did want to end up leaving, I would not be able to.

Parker was out back shooting when Connor rang the doorbell.

I had changed into jeans and my favorite grey v neck shirt; it was loose and comfortable. I was going for the casual look. Connor, from what I could tell, was nothing like Parker. He liked creative writing, theater and was friendly.

My favorite homemade three-cheese manicotti was in the oven; it smelt delicious. Connor was in jeans, and a V-neck t-shirt part of me wished I would have gone with something else. I grabbed my wrap from the chair and threw it on over me when he stepped into the kitchen. "It smells so good."

"Hopefully, it is good." I knew it would be. "Do you want anything to drink?"

He asked for a mountain dew which we stocked up on for Parker's teammates. We sat in the living room; that way, I could pop up and get it when the food was done. We haven't officially called this a date, so I did not think it was too much to cook for him. We were both typing away on our laptop when the buzzer went off. I leave Connor on the far wall couch, still typing, as I go and check on the food.

Parker was just stepping through the sliding door, bringing Spartan back in with him. "Are we going to talk finally? Because it smells amazing and because I'm going crazy, Ren." "Parker right now isn't a good time." He rolls his eyes at me. "When is a good time with you?"

I placed the manicotti on the stovetop.

"Not right now." I take a spatula and start plating two plates for Conner and myself. Parker grabs two forks and fills two cups with ice and water. He thinks the two plates are for us. There is a shimmer of hope in his eyes. He places them in our usual spots on the kitchen 

island.

"There should be leftovers if you want some," I said to him, walking back to the living room. 

"Here you go, Connor. I hope you like it." I said it loud enough so Parker can hear me.

I can hear the chair sliding out against the island, and then Parker is in the living room.

"What is this, Ren?" He is staring at me and only me as if Connor isn't there.

"We are just working on our free writing assignment," Connor said, standing up feeling the tension coming off of Parker.

"Right," Parker said. "You'll date this dude but won't even tell me anything about yourself. This is bullshit, Ren."

Connor looks at me and then to Parker, his hands up. "This is not a date. I have a girlfriend that I love." He scratches his head and looks at me. "I should probably go." I nod; my cheeks are red and embarrassed. "Ok." That is all I can muster out. After he gathers his bag and leaves, I whirl on Parker. "What the hell was that?"

"It was..."

"It was what?" I yell at him. "I am not your anything Parker. Your cuddle buddy, girlfriend, or friend even at this point."

He grabs my wrist when I walk by him, and I slap his arm away. "No. Whatever this was. It is done."

"Ren, I didn't have sex with her." His voice is low and full of shame. I stopped my back to him.

"You think this is what this is about? That I was jealous?"

"Well?" He is watching me when I turn around, his eyes on my face.

"I don't care who you see or who you fuck; just as long as it is not me." 

I leave the room leaving the manicotti on the living room table.