Basketball is Not Life

Chapter Thirty-Eight

I tracked my mother down and told her about what happened with dad. I was going to start for now on having an open policy with them about my life. I needed them, and I was going to lean on them. The hard part then came.

"When you guys come and visit me, do you think you could help me find a new place to stay?"

Her head whips up. "Why?"

"I think I need to...."

"Are you breaking up with Parker?" We were in my hotel room, and the door was swinging open when my mother asked this question. She cut me off. It is easy to tell by Parker's face that he had heard her question to me.

"I'll meet you downstairs...." She squeezes Parker's hand on her way out.

"Ren?" He asks, wanting to know the answer. Confusion wrote across his face. He sat down on the couch next to me. "Is this because of last night?" He asks, his hand was wrapped, and he held an ice pack over top of his knuckles. He had just gotten done with the PT.

"No."

"Then what is it?" He puts the ice pack down on the table. I can see he is cracking. The both of us had fallen extremely fast and unexpected. I had told myself when I moved in that I could not get involved with him.

"I don't want to break up."

"Good," Parker said, cutting me off. He looks into my eyes. "But?"

"But" I stand up and start pacing. "This wasn't supposed to be until we got back."

"Then don't do it." He stands up, coming over to me. He tilts my head up to look at me. "Ren, this is right; you feel it, I feel it. Everything about us is right. Don't do it." He smiles a nervous smile. 

"What about another bet?"

"Another bet?"

He nods. "Yea. As long as we are in the tournament, you and me, we stay the same. Nothing changes. You give me until we get home."

"Ok."

He nods. "Ok." He stands up and drags me toward the door. "Good. You can rebound in the practice gym for me. Let's go."

I'm sitting in the stands watching a repeat of the year before. The game was promoted all over. Clips of last year's tournament and Parker's three at the buzzer-beater was the promo leading up to the rematch of Michigan State and Duke. The odds 8 to 1 that Duke won, they had the top recruit for the NBA. He was a powerhouse and was almost unstoppable in the lane. But Parker looked more confident than ever.

I held my breath when Duke had entered the gym, but looking at the Duke bench, Ryan was absent from their bench, and I quietly thanked my father that I would not have to deal with that.

My father had started a group text with Parker and me in the morning. He wished us luck, and Parker let him know that he would not need it. My parents were in love with Parker. They would 

be so mad at me when I got back to school.

The game was intense; Parker had missed only one shot he had taken at the half. He winked at me at halftime when he ran to the locker room. They were up by five points. Not a huge lead but enough to make Parker feel confident. They held them for one half so they could do it again in his mind.

By the middle of the second half, Michigan State started to pull away. Their lead went from five to twelve. By the end of the game, we had won by twenty points. Parker had eight threes. He ran over to the game and kissed me on the lips. "Elite Eight Ren." And then he ran back to cheer with his teammates. Larry came over and picked me up, spinning me in the air.

My father went and talked to our coaches and then walked over and shook hands with Parkers. He said something at length, and Parker stood there shaking his head. In the end, they both smiled and parted ways. My father came over to me and gave me a hug.

"That wasn't a game; that was a bloodbath," he said to me in my ear. "Where did he come from tonight?"

"I don't know." I smiled at my dad. "Thanks, Dad," I said he knew what I was talking about.

"If it's up to me, he won't play for another team; I'll do everything I can." He hugs me again and then walks back to his team and into the locker room down the hallway.

I go into the locker room where the celebration is still happening, and the guys are screaming. Coach comes in, and everyone gets quiet. "Elite Eight," he smiles. "Normally, I don't do this, but I asked for the basketball for tonight's game." He takes it and throws it to Parker. "That was a hell of a game Parker. Hell of a game."

Coach leaves them to get dressed, and I follow him out to the hallway. Since we were in the elite eight, we would be heading to San Antonio to finish the rest of the games. We had two days this time until our next game. We were up against Illinois. They were a team that had been going through a winning streak, and I was worried about them.

"Well?" Coach looks up at me when we get to the hallway.

"I think we broke a lot of brackets tonight." I smile at him.

"Yes. Yes, we did." He smiles at me.