The Story of Us; The Unintended

Chapter 1

Growing up I watched and listened to, watched and read more love songs, movies, or books than I could count. So by the time I was a sophomore in high school I knew I was ready. Of course I had the brief junior high romances, and my fill of freshman crush drama, but I was now in 10th grade. I wanted something serious.
Luckily for me, St. John's had a new interim player for our summer league. She walked in while I was shooting free-throws before practice had really begun. She sat her stuff down next to mine, so I grabbed the ball and tried to play it cool as I went to my bag to get some water.
'What's up?' I said, perfect, not to much.
'Not much, I'm Niya, the interim player.' She looked up at me as she laced her shoes, which were a flashy pair of Nikes.
'Oh, cool. Nice to meet you. I'm Carter the pg.' I said as I sat put my water bottle down and picking the ball back up.
'Cool, rebound for each other until practice starts?' She said raising her eyebrow.
'Sure, 5 shots rotate?' I say as we step onto the court. 'You can go first,' I bounce the ball toward her. And she starts with some free-throws.

****
Practice went well, aside from the much dreaded conditioning at the end. After we'd completed our last 16, coach released us, and I jogged to the bleachers to get water.
I sat down, and started gulping my water, and then my Gatorade. Niya approached the bleachers and sat a row beneath me. 'God, they need to get the a/c fixed if we're gonna keep running like this.' I said towards her.
'Oh, hell yeah.' She chuckled looking up at me, sipping her Gatorade. Pulling away from her bottle, 'Especially cause a bitch got asthma,' she finished. We both laughed.
'Would it be cool if I got your snap?' I asked her trying to play it nonchalantly.
'Um, sure, I guess.' She said a little uncertain, but I was far to enthused to care. I ruffled through my bag, and handed her my phone to type in her snap.
'Cool, I'll text you later.' I said, I jumped up, slipping into my slides and and grabbing my basketball shoes. The second I walked through the doors, a big smile plastered on my face.
'What are you smiling about?' My dad said as I slid into the passenger seat.
'Nothing,' I say and try to tone myself down.
'You must of hit a shit-ton of threes huh? And one hell of a pass?' He looked at me with a brow raised.
'Um, yeah.' I paused realizing his cluelessness and arrogant interpretations. 'Yeah, it was a dish pass to the center, on a fast break, and like 4 three's in our scrimmage.'
A couple lights later, we turned onto the expressway, and I stared out of the window, too excited to let my dad and his inability to separate coach from parent get to me.
I kept running conversation scenarios in my head as the view outside the window turned into a blur of green, brown, blue and white. Trying to think up the perfect thing to say when I got home. I could feel my heart beating faster, it felt so faint. My nerves and
My enthusiasm were running to high, and I had no idea that this would set off the domino effect of my life.

****
As my dad backed into the driveway I unbuckled my seat beat, and waited for the car to stop so I could get out and get my stuff from the backseat.
When the car stop, I jumped out the seat, slamming the door. I pulled the back door open as I reached for my bag and shoes off the seat. Shutting it, and darting for the house.
I slid through the door after taping the garage button to make it shut. I jogged upstairs to my room throwing my stuff down and sliding down against wall, unlocking my phone.
"Wash your hands," I heard my dad yell. I rolled my eyes, it was so hard living with him sometimes. My dad was a grade A germaphobe. So that made life hell sometimes, I got up and washed my hands. The way I saw it, the world blended at my dads will. Sometimes I just didn't have the fight in me to argue, or not do what he says. I guess over the years I just kind of adjusted, being that he has always had primary custody of me.
After washing my hands, I slid back down onto the floor, with my back against the wall, and feet in front of the door. It was my best defense if they tried to come in without knocking, and because I couldn't shower yet I couldn't get in bed because of my dads germ rules.
I unlocked my phone, and opened Snapchat quicker than I ever had. I felt myself starting to smile again, it didn't last long though. Oh shit, what if I'm texting too soon, or being too forward...I thought. I decided that I'd watch one episode of The Flash, and then text her, as to not seem too eager.
I sent streaks, and left snap reluctantly. I moved towards the adjacent wall to plug my phone in, and no longer needing to block the doorway. Rolling onto my stomach I keyed The Flash onto my phone, resting my head over my arms. I felt my eyelids getting heavier, stay up! I screamed internally, just 36 minutes and you can text her!
But, even against my best efforts, I was drained from practice, the heat, and my life in general, so I dozed off.
When I woke up my room was dark. I patted around the floor with my hand in search of my phone. Finally I found it and double tapped the thumb button.
TEN TWENTY-THREE?!?!  HOW COULD I HAVE OVER SLEPT!! I yelled at myself. I frantically pulled up my Snapchat.
Me; Heyyy, sorry I totally passed out after practice lol
I waiting hoping her Bitmoji would pop up above my chat bubble. Two minutes passed. Then ten, shit, I missed my chance. I thought to myself. I got up, and headed into the bathroom to take a shower.
I needed to be extra quiet since it was Sunday and my dad had work in the morning. Although I thought I was being quiet, I got call after the water started running.
"What the hell are you doing?" My dad's girlfriend said.
"I fell asleep after practice, I need to shower so I can get in the bed." I tell her, trying not to get annoyed at the obvious.
"Ugh, hurry up. You know your dad has work in the morning. You need to be more responsible." She finished.
"Yes ma'am," i said before hanging up and rolling my eyes.
My time was always being filled with unnecessary questions and conversations with my parents. It was tedious at times, because to me if you only heard 3 people take showers in a house of 4, and you have a set time of when you want people to stop taking showers, you'd inquire about the one shower not taken. But, I only had three more years and then I was out of here.