When the game finally ended, I was relieved. Tina was such a basketball beast that even the team members were afraid of her.
"I think you were giving in, Lamar!" She pointed a finger at him.
"Not even a chance," he replied.
"I was giving in. You and the newbie are just too sweet to resist," Veronica cooed.
"Let's not even go there!" Tina rolled her eyes.
Bianca was nowhere to be found. She wasn't on the bench or the bleachers.
Ishani rushed over to me. "Hey, Mel bestie, help me to talk to Lamar."
"He's right in front of you. What's stopping you?"
"I don't want to seem like the typical clingy girl," she murmured.
As if you're not, I thought to myself.
"Hey, Lamar!" I called out loudly. "Ishani wants to chat with you about something."
"Why so obvious?" Ishani protested angrily. "I've already talked to him today. I don't want to seem pushy."
"You either want him or you don't. I don't understand how I'm supposed to behave in your relationships. I'm not a professional matchmaker."
I hadn't seen the butch or Bianca, and it was starting to worry me. Ishani's unnecessary drama was getting on my nerves.
Fortunately, Lamar was good-natured and friendly, and he happily diverted Ishani's attention. Thanks to his natural gallantry, Ishani felt special and unique, unaware of what Tina had told me during the game. I wondered if she would continue our friendship if she knew Lamar supposedly had interest in me.
Neither Lamar, nor Tina, nor Ishani, nor even the Scandinavian queer chick cared me. Something seemed to be happening between the butch and Bianca, and it just stirred up an insurmountable unease. I stepped into the hallway connecting the staircase, fire exit, and locker rooms.
The hallway felt straight out of a horror flick, with the light bulb flickering on and off, casting eerie shadows. Suddenly, someone grabbed me, and I let out a squeak, but a hand quickly covered my mouth.
"It's me, Bianca. Chill."
"What are you doing here?"
"Hiding."
"Why?"
"Let's just bounce."
"But the game's about to start."
"Forget it. Alisha can take my place. We made a deal. She's a good friend of mine, and she'll back me up. It'll be a chance for her to shine in front of the college scouts. It'll piss off Irene even more than me stepping down as captain — she's such a racist."
"In that case, follow me." I pulled her toward the fire exit.
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