Chase & Adrienne

26

ADRIENNE

FRIDAY NIGHT

After my conversation with Chase yesterday, I feel as free as a bird. I don't have to feel guilty anymore. Pretty soon, I may not even have to choose between Luke and my friends. If he really did break things off with his old group of friends like he said, maybe someday he could sit at the old lunch table. It'd definitely take some time, but that's the goal, anyway. Luke and I are supposed to hang out tonight, and I cannot wait to tell him about what Chase said. I may spare him some of the particularly sappy details--for Chase's sake, of course. I hope Luke is as happy about it as I am. Now we don't have to hide anymore. 

I stand outside of the boys locker room after practice ends to wait for Luke. The rest of the team filters in and out. Many of them don't really acknowledge me, but a few say 'hey' to me. The last time I waited out in the locker room like this, it was about two months ago. I was waiting for Chase instead. A brand-new movie theater had just opened downtown, and I had scored us tickets for a midnight premiere of a new action movie. I smile at the memory. We had gotten the rest of the people in line to sing songs with us while we waited, and a nice couple in front of us bought our snacks. The movie was great, but the night was better. I feel a dull ache in my chest, missing all of the fun things Chase and I used to do together. We could make an adventure out of just about anything. Being with Luke is fun, very fun, but it's not an adventure. At least, not yet. 

Just as I'm about to text Luke to make sure he's not already outside or something, he pops his head through the door and grins at me. 

"Hey! I thought you left without me," I accuse him. Without responding, he grabs my hand and pulls me into the locker room behind him and shuts the door.

"What are you doing, Luke?! I'm not allowed to be in here!" I giggle. Luke holds a finger up to his lips, shushing me.

"Don't worry," he whispers. "Everyone's gone."

I follow him over to a long row of faded lockers pocked with dents. I sit on a bench beside his bag. He's still in his practice jersey and basketball shorts. 

"I just gotta get changed for our date," he tells me. "I won't be long."

"I'm still not sure why I'm in here for this," I admit. Luke shrugs. 

"I just didn't want you to have to wait out there by yourself."

"Thanks." I smile at him. He smiles back. He starts to pull down his shorts. 

"Whoa!" I shout. He freezes and looks up at me, scared. "What are you doing?!"

He laughs nervously. "I'm just changing, Adrienne."

"Not in front of me," I say, getting up from my bench and walking over to the sinks instead, out of view of Luke. I hop onto the edge of a sink, perching there. "Do what you gotta do."

"You're so innocent," he calls to me, his voice echoing off of the slick walls. "It's adorable."

I try not to think to much of his comment. Should I have just not said anything? I guess I just could've not looked. 

A minute later, Luke emerges out into the open. He has socks, shoes, and jeans on, but he's shirtless. He holds a crumpled gray T-shirt in his hand. I shake my head at him, trying not to stare at his chest or his abs. 

"Let me know when you're ready to go," I say playfully before turning my head away, letting him finish changing. Instead, he starts walking toward me. 

"You're so funny," he says. As he approaches, I scoot back an inch too far, and my butt falls into the big, rectangular sink. My legs dangle over the edge. I let out a yelp. Now Luke is really laughing at me. I blush, trying to dislodge myself. 

"Oh, Adrienne, you're really stuck." Luke is cracking up, but he comes over to help me. He grabs my hands and pulls, but I really won't budge. I'm completely mortified, but he seems to be enjoying this. I feel my cheeks getting red and staying that way. 

"Okay, this isn't gonna work," Luke says to himself, letting go of my hands. He stands between my legs and loops his arms around my torso, pulling. Finally, finally, I am able to wiggle myself out. Sitting up on the edge of the sink once again, me and Luke are right up against each other. He's still holding onto me tightly, more of my weight shifted onto him than anything else. My hands are on his bare shoulders.

"My hero," I joke, but his eyes are serious. He kisses me and pulls me closer. My hands wander, tracing the muscles on his shoulders and down his arms.  I hear a creak, and for a second, I'm scared that this sink is about to come crashing down. And then I hear a painfully familiar scream.