True Story [Complete]

Chapter 17

*Imagine Finn as the cat and Rennie as the bunny. Cute right? Or is that bestiality?*

I love you. Rennie I-

Here I am. On my bed. Staring at the ceiling. Wondering and imagining what would have happened or what would have been said if I had let him continue. It's November sixth and the Halloween dance took place two days ago (it was a Saturday). His words still buzzing in my mind. Did he mistake me for Marcy?

Four bounces, a pause, two more can be heard outside. I get up from my bed, fix my bed head, and go to the window (which I now know can be seen from Finn's window) and wave. "Morning, stupid!" I say loudly after lifting the screen.

"Morning to you too peeper!" He smiles at me from his yard. I scowl and start to close the window, "Wait!" I stop. "Are you gonna be there for tryouts?"

Basketball season is just around the corner and Finn has been practicing all summer. "Why do you need me there?"

"Moral support," Finn gulps and reddens a bit. Did his dad forget to turn off the heater overnight? It does start to get cold around November. "Please come," and with that, he goes inside the backdoor of his house and vanishes from my sight. 

**

"Come on! Faster! Run faster! How are y'all gonna keep up with the opponent if y'all running like turtles?!"

As I'm doing my homework and listening to Drake, Finn passes by with a smile. And with a wink? I look around but no one is around me. Once I'm confident knowing that he was gesturing to me, I cheer him on, "Go Finn!" I smile and tuck my head into my hair to make sure no one sees me. Especially Marcy who's sitting across the gym, on the other set of bleachers. 

Compared to all the other guys trying out, Finn is running like derby horse. Legs taking huge steps with a speed that makes him look like he's running with the wind. Hair flying and all. I wonder if he'll ever run that fast for me. 

Coach blows the whistle and all the guys gather in a circle. Some walking slowly. Others stopping to pant. While Finn takes a deep breath, puts his hands behind his head and walks over to the coach with a confident smile. What an adorable cocky idiot.

"Okay! Y'all are gonna get in two groups-" Coach points to the two hoops opposite of each other on the left side of the room. "And y'all gonna be doing shooting with the concept of suicides. Y'all know what that is...right?" Almost all the boys nod with the occasional ones still panting. "Okay, freshman," he points to Finn, "lead a group."

Finn smiles from ear to ear and jogs to a hoop (the stamina though). Once everyone splits like ants on a cement floor, Coach blows his whistle signaling the start of the activity. 

Swish. Swish. Swish. 

Finn makes all the shots starting from a few feet from the hoop and making a statement from the three-point line. Already some of the guys behind him are rolling eyes or sighing hopelessly. I shake my head and laugh to myself but Finn must have seen because he then bounces the ball two with very short pauses in between then two and four immediate sounds a pause, then nine close booms. Morse code for "watch this." He smiles in my direction and backs up from the three point line midway to the half court-line. He steps into a shot and launches the basketball from his big hands; completed with a clean shot. Show-off. Still, I can't help but smile. 

I go back to my homework but a shadow hovers over me. "Hey, Rennie right?" Marcy says with her ponytail swaying and pompoms in her hands. 

"Yeah." 

"Can I sit?" She points to the spot next to me. I nod and play my music louder. "Finn's great huh?" Out of all things she could've asked me to "bond" she just had to bring up Finn. "I mean look at him. He's sweet. Smart. Caring..." she pauses and turns her gaze towards him, "and such a goofball." She smiles. It seems like a genuine smile. I can't compete with this girl. 

"Yeah," I say with a happy-convincing-tone, "he is." 

Marcy nods and then we stay quiet for the rest of the tryouts. 

**

"RENNIE!" It's passing period on a Wednesday and I had just woke up from my nap in first period  when Finn comes stomping down the hall with his huge-ass body. I yawn and walk towards him. When we meet in the middle, Finn takes a breath (surprising) and gives me a big grin. "I made it." 

It takes me a second to figure out what he's talking about. I should really start sleeping early. "Oh man, really? Damn, I knew you were gonna make it (it was obvious)." I give him a small hug (all the while trying to avoid creating cheating rumors) and squeeze his arm. "That's awesome." 

"I know right! And Coach said that I might even have the chance to play with the Starting Five." 

"Wow, that's great Finn." He's always loved basketball since I've known him. And to see him so happy about an accomplishment, it makes my happier. 

"Y-you know..." Finn runs his hand through his hair and looks at his Nike-covered feet. "The first game is on Tuesday, the week before Thanksgiving." He gulps and lifts his head up just enough to meet my eyes. 

"If I go," I start, "it better be worth it. Promise me you'll make the Starting Five." 

His face lights up, "Oh, you bet." He gives me a slight punch on the right shoulder and laughs. 

"We should celebrate," I suggest. "We can like go to Mikey's and order pizza or are you feeling cheap? Caesars?" I joke. 

"Um... what about boba?" 

"Boba? That's what I like not your favorite." 

"Come on, I can like boba, like you said, it's what you like. I like anything you like." 

Don't blush. Don't blush. "Mikey's it is." 

*Okay, dear diary (readers), a recap of my Strong Start adventure yesterday. I nearly cried when my crew members were all getting so well and I felt so left out 'cuz they were all bonding over makeup and of course, I can't afford it and have no confidence whatsoever to wear any. Lunch then came around and HALLELUJAH! Food and old friends who I can actually bond with. 

Afterward, we went back into our crews but everyone was called over to the big patio in the school. We all played a game that requires us to "socialize" and "talk" two concepts I dislike. Basically, the Seniors in charge yells out a topic and everyone has to get in groups with the same answer or agreement. 

But being the introvert I am, I scouted my friends and we all just made up an answer. However, the bomb explodes on us when the topic is favorite song. Of course, we stayed where we were, but the teacher volunteering offers a twist: you must sing your song to everyone else. Crap, I know. So we stuck with Counting Stars and our group had no crew leaders (older kids who have actual confidence) and on top of that, we were the finale. We sang the song and we were voted best group. Amazing. And then we had to solve a murder.*