A Blue Rose

Choices

Keith

I could tell today's not gonna be a good day. Mainly because I'm not going early for basketball today because it's Friday and we only have practice after school. I made a promise to Declana regarding my last little mistake about not showing up to do the project with her. Now she's coming over to my house on Sunday, our only free day to make sure I don't forget again, and I won't. But know how she felt that day, and I would've been mad too. I try to avoid the traps and downsides of my house in the morning and once I got over the shower hogged, laundry not done, poison food, and vandalized backpack, I went out the door, slamming it hard behind me. I came to school like a hot mess, and I guess Declana noticed that too. She tried to say, "Umm, you remember-" "Yes! Yes I do!" but I cut her off. We went to class, neither of us wanted to speak much. The day was boring, I basically fell asleep in math class. Soon enough the day was over and Declana merrily skipped home. She reminded me multiple times throughout the day about our science project and that she wasn't doing it alone again. But it looks like I'm not the only one that heard that. After a couple drills and a game of scrimmage in basketball practice after school, we had a break. Now, I hate breaks. "What's the matter ladies man, you don't want to disappoint your girlfriend?" teased Ethan. Boys were laughing behind him.  "She's not my girlfriend, and why would I want to make her mad again anyway? She had to do the whole part of the project by herself, and I need to help her this time," I answered. "Well when are you gonna be man enough to stand up to her, she bosses you around, you're just scared," stated Ethan. "She does not boss me around, I've had people boss me around before but she does not do it!" I exclaimed. "Then why does she have o make sure you don't forget?" asked Ethan. "Because I let her down last time," I replied. "Okay, if you say so. I just wanted to ask you a teensy little thing. My dad works at the Sports Centre, it's just a twenty minute drive from here. Our hometown basketball team are playing a big game there on Sunday, and my dad gave permission to take our basketball team to play a mini game during the halftime. I mean, if you were free you're more than welcome to come along, but since you're clearly not," I knew Ethan was trying to bribe me but I didn't know why. But I've always wanted to play in the Sports Centre,  and I knew if I said I wouldn't go he'll tease, bully, and make fun of me for the rest of my middle school career. And maybe it's time to put our little fights to end, we're on the same team after all. If we fight all time we will let the team enormously down, and we can't have that. I felt like this was toughest choice of my life, to fulfill my life long dream of playing in the Sports Centre, or work on the project with my best friend that I promised to do. "I'll come with you," I remarked. "Now that's what I'm talking about, I knew it was in you somewhere. See ya!" smiled Ethan and patted me on the back. The outside of me was smiling too, but the inside was welling up with fear. But it can't be that bad can it? Declana will understand.