You Don't Know..What you Don't Know

Chapter Thirty Three: Summer

The summer after the party became the beginning of a completely different chapter of my life.

For the first time in months, I wasn't carrying Randy around in my heart.

I refused to let him keep stealing pieces of me.

The first couple of weeks he texted almost every day. I ignored every message until finally I blocked his number. Whatever we had was over. He could keep his excuses and all the baggage that came with them.

Instead, I focused on basketball.

Jake and Gary came over almost every afternoon after my workouts. We'd watch movies, play Mario Kart on my Nintendo, and spend hours arguing over who cheated.

For once, life felt...light.

No boys.

No drama.

Just basketball and my friends.

It was amazing.

This summer looked nothing like the last one.

Instead of spending two weeks in Baltimore, Tucker High was heading to the University of Virginia for an entire week of basketball camp. Every player in the program—from JV to Varsity—was required to attend.

Jim and I reported to school at four in the morning.

Four.

In.

The.

Morning.

Perfection simply doesn't exist before sunrise.

My hair was piled into a messy bun, I wore oversized sweatpants and a hoodie, and I wasn't apologizing for any of it.

By eight o'clock we'd already be checking into camp and beginning our first sessions.

Coach loaded us onto buses by team, but because of the numbers, the JV girls ended up riding with the Varsity boys.

Lucky us.

I claimed a window seat, shoved my headphones in, and prepared to sleep the entire trip.

A warm coffee suddenly appeared in front of my face.

Phillip.

Far too cheerful for this hour.

I narrowed my eyes.

He laughed, gently tugging one earbud from my ear.

"Good morning, Sunshine."

I responded with what was probably my best death stare.

He grinned wider.

"Would you like to use me as a pillow?"

Without another word, he slid into the seat beside me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

Honestly...

It sounded more comfortable than the bus window.

I rested my head against his chest, listening to music while his heartbeat settled into a steady rhythm beneath my cheek.

I was asleep within minutes.

"Tia."

A gentle shake stirred me awake.

Sunlight streamed through the windows.

We had arrived.

Phillip handed me another cup of coffee.

"Morning."

I accepted it gratefully.

"I needed that sleep. Thank you."