The Way We Get By

12 // Angel

"Good practice guys, bring it in," Coach Earl calls as we create a huddle of sweaty bodies around him.

He runs over our upcoming games and the things we need to improve on, Sean and I listening as we wipe the sweat from our foreheads.

"...but I like what I see, boys! Keep your head in the game and we got this season in the bag! On three—one! Two! Three!"

"Westpoint!"

The basketball team shouts our school's name in unison before our huddle begins to dissipate. Sean and I jog over to the side of the gym where our bags are as we nod silent goodbyes to our teammates.

I bend down to pick up my gym bag and backpack, although the first thing Sean does is grab his phone. I watch as he looks his screen, and a huge smile appears across his face as he reads something.

"What the hell are you smiling at?" I question while adjusting the strap of my duffel over my shoulder. "You look like a damn idiot."

As if he forgot I was watching him, he snaps his head up. I swear I see him blush, although the red in his face could be from the past two and a half hours that we've spent in this stifling hot gym.

"'Nothin'."

"Bullshit."

He bends down to grab his bags, his light brown hair flopping over his damp forehead as he collects his things.

"You got a girlfriend I don't know about?" I tease.

I turn towards the gym doors with Sean in tow.

"What's it to you?" he breathes.

"So you do!"

Again, he just sighs and gets annoyed.

"I might."

"Oooh," I singsong as we push open the gym doors and enter the quiet, dimly lit hallway. "So who is she? Do I know her?"

Sean chuckles and nods a goodbye at some of our teammates as we walk through the mostly empty hallway.

"You might," he says with a dismissive shrug. "But I'm not telling who it is."

"Really?" I deadpan as we reach the main entrance, stopping briefly in front of the heavy glass doors.

"Oh! Mom's here, gotta go."

Sean dips out without another word and leaves me to stand by the door in search for my mom. I watch as my other teammates leave, some of them driving themselves or getting picked up by rides that are actually on time.

I'd usually just walk home, although now that it's winter and it gets darker faster, my mom refuses to let me walk in the dark. But even so, it's not like her to be late.

I lean back against the door, glancing periodically behind me to see if she's arrived. She's still nowhere in sight, and after a good five minutes have passed and many of my teammates have left, I find myself slowly zoning out. 

Alex has been on my mind a lot lately, which is especially strange considering I don't usually care about what's going on with him. Of course I care about him, but his business is his business.

However, I have to admit, I'm worried about him.

Him and Jason aren't talking to each other anymore for some unknown reason. They just walk by each other like they haven't been friends since elementary school and it's the weirdest thing ever.

And I know, as his brother, I'm constantly teasing him and giving him shit. But he's been acting out of character since last week when Mom and Dad went through his phone, and I can't help but get a little bit concerned.