I Don't Deserve Love: Alternate Ending

Chapter 11: Humming in the Night

Two weeks had gone by without any bullying attempts from Amber and her friends, which I knew was mainly due to the seemingly endless supply of basketball players that would pop up next to me at random points in the day. The team had apparently adopted me as their big sister/tutor. I had already held three study sessions for some of the academically struggling guys and Iris was more than happy with my new friendship with the boys. Kentin, on the other hand, mentioned several times that the boys were trying to 'steal' me away from him. He had become ridiculously clingy lately, no matter how much I tried to reassure him that we were still friends.

I sighed, sticking my thumbs in my jeans pockets. Today had been the first day I had dared to wear one of the short-sleeved shirts Auntie had bought me. It was a bright yellow with a drawing of three black and silver roses with sparkles and black specs throughout. It was very loud, something I would never have dreamed of wearing before, but I had been drawn to it the first time I saw it. To match the flamboyant shirt, I pulled my hair back with a black headband decorated with silver veins running through it and I quite liked the effect.

"Hey Sato, wait up!"

I turned around to see Dajan, Brandon, the tall brunette, and Troy, the only basketball boy that wasn't a giant, behind me. I smiled and waited for the boys to catch up. Dajan raised an eyebrow and let out a small grin as he walked up to me.

"Well, look at that. You're finally taking advantage of the second amendment," Dajan said with a mischievous sparkle in his dark eyes. I blinked and then let out a delighted laugh. Brandon joined in with me but Troy looked between us three with a confused expression.

"The second amendment is the right to bear arms," I explained amidst giggles to Troy before turning on Dajan. "That was a really funny nerd jerk, Dajan! I didn't know you had that in you," I said with a grin. Dajan gripped his heart playfully, acting as if I had wounded him.

"Ouch! You think I'm just a dumb jock?" he asked with a teasing frown. I couldn't help but giggle and Dajan grinned widely. "Honestly I've been waiting to use that one, Sato," he admitted with a small shrug.

I returned his smile and cocked my head to the side a little. The whole team called me by my last name and I didn't really get why, but I figured it was a sports thing.

"Hey, Sato, you busy after school?" Brandon asked as we all started walking towards school together.

"Well, I have some gardening club activities but nothing major. Why?"

"Mrs. Simmons is having another test!" he moaned. "We had one just last week!"

"Well, shouldn't that be a good thing? It'll all be new material that's fresh in your mind."

"But it's Biology! All those eukaryotes, prokaryotes, and multi-something-er-others... I can't keep them straight!" he exclaimed with a pout.

I had to stifle a giggle at the big guy's distress. I couldn't help but marvel at the fact that more than half of the basketball team boys were all over 6'3". I was pretty sure that was a statistical anomaly.

"I'll help you out, Brandon. It sounds like you need a new studying strategy. Are any of the other boys in the class?"

"Yah. Jason, Mark, and Troy all have it with me." I nodded, picturing the boys as he said them. It had taken me a while to match the faces to the names but I was pleased with how fast I had picked them up.

"Put me down on the list too." I looked up at Dajan in surprise. He rested his arm on my head which he seemed quite fond of doing. "Like you said, you'll be teaching them study strategy, not just biology. I could stand for a new strategy myself. Being the captain I want to set the example for my boys."