Books, Boys, and Basketball: Junior Year

FIGHT BACK

The following week, when none of my family shows up to my game, the wound in my heart deepens. We win the game, but every minute is a struggle for me. My gut tells me my dad is keeping them from me out of spite, but the hopeful me keeps telling myself they're just busy. They'll eventually show up, and they wouldn't abandon me like this.

Would they?

Another week passes with my family missing from the bleachers, not present to cheer me on. While other players run into the waiting arms of proud parents and siblings, I do the walk of shame to the girl's locker room with tears pouring down my face.

The emptiness of the locker room does nothing to assuage my loneliness. And I'm definitely ALONE. The only people here for me now are Grams, Drew, and Quincy. Patrice comes around whenever she wants to crush on Scott, but she mostly hangs out with Nicole.

She's been pulling away from me lately, and I feel like I did or said something that made her mad at me. I swear there's been a few times where she and Nicole have been talking about me behind my back.

Or I could just be paranoid.

A third week passes, and by this time I've given up all hope my family is busy. They aren't here because they don't want to be. And if their absence during my games isn't proof enough, Em always showing up AFTER my game is over to cheer for Xerxes is.

She's making it clear where she stands. They all are. Well... everyone except Josh who is away at College.

Drew suggests calling my mom to try talking to her, but she's not answering my calls. She's forwarding me to voicemail.

I'd given up hope when she sends Grams a message saying she wants to talk. She's coming over to Grams's after the game tonight. And I have just enough time to hang out with my friends at Tops Yogurt, before going home for our come to Jesus moment.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Drew asks.

"No. The last thing I need is for my mom to see you pull up to my Grams' house."

"I could do it. I mean, I live like two blocks away and it's not like it'll be much of a surprise to her," Quincy volunteers.

Drew stares at Quincy like he's crazy. "You keep pushing up on Sidney and I'm gonna start taking it personally."

"You're not even dating her," Quincy laughs, flabbergasted. "She's like a damn elf on a shelf waiting for you to take her down."

"And I plan to, but that doesn't mean I want you sniffing around her like a dog with that pink thing hanging out."

While Drew and Quincy bicker like an old married couple over me, I search for Em. She left with Xerxes a half hour ago and hasn't returned yet. Every time we come to Tops after a game, they disappear.

At first, I thought it was because she wants nothing to do with me and doesn't want to be around me. But now I'm wondering if maybe it's something else.

Xerxes' car is parked at the far end of the lot. When I don't find them in any of the other shops, I head over to his car. When I get ten feet away from it, I stop, eyes wide and mouth agape. The windows are fogged up, but I can see Em's silhouette. She's riding Xerxes in the backseat, and his car is swaying with the motion. Her hand is pressed against the back window and I've seen enough. I quickly walk away as Em wipes the window with her hand. Her eyes widening when she sees me.

We're sisters who grew up in the same house where we often have to share a bathroom until they all decided I was too messy to share a bathroom with. So, I've seen her naked before, but somehow, seeing her and knowing what she's doing is something I just can't handle.