Books, Boys, and Basketball: Senior Year

MESSED UP

I follow Drew over to his house to spend the night with him as promised, but I can't shut off my mind long enough to get into our make out session. My thoughts keep drifting to the man in the hoodie and where I know him from. It still hasn't registered.

It isn't until Drew stops and hovers over me that I'm aware of how out of it I am. "Am I boring you?" He asks. His pride wounded and ego bruised.

"What? No, I'm sorry. I've just got a lot on my mind." I explain.

Sighing, he sits up and rakes his hands through his short curls. "If it bothers you that much, Sidney, go and be a martyr for your little friends," he cops an attitude, standing up to fasten his pants and leave. "Text me when I can have my girlfriend back."

"Don't. Drew, it's not like that," I follow him into the living room where Scott and Patrice are in full make out mode.

"What is it then? What's so important that you can't focus for five seconds on what's happening between us?"

Note to self, lack of intimacy makes Drew very cranky...

I know this is one thousand percent about being denied what he feels should readily be available to him, more than anything else.

Cave man much...?

It's also a blow to his manhood and his pride, and that's on me for losing focus, but now I need to fix this before he turns spiteful. Although, I can't tell him what I suspect until I know for sure. Worrying him unnecessarily is just as bad. And then there's the fact that he just might dump me over this.

"It's Bill," I blurt, out. "My... my stepdad. No one has heard from him."

"So?"

"Grams is worried, and I know we've had our differences, but so am I."

Drew has a soft spot for my Grams and she for him. His anger subsides and he calms down. Thank God. "What about your mom?"

"I don't talk to my mom, but according to Grams she hasn't heard from him either."

"Maybe you should talk to your dad. If I disappeared off the face of the earth my mom and Scott would be the two people in this world who'd know where to find me.

"True," I nod, impressed. He's actually giving me sound advice. "Thank you." Wrapping my arms around his waist, I rest my forehead on his chin. "I'm sorry if I ruined the mood."

"Well, the night's not over yet." He smirks.

"Please take that back into your room," Scott groans.

We look over to find him and Patrice watching us, irritated that we ruined the mood for them with our argument.

Drew and his brother exchange a few words as I playfully drag him back to his room, where I spend the rest of the night showing him just how sorry I am for almost ruining our night.

After showering and dressing the next morning, I leave my car at Drew's and we ride to school together. We both have a game tonight and we're getting our laptops for winning the scavenger hunt today. Patrice and Jason are keeping theirs, but the rest of us collectively decide to give ours to some of the less fortunate kids in school.

Principal Keaton thought it was an excellent idea and decided to make an entire assembly about it.

"Hey Drew," Vanessa slithers her way over to us.

Drew instinctively looks in her direction and she has all her goodies on display for him. True to the male he is, his eyes lower to exactly where she wants them to and then he quickly looks away.