For The Love Of The Game

LACEY'S POV

Lacey looked at the clock on the wall. 2:50. Only five more minutes and she would be out for the weekend. She sighed. She had just finished taking a history test. It was easy, afterall history was her best subject. She put her head down and began to think. After her game the group had went to Ms. Anderson's for some ice cream. Ever since that night she had noticed that Aaron was acting different. He still talked to Lacey the same but there was a different tone to his voice. And when he smiled at her, it didn't hold the same happiness. She wondered what was wrong with him? She thought maybe she should ask him. The bell made her jump. She scooped up her things and headed out of the room. Practice had been cancelled for today so her and Tara had made plans to hang out after school. On her way to the parking lot she saw Korey.

"Hey! Korey!" she yelled to him. He spun around and a smile flashed across his face when he saw her.

"Hey Lace what's up?"

"Umm, I know this might sound kinda wierd but have you noticed anything wierd going on with Aaron lately?" Lacey felt awkward asking him, but he was Aaron's best friend. If anybody was going to know, it would be Korey.

"Not really. I mean, he's been a little quite the past few days, but that might have something to do with the fact that our first game is coming up."

"Oh ok. Thanks," Lacey gave him a small smile.

She started to walk towards her car. She noticed Aaron leaning against it like usual.

"I should start charging you for using my car as a leaning post." Lacey said giving him a smile. He returned it.

"So what are your plans for this weekend?" He cut right to the point.

"Nothing. I'm hanging out with Tara tonight but that is it. Why?"

"Well, Sunday my dad is going to bar-b-que and there are supposed to be some good college basketball games going on. I was going to see if maybe you'd like to come over and watch them with me? I'd have Korey and DJ over too. And you could bring whoever you wanted of course..."

Lacey noticed how he looked flustered. He was rambling. He had stopped looking at her face and was now more preoccupied with the ground. She thought it was cute. Why did he get so flustered and nervous when he asked her to do things? Couldn't he see that she'd never turn him down?

"I'd love to. And I'll invite Tara and Nicole."

"Great!" He had a huge smile on and Lacey saw that it was the one that she'd been missing lately. "I'll be there to pick you up at about 11."

"That early?!" Lacey didn't understand why he needed to come that early.

"Well yeah, we're gonna hang out before dinner too." He gave her a sly smile and then started to walk to his car. "Bye Lacey. See you Sunday." She watched him walk away and had to resist the urge to run after him. She climbed into her car and drove to Tara's. She knew that her and Nicole both would be psyched about Sunday.

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 "Nicole I really don't think that it matters," Lacey said for the millionth time on the phone.

"How can you say that?! Of course it matters! I have to look amazing."

Lacey rolled her eyes, glad Nicole couldn't see it. Nicole was having some major outfit problems. She couldn't decide what she wanted to wear and who did she call for advice? Lacey. Why, Lacey couldn't figure out. She never really gave much thought to what she wore anyway. She looked at the clock and it read 10:45. Only fifteen more minutes and Aaron would be there to pick her up. When she had told Tara and Nicole they would be going, their reactions were just like she'd thought. They were estatic! And from that moment on Nicole had been stressing about what to wear.