For The Love Of The Game

LACEY'S POV

Lacey turned her lights off as she pulled into the parking lot by the basketball court. She cold see Aaron shooting around. He was all by himself. Lacey took a deep breath before opening her door and climbing out of her car. She walked over to the bench and changed into her tennis shoes. Aaron didn't say anything to her, he just kept shooting. When Lacey had finished putting her shoes on she walked over and started rebounding the ball for him. She watched as Aaron shot 3 pointers. She had never seen his shot so off before. Everytime he shot it it would bounce off the rim. After he missed another one Aaron let out a frustrated groan. Lacey took the ball and dribbled out to him.

"Your form is wrong," she told him.

"What are you talking about?"

Lacey held the ball up like she was going to shoot it. "Watch me shoot it." She shot the 3 pointer and it swished through the hoop. She went and got it. "Now I'll shoot it like you." After she shot it and missed it she turned to look at Aaron. "Do you see what's off?"

She could see Aaron concentrating. He finally shook his head. "Here you take the ball and do everything you normally would before you shoot but stop just before you let the ball go."

Aaron took it and did what she asked. "Ok stop. Freeze." Lacey walked up to him and grabbed his elbow. "You're sticking your elbow out way to much. It's messing with your shot. Keep it in and shot."

Lacey watched as Aaron did what she said and tried to shoot again. This time it went straight through the basket. She couldn't help but to smile.

"Thanks coach," Aaron said giving her a light smile. Lacey returned it but it felt awkward. Things weren't ok with her and Aaron, and they needed to sort this out. She had to find out what was going on between him and Lauren. After a few more shots, Aaron missed again and the ball rolled over to a nearby swingset. Aaron walked over to get it and Lacey followed. But instead of picking it up, Aaron sat down in one of the swings. Lacey walked over and sat down in the one beside him. She started to swing slowly back and forth. She was waiting for him to break the ice and start talking. She was starting to get impatient, and she was about to say something when Aaron finally started to talk.

"Lacey....we need to talk....about when happened the other night..."

Lacey knew it was coming. She couldn't avoid this subject for forever. But that didn't mean that she wanted to talk about it. "I know," she said. She felt Aaron look at her, but she just kept her eyes fixed on the ground.

"Look first of all I am NOT with Lauren," Aaron said still looking at Lacey. She couldn't help the relieved feeling that went through her. She looked up at Aaron waiting for him to continue.

"And I don't want to be either." he finished.

"Look Aaron if you want to be, that's fine. It's your choice. I really can't say anything. But why were you with her? Why did you blow me off to be with her? Why did you lie to me?" Lacey looked up at Aaron with pleading eyes. She only wanted the truth. Even if it did hurt.

Aaron seemed to search her eyes for a minute, before deciding that he could talk. "Well, at school the other day I found out about that rumor that was going around school." He paused, Lacey nodded for him to continue. "I talked to Nicole and she told me that she thought that Lauren had started it. So I went straight to Lauren. She told me that she had warned you and about going to the party with me. So I told her to take back the rumor. She agreed....but only under one circumstance."

Lacey looked up at Aaron confused. "And what was that one circumstance?"

Aaron took a deep breath. "That I go on a date with her, and that until I went on that date, that I didn't hang out with you." Aaron looked up at Lacey with guilty eyes.