“I think so too.” He knew it must’ve been a surprise but he was confident moving into this new chapter of his life because it meant he got to be with his friends.
“Well then, we’ve got a lot of stuff to do,” his dad, Anthony, said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Matching jerseys. Face paint. We have to show everyone that the Keys family doesn’t mess around. Heck, I’ll even practice basketball with you.”
“Honey, you have no business on a basketball court.” His mom quickly intervened. “Leave that to Reece’s friends.”
“What? I’ve tossed a ball around back in the day,” his dad weakly protested with a frown.
Vivian shook her head and looked at her husband sympathetically. “Anthony, I love you, but you’ve got absolutely no athletic ability.”
Reece and his sisters laughed while their dad merely shrugged it off in good humor.
In order to get ready for tryouts, Reece was in Declan’s backyard every day after school and sometimes they went to the park. Nick made sure to focus on developing Reece’s strengths and covering his weaknesses. While anyone could play basketball, it was no secret that he would have a lot of challenges as an inexperienced player, but Nick pointed out that he was a quick learner. He would be able to hold his own and going against more experienced players like Nick and Declan helped him grow rapidly. Despite all the preparation and lessons, Reece couldn’t stop himself from feeling anxious when the day for tryouts finally arrived.
“Stop looking so nervous,” Nick said when they were in the gym awaiting the coach’s instructions. He squeezed Reece’s shoulder. “You learned from the best, remember.”
Then he winked at Reece and his face erupted with warmth.
“Don’t take all the credit, Nick,” Declan said, throwing an arm around Nick’s shoulder, the two of them elbowing each other and laughing as they wrestled around.
“I still have a lot to learn,” Reece said, distracting them, “but if I can keep playing with you guys, I’ll catch up to you in no time!”
And he almost did. After making the team and experiencing his first season of basketball during his final year of middle school, Reece felt more confident in his playing. He wasn’t on their level, not even close, but he wasn’t being left behind either. He found his own strengths and weaknesses and studied theirs constantly.
Nick was already known as a monster scorer, dominating every game with record-breaking shots. Declan was their powerhouse center who was already viral for his dunkshots. People were always talking about them and Reece knew he was lucky to have them dedicating so much time to helping him better his game. Playing with them all the time was his greatest asset. They were bigger and stronger and fast—but Reece was faster. He got faster every day and it made him near invincible by their sides, right where he hoped to be forever.
That feeling only intensified the closer Reece got to them, Nick especially.
2
Chapter 2 – Nick
Middle school was a turning point for Nick. When most of his time was spent playing with his friends, and basketball was becoming more fun than it had ever been. And it had always been fun. But everything was suddenly starting to feel more real in his life. His body was growing and developing, allowing him to do more, to do better, and gain the skills needed to make his dream of going pro come true. Declan was his biggest annoyance and asset. They were constantly competing and pushing each other, climbing higher and becoming proper rivals. Then there was Reece.
Nick always played it cool around him, but he was all kinds of messed up when they were together. Of course, Reece was great to play against. He had a talent for basketball just like they did, but what really got Nick was everything that happened off the court. Reece was always so playful and happy and he was alwaysteasing Nick in a way nobody else did. Declan might’ve been his biggest enabler too. An instigator even.
At Declan’s birthday party, he had everyone playing this ridiculous game of spin the bottle, which Nick wanted no part of. The idea of getting locked in Declan’s closet with anybody for seven seconds, much less seven minutes, had him sitting on the floor with his nose wrinkled up. Every time someone took a spin, Nick glared at the bottle, daring it to land on him. Thankfully, it never did. But then he had to take his turn, only doing it because Declan was so thrilled about the whole game. And then the bottle landed on Reece.
The way Declan started jumping around his bedroom, throwing his arms around, hollering out cheers, had Nick feeling as if he’d been hoping for this all along. Nick felt as if all the blood in his body was draining, limbs tingling as he stood up, Reece hopping up silently to follow him.
In the closet, Nick stared down at Reece’s flushed face, his downcast eyes. He watched Reece tuck his silky blond hair behind his ear and fidget about, his own heart racing. Nick swallowed, clenching his fists at his sides because he didn’t understand why he wasn’t nervous or put off—why he was actuallyexcited.
Each second that ticked by with Nick watching Reece squirm only fueled his growing excitement. Seven minutes was a long time. Long enough for him to think and imagine all the ways this could go, but Nick didn’t want Reece to feel forced into anything, regardless of his own feelings.
“We don’t have to do shit,” Nick said, holding both hands up to placate Reece.
Reece’s blue eyes locked on Nick’s, and as if everything he was mulling over in his head suddenly didn’t matter anymore, he said smoothly, “We can do whatever we want.”
It came off like he was telling Nick he was down for whatever, something about the way he said it and the way he looked at Nick changed him—like a new part of him was unleashed.
“So… what do you want to do then?”
Reece tilted his head, eyes still on Nick’s, but now peeking from the corners cutely. “What do you want to do?”
Nick wanted to kiss him. “I dunno… You ever kissed anyone before?”
Reece hesitated, thinking it over before he answered honestly. “No… Never.”
Then Nick swallowed and said, “Me either.”
