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Chapter Twenty Three
Jace & Marisol
Our dad attends our practice today, which is surprising, since he hasn’t been to one in a while. Jasmine’s working extra hard in the upper gym where he sits to watch. He’s always in the same place?the bleachers in the top gym?over to the side, so he can peer down and watch mine as well. If I’m being completely honest, I enjoy having him here. I just know better than to dream like a little boy about it. He works excessively and these surprise drop-ins are occurring less and less.
Practice is winding down around the same time as Jasmine’s, which is good because I’ll need to catch a ride home. My car’s in the shop getting a tune-up. I can’t wait to hear her purr lovingly underneath me in appreciation when I get her back. I’ve got it almost as bad for my car as I do for my girl.
“What the hell are you grinning like a girl about, Heartly?” Coach yells for me to get my head back in the game. “Get your ass back over here.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Twisting, dipping, and spinning, tossing baskets in left and right, making the court my bitch, is when I glimpse my girl.
Coach calls us over after the last snap of the net and is yapping about the game this weekend, but Marisol’s like a magnet, dragging my eyes back to her, and tuning out the instructions I’ll no doubt need to remember.
Jasmine’s standing next to her, chatting with our dad, and gesturing with her hands. He nods at whatever she says and walks out the front door while answering his phone.
Heading in their direction, Jasmine turns around just in time for me to drape a sticky arm over her shoulder and tug her close, guaranteeing sweat slides across her bare skin. She grins and bares it, knowing the punishment of retaliation will be worse, but I’ll need to watch my back, knowing she’ll come for me when I least expect it.
“Hey, Marisol,” I say in a sing-song tone I know Jasmine will pick up on. Fuck waiting for the weekend. I want my sister to know now, to scream and have it echo throughout the gym, so every person in this school knows she’s mine.
The goal is accomplished when Jaz cocks her head with a curious expression, then glancing to Marisol as her face lights like a light bulb right in front of us.
“Hey, Jace,” her caramel skins turns rosy from embarrassment, realizing what I’ve just done.
When my sister quickly puzzles it out, her eyes go round with disbelief, glancing back and forth between us. There’s a moment of tense silence, each of us waiting for the other to react. Finally, she gives Marisol a playful glare and a smile, a silent conversation occurring right in front of me. It’s surreal to witness from the outside because Jaz and I do the same thing.
Instead of getting into a conversation here, “I’ll see you tonight.” Jasmine promises Marisol.
I wink at Marisol before turning with my sister to walk towards the parking lot.
“So…” Jasmine begins two feet out the door.
A goofy smile covers my face. “I was wondering when you’d notice.”
“How long has this been going on?” She asks accusingly, sounding more hurt than I’d intended.
“A few weeks, but Marisol doesn’t want to ‘title’ us. She’s worried that us being together will upset you. She wanted to tell you and swore me to secrecy. Believe me, it’s ridiculously hard to keep secrets from you.”
“Of course I’m not mad.” She says the words, but the pinch of her eyes relays the hurt she’s trying to hide. “I think it’s great, as long as you’re good to her, and you don’t treat her like one of your groupies…” She gestures to the girls waving as we walk by.
“I think we both know that Marisol is nothing like them, and I can’t imagine ever treating her with anything but the respect she deserves. Trust me.”
“Good,” she says as we reach dad’s maroon Chevy Malibu, where I armbar her from the front, and claim shotgun.
“Hey, Dad.” We say in unison.
“Hey, kids. You both looked good at practice tonight,” he grins and pulls out of the school lot.
“Good.” We both say in unison… again.
We drive a few minutes in silence before dad speaks again. “Jasmine, honey, your mom has had a bit of a rough day, so would you mind making dinner tonight?” In reality, he means that she’s too drunk and can barely function.
“Sure,” she agrees, excited, the smell of roast beef and potatoes somehow lingering in the air. “What do you feel like eating?”
Once we figure out what we want, dad runs us by the store to grab ingredients before heading home. We’re only a couple of blocks away from the house when my dad glances in his rearview mirror to smile at Jasmine. That small glimpse blinds him to the car that’s careening toward us.
~~~~~
