AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Frankie’s TV glowed against the hallway where I stood, and I quietly shut his door before I walked over to pick it up.
Once my hand wrapped around the carton, the guy’s boot came up and kicked me in the forehead, sending me back onto the dirty, uncleaned floor. His chuckle danced in and out of my hearing, as bells sounded between my ears.
“Stupid prick,” he whispered, snatching the carton and lighting one up. I staggered to stand up, hearing his voice grow loud as I raced to Frankie’s room, shut the door, and shoved our only dresser in front of it.
He banged his fist loudly as I shoved Frankie into the closet. Frankie’s door began to split and I braced myself for impact, my small fingers curling into a fist.
“Maverick!”
Someone shook me into recognition. The distant sound of crying whirled around, my eyes opened to see Courtney bent down in front of me.
I’m still in her office.
It’d been the first time in a long time that an entire memory surfaced so clearly. I blinked slowly, pushing back tears as she stood and offered me a tissue. “Can you hear me?” she asked.
I opened my mouth but realized I’d been the one sobbing. “Yes,” I whispered, standing up. “I need to go. I have to go.”
Courtney rested her palm against my elbow. “We still have twenty minutes if you want to stay—,”
“No,” I barked.
She hugged her notepad. “I’ll be here if you need me.”
I raced from her office and into the hallway of the administration building where the counseling took place. My mind swirled and my lunch threatened the back of my throat. Even though I felt mad, something deep down felt relieved about the memory.
They’d always been there, in little slideshow fragments in my mind, but this felt like an entire episode. The hot leather of my pickup picked at my skin, and the rumble of my truck set my heart into gear as I drove to the fieldhouse.
After getting my work schedule, signing Frankie up and my counseling session, nothing sounded better than a home game to let out my frustrations.
***
Despite the Louisiana sun, and the hum of energy the fans gave off, I searched for her in the stands. I hadn’t asked if she would make it, or if she had any desire to come. She didn't attend high school, but I thought maybe things would be different now.
There was no way to dictate if she would come, so I tried to focus on the game, letting my wild go against our opponents and erase the frustration that lingered in the pit of my gut.
When the game ended, the cheerleaders raced toward the field. Most of them found their boyfriends, and others hung over any guy who would tolerate them, but I shoved my way toward the fieldhouse.
The guys lagged in one after the other. The stench of hot and sweaty men hung heavily in the air. Jordan slung his arm around my shoulder and squeezed me into his side. “Knock it off,” I said, shoving him out of the way.
“You were a beast out there tonight, Booker. Did someone finally get some—,”
I slammed my locker and glared at Jordan.Sometimes he doesn’t know when to shut up.“Ah, don’t get your panties in a twist, are you coming to the party tonight?”
“No,” I said.
Jordan tore off his shirt. “Ah, come on, everyone is going to be there—,”
“I have plans.”
Jordan leaned against the locker, tossing his jersey into the hamper in the far corner of the room. “So you get a taste and now you’re calling it quits on the partying. She must taste good.”
Someone’s laugh silenced me. “He’d know alright. Booker likes to go after someone else’s girl.”
I chuckled, unable to hold in my frustration, I turned and faced King on the other side of me. “She was never your girl, King, and if so, you need to work on your game, because it didn’t take her long to choose.”
King kicked my duffel across the room and stood toe-to-toe with me. “You think for one minute that I believe you didn’t have to persuade her? She hated you—,”
“Doesn’t look like it,” I said with a smile. “Why don’t you ask her if she hates me, King—,” I said, shoving his shoulder.
