Alley-Oops I Think I'm Falling in Love (With the Wrong Guy)

[39] Dark Lord of Hoops

I was an anomaly.

The boys permitted my dalliances, because of my time spent practicing alongside them over the summer. I occupied a space in the male hierarchy and the female one, and it was never more apparent than in situations like this.

"Alright! Let's get started!" The athletic director boomed, tucking his clipboard under his arm. "I'm going to try and make this quick. We just have a few announcements to make and then I'll hand the time over to Ronald."

I couldn't help but take stock of who was there and who was not. The main attraction seemed to be missing (surprise, surprise).

Taylor sat on the front row across from me. My green eyes flitted over him admiringly. If only I could break out of this friend zone...

As if he could feel me watching him, Taylor arched his back and twisted around, scanning the bleachers absentmindedly. Our eyes met and I quickly looked away, hoping he hadn't noticed.

Coach Cannon began outlining the rules for the coming season. It was a total snooze fest, so I couldn't help but notice the way Devonte's leg pressed into mine. He had plenty of room to spread out. Katie was eying it too.

I didn't know how to interpret it because the standard boy-girl rules of engagement didn't apply unilaterally to me.

Pick any dude in the room, and he had put a body on me more times than I could count. Basketball was a high contact sport, it came with the territory. Was Devonte sloppy with his knee placement because he kneed me every time he boxed me out for a rebound? Or was he flirting with me? Who could say?

As I stewed on it, Katie uncurled her finger and pointed at the man child skulking up the bleacher steps, heedless of the coaches' glares.

My stomach clenched.

This was not happening...

Katie started ramming her elbow into my side while she emitted a quiet, high-pitched, whimper. Devonte noticed too and I felt him tense.

Taylor crept along the top row. He paused when he arrived, noting Devonte's thigh jammed stubbornly into mine. Without skipping a beat, he weaseled his way between Katie and I. He draped his arm around both our shoulders and sat.

I gaped at him. It was the opposite of playing it cool, but I couldn't help it.

"Looks like we're going to be spending a lot more time together." He said, tilting his chin up to me. I swallowed hard.

Technically, we'd practice on adjacent courts and potentially have overlapping water breaks, but that was about it.

... I wasn't going to correct him though.

"You've been dodging me. You don't come over anymore." He said, his tone hanging, as if waiting for me to explain why.

My eyes flew to his, bulging. Surely, he knew exactly why I wasn't his best friend's fake secret girlfriend anymore.

Taylor had leaned in so close I could feel his breath trailing like autumn leaves scattering across my cheeks. My skin flushed and my eyes fluttered to the ground, his presence overpowering my senses, like when one tries to look directly at the sun.

Taylor knew the effect he had on women—on me—and he grinned, giving me a teasing squeeze. I rolled my shoulder blades to knock his hand off, but he didn't let go.