Slight jealousy was clear in the look his boyfriend gave him from the side. “Why? Are basketball players more attractive to you than football players?”
Eli, Javier, and I, trying to get as close to the game as possible, sat near the court while the arena’s cold air blew. Since they’d never gone to a game and I often went solo, I invited the couple to join me.
Eli, with pursed lips, pinched Javier’s cheek similarly to how a grandmother would treat her grandchild. “You know I only have eyes for you, Javi.”
From behind, Javier received a forceful slap on his shoulder. Directly behind us sat his sister, Gabriela, and beside her was Elias’ brother, Easton. The two had tagged along for the game—Gabriela after pestering Javier about being bored at the house, and Easton after telling Eli he wanted to “meet hot chicks” and couldn’t do so effectively at home. According to him, girls only came to the games to scope out guys.
“You two are so cute!” she squealed.
“More like insufferable,” Easton grumbled. Noticing the pointed looks he was receiving, he raised his hands in defense. “It’s cute and all, but lovey-dovey shit makes me want to gag.”
With furrowed brows, Gabriela rolled her eyes at Easton, then crossed her legs and leaned in towards Javier and Eli. Easton then shrugged, clearly puzzled, while the others criticized his bluntness. I let them hash that out while my eyes scanned the shiny courts for the only reason I attended the game.
There he was, toned legs, eyes of concentration, and a smile that could knock me out from pure charm. River was perfectly positioned to shoot, having just received the pass. Knees bent, arms angled, he rose onto the balls of his feet and let the ball soar through the air toward the net.
Silence washed over the arena, save for the sound of my four companions bickering, who were anything but focused on the game. I gripped my seat as the ball bounced around the rim of the net.
And then it went in.
The crowd roared with cheers, and the athletes began a brief celebratory dance before locking in again. I watched River’s body jolt as Carson slapped him roughly on the back, as athletes do. River barely acknowledged it because his eyes were too busy looking over the crowd.
When his eyes finally locked with mine, his lips curled upward. The surrounding players had already resumed the game, but River took the time to make it known that he saw me by sending a wink my way.
My hand moved in an awkward wave, like the idiot I was. Beneath me, a girl was doing the same, her cheeks flushed pink with delight. I almost tapped her on the shoulder to let her know that wasn’tfor her.
Eli’s eyes darted from the court to me. “I saw that.”
A smile spread across my face. Gabriela, feeling out of the loop, took a closer look at me. Then, she gasped. “You’re wearing his jersey.”
I glanced down at the scarlet jersey that hung down to my ankles as I sat with my legs to my chest. Smack dab in the middle was a large number nine, outlined in black to let the number truly stand out. It matched the jersey of my best friend, who moved with ease on the court.
It was his wish, so I had to wear it. How good a person would I be if I denied him the wish he won fair and square?
I ignored the fact that I wanted to show off his number the way people show off a brand-new pair of designer sneakers. Of everyone here,Iwas the one with it on, and no one could take that away from me.
Our players maneuvered around the opposing team, maintaining a forceful dribble, which excited the crowd, prompting them to roar. Showing off, he leaned down and bounced the ball between his legs. A lean guy approached him, but #2 passed the ball to River just in time.
River knew it was coming before it even left his teammate’s hands, and he caught the ball effortlessly and then advanced toward the goal. March Madness qualification hinged on this game, so the stakes were high, and the other team being as strong as we were didn’t do us any favors. The score proved it—neck and neck, the other side up by three with only five seconds left.
With the clock bleeding out, River bent his knees and aimed for the net. The stadium hushed—or maybe it was just me holding my breath. Most likely that.
However, before he released the ball, a burly player collided with him. The players crashed to the ground, and a smack filled the air as the ball went out of bounds, causing me to jump to my feet and crane my neck over the crowd. River wasn’t small, but the dude outweighed him two to one.
The referee’s whistle shrieked as teammates rushed to help each other up. River brushed off his shoulder, his head held high. Though the way he ground his teeth together as he walked it off told me it wasn’t painless.
“They don’t always play that roughly, do they?” Eli asked, still slurping on the now-empty slushy.
Javier rubbed his chin. “I think it was an accident.”
“That was no accident,” Easton muttered. “Trust me, I know intentional aggressive playing when I see it. If you notice, the team’s been getting all kinds of fouls all game. They play dirty.”
“Of course you spotted it,” Gabriela said, her tone condescendingly sweet.
“Gabi,” her brother warned in a low tone. Though Easton was unfazed by her words, he merely shrugged.
Gabriela parted her lips to fire back another insult, but decided against it. “Anyway, at least River gets a free-throw out of it.”
Thinking back on it, the ref had blown the whistle more times than usual in this game. Our team had gotten many free throws, which I think suggested foul play. Maybe I’d understand better if I actually paid attention to the game, and not just River.
