E fills up my mug and hands it to me before pulling out two wraps from the oven and handing one to Seb. “There’s more in the fridge for you guys to heat later.”
“That’s sweet of you, E. Thanks.”
Seb and E quickly scarf down the wraps, then leave for the game. Bay comes out shortly after in just shorts. Holy eight pack. How is that even possible? Bay is super cut. Not bulky, but more streamlined. It must be from all the diving. I look away and busy myself with my tea. “When do we have to leave for the game?” I ask Alex.
“Not for about 45 minutes,” he replies, grabbing the other wraps and placing them on the cookie sheet.
“Okay, I’m going to get ready then.” I take my tea and backpack into Seb and E’s room to wash up and get dressed after applying some cream to my legs. Heading back to the living room, I fold up my bedding and leave it at the end of the couch before sitting on the floor to stretch out my legs. I assume Alex and Bay are getting ready for the day since I don’t see them.
Alex comes out of his room as I’m pulling the wraps out of the oven, so I plate one for myself and two each for the guys. “Should I wake Nick?” I ask Alex.
“I can wake him up,” he offers. He goes over to the coffee machine, fills up a mug and takes it over to Nick, waving it near his nose. Nick’s hands come up and take the mug from Alex without even opening his eyes. Alex then joins me at the island and starts eating his wrap.
“That’s it, huh?” I ask, taking a second bite of the airy egg wrap. I’ve never had fluffier eggs in my life. E is truly gifted.
“Yes,” he smiles. “That is the easiest way to wake him. He will be conscious in a few minutes.” Bay comes out of his room dressed for the day and joins us. About 5 minutes later, Nick does indeed get up and heads for his room. I finish my wrap and put Nick’s in foil to stay warm for him. After helping Alex load the dishwasher, Nick joins us. I hand him his wraps as we leave for the game, all piling into Alex’s vehicle for the day.
It’s much less crowded this morning at the gym as we take our seats in the same section as yesterday, and I’m already wearing my jersey this morning. Troy joins us a few minutes later with donuts for everyone, just before the lights go out to announce the players. Ben takes a seat in front of me with his friends and turns around when the lights come back on. “Hi Summer. How are you?” Ben smiles with his creepy eyes.
“I’m good,” I reply, focusing on the court, hoping he gets the hint and leaves me alone. Nick leans forward, gesturing for Bay to switch seats with him. Nick sits as close as he can to me without touching me.
Ben glances at him, then turns back to me. “I didn’t know you were a basketball fan.”
This guy is pushy. Either oblivious or purposefully ignoring the surrounding vibe. I tilt my head and look down at him. “How would you know if I was a basketball fan? We don’t know each other,” I say, as I hear snickers behind me from Bay and Troy.
“I’m trying to get to know you,” he says, as he lifts his hand to touch my knee.
I immediately tense, but Nick grabs his hand before he makes contact.
“Don’t touch her,” Nick replies in a deceptively calm tone and pushes his hand away.
“What’s your problem, Bouras?” Ben laughs. “She’s not yours.” His friends snicker along with him, as if he’s so funny.
“I’m not yours either, Ben,” I state, getting irritated at his brashness.
“You will be,” he winks. I shudder as Nick growls. No thank you, and never. The guys move me in between Troy and Bay as Nick and Alex close the gap in front of me.
I glance up and see Seb and E watching us, a frown on Seb’s face while E’s brows are drawn together. They need to pay attention to what their coach is saying, not to us. I smile and wave to show I’m fine and motion for them to turn around.
The guys soon take to the court for the tipoff. The game starts at a fast pace, but our team quickly takes the lead. This team doesn’t seem to be of the same caliber as the one they played last night. After the first quarter, the coach replaces all the starters. The second string keeps us ahead by 10 at halftime. We watch the cheer team perform a different but just as impressive routine as yesterday. We win by 25 points, so Seb and E only needed to play a few minutes in the second half.
Seb, E, and Gabby all join us shortly afterwards. “How is your arm feeling?” I ask Seb as soon as they sit down.
“Not bad, Sunshine. It didn’t affect my playing. I’m telling you, it feels days old already. Was Ben bothering you?”
“Not really. He’s pushy,” I wave off his concern. The guys were here with me. “What time is your next game?”
“Not until 3pm,” Seb says. “Hey, what’s the plan until the next game?” He asks everyone. Nick is heading to martial arts for a few hours. Gabby is going to a friend’s house. Troy is checking in at work. E and Seb want to watch the next game, so Alex and Bay decide to stay with them. I decide to go with Troy to visit Zander. We all agree to meet up for lunch at the diner nearby.
Troy is driving one of Finn’s blacked out SUVs today. I hop into the passenger seat, and we head out. We talk about Seb’s visit with the wall yesterday and Gabby’s upcoming cheer competition.He asks about track and field and congratulates me on making the team.
I find Zander in his office when I arrive. “Hi Zander.”
“Hey Summer,” his eyes brighten when he sees me. “I didn’t expect to see you this morning.”
“The game is over, and Troy was coming here, so I thought I’d visit.” I flop into the chair facing his desk. There are papers strewn everywhere, along with several empty mugs and pens. Despite the mess, Zander looks rested and happy.
“Troy is here? That guy’s a workaholic,” he shakes his head. “How are the legs, and how was your night?” He leans back, arms lying on the armrests.
