Page 38 of 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Forty-Two

I snatch the tie from him and motion for him to bend. Wewere the same height—five nine—until his freshman year in high school. Overthat summer, he shot up in a growth spurt of more than five inches. He grew afew more to reach his current height of six feet, six inches.

“Why you wearing a tie anyway?” Iask, looping it deftly. How I know how to do this and he still doesn’t isbeyond me. “For dinner at the house?”

“We’re taking some pictures. Capturing the road to ourchampionship.” He frowns down at me, his smile flattening into a line. “You wearing that?”

I double check the fitted Gap jeansand cropped T-shirt that Mama says must be from Baby Gap it’s so short.

“I mean, yeah.” I angle a defiant look up at him. “What’swrong with it?”

“It’s slutty, and I don’t want myboys checking you out. We too close to the championship for me to be kicking ateammate’s ass.”

“It’s not slutty. Boys get on mynerves expecting us to dress like nuns because they get hard every time we wearclothes that show our shape. If your boys are disciplined enough to be in thatweight room at the crack of dawn and practice every day, they should be able tosee a little bit of ass fully covered by jeans without getting it up. And ifthey can’t? Not my problem.”

“I’m just saying I don’t want them getting no ideas.” Hisscowl deepens. “And I don’t want you getting any either.”

“Don’t worry ‘bout that. Your teammates are the boyest boys I ever met. I know them all except that newguy.”

“Don’t get any ideas about the new guy. Not that he’s thatnew. He’s been on the team all season.”

“He ain’t been to the house.”

“He’s kind of a loner.”

“Maybe he just doesn’t like you,” I offer sweetly.

He turns to the mirror and checks out my handiwork with thetie. “Everybody likes me.”

Arrogant, but accurate. The boy’s charisma rivals his jumpshot. Which makes him charming to everyone, but sometimes unbearable to hisyounger sister.

“What kind of name is Naz?” I ask. “Like Nas the rapper?”

“Pronounced the same, but short for Nazareth. Who namestheir kid that?”

“His mama, I guess,” I laugh, leaning against the dresserand watching as Cliff removes his wave cap and brushes his hair. “I think it’skind of sexy.”

“Tee, what’d I say?” Cliff shootsme a glare. “Stay away from my teammates—especially that one. He’s gunning formy spot.”

“Your spot? He’s a two-guard?”

“He plays the two or the three. He’s my backup, but CoachLipton ain’t taking my ass out ‘less he has to. Got good old Naz riding that bench,” he says withobvious satisfaction. “Scrub ass.”

“Sounds like you got beef with him.”

“Nah. Long as he stays in his place.”

“Which is where?”

“Outta my way and on that bench.”

“Well, you’re the star,” I say dryly. “Everyone stays out ofyour way, right?”

He narrows his eyes, brows lowering. “You beingsarcastic?”

“No. Derisive. See the big words my basic publicschool education taught me?”

He huffs out a laugh and hooks an elbow around my neck,pulling me in close. “You’ll be at the championship game, right? It’s beat upyou didn’t make at least one game this season.”

“Excuse me for having a life,” I say, my brows peaking athis nerve and self-centeredness.