Derek and Mark decided to go and play basketball at the park the next day, inviting some of t he guys from the football game as well. They got to the park a little early in order to spend some time playing one on one. Mark had not told Derek about his run in with Meredith, there was nothing to tell and he'd like to think that in the grand scheme of the things he had helped Derek out- there was no need to gloat and tell him that. Mark was a true friend in that sense. They were shooting some warm ups as they tried to one up each other before the others arrived.
Derek hit the rim of the hoop and missed as it bounced off, he tossed the ball to Mark who easily made it into the basket, the height difference between him and Derek was working in his favor.
Derek bounced the ball after Mark had passed it back to him, "I asked Meredith out." Derek said matter of factly.
Mark smiled, he was proud of Derek, "Finally taking my advice?"
Derek shook his head, "Trying to," Derek said, adding to Mark's sarcasm.
"So," Mark said as he stole the ball from Derek and dunked it, "Where the heck are you taking her?"
Derek half shrugged, as Mark dribbled the ball in front of him. "Not sure yet, we're going next week sometime. I have a little time to think."
"Good, don't screw it up," Mark said jokingly.
"So who'd you invite?" Derek asked Mark, changing the subject.
"Riley and Weiss," Mark said as he threw Derek the ball, Derek made a free throw and scored.
Derek nodded, crap, he thought. Does Riley still think he can ask Meredith out? Derek asked himself as he saw Weiss and Riley approaching the courts.
"You're late," Mark joked to Weiss.
Weiss smiled, "It's summer, you're supposed to wake up at noon. You're lucky I answered the phone," he joked.
Riley gave Derek the ubiquitous male nod, that said, hey, without actually uttering the words, Derek returned the favor.
Mark tossed the ball to Weiss, "You ladies against us?" he asked, poking fun at them.
Weiss dribbled the ball, "Don't cry when we hand you your asses," Weiss said as he threw a three pointer, easily making it.
Derek looked at Mark, Mark raised his eyebrows.
The game started slow, it wasn't meant to be taken seriously, they agreed that it would be casual. The first team to thirty points would win. Derek tried shooting for baskets but Riley would be on him quickly, body checking him periodically. Derek never called a foul; he fumed on the inside quietly.
Mark and Weiss were off in their own world as well as the aggressively covered each other on the court; the score was tied, each team matching the other's baskets.
Riley threw Derek the ball, 'checking' it as Derek was prepared to throw it back to him.
Riley out maneuvered Derek as he made a basket, Mark busy covering Weiss, Riley grabbed the ball as he headed outside of the lines. "Man your lacking today. You sure nothing's bothering you?"
Riley bounced the ball to Derek. "Meredith," was all he got out, he was out of breath from chasing Riley around. He was descent in basketball but not today
Mark stood next to Weiss, ready for them to check the ball to each other.
"What about her?" Riley asked.
Derek stood up straight, "I know I said it's okay if you date her but it's not," Derek said as he put the ball against his hip, waiting for Riley's response.
Riley laughed, "Shut up," he said, thinking Derek was kidding.
"I'm serious," Derek said as Weiss and Mark stopped trying to block each other and started to listen to the conversation.
"Check," Riley said to Derek, asking him to toss the ball back to him.
Derek launched at his chest, nearly knocking the air out of him. Riley stepped back, his jaw tightening; this was the part where he was supposed to bring the ball in bounds and try to score but he couldn't bring himself to do so. Riley threw the basketball back with the same force, "No," he said simply in response.
Mark straightened up next to Weiss, ready to intervene.
"What?" Derek asked, 'no' was not the response he was looking for.
Riley shrugged, "You said you were friends, back off," Riley said as he walked closer to Derek. Derek's hands were red from the force of the ball before.
"She and I are going out, you back off."
Riley shook his head, "You're an ass, Derek," Riley said as he knocked the ball out of his hands and scored.
Mark and Weiss stood in the same place as they were before, looking at each other and then back and Derek and Riley, ready to see the ensuing fight.
"What the fuck kind of game are they playing?" Weiss whispered to Mark.
Mark shrugged, "I don't know," he mouthed back.
Derek tightened his jaw as he threw the ball to the side and shoved Riley.
Riley shoved him back. "What the hell is your problem?" Riley asked, yelling.
Mark jumped in the middle of it, pushing Riley and Derek away from each other, Weiss joining him as he pushed Riley to the side. Mark stared straight at Derek, "Was that necessary?" he asked in all seriousness.
Derek shrugged.
"What the hell Derek?" Mark asked,
"I don't know," Derek answered,
Riley looked over at Mark, "He lunged at me, over Meredith," he said, Weiss standing in his path for Derek's safety.
"Who the hell is Meredith?" Weiss asked.
"Football game," Derek said trying to make Weiss remember. Weiss wasn't a good student, he was a good athlete and good at getting concussions, Derek thought.
"Oh, she's a beauty," Weiss said to Derek.
"Not you too, everyone SHUT UP!!" Mark yelled.
Derek let out a deep breath and Riley shook his head, neither of them happy with each other.
Boys will be boys
Hiding in estrogen and boys will be boys
Boys will be boys
Hiding in estrogen and wearing Aubergine dreams
::::
Work sucked tonight. Nothing went right. I broke a wine glass in the middle of the dining room, cracked a wine bottle's top as I was opening it. Someone dropped a plate of food and after it was mopped it, I fell on the slippery tile with a waiting room full of people to watch me and gasp. It was bad. Blah…just one of those days.