Tomorrow will be a week since my parents left. It will also be the day they are coming back. It will also be the day the rest of the school applauds us or gives the cold shoulder. Today is the semi finals.
In the morning I carefully place everything for the game in my basketball bag. When my fingers wrap around my phone the call last night floods back, along with the memories of the mall. I lower myself into the chair until the nauseous feeling leaves. I have until this afternoon to get Jacob out of my mind. I know if I am distracted during the game I will certainly fumble or worse.
With a deep breath I roll back my shoulders and step onto the landing. In the kitchen I pour a heaping bowl of cereal, butter a slice of toast, peel an orange and reach for a banana before Bree stops me.
"You don't need that much food, do you? Lunch will be in, like, five hours."
I shrug and take a bit of the banana. "Just nervous, I guess."
"About Jacob? Come on, Audrey, he won't be at school, I promise."
"That and the game. I know we can beat them but if we lose everyone is counting on us to win a state title for the school. The last title won by a girl team was seven years ago by cheerleading. Is cheer even a sport?" I add as an afterthought.
Bree ponders this with me. "I think so." With perfect timing—as always—Chase steps out of the elevator. "Hey, Walking Dictionary, look up the definition of 'sport'."
He huffs but does so anyways. "Sport: a pastime; to frolic or play; a game or physical activity pursued for recreational or entertaining reasons. Is that good enough?"
"So I suppose cheerleading is a sport," I conclude, "Thanks, Chase."
"You are welcome, Audrey, not Bree." They share a moment of rude faces at one another. "By the way, all of us can make your game. Tasha is going to be there to interview the winning coach and film the game for her news broadcast. Can't wait to see you kick some butt," he grins walking out. Bree raises an eyebrow and smirks but I couldn't care less. Chase will be at the game to watch me. This day is going to be terrific.
Throughout the day people call positive words and good luck wishes to the team members. I smile back, letting all of it pump me up. After fifth period I am trading out books from the locker when Trent leans against the lockers beside mine. "So, Audrey, I can't wait to see you play tonight."
"Thanks," I try to get away but he obviously can't take a hint and saunters down the hall beside me.
"How about tacos afterwards? Well, no, because I get sorta gassy after taco Tuesday," he rubs his stomach subconsciously. "Burritos would be better, right?"
"Uh, no, I have plans already."
"Oh, come on, Audrey! Stop playing this game already! I know that you know that I know you want some of the Trent Monster," he waggles his eyebrows and sticks his tongue out the corner of his mouth. Is that supposed to be attractive?
"No, bye, Trent," I hurry into world history before he can say anything else stupid. What a weirdo.
The day flashes past faster than Bree can run. After last period our team changes and shoots around before it is time to stretch. Seeing the other team, my stomach clenches. They have several big girls that will make it just about impossible to shoot over. I blink and before I am prepared I am on the court waiting for the tip off to begin the game. Glancing into the stands I see the Davenport family. Bree gives thumbs up, Chase waves, Leo and Adam pause in their struggle over a box of candy to wave.
I tip the ball backwards to the point guard, who immediately sets up a play. I catch the ball and drive hard to the basket to make the first points. Then the other team makes a basket. Through the first half it goes back-and-forth like that, us scoring and then them scoring. The endurance that came with the bionics helps me keep up and down the court, though I do tire. During half-time, Coach talks in urgent tones and the pressure only builds. I drip water on my face. This is it.
When we walk back on my heart sinks to see the person I am guarding. Number 55 stands at nearly six feet, built like a whale, and has calves larger than my biceps. As much as I try, she is no match for me while on defense. Every pass they give me is swatted away by her meaty hands; someone from the opposing team is always there to pick it up and score on a fast break.
"Timeout, thirty!" Coach yells at the referee. "Get over here! Audrey, you can't score on her, get that through your head! She has fouls to give, so let her give them. Not only will it put us in bonus, but she can foul out, too. Now get out there, kid!"
This time I have a plan. After we score, they lob the ball down court to number 55, as the play they have run on us earlier. I hustle ahead and stand in her path, feet firmly planted. With each dribble of the ball my heart beats; every pounding step she takes rattles my teeth. This is where I will die, I think as the whale girl barrels upon me. I let the impact push me backwards. I slide hard into the wall and watch as the basket she just made isn't counted by the refs. They call a charge. That is her fourth foul and it puts us into a double bonus situation. Easily I sink the baskets.
We have a spark of energy and after that, the game is practically over. At the final buzzer the scoreboard reads 61-58. We are going to the championships! When I shake hands with 55, she gives a sharp nod, not meeting my eyes.
The locker room is chaos with everyone jumping on one another and screaming. Coach talks about pros and cons of the game and leaves us to change. I am on cloud 9 right now. After changing I grab my bag and head out. The stands are emptying out and I find the Davenports waiting to congratulate me. As we walk out I remember my homework is still in my locker.
"You guys go on, I'll get a ride back," I tell them.
"No I can wait. I'm driving the second car, anyways," Chase says. That seems good enough for the others, who agree to meet us back at the house later. Chase walks with me down the deserted hallways that now look so different.
"That was a pretty hard fall. I honestly thought she was going to step on you and break your ribs or something."
"I thought I was going to die. Can you see it on the headline of the paper: Girl Taking Charge Dies in Basketball Game?" We both laugh, listening as it bounces off the empty floors. I gather the assignment from my locker and click the lock shut.
"Yep, then I would cry for days if you died." The casual joke makes my heart flutter involuntarily.
"You know, there's something I can't get my head around," I begin, "why don't you guys do any sports? Even without your bionics, all of you are in really good shape."
Chase shrugs, "its something Mr. Davenport never permitted. There's too much of a risk of us loosing control and glitching or getting hurt. Then how would we explain that?"
"I guess so. Besides, now that I think of it, you would not fit into any of the sport groups; the football jocks already make fun of you, baseball would never let you in, and I difinetly don't see you as a wrestler. So maybe by not letting you do sports, Mr. Davenport was saving you from humiliation," I grin devishly in a dare. He narrows his eyes and reaches for me. I duck under his arms. Chase tries grabbing for me again and I dash down the hall, squealing like a five-year-old. As he nears I take off down the south hall, calling over my shoulder, "catch me if you can!"
"Oh, I will!" he answers. Grabbing the wall I skid around the corner, his footfalls loud behind me. The halls all return to the main entry but I keep on this track, not worried. The main entrance is as empty as before. I hide behind the wall and peek one eye around the corner.
"Rah!" Someone grabs me around the waist and pulls me backward. For a terrifying moment the school dissapears and is replaced by peeling walls covered in grafitti. Support beams that creak under the weight of the structure. Dimly lit room with broken windows covered in layers of grime and dust.
I try to run away. A large pair of hands encircle my waist and pick me up, screaming and writhing. I have never felt so afraid and helpless. Twisitng around I see who my captor is. I bite back a sob and spit out some vile words I have never said before in my life. He takes a step forward and the other half dozen accompanying him close in.
Jacob runs a hand down my arm. I push him away and try taking a step back. The person behind shoves me forward into Jacob's arms. I pray with the tears leaking from my eyes. I have little chance of escaping. As much as I struggle, their force overpowers me. Kicking, screaming, biting, clawing have no effect. A handgun stuck in Jacob's waistband brings a relization: I may not go home alive.
"Audrey, calm down!" The building fades to Chase staring at me wide eyed. I turn away from him and press the palms of my hands to my eyes. The uncontrollable shaking begins and I lean my face into the wall. The pounding of my heart is too intense, the flashback too vivid. "Hey, I'm sorry for scaring you like that. I- Audrey?" He cuts himself off. I shake my head and wave a hand in his direction.
"Everything's fine. It wasn't you." I would be embarrased for Chase to see me cry if I was not as riled up. How quickly the feeling of victory can be replaced by something else.
"No, apparently I did something."
I have no idea how to explain it all to him. As smart as he is, would he ever understand? Before I know it the words come tumbling out and I have no chance in stopping them. Chase says nothing as I pour out all my frustration, fear, worry. I tell how Jacob acted in the beginning and his gradual change. When he threatened me on multiple occasions. How he got payback. I say how he found me again the other day and I'm afraid something will happen.
During the whole time I keep my back to him, not wanting to see the pity in his face. I count the seconds that pass silently after I finish. When two minutes slip by I swallow hard and struggle to keep the body-racking sobs in. Why did I need to say any of that to him in the first place?
I flinch when Chase places a hand on my shoulder. He turns me around and holds me at arms length. Any pity or disgust I expected is not present. What is present is something I cannot place. He runs a thumb under my eyes; this action lodges another fit of crying in my throat.
"Why are you doing this?" I sob.
"I thought it was pretty obvious," he replies. I shake my head.
Perhaps it is due to the adreniline still in my veins. Maybe it is the boldness from winning the game. Perhaps with everything happening in my life I need to feel in control of something. Most likely I am going insane. But whatever it is I can't help it: I reach up and place a kiss on his lips.
Chase pulls back after half a second. My heart drops and shatters at the pit of my stomach. If I hadn't scared him before with my confession, this most certainly had. I look away with new tears brimming my eyes. What were you doing?! I internally scream at myself.
He stammers over his words. "Was that a…did you just… with me?" He clears his throat but as I start pulling away his grip tightens. "That was not how I imagined it at all." I turn back confused to find a crooked smile playing on his lips.
Chase bends his neck and places his lips against mine.
Everything tumbles together. Dopamine rips throughout my body. He is like a magnet, preventing me from pulling away even if I wanted to. He tastes like concession stand popcorn and soft drinks. I don't know who pulls back. Countless emotions bubble up and escape me in a shaky laugh. Chase wraps me into a hug. I bury me face in his shoulder and let it all drain out. All those nights I fell asleep with his name in my mind. When I tripped over Adam and accidentally shoved Chase to the ground. All the moments he would look up to find my eyes on him and I would avert my gaze. The immeasurable times I said something and immediately regretted it, knowing how stupid it must have sounded. I push Jacob and everything else but Chase and how he makes me feel to the corners of my subconscious. Maybe this is not how I envisioned it, but at the moment I wouldn't trade it for anything.
"Do you take back what you said about me not being athletic?" his hot breath puffs against my cheek.
"Never." If I hadn't said that, would I ever have kissed him?
Hello! I have been so caught up with everything that is happening in my life that I have neglected to update. I hope you enjoy this chapter-I do. This is a rather long one, so perhaps it can make up a bit for the several month delay. I plan on updating soon in the near future. Please stay tuned until then!