"Great game, McCormick," said the coach clapping me on the back. "You keep it up, and we're going to have a mighty good season!"
"Yessir. I intend to," I said as I got in the truck. We had just gotten back from SMU, where we won the game in overtime. Although it was just after 1 AM, I felt like I could run all the way to Garyville. I never let myself believe I could be so happy. Lots of schools had offered me scholarships to play basketball for them, but the University of Tulsa was the only one I really considered. After all, it was 20 minutes from home, which meant I could live with Tex and still go to school. After Pop took off again, there didn't seem to be any other way.
I never realized how much I actually liked school until college either. Maybe I would work on my philosophy essay when I got home.
After I came over the hill, just after the Collins' place though, my paper and the night's win vanished from my thoughts. I could see our place ahead and something was very wrong.
"What the hell is this?" I yelled from inside the truck as I got to the end of the driveway. There were cars and pickups everywhere. Loud music spilled out of vehicles and the house. There were so many kids walking around. I sat at the end of the driveway and thought.
Finally, I parked across the end of the driveway, blocking its use. It was the farm's only exit since the drainage ditches were like moats around the whole place.
I got out of the truck and wandered around. Clearly Tex assumed that he could throw a party since I would be safely out of the way in Dallas, Texas. There was a keg set up on the back patio. I could see people playing beer pong in the kitchen and dancing in the living room. Finally, I walked inside.
I cut off the music, waited a moment for the buzz to quiet some, and boomed, "Party's over. Start walking your asses home! No one's driving tonight. Come get your car tomorrow. In 15 minutes, if you're still here, I'll call the cops or your parents…if I know you." People did not need a second invitation.
I saw Tex's bedroom open and he edged out. His shirt was unbuttoned and his hair was messed up. I had a pretty good idea what he'd been up to. We stood staring at each other. Tex looked pale, nervous, and had a hard time making eye contact after the initial shock of my arrival had worn off. I expected Jamie Collins to emerge behind him, but instead a blond girl that I didn't recognize appeared.
They began to slowly move towards the door.
"No," I snarled. "You stay."