Chapter 10: The Banquet

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"So are you going to the basketball banquet next weekend?" I ask Coach Carson. He looks up from his paperwork.

"Yes. I'm going. Susan is making me. Kylie is coming too. She's leaving New York for it."

"I haven't seen Kylie in forever! Too bad I can't go."

"Why not?"

"My mom thinks it will add to much pressure on to me. Well dad thinks it. Mom just enforces it."

"Kylie needs a friend at the banquet. I'll talk to your parents and convince them."

"Thank you."

"I can't make promises though."

"I know."

"You should get back to the dorms. It's going to start raining soon."

I start my walk to the dorms. As I start walking I notice I have text messages from the girls. I open the group chat.

Loren: WTF!
Nicole: WTH!
Nicole: Your friends with Austin Lawson!
Loren: The dude everyone is expecting to go first overall in the draft next year.
Nicole: How?
Loren: Hello?
Nicole: Answer us!

Me: I'll explain. Don't tell the guys!

It's okay. Everything is okay. They just think I'm friends. They haven't figured out he's my brother yet.

I speed walk to the dorms. I can't let them tell the guys.

I run down the hall to my dorm and barge in.

"Please tell me the guys don't know!" I say as I barge in the dorm and catch my breath.

"I know!" Gabe says standing up from the couch. "Oh but I know so much more. I haven't told them care to explain." He says walking over towards me.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"What's your government name?" He ask trying to get me to spill

"What are you the police? You want my social security number too?"

"Taylor!" Loren yells.

"Just tell us what he knows."

"Fine." There's no way out of this. Gabe blocked the door so I can't get out. Maybe a window.

"Hi, I'm Taylor Rae Lawson. Austin Lawson isn't my friend he's my older brother. My father is Ryan Lawson he played basketball here and then played in the nba. My mother is Becca Lawson she was a track star here she broke records. Are we done here?"

Nicole and Loren just stand there shocked.

"You know that tattoo of Austin's that says 1 of 3. I have the same one except mine says 2 of 3. Seth is 3 of 3. We all got matching tattoos when Austin turned eighteen. Our parents signed off on it so we could get it. I'm the hidden Lawson. The Lawson kid that if you Google me only my baby pictures will pop up. Don't tell the rest of the guys. I'm keeping it a secret for personal reasons."

I tell them before walking to my room and shutting the door. I hear them whispering back and forth but I can't make out what they're saying.

Soon I hear the rest of the group enter the dorm. I'm on FaceTime with my brother.

"You look tired and worried. What's wrong?" Austin asked

"I'm not tired. Just worried. They know Austin. Well three of them."

"So? Tell the whole group."

"I can't. You know I can't."

"Yes you can." There's a knock on my door after he says that.

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