It Should Be Easy

Chapter 15

CAIRA

6PM

I could hear the cheering from a block away.

"Have fun," Evan says with a smirk on his face. I was keeping it casual with one of Carter's blue and white jerseys, a pair of tattered white jeans and my ice blue 11's. As I walked through the double doors I was assaulted by the smell of rubber and wood. Joselyn and Tia waved me over to the ticket line.

"Hey guys," I say.

"Oohh. Look who has their man's number on their back!" Joslyn teased. Everyone else seemed to already have tickets in their hands, and I was worried because I didn't. Carter told me to say his name at the desk for some good seats. Tia gave Sean's name and got her ticket, I gave Carter's and got mine, and by the time we looked back Jos already had her ticket.

"Whose list are you on?" Tia asked her.

"That's for me to know and you to find out." Jos sauntered ahead of us into the gym, and Tia and I looked at each other confused. Who is Jos messing with?

We take our seats in a section that I learn is clearly for girls who have been given seats by boys on the team and family, and for a minute I feel like a groupie, until I remember that this is only high school, not an All-Star Game . On the court I see Carter, Malik, and Will running drills. I look over at them and Will licks his fingers, smooths his eyebrows, and points at me. I shake my head, trying not to crack a smile. Carter shoves him over, clearly annoyed with Will's signature gesture. I grab the shoulders of my jersey and pop them for Carter to see. He smiles and does the same. My stomach was going wild from the special attention. The sudden giddiness Carter sparked in me was alarming. I had to stop my train of thoughts because they were on a fast track to me being more than just friends with Carter.

"Tia, Honey, what were you doing with Sean at Malik's the other night?" I heard Jos ask.

"Ugh can we please not talk about Sean right now? It's bad enough that I have see his face right now." Tia put her her head in her hands.

"It's just that you haven't dated anyone in a while, so what's so special about him?"

"I don't know," she glanced at the court and the look her eyes almost broke my heart. "No idea," she whispers to herself as if she is thinking aloud. Sean's gaze met Tia's and when Sean looked away, he looked just as affected as Tia did.

"Tina I know it's not my business, but the look on his face just now tells me that it will be worth it," I offer, and she smiles sadly at me. Maybe I gave her some hope.

The game begins and my eyes go back and forth across the court watching the team...really I was watching Carter. He looked focused and in control and cocky and humble all at the same time. To see him so good at something was kind of...hot. Based on the way everyone kept passing him the ball, he seemed pretty important. The players constantly looked to him for his hand signals, and he got irate when things weren't going his way. He even fussed at Will, who I could tell was irritated.

I nudge Tia beside me."What position does he play?" She can barely take her eyes off the game. She knew about as much about basketball as I didn't. "Tia!" I urge.

"He's a onethroughfive! Like my boy LeBron!" She rolls her eyes at the clueless look on my face. "He basically can play any position. I mean I think he's a point guard; He's calling all the plays, but the team is using him like a-YES! LET'S GO!" She interrupts herself to cheer for Sean, who had just scored a three-pointer. "He could be a power forward or a center...? I don't know." We both watch Carter move across the court. "You know he's been starting since his sophomore year?"