I wipe the sweat off of my forehead with the bottom of my shirt and try to calm my breathing. We have ran this play so many times I could do it with my eyes closed. It's too bad Braden and Michael can't pull it together. The play always goes askew when it's time for Braden to pass to Michael.
"Listen ladies, I don't know what needs to get through all of your heads to figure this shit out but we are not winning our game against Michigan if we continue down this road," Coach yells looking at the entire team. All of us are frustrated and there's tension. You can feel it suffocating the gym. "Braden how about next time you pass the ball to the hands of a real human being!"
"Run it again," our assistant coach, Keller, says sounding just as exhausted as the rest of us.
I take one final inhale before heading down the court for Jeremy to check the ball to me. I dribble it up the court as he runs back to play offense. Trey drops to the back as Robbie brings the pressure up to me. I dribble behind the three line and pass the ball to Braden. He makes a run into the middle faking a shot before passing it, harshly, to Michael. Who, thank fucking god, catches it before throwing it back to me. Robbie comes up to defend me but he's too late as I release the hall behind the three point line. I watch as the ball sinks into the net with a swish. My teammates sigh in relief that we have finally somewhat nailed the drill without Michael fucking missing the ball.
My muscles ache as Coach nods at us semi-pleased that we finally accomplished the drill. This practice was one of the worst. First, Cosch made us run suicides because two of the freshman fucked up and came in hungover from yesterday.
Coach whispers something to Keller and he nods his head at him. Before turning to us, the gym is silent besides all of our heavy breathing.
"You all need to pull it together for tomorrow's game. Work together as a team or we won't win. Simple as that. Fix your shit. Leave it off of the court tomorrow you all hear me? Michael and Braden especially," Coach states pointing his clipboard at Michael and Braden.
The two of them have been glaring and shoving each other all practice. Who knows what the two of them are bitching at each other about. Regardless, Coach is right. We do need to figure everything out before the game tomorrow.
"Locker room, now. And if I hear any of you went out tonight so help me god you will run until you puke on Monday's practice."
All of us nod our heads in understanding as we head for the locker room to change. I grab a towel from the back of the chair to wipe the sweat away from my face. Braden grabs the towel from next to me shaking out his hair while shooting a look at Michael. I roll my eyes at him and head towards the locker room.
If Braden is known for anything it's his robbery of the teams chicks. He pulls the robbery like its nothing. Usually they don't care cause majority of us only hookup once. Until Kyle, a senior captain, who was looking to date this girl Lenna last year, he did not think it was okay.
Everyone on campus knew he was pursuing the girl but Braden being the idiot he is tried hooking up with her. Kyle almost beat his ass until Trey and I stopped him. Luckily, Kyle and Lenna got together and are dating.
"Dude, the fuck are they fighting about?" Robbie asks me wiping sweat off of his forehead with the bottom of his shirt. I make a face as to say when aren't they arguing. Which is true Braden and Michale have never gotten along.
"The fuck if I knew, probably because of a girl," I state shrugging my shoulders. I keep to myself for the most part. Trying not to get into drama with the team. As for outside of the team well all bets are off
"I told you I wasn't going to drop her so how about you fucking drop it," Michael snaps at Braden. He chucks towel at Braden but he catches it. Braden advances towards Michael but I hold a hand up to his chest. The locker room falls quiet. Kyle shoots the two of us a look of warning.
"Do you wanna keep getting chewed out by Coach?" I ask him lowly shooting him a glare. His face is dark as he stares at the shit eating grin on Michaels face. Braden's jaw clenches and unclenches before turning around grabbing his jacket from his locker.
Braden can be an annoying prick sometimes but I have to have the kids back. I always have and always will no matter how many times he fucks up along the way because he has always had mine. I grab my sweatshirt and toss it over my head throwing my shit into my bag so we can get out of here. Jeremy and Robbie already dipped since Jeremy brought his car here. I get to drive home with Mr Sunshine and Trey
Once Braden, Trey, and I collect all of our things we head out of the with a grumpy Braden. I tug my hood over my head ready to get home and sleep before tomorrows game. I usually go out even though Coach tells us not to. Tonight I am just not in the mood to deal with anyones shit. Maybe I can get Kristen or someone to come over and release some of this stress. I slide my phone out of my pocket unlocking it.
I vaguely hear Trey and Braden discussing tomorrow game as I slide through Instagram DMs. I tap a picture of a brunette that looks rather familiar to a certain argumentative girl I know.
I swipe out of my DMs and do something I know I probably shouldn't be doing. I type Carter Miller's name into the search bar. Her profile picture is her smiling face with dimples and her brown hair pin straight. You can't really miss those dimples. As I am about to click on her profile I collide with someone's body.
A small 'oof' comes out of the girls mouth and I grab her shoulders to steady her. Dark hair covers her face but as soon as she looks at me I realize it's the same girl I was just creepily looking at on Instagram. Realization dawns on Carter face but her eyes look different as she pulls her lip in between her teeth.
I flick my eyes down her outfit a tight red top and a pair of jeans that hug her legs in an amazing way. She's probably going out tonight but what is she doing outside of the gym right now. At like ten o'clock at night. I slide my phone into my front pocket as I open my mouth to say something to her.
"Fletcher! You coming or not!" Braden yells throwing his arms up. I shoot him a glare, flipping him off before looking down at the girl who seems a bit off.
"Sorry, I didn't see you," she whispers towards me before trying to side step me. I step in front of her and furrow my eyebrows at her. She looks upset and definitely not herself. Small pieces of hair fall into her face and into her caramel eyes that I can't see due to the darkness. I'd give anything to see her bright smile right night now.
"It's okay," I reply as she finally meets my eyes. I furrow my eyebrows at her and she tries to side step me but I block her. "Are you okay?"
"What? Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" she lies straightening her back out. I regret asking her anything all together because the defensive look on her face says she definitely doesn't want to talk about it. I take a step back as I teeter on the edge of annoyance and frustration. It might be practice or just yesterday she was all for being friends and now she's cold. Or both, I don't fucking know.
"Alright, whatever," I state looking back to where Braden and Trey are waiting for me. Braden looks intrigued by the girl standing in front of me while Trey seems hella confused. I look back down to the girl in front of me who looks even more annoyed, "Look I gotta go."
"Yup, see ya," she says brushing past me. This time I don't stop her. No matter how badly I want to just hold her down and tell me what's wrong or what I did to fuck up. I throw my head back annoyed running a hand through my hair.
Carter is confusing. Why can't she just I don't even know. I turn around slightly as she heads back in the direction of the dorms. Where she was probably pregaming before she ended up here. I throw my hood back onto my head and make my way over to Braden and Trey. A part of me thinks I should go after her but another part of me is annoyed and knows I shouldn't push it.
"Who the fuck was that? She's hot," Braden states whistling lowly looking at her disappearing figure. I shoot him a glare and he gives me a look, "What? She is."
"No," I state walking to the parking lot. Trey and Braden both give me weird looks as if it isn't the first time I have called dibs on girl. Except this time I have a feeling the dibs will be for more than just one night.
"No? The fuck you mean no?" Braden asks me as I unlock my car. Trey gives me a look to not piss off Braden tonight but I don't really give a fuck. Braden has been getting on my last nerve and he has some balls acting like that after almost fighting Michael for a girl.
"She's off-limits. For everyone," I state getting into the drivers seat of my car and slamming my car door shut. I throw my gym bag into the backseat. Trey and Braden throw their own stuff back there while Braden gets into the back and Trey in the front.
"Is she like your secret sister or something or?" Braden asks clearly lost. I turn around and make a face at him. He puts his hands up in defense. "If she's off-limits whatever man. That's your deal. Can I at least get the name?"
I turn back around and put the keys into the ignition, "Carter Miller."
Braden has loyalty and that is why he is so close with all of us. If we tell him to backoff, he does, and if you are in a bar fight he is always there to help. Always. But, if you don't have his loyalty then you're automatically fucked. No matter what Braden will fuck you over before you could even process what was happening.
"So, what is the deal?" Trey asks as I back out of the parking space. I glance at him and then back to focusing on backing up. There is no fucking deal between the two of us. I just want to hookup with her and that's it. Once I do, nothing else will happen between us.
"We are just friends." It's not a lie but it isn't entirely the truth. No matter how many times I would love to say I just want fuck the girl, I know it won't be just that if I do. Which is why I should steer clear from her. I don't need the distraction. Especially not Carter, a girl who will barely look at or talk to me. She's a challenge and I would like to blame this weird intense attraction on that.
Majority of the car ride is quiet. Carter's weird attitude towards me bothers me more than it should. It just doesn't make sense how yesterday everything was fine. We agreed to be friends after our back and forth.
I pull into our driveway next to Jeremy and Robbie. I pull the keys out of the ignition and reach behind me to grab Trey and I's bag. Braden has already grabbed his bag and is heading inside.
"What has you tripping so hard right now?" Trey asks as I grab a bag. I check the number before throwing it at Trey.
"Nothing, dude," I tell him shrugging my shoulders. I am not about to tell him a freshman girl has me tripping. Not that I could even say I am tripping over her. Annoying? Causing me unneeded stress? Yes, to both of those things. I grab my bag and push open the car door. Trey scoffs getting out of the car.
"Bullshit," Trey says shutting his car door. I ignore his comment and continue walking to the house. I don't want to have this conversation with him, at all. Or with anyone cause there's nothing to even discuss. I climb the porch steps and roughly open the screen door. The loud yelling from the living room about how "ass" Robbie is at NBA2k makes me laugh. I don't look back at Trey cause I know he isn't going to drop the topic.
A freshman girl, has drama written all over it. She is new to the college life and they get attached. Although I have a feeling Carter is a little hard to get to even become attached. Which is perfect considering I don't want any attachments. So, why can't the girl just let me fuck her and be done. This could have all come to an end that one Thursday.
I head up the stairs to my room so I can shower and maybe get a girl on the phone to come over. I shove open my door closing it behind me. I drop my bag next to my dresser and grab my phone from my pocket. I unlock it and pause before sending a text to Kristen.
Carter's Instagram page is open her smiling pictures with friends, family, and some by herself stare at me. I hesitate before scrolling but one look at her bikini pictures and all self reserve is fucking out the window. She has a lot of fucking bikini pictures and god fucking damnit does that make me want to bang her more. She also use to be a cheerleader and ran track. Which all kind of add up. I click on one specific picture with all of her friends, the blonde from the party on Thursday, Lacey, and Rae but she is with two other girls I have never seen before.
I think about Trey's words about me 'tripping' as I press the follow button. This girl is exactly the worst thing that can happen to me. I don't want a relationship and she clearly doesn't want one with me. So, there is no reason for me to tripping over this girl or any girl for that matter. I just need a quick fuck tonight and the weird feeling of her walking away from me tonight will dissolve. I leave Instagram and shoot a text to Kristen. I throw my phone onto my mattress watching as it bounces a few times before settling thinking about who I really should be texting instead.