“Hey,” I replied.
“Celia’s going to play with us today, so consider her as part of our team,” Ned announced.
Paul uncovered his face, and asked, “With a cat woman costume?” and that made Lucas and Tayler look at me with interest.
Ned glanced at me with nervousness, “I’m sorry they act that way,” He whispered to me.
“I’m not wearing any cat woman costume,” I bashed in a whisper.
“You’re not wearing any,” Ned confirmed to me, “She’s not wearing any!” he said a little louder to the group of guys.
“Oh, man,” Tayler snapped, “You’re together aren’t you?”
“What about boobs?” Paul said with excited eyes and that made Lucas tap the table with his palm and chuckle like madness.
Ned held his palm facing them, “There’s no boobs, okay? No one’s seeing any boobs!”
He looked at me if I was okay, “They’re messing with you,” Ned confessed, “That’s what they do to every person joining our team.”
I doubted when he said that. “Weren’t there like, only four of them.”
“Yeah, five of us now,” said Ned.
Tayler wheeled towards me, and offered me his hand to shake, “Yeah, that’s right. Welcome to our team, Celia.” He said, with more gentle welcoming voice.
I shook his hand for a moment, “Thank you.”
“So, basketball anyone?” Ned asked.
“Yes!” Paul punched the air, “Basketball!”
“Alright, let’s do it,” Ned said, and sprinted towards their back yard, through the back door with the rest, except Tayler.
Before I walked behind them, he said, “Hey, Celia?” and made me stop to listen to him, and when I gave him my attention he looked up at me and said, “Don’t lose him, and don’t break his heart. He’s a good guy.”
Don’t break his heart.
Don’t lose him.
The words echoed in my brain many times, while I watched Tayler roll himself to the back door. I followed him with an empty feeling in my stomach, and instantly thought, what was I thinking? Kent was still in my life sneaking to my window, and stealing a few touches. I let him be there, I let him be around me. I had to let that go, I couldn’t hurt Ned, he was too good to me.
The team parted into two’s and Paul got the ball. He bounced around and twirled on his feet before shooting for the basket, and he didn’t score. He grunted, and drummed his chest, “I’m a gorilla!” he shouted.
“Celia’s in my team,” Lucas suggested, “As well as Tayler.”
We started playing, but before I got the ball, Lucas took his shirt off, and revealed a semi-hairy chest, and armpits. He raised his arms up in the air and howled like a wolf, “We’re the wolves, and you’re going to blow!”
I didn’t know what was worse, Lucas nude, hairy chest, or the weird cheesy names and the freaking howling?
I got the ball.
I was swiftly moving on the ground, and aiming for the basket, but Ned slapped the ball and it bounced to the ground.
“So that’s how it is, huh?” I dared.
“Yeah!” Ned said, “Let the best win.” And drummed his chest like a gorilla.
I chuckled, and felt a push on my shoulder, “Move! You’re going to make us lose!” and felt his spit on my neck. I moved and received the ball from Lucas, and ran to the basket, but Tayler, blocked my way with his wheelchair, and waved his hands up high to catch the ball. I almost hit the basket, but when the ball fell down, Ned took the ball, and he was on his way around the court.
He was going to aim.
I ran as fast as I could to stop him from shooting the basket.
We both ran towards the basket, and our shoulders clashed together that made me bounce, and fall on the ground on my side. My arms never felt so painful before, and when they heard my arm collide with the asphalt, they stopped and towered over me.
Ned kneeled down, and lifted me up in a sitting position, and checked my bleeding elbow.
“This is not good, we need to clean this up,” he said, and lifts me up with him, and walked through the backdoor to the kitchen. He placed me on the kitchen chair and opened a drawer. He got a first aid box and opened it on the table.
He took a cotton ball and dabbed some antiseptic on it, then started carefully dabbing on my injury. He cleaned my arm, which felt a bit painful, and placed a Band-Aid on the area. The guys were still breathless from the game, and stood in the kitchen watching Ned was panicky and attempted to bandage my wound.
“Wow,” Lucas blurted out.
“Well, at least you didn’t fall on your boobs,” Paul pointed out.
There was a silent second then we all burst into laughing.
****************************************
Me: Fuck!
Jane: What’s wrong?
Me: I forgot to call Max
Jane: Take it easy, it’s still before midnight
Me: Isn’t it a bit late?
Jane: Nah, she’s probably looking for a rebound
Me: Oh my, I feel so bad
Me: I’m scared that she’ll hang up
Jane: Come on, it’s Max
Jane: On a second thought, you should be scared
Me: Shut up!
Jane: Woops
Jane: Sorry
Jane sent a confused smiley sticker
Celia sent a middle finger sticker
Me: What should I do now?
Me: Call her or not?
Jane: Better to call and see what happens
Jane: Let’s hope she’s in a better mood
Me: She’s rarely in better moods…
Jane sent a wooden cross sticker
Jane: Pray
Me: God, I hate you sometimes
I looked at the screen and dialed her number on my phone.
