“Whatever, it hasn’t been that long. Plus, we still have like an hour of daylight.”
“You bring the ball?”
Ali reaches into his backseat and then tosses me the basketball. “I haven’t played in a while.”
I laugh. “Already making excuses. You think I have time to play basketball when I’m on tour? But yet, I still know I’ll beat you.”
Ali just shakes his head then grabs a small duffle bag before closing his door.
“What all do you have in there?” I ask, dribbling the ball.
“Water, a small towel, and another shirt.”
“Shit, I didn’t even think to bring water.”
“I guess I can share.”
We make our way to the old basketball goal they have at the side of their building. There’s no net, but it’ll work.
“Want to take a few practice shots first?” I ask, giving him a hard time.
“Shut up and start playing.”
The first fifteen minutes goes by and the score is ten to twelve. I’m surprised we’re even that high considering we’ve been doing a lot of shit talking and laughing.
“Well, you aren’t completely terrible, but I’m still winning.”
“By two!” he shouts. “I still have a chance.”
I grin. “Sure. I’ve been taking it easy on you.”
“Fuck off, I’m getting a drink.”
He bends over to get the water bottle and I can’t help but check out his ass. As soon as I’m about to open my mouth to make a comment, I see movement off to my right. When I turn my head to get a good look, I notice two of the paparazzi cars parked along the street and one of the guys leaning against his vehicle looking through his camera.
“We got company,” I say.
Ali straightens up and follows my gaze. “Damn.”
“Yeah, but they’re the same ones who’ve been following me around. I don’t expect many more. I’m surprised they’re still here, actually. I told them I was gonna be pretty boring.”
“You wanna leave?”
I look back at the paps and shake my head. “Nah. It’s okay. Let’s finish.”
When we both get to eighteen points, a couple teenagers come from behind the school and keep stealing looks in my direction.
They linger around, and when Ali pauses to tie his shoe, they decide to approach.
“Hey, are you Merrick Kingston?” the tallest one asks.
I lift my chin in a nod. “Yeah, that’s me. What’s goin’ on, guys?”
“Shit, I told you it was him,” the shorter of the two says.
“Holy shit. I can’t believe it’s you!” the tall one says, his smile growing.
I put the ball under my left arm and reach out to shake their hands. “What’re your names?”
“I’m Kyle,” says the short one.
“I’m Kenny,” the other says.
“How long are you in town for? We always hear that you’d been here after you’ve already left. I can’t believe we actually got to see you this time,” Kyle says.
“Not sure. I’m just enjoying my time off.”
“Are the other guys here?” Kenny asks.
I shake my head. “Sorry. Just me.”
“No, it’s cool. Can we get a picture? Our friends will never believe this!”
“Yeah, sure.”
Each of them take a selfie with me.
“Thanks,” Kenny says, looking at the picture on his phone. “I’m sending this to Savannah now. She’s gonna be so pissed. She has a huge crush on you, too.”
As soon as he says too his head pops up and his wide eyes fly to mine. “I mean. . .”
I grin and put my hand on his shoulder. “It’s cool. Here, I got something for you.”
After I walk to my car, I reach inside and grab a couple guitar picks that are in my console. I always keep a handful with me.
I toss one to each of them. Written across the pick on one side is the name of the band, The Unwanted, and Kingston is on the other side.
“Oh, wow.”
“Thanks, dude.”
“No problem.”
After they leave, Ali approaches me with a grin on his face. “You just made those kids’ night. Whole life, probably.”
I rub my hand over my jaw. “We should probably go before Savannah and all her friends show up here.”
Ali snorts. “Yeah, true.”
“What do you wanna do now?” I ask, not ready to go our separate ways yet.
“I’m starving. Do you wanna eat?”
“Yeah. Let me know where to meet you.”
Ali regards me for a few seconds then says, “Why don’t you drop your car off at Elijah’s and just ride with me. His place is only a couple blocks away.”
“Okay, cool.”
Thirty minutes later, we’re in Ali’s car, parked at a drive-in restaurant called D&V’s Burgers and already digging into our food.
“God, I’ve missed the local food here,” I say, munching on steak fingers.
Ali laughs. “You’re crazy. You’ve been all over the world and you’ve missed steak fingers from a fifty-year-old restaurant in Gaspar Ohio?”
“Yep. This place holds a lot of things I find important,” I say, cutting my eyes to him briefly. “There’s just some things you can only get in your hometown.”
Ali shifts in his seat and focuses his attention on his tater tots.
“I have to tell you something,” he says, sounding nervous.
“What?”
He meets my gaze. “You remember Jordy?”
I chuckle. “Hard to forget.”
Ali raises his brows, giving me a look. “Oh? Have a crush?”
I throw a fry at him. “Nice to know you’re jealous. What about him?”
“Well, he came to my house yesterday and informed me that he knows you’re gay.”
“What?” My wide eyes meet Ali’s nervous ones.
“He said he saw something between us and that if you’re wanting to stay closeted we shouldn’t be seen together, because people will be able to tell.”
I twist my mouth up, looking at my food as I think. “Well, shit. I thought I was playing it pretty cool.”
“You’re not freaking out?” Ali asks, surprise in his tone.
“What did you tell him?”
“I denied it. I said that maybe I was flirting with you because I found you attractive and that you put up with it because we’re friends. Then he acted like he was gonna text you from my phone and I may have panicked a little and tried taking
