XIX

Surprise!

☆彡𝑝𝑎𝑖𝑔𝑒

Narrative

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"COME ON PICK UP THE PACE! ONLY 2 MORE!" Couch Geno yells at the team as they are on their third suicide. One thing I definitely don't miss doing. The start of the season was in a couple days meaning practice was getting harder and I was doing more watching.

"Hey P" Cam says sitting next to me. I wonder if Evelina told her anything. Who am I kidding, of course she did, and now things would be awkward between us. "Hey, what's that?" I point to the neon pink object in her hand. "I'm actually not sure, I was told it's for your therapy." "Great." My tone is flat as she puts it in my hand and sits back watching the team run their last suicide. The silence between us is killing me. "So what have you been up to? haven't seen you since the party." "I haven't done much, just a lot of studying andd I think Evelina has been writing music like crazy." She knows. "Oh she makes music?" "You didn't know that? I was sure she would've told you by now." "Nah I guess it's never been the right time." She nods her head looking back at everyone else. "You should come over today, you have invited us into your home but we haven't invited you to ours." Shit. That would mean I have to face Evelina after what happened and I don't think I can. "Oh no it's okay-" "hey Cam!" Nika walks over wiping the sweat off her forehead with a towel. "Hey Nika you wanna come over to my place later today?" Great. If Nika goes then I'll have to go. She gives me a sly look before responding to Cam. "Yeah sure I'd love to." "Okay great," she checks her watch, "I got to go but I'll see ya'll later." "We'll see you later." Nika responds before smiling at me running towards coach.

For the rest of practice I'm sat on the bench over thinking all of what will happen tonight. She probably won't even look at me. I bet I ruined our friendship. I internally sigh to myself averting my attention towards the team. "Okay, Aubrey, Dorka, Azzi, inês, and Carol on one team then Lou, Ice, Aaliyah, Ayanna and Amari on the other team!" Coach yells at them as they all find their team getting to their starting positions. When the practice game starts I can't stay focused. My thoughts always going back to the party. "Did you guys forget how to rebound the ball?! Rebound!!" Coach yells snapping me out of my thoughts. There is no point in yelling at them, because it's not like they are focused on anything other than defending or getting open and making the shot.

After about 40 minutes the game is over, Dorka's team winning. "Great practice today, keep up the good work I will see you guys tomorrow" Coach says before walking towards his office. "Hey P, you weren't yelling at us this time. What's going on?" Carol says patting my knee and sitting next to me. "Nothin, I think I'm just tired." She nods her head changing her shoes.

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Me, Nika, Azzi, Aubrey, and Ice were outside what I think is their apartment. Part of me hopes Cam accidentally gave the wrong address, and then everyone decides to give up and come back another day, but I know that's not the case. Before I can even mentally prepare myself Nika knocks on the door. "Welcome family." Cam says opening the door for us. We all move as one standing in their kitchen. "Where is Eve?" Aubrey is the first out of the group to speak. I think we were all too distracted by how the apartment is decorated to even speak. "She is in her room making music, you guys should come see since she will never play on the spot." We all quietly move towards a door that is covered in printed photos. Cam motions her pointer finger to her lips as she quietly opens the door and we all peak our heads in.

On the other side of the room she was sitting on the floor with her back turned to us as she videoed herself playing. In that moment a weird feeling came over me and I hate not knowing what it is. The way she sung was captivating and I think I could listen to her sing for the rest of my life. The sound of her guitar comes to an abrupt stop when she turns around with a shocked face looking at all of us.

"What the fuck." Cam bursts out in laughter as Eve turns back to her phone turning it off. "What are you guys doing here?" Cam was too busy laughing at Evelina's reaction, so Nika responded instead. "Cam invited us over. You have a beautiful voice by the way." "This is the most embarrassing moment of my life." She puts her head in her hands. "Nah, there is nothing to be embarrassed about you sound amazing." Aubrey chimes in. "Cameron I can't believe you did this to me." She is now standing up putting her guitar back on its holder. "Can I please see the video?" She takes the phone from Evelina's hands. Now all five of us are all looking over Cameron's shoulder rewatching Evelina's reaction. "You should post this, your reaction is my favorite." She says while handing the phone back. I start to back out from the doorway going to the kitchen so everyone else can move.

When Evelina walks out her room I immediately meet her gaze. Everyone else is talking about something else so it's just us staring at each other. She walks over to her fridge opening it, "do you want anything?" She finally breaks the silence between us. "Nah, I'm good." "Okay." She grabs a can of sparkling water. "When is the first game of the season?" I can feel her gaze on me and it's hard to meet it. "It's November 10th." "Oh that's soon, me and Cam need to get tickets." I hate how every word I think of feels wrong. So I'm just standing silently waiting for her to speak again. "How is practice going?" She leans on the counter looking at the flowers center of her table. "Pretty good, I think the team is doing great.."if I'm being honest I don't even really know how great the team is doing, I've been too focused thinking about the girl in front of me. "Are you doing anything for thanksgiving break?" She speaks up again. "Yeah I'm going to try to go to Minnesota to see family, what about you?" "That's fun, Me and Cam are also going home to visit family." "Cool..."

For the next hour until we leave me and Evelina manage to have small talk but everything just feels so awkward. I have to figure out a way to make things normal or I'm going to go crazy.

✰✰✰

The first game of the season has come sooner than I realized. We were all in the locker room listening to whatever pre pep talk coach had for us. Evelina and Cam were here off to the side waiting for the talk to be over. I can't help but steal glances since she is fully covered in UConn merch and it's hilarious. I can tell she doesn't go to games often, but her support is still cute. When coach was done talking we all had to get ready meaning she had to leave. "Good luck team!" Cam says walking past me followed by Evelina. "I like the school spirit." I can't help but laugh. "Thanks, I wore it just for you." I feel my cheeks heat up as usual, and before I could say anything else she was gone. What did she mean by that?

The second I walk into the arena I immediately look over to the student section in hopes I can find where she is sitting. The crowd is loud and I smile at how big it's got compared to years before. We all huddle up again as Coach Geno mainly talks to Dorka, Lou, Azzi, Aaliyah, and Nika who are the starting lineup. When I'm sat at the bench next to Aubrey I look up again this time seeing Evelina who is already smiling at me. I feel my face heat up AGAIN. Why does she do this to me? I smile back before turning towards the court. I need to stop thinking about her and focus on the game.

Dorka tips the ball over to Azzi, who passes it to Aaliyah eventually making its way to Nika who scores a three causing the crowd to get louder.So far the game is going good and we are up by seven points when Nika gets bumped to the ground causing everyone on the bench to stand up, yelling things that are hard to understand.

By the end of the second half Dorka and Nika had been subbed out by Ayanna and Aubrey and at this point we had 3 fouls. When the halftime clock goes off we are up by 51 and I immediately go up to Azzi as we walk back to the locker room. I take one last look up at Evelina who is waving at all of us as we walk off court. For the rest of halftime I'm talking to everyone trying to give them suggestions on what to do the second half. Im not sure if anyone will take the suggestions giving that Nika can be pretty stubborn, but what else am I supposed to do?

After halftime I'm back on the bench waiting for the ball to be passed in.

3...2...1 I internally count down with the clock as the game ends and we won. We had 98 points, the northern huskies having 39. "Great start of the season ladies!" Coach says before going to get interviewed. Even though I'm proud of my team it still sucks that I wasn't out there playing with them and at that moment I realize this is going to be a long season.

When the stands started to clear up Cam made her way onto the court with Evelina. They are  going up to everyone and congratulating them on the win. She then separates from Cam walking over to me as I threw a mini basketball. "Good job bench warmer." The name caught me off guard. "Bench warmer is crazy." Her chuckle makes me smile. "Me and Cam are headed out and I just wanted to say goodbye, I'll see you soon?" "Yeah..yeah." She walks off and I think I'm going crazy. Even after the party it's like it took her two seconds to forget what happened and now she is just acting normal. I watch her as she walks out of Gampel arms linked with Cam's.

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