The fact that Blair is trying to get me and Katrina together makes me chuckle. “What happened to me not being good enough for your friends?”

“Oh, you’re still not anywhere good enough for her, but I’m really enjoying watching you fall all over yourself trying.”

I glare, but she just flashes a sweet smile. “If you’re not willing to risk it all, then you don’t want it bad enough.”

Cock an eyebrow and take another generous swig from the bottle.

That doesn’t deter Blair from continuing to speak her peace. “When’s the last time you gave anything but basketball your A-game?”

“I don’t know.”

Lie. I remember. And it’s exactly why I’m pissed I put myself in this position twice.

25

JOEL

December, Senior Year of High School

The pep band is playing, and my team is already out on the floor warming up.

“Listen, Polly, I gotta get out there, but we’ll talk about it after the game.”

It’s the final night of the Valley High winter basketball tournament. Winning this tournament is all that should be on my mind, but my girlfriend has other priorities.

“But the formal is next Friday, and we have to get a limo.”

“We can talk about it—”

Two steps toward the court and she cuts me off, crossing her arms as her green eyes take on a golden tint. “Do you not care about formal? Or me?”

Polly is beautiful and outspoken and used to getting her way. I admired those qualities in her a year ago, but lately, it feels like it’s at the expense of me and my goals. Or maybe she’s right and I’ve just stopped caring. I’m five months away from graduation and with the colleges scouting me I’m guaranteed to end up playing somewhere awesome. It’s hard to care about formals and limos when I’m about to be a college ball player. One step closer to my dreams of the NBA.

But I do care about Polly.

“I love you and I will make sure it’s everything you want, but right now I gotta win a championship game, babydoll.” I brush a kiss on her pouty lips and haul ass to the court.

We win the game and the mood in the locker room is light. Guys joking around, dancing, and enjoying this moment with the team. Someone has turned on an old school Jock Jams playlist and I sing along to “Crazy Train,” air guitaring when appropriate.

I’m walking on cloud fucking nine until I step out of the locker room. Polly waits for me and the pinched expression tells me that she’s not impressed by the thirty points I racked up on the court. Still, I go for playful when I fall in beside her and drape an arm around stiff shoulders.

“Hey, beautiful. The team is heading for pizza to celebrate. You wanna ride over with me?”

“Ugh. Not pizza again. I thought we could go somewhere nice. Just the two of us. Didn’t your cousins just open a nice restaurant? Let’s go there.”