Page 9 of A Game as Old as Time

Shit.

“Look, G! Charlotte made it to the party!” Andy was laughing as he pulled up a chair next to him.

Not what I need.

Emilio emerged from the water. His massive arms and chest practically launched him out of the pool.

“You aren’t going to say hi?” Emilio mumbled as he shook himself off, spraying a group of girls who had ducked away from the initial splash.

Not a chance.

Gunner sheepishly turned away. The thought of even acknowledging Charlotte, who was the captain of the cheerleading squad and someone he knew all too well, was nowhere close to the top of tonight’s to-do list.

Of course.

It was clear that she had worn a short skirt and a tight top for him. Her quick peeks over at him were so obvious that even the soccer players she was flirting with saw them.

“I would rather not,” he said softly, making Ty shoot up and slap him in the chest.

“Emilio! Can you please get our boy a shot so he can smile!?”

No way!

Emilio pointed to him questioningly as he made his way over to the outside tiki bar. He struggled to fit his wide shoulders through a gap in the crowd before he moved in behind his friends and threw off hisbackward Phillies hat.

“No shots. Please, no shots.” Gunner shook him off as Charlotte caught his gaze. The flip of her blonde hair was followed by a quick bat of her eyes.

Screw this.

Gunner was scrambling up from the chair, trying to move away before Charlotte could make her way over.

“Here, maybe this will help.” JT handed him his cup, now full of beer from the keg.

“Thank you, Jefferson Taylor!” Ty yelled as he threw his shirt off.

“Do you really have to walk around half-naked?” Andy relaxed against the chair, flexing his biceps sarcastically at Ty.

“Just trying to show you boys what to strive for in the weightroom. If we all looked like this, we would have no problem winning state!” he shouted. Then he winked and jumped off the diving board.

Whatever you say, Ty.

Emilio slapped Gunner on the back. The force of the impact practically knocked him over. “How’s my captain doing?”

Just great.

Gunner held the fake smile, but he could tell his long-term friend was not buying it.

Emilio was much more vocal than JT; at times, his fiery personality was known to get him into trouble. However, on that fateful night in April, Emilio and his sister, Juelz, had been among the first to his house, and they had refused to leave until his mother returned from the hospital with the news.

“I’m OK, man,” Gunner sighed. Emilio’s large hand didn’t move fromhis shoulder.

Seconds ticked past as they stood in silence. It was not until two cheerleaders sauntered by and flashed them a flirtatious grin that one of them spoke.

“What do you think?” Emilio said, raising his eyebrow. “Your father always said life is made of moments.”

Not what he meant.

Gunner hesitated and peered down at his feet. The Nike sandals he wore hid the fresh scars he had already accumulated during practice.

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