Page 65 of The Riley Effect

And that’s exactly what we do.

We end the trip with the dinner my Mom made for Christmas Eve and the cup of coffee we got to share with my parents before we had to head back to campus to prepare for the last leg of our regular season.

32

Ivy

The time between Christmas and the start of the new semester is always quiet around Westvale. The only people on campus are the winter sports athletes. The last three years have consisted of practices, games, and when basketball’s over for the day, chill nights spent at Jasper’s with the men’s basketball team. This year is pretty much the same, except Jalen has been tagging along. He came–more gifts in hand– to celebrate a late Christmas with me and my family. We’ve watched movies with Indy and Marcus. It’s been the perfect few days, but now it’s time to get focused. We have our biggest game of the season againstthe number-one-ranked University of Connecticut Huskies. The winner takes over the top spot in the conference.

“Can you believe the guys are going to be in the same city as us for New Year’s?” Indy asks as I get ready to shower post-practice.

“Jalen hasn’t stopped talking about how excited he is that we will be in the same city for our first New Year’s Eve.”

“Yeah, that’s nice,” Indy hides her head in her locker, refusing to make eye contact with me.

“What are you hiding?” I try to demand an answer out of her.

One of the reasons Indy and I clicked so quickly is that she is as loyal as they come, a girl’s girl through and through, but right now, she is acting really weird.

She grabs her towel, drops her head, and still refuses to look me in the eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she says before disappearing behind a shower divider.

I have no clue what’s going on, so I take my shower caddy and get ready for our bus to Connecticut.

Jalen’s team left this morning. I’ll see him when we get to the hotel. He and Marcus promised to take us to dinner, so I know that can’t be what Indy was trying to hide from me. I push down the anxious feeling I get when something is out of my control. When life throws you as many curveballs as mine has, you hold on tight to the parts of life where you get to choose your own destiny.

I’m picking up my bag from the undercarriage of the bus while Izzy is telling me about how her nephew used his new kitten’s litter box as his own personal toilet. I get this nagging feeling that someone is watching me as I catch my breath. Through thetinted bus window, I notice Jalen’s big blue eyes and a goofy smile plastered on his face. The sight might calm most girls–seeing that their boyfriend is so enamored with them–but I can’t help thinking about how storms happen after the sunniest days.

“This may be the best ice cream I ever had,” The words mush together as Indy tries to save the ice cream, threatening to run down her hand. Ice cream in December sounds odd, but The University of Connecticut has its own dairy farm on campus and makes some of the best ice cream you’ll ever have.

“This is my favorite part of coming here,” Izzy says through slurping noises.

This casual conversation is killing me. I’ve been begging Indy to tell me what the hell Jalen has planned for tonight, and she just won’t tell me. I’m really starting to wonder where her loyalties lie. Best friend, my ass.

“Can you please just tell me what Jalen has planned tonight?” I ask my roommate.

“Nope.”

“Yes.”

“Nope”

“You’re insufferable.”

“I’ll just say that we are switching roommates for the night.”

You want to guess who Jalen’s roommate is for away games this year. If you guessed Marcus West, ding ding ding, you’re a winner.

“We have the biggest game of the season tomorrow. I’m not switching roommates with your boyfriend.”

“Ehmm,” Indy shrugs her shoulders. Izzy looks beyond confused, and my anxiety has just etched itself into a new home. I think Jalen may be the death of me.

Indy has just turned on the TV so we can watch the pre-ball drop festivities. We have our face masks on, and still no mention of whatever Jalen has planned for tonight. Which I now believe is nothing, and I’m happy about that.

I reluctantly peel myself off my bed so I can remove the cracked clay from my face and brush my teeth. I settle in the bathroom, toothbrush halfway to my mouth, when Indy forces her way in, my phone in her hand.

“Guess who finally texted you. Guess who finally texted you?” She sings.

One thing I love about being in a relationship with another athlete is that they understand the importance of getting in the headspace to compete. Jalen and I talk every day when one of us is on the road, but we both understand that it may take some time for us to get back to each other.

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