Page 44 of Better Than the Movies
“I had no idea y’all were so into basketball.” Michael looked a little impressed by my fanhood as we walked past the concession stand and down the hallway, following Wes, Noah, and Adam.
I owed Wes a huge thanks for the fifty-buck bet, because not only had it caused me to get into the basketball game to the pointthat I forgot about Laney and everything else in the world, but apparently it had raised my value in Michael’s eyes.
“Well, um, it’s the playoffs.” I knew Wes would smile if he heard me using his words. It was halftime, and we were about to sneak into Lincoln’s practice gym so we could shoot around until the game restarted. By “we” I meant everyone but me.
“I take it you’re pretty good friends with Matt?”
“Who?”
He looked confused, even though he was still smiling. “Number fifty-one? You were all over his game.”
Duh.“Oh, yeah. Matt. We’re… buds.”
Buds? Really? Say something cool for once in your life! Something that elevates you beyond Little Liz.I cleared my throat and added, “We dated for a while, but ultimately decided that we’re better as friends.”
Yeah, lying definitely makes it better.
I didn’t know what I was doing anymore with all the lying, to be honest. I’d always considered myself a pretty truthful person, but now I’d lied to Joss, to Helena, and to Michael. When was it going to stop?
Wes was the only one I hadn’t lied to lately, and that was because I wasn’t trying to please him or impress him. Heknewthe mess that I was, so there was really no point.
“Yeah, I get that.” Michael’s shoulder bumped mine in a casual yet—I was 99 percent sure—purposeful way. I was pretty sure my unnecessary lie had just scored me a point. He said, “I’ve had girlfriends like that.”
“Come on.” Noah was holding open a door and gesturing for us to hurry. “Get in before someone sees us.”
We followed him through the door and into the practice gym. Adam found a ball over by the corner drinking fountain while the other guys decided teams.
“You playing, Buxbaum?” Wes gave me a look like I should say yes, but I knew my skill level would do nothing to help me.
“I’ll watch, but thanks.” I pulled the earbuds out of my front pocket—I always had at least three pairs on my person at any given time—before clicking on my music. I dropped to the floor and sat crisscross applesauce as I popped the earbuds in and watched the boys play.
And just like that, they were all-in on their halftime game. Wes and Noah were one team; Michael and Adam were the other. Noah talked nonstop shit, and his verbal sparring with Michael and Adam made me laugh because it was brutal and cocky and hilarious.
Michael made some shots, but he was overshadowed by Wes, who seemed really, really good at basketball.
This was going to be fun.
I’d never created a soundtrack for a sporty event—and my running playlists didn’t count—but I always thought there was a specific magic to them. I mean, the soundtrack toRemember the Titans? Stone-cold ridiculous. The curator had managed a masterpiece that left the songs forever changed for every person who’d seen the film.
Who could hear “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” without picturing Blue singing in the locker room after that nightmarish practice at training camp? And James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain” wascompletely reincarnated by that movie. I couldn’t remember what I’d imagined when listening to that song before I’d seen the movie, but for the rest of my life I was always going to picture the car accident that left Bertier paralyzed.
I watched Noah dribble down the court. He bounced the ball with the confidence of one who knew the ball wouldn’t be stolen from him. Inspired, I scrolled for something loud, because the game I was watching was all about noise. It was a cacophony of voices, grunts, sneaker squeaks, and bounces.
I cranked “Sabotage” by the Beastie Boys. It wasn’t original, but it was perfection. I kept raising the volume as Ad Rock set the perfect backdrop for this sweaty matchup. Noah smirked as he juked around Adam, and right after the first set of record scratches, he stepped back and let go of a shot that arced high into the air before swishing into the basket. Nothing but net.
So-so-so-so listen up ’cause you can’t say nothin’
Michael passed the ball to Adam, who was fast and sprinted down to the corner, but Wes was already there with his hands up. Adam bounced it over to Michael, who dribbled underneath the basket and just put it in, like it was easy.
Listen all y’all it’s a sabotage…
Adam passed the ball right at the song’s middle scream, and I was buzzing, alive in the way that I only felt when I got the matchupexactlyright. If life was a movie, this song was meant for this moment.
Music made everything better.
When Noah popped a three-pointer to win the game, I totally sat up and yelled. Only, I was cheering my own little victory, not theirs.
Everyone instantly relaxed once the game was over, talking and casually taking shots at the basket. I scrolled to Joe Cocker’s “Feelin’ Alright” as I watched the sportsmanship in front of me. Noah was arguing—loudly—with Adam as they both laughed, and Wes was doing some terrible dance move beside them, also laughing.
