Page 55 of Fast Break
“Look, I know everyone’s playing their part, but the Devils are very disciplined in defence. I think it’s time for a little Sterling chaos ball,” Coach says while the rest of the boys whoop and grin at us. I totally agree with Coach’s assessment. Trey and I do our little cousin fist bump as we prepare to let loose on the court.
We love it when Coach gives us permission to play chaos ball because it’s completely undisciplined and entirely throws out his playbook. But that’s the beauty of it because Southside’s defence can’t cope with the chaos that Trey and I can only create from growing up together on the court and knowing each other’s games back to front.
We give everything we’ve got, the team bringing the ball to us whenever they can. It’s not pretty and it’s far from textbook but we manage to pull away towards the end due to some crazy chaos that the crowd goes berserk for. We’re up by three points when the final siren blows and the game’s over. We’re minor premiers and it feels amazing as we make our way towards the locker room.
I’m in a hurry to get back out to Quinn but the guys seem to want to celebrate even though Coach Vizard is trying hard to keep a lid on things.
“What’s the plan tonight, cuz?” Trey asks as he sidles up beside me while I tie my shoelaces. “You coming out to celebrate with the team or are you having your own private cellie?”
“Do you mind if I skip out tonight?” I ask. Trey has been remarkably cool about me missing out on the team celebrations of late but I don’t want to push the friendship too far.
“Course not,” he grins at me. “Who am I to deny my favourite cousin a night of blowjobs and hot sex?”
I’m about to roll my eyes at my cousin when Marco appears out of nowhere. “Who’s getting blowjobs and hot sex?” he asks.
“Me of course,” Trey laughs, stepping in easily to save me before I hyperventilate.
“So just a standard Friday night for you then,” Marco laughs while Trey pumps his eyebrows. I know from past experience how this conversation is about to play out, so I nod to Trey who sends me a subtle wink and I make a stealthy retreat from the locker room.
Quinn is waiting for me near the door just like last week and I beeline for him, ignoring everyone else in the room. It’s not difficult. He is all I ever see.
“Want to get out of here?” I say before he can open his mouth. He just grins and nods at me and we both turn and head for the exit.
***
Friday nights are fast becoming my favourite night of the week. Actually, no scratch that. They’ve always been my favourite night of the week but these days they have gone up next level. Not only do I get to play basketball with my cousin and our amazing team, I also invariably end up naked in Quinn’s bed doing things with him which are fast becoming my favourite activity.
I can’t get enough of Quinn. I can’t get enough of his kisses, his touches, his mouth, his body. I want it all and I don’t want it to stop. I think I’m obsessed with him. Quinn loves my biceps, and I love that he has noticed them. I spend a lot of time at the gym working on those babies and I love the way he slides his hands over my muscles, gaze darkening. He likes my pecs too and I love the way he palms them, sliding down to my abs which are not as defined yet but I’m still working on those.
I love his body just the same and I am slowly working up my courage to touch him when and where I want. Neither of us can hide the way our bodies react to each other. Every time I’m with him feels better than the last, the slide of his body against mine, the feel of his hand and mouth on me. Mine on him.
I’m constantly wanting more. More of everything. More of the things we haven’t even done yet but which has my imagination in hyperdrive. I want everything. I want it all.
***
Training has been brutal this week but it’s no less than I expect. It’s the first week of finals and unfortunately our quarter final was moved to the other side of town to a neutral stadium as our home court was booked out for the junior formal. It gets worse though. Trey has a dentist appointment that cannot be rescheduled which means that he can’t give me a lift to the game like usual.
Which is why my parents reluctantly agreed to actually come to a game tonight. To be fair, they have been to a couple of my games in the past but their lack of enthusiasm is fairly evident. But tonight is a quarter final so I need them there even if it’s only out of duty.
Quinn wanted to come but he’s had a dinner planned with his mum and gran for ages so I told him to go see his family. He is really close with his gran who helped out a lot when his dad walked out on the family so she is really special to him. This is something I understand fully as I have two awesome grandparents too but they don’t like travelling far at night anymore, so they won’t be at tonight’s game either.
The only problem with the above arrangement is that the time has just ticked past six forty-five and my parents are very notably not at home. I’ve tried calling them thirty times at least but neither of them has picked up and I am getting anxious. The game doesn’t start until eight o’clock, but we have to be there thirty minutes early for warm-up and I need another thirty minutes for travel time.
I’m already pacing the living room, wearing out the carpet as I check my phone every few minutes and try calling once more. Seven o’clock ticks by and I know my time is officially up. I try one last time and am astonished when Mum actually answers the call.
“JT,” she scolds in her most flustered tone. “Why do you keep calling?”
“Where are you?” I ask, dread sliding into my stomach. “I have to leave for my basketball game right this minute or I won’t make it in time.”
“Oh dear, the basketball game,” Mum sighs. “I’m sorry, JT. We must have forgotten to mark it down. We’re at Friday fellowship night. Pastor Andrew has fallen ill with the flu and asked Dad to step in at the last minute.”
“Are you kidding me right now?” I gasp, disbelief and bitterness flooding through me. “Is this not something you could have told me before you left me stranded before my game?”
“Calm down, JT,” Mum scolds. “It’s just a basketball game. You know our family priorities, and supporting your father in the ministry is number one.”
“For you it is,” I respond, too angry to check my tone. “You’ve made that very loud and clear.”
“I will not have you speak to me like—” Mum begins but I’ve had enough. I end the call and let out a string of the type of curse words that would usually have me severely punished in this house. I don’t even know why I am surprised. This is just so typical of my parents and the insular world they live in where everything revolves around them and theirpriorities.
