Hooked (15 page)

     “What are you laughing at?”

     “You
,
sweetheart, you don’t like being the center of attention do you?” 

    
I shrug my shoulders, “I guess not.”

     “How do you play basketball then?  You are out there in the center of a
court with people on both side
s of you, just watching you.”

     “I know
,
but that’s different.  I guess it’s because I have a goal, something I’m trying to accomplish
.  S
o
,
I get in a zone and don’t think about it
,
plus there are other players out there with me.”

     He lets
go
of my waist and grabs my hand.  I look at our hands
intertwined
because it is the first
time
we’ve held hands like this.  My hand looks really small compared to his and much more pale.  His hand is dark and big
and his
palm is warm and soft, it feels safe. 

    
“I want to see you in the zone
,
”
h
e says looking me dead in the eye.

     “Um
m
, yea
h
right.”  I giggle to try to lighten him up because for some reason
,
he was very serious when he said that.  “I can’t really picture you at a high school basketball game.”

     “I’d watch you do anything
,
Millie.”  I smile at him and we enter our class room. 

    
I go to my seat and sit down.  Cash follows me
,
but
there
is
nowhere
for him to sit.  He looks around and then to the person sitting behind me.  “Get up.”  He says to a boy named Nick.  I give him a look
,
but he never bats an eye.  He stared Nick down and says again,
“
I said get up.” 

    
Nick gets his books and gets out of the seat.  I watch him go to the back of the classroom feeling sorry for him.  Cash sits in the chair and then scoots himself right up behind me so that my hair is falling on his desk.  I give him my best mad face. 

     “What?
  Millie
,
I had to make him get up so I
could
sit next to you.  It was either him or one of the girls sitting next to you.”

     “Cash, that was mean!”  He plays with my ponytail.  It sends shivers down my spine.  I didn’t like what he said to Nick or how he said it.  “You didn’t have to bully him.  He’s a nice guy
,
” I say to defend him
.

     “I’m sorry, I’ll try not to bully anybody else,” he says grinning.

     “Thank you!” 

    
I turn around because the bell just rang and the teacher will be coming in any minute.  We make it through half the morning before I realize people are staring more at Cash than they are at me.  Then
,
I realize why.  I guess word got out that he beat Cameron up and went to jail. 

    
“People are staring at you
,
” I say
.

     “I think they are staring at us because
you’re
so beautiful.”

     “Um
m
, no.”

     “Okay then, their staring at me because they are jealous because I’ve got the most beautiful girl in the whole school.”

     “You are full of it.  Don’t you care though?”

     “No.”

     “How do you not care what people think or say about you?”

     “Millie, they have no bearing on me or my future.  It’s nothing to me.”

     “Okay, if you don’t care, then I’ll try my best not to either
,
” I say knowing this is easier said than done.

     “Good girl
,
”
h
e says as he pulls me close and kisses my temple. We make it to lunch where Cara,
Jason
and Jess meet us at our table.

     “Hey
,
Cash, what’s up?”  Jess asks.

     “Not much
,
”
h
e says
nonchalantly
.

     “Cara, Jason, this is Cash.  Cash, this is Cara and Jason
,
”
I say introducing them.

    
Jason and Cash shake hands and
we all sit down.  I brought my lunch today and after we all start eating, I realize that Cash isn’t eating anything.

     “Are you not hungry?”

     “Nah, I had a big breakfast
,
”
h
e says.

     During lunch we all make small talk until Jess says
,
“Cash, you do know you’re the talk of the town, right?”

     “How’s that?” 
H
e asks.

     “Umm, everyone that was at the party has come to school with at least one video and their own version of the fight.  And, I believe it’s also worth mentioning
,
that these
jackasses
also believe that you may be wanted for murder
,
”
s
he cringes as she adds the last part.

     “What?
”
  I half yell. 
“
That’s the dumbest thing I have ever heard!”

     “I thought you told me you were going to turn over a new leaf and not care what people said or thought anymore
,
sweetheart?” 
He
says raising one eyebrow.

     “Sweetheart?”  Cara asks as she looks at me with wide eyes.

    
I just know my face turned beet red.  He smiles at me and I smile back.  When I finally float back down to earth and realize everyone is staring at us
,
I get embarrassed.

    
“Yep, you heard me
,
”
h
e says to Cara
,
but never takes his eyes from me. 

     “I need to go because I’ve
gotta
talk to Coach Thompson
about our game on Thursday.
  See you in class
,
” I add to Cash.

     “This time I’ll ask nicely.”  He chuckles
at our inside joke.

     “Good
.
” I wink back at him and leave the lunch room. 

    
By the time I get to seventh hour, Cash is already in his seat.  I go to my seat in front of him and sit down.  “How did you know w
hich
seat was mine?”  I asked.

     “I asked
,
”
h
e says.  I smile at him and turn around
s
o I can concentrate on what we are supposed to be doing in class.

     After school, he walks me to my car and waits with me for Eli to come out.  “I wish I could see you outside of school.”

     “I know
,
me too
.
O
nly three
weeks and four
more
days
,
” I say smiling.

     “That’s too long,” he whines. 

    
He pulls me close to whisper something in my ear when we hear, “Um
m
, Mil?”  I peek around Cash’s shoulder and see Eli standing there.  Cash backs up and faces Eli. 

    
“Hey man, I’m Cash
,”
h
e says as he sticks out his hand. 

    
“Eli,” my brother says shaking back.  They look at each
other for a minute and I wonder what’s going through my
fourteen
year old brother’s mind until he speaks up
,
“Thanks for sticking up for my sister the other night.”

     “Man, you don’t ever have to worry about your sister when I’m around.  I’ll always take care of her
,
”
h
e says looking my brother straight in the eye.

     “I appreciate it
,
” Eli says
.

     “So
,
can we stop talking about me like I’m not here before y
’
all hug or
something?
”

     “
Haha
,” Eli says as he gets in the passenger seat.  I give Cash a hug and a little kiss and tell him bye. 

     “Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow,” he says as he walks away towards his car. 

    
I get in and look straight ahead.  “Don’t even start,” I say without looking at Eli.

     “What?
  I actually like the dude!  Dad’s not going to like it though.”

     “Are you going to tell him?”  I question him.

     “No, but you better.  If he finds out any other way, you’ll be in more trouble.”

     “I know, and I’m going to tell him.”  After I
find
some courage I know I don’t have, I add in my head.

CHAPTER
9

    
I cannot express how much the next three weeks sucked.  I had to do every chore my dad could think of
,
help my mom cook supper on the nights I was home, go to my ball practices and ballgames and run Eli everywhere his heart desired.  I called Cash every second I got a chance and I learned to really cherish those moments.  I was
a
lmost begging Eli to have me take him places
,
so I could have an excuse to take my phone while we were out.  I was thankful for those few phone calls
,
but honestly, it only mad
e me miss him more.  He told me every chance he got how he missed me and couldn’t wait to see my face…I felt the same way. 

    
I really thought three weeks wouldn’t be that bad
,
but when you’re waiting for something you really want, time seems to stand still.  Even though I had
basketball
games to play and even had some of my best
games,
I wanted him to be there with me.  He was planning on
coming to
one of the home games
the second week of me being grounded
,
but he had to work.

     He told me he was going to work extra hours for the next couple of weeks because he couldn’t see me and it would help keep his mind preoccupied.  He could be so sweet sometimes.  I loved that he showed this side of himself to me and no one else. It made me feel special. 

    
He works at “Fast Break,” our local car garage.  I haven’t had a
chance
to see him in his uniform yet
, but I can picture it…b
lack pants,
black
shirt and
black
boots.  I’m sure he sports the kind of shirt that has his name on the right pocket and I bet he gets really dirty and oily….whoa, since when have I started daydreaming about my boyfriend being dirty.  To get my mind off of that
,
I try to figure out Jess and Jake.  I haven’t had the time to talk to her yet
,
because either Cara or Cash have been around us.