Love Me Back (6 page)

Trent leads me down to the basement where the sign reads it is a private party for Jennings.  No doubt my brother arranged this, he is known to be the party planner of Belcrest.  The basement is a typical bar scene.  Pool Tables and Dart Boards with small tables along the walls.  There are two bars, one against the back wall and a smaller one up front.  Everyone is lined up against the wall bar in the back waiting to be served.  Jack is passing out pitchers for everyone so I make my way over to Ian and Kenna.

I take a pitcher out of Jack’s hands and a cup out of Ian’s pouring myself a beer, I down half of it and take a seat.

“It must have been quite a trip over.”  Ian jokes.

“Like always.”  I respond back tipping back my beer some more.

“You didn’t have to go with him.”  Kenna sneers.  I know what she thinks but she never understood our connection.

“I know Kenna.  Sooner or later we have to face each other again.”  I sneer back.  I understand she wants to protect me but what am I supposed to do ignore him.

Trent caught up with me at the table after being cornered by some other Littles, no doubt asking him about his wonderful life.  He stays by my side the whole night, touching the small of my back, putting his arm around the back of my chair.  We play a pool tournament but we were knocked out by Bryan and Mackenna in the third round.  My cheeks hurt from laughing so hard.  I had forgotten how Trent makes me laugh and feel worth something.  Wasn’t that the problem though, he could make anyone feel like they were special until he left.

The night winds down and slow songs start to play on the jukebox.  Mostly couples are left so the dance floor is full.  Bryan is lovingly holding Mackenna rocking back and forth while Jack dips and spins Lindsey around. I sit quietly in the corner finishing my beer observing the happy couples.

“Come on.”  Gabe whispers in my ear.  He grabs my hands leading out to the dance floor.

Taking one hand and wrapping his other around my waist he pulls me closer dancing me around the room.

“Are you having fun tonight?”  He asks.

“I am.” 

“You sound surprised.  Did you think you weren’t going to have fun coming back to Belcrest?”

“I don’t know what I thought.”  I shrug.

I can smell a hint of his cologne mixed with his sweat.  It is oddly appealing.  His strong hand is holding me firm against him and he has tucked our hands close between our chests.  His breathing is even paced and heart rate steady.  I have always admired his confidence in any situation.  I look up into his blue eyes and notice he is peering down at me.  Butterflies race around my body while my stomach drops.  We stare at each other for a couple minutes and the room fades away.  I can only concentrate on him.  He inches closer to me, I lick my lips in anticipation but then someone taps his shoulder and suddenly we are back to reality.

“Can I cut in
BRO
?”  Trent is behind him.  Trent’s eyes are tightly drawn glaring at Gabe.

Gabe looks from me back to Trent.  The anguish in his eyes is evident. “Of course brother.”  He releases my body and it goes cold.

I watch Gabe make his way to the table sitting with Ian.  I can’t explain it but I don’t want him to go.  I turn back to Trent who is smiling down at me wrapping his arms around my waist.  I automatically put my arms around his neck.  It feels comfortable, like home.  I stare over his shoulder at Ian and Gabe.  Ian is flailing his arms telling some story but Gabe’s eyes are set on me. 

Trent moves me around the dance floor saying sweet things in my ear.  Things that used to make me melt but I am preoccupied from what just happened.  It is impossible for me to focus on Trent when I want to kiss his brother.

Chapter 7 - 16 years old

Maybe Mackenna was right about Trent and me.  We couldn’t stay away from each other but we couldn’t stay together either.  Trent broke up with Chloe the day after I returned to school.  Although we didn’t start dating right away, Chloe never sat at our lunch table again.  We started our friendship where it left off three years earlier.  Soon the four of us were joined at the hip. 

Freedom came when I turned sixteen.  I passed my drivers test on the first try and with my dad still feeling guilty from the divorce and the move he bought me a car.   I decided on a Red Jeep Wrangler.  My dad wanted to get me a car but I had my heart set on the Jeep.  Since I was his little girl that missed her daddy so much, he bought me the Jeep.

Mackenna didn’t turn sixteen for a couple months so I would be her chauffeur.  Bryan’s parents bought him a brand new FJ Cruiser.  Trent inherited Gabe’s Chevy Silverado.  Gabe had put custom rims with big mud tires and a muffler you could hear five miles away.  It was Gabe’s most prized possession so we were stunned when Gabe agreed to let Trent have it while he was at college.

Trent and Bryan didn’t follow in their Big’s footsteps playing football, they were on the soccer team, both starters on varsity in their sophomore year.   At first I thought Trent was wasting his arm.  Everyone assumed he would be the all-state quarterback when we were younger but when I saw his first soccer game I knew he found the sport for him.  He was the lead scorer of the team; the other teams couldn’t keep up with him.   With Bryan making saves at goalie they were an unstoppable team.

Mackenna and I would go to their games on Saturday afternoon and we would go to the Bassos after to hang out.  Sometimes we would go to my house but since my mom was never home and there was never any food in the fridge, we all preferred Trent’s.

Trent and I flirted but nothing went any further until the middle of our junior year.   The Belcrest soccer team won the state championship.  The Bassos and Edwards said they would watch Kenna and me so our parents didn’t have to go.  We shared a room that adjoined to the Bassos.  Jack, Doug, Gabe and some other Bigs met us at the stadium to watch the boys play.  

We were sitting down cuddling together under blankets waiting for the boys to come out to the field when a young kid walked up to us asking for Madeline.  The kid couldn’t be more than middle school aged.

Everyone turns around at me and I just shrug my shoulders.  “That’s me.  Who are you?”  I skeptically ask.

The kid looks at our big group and starts stuttering.  “Um...TR…TR…” he stutters.

“It’s alright kid, calm down.  What do you want with Maddy?”  Gabe stands up putting his hand on the kids shoulder.

“Um…” he takes a deep breath.  “Trent Basso wants to talk to her.”

“Ok, we can do that.”  Gabe motions over to me to come over.

“Where is he at?”  I ask the young kid.

“Fo…Fo…Follow me.”  He waves his hand down the stairs.

“Do you want me to go with you?”  Gabe asks me.

“No, I’ll be back soon.  I am sure it’s nothing.”  I reassure everyone.

I descend the stairs behind the boy and see Trent bent over in the hallway that leads out to the field.  I notice the rest of the team is already out there.  He is dressed in his blue shorts with his shirt tucked in along with his shin guards and matching blue cleats.  He looks incredible in his uniform.  I rush over to him.

“What’s the matter Trent?”  I bend over to look at his face.

“I don’t know Mad.  I can’t stop shaking, I feel nauseous.  This has never happened to me before.”  He sits up putting his head in his hands.

I feel his forehead it seems ok but he is sweating.  “You feel ok, no fever.”  I inform him.

“What if I mess up?  You know how good that other team is?  Scouts have already come to see their star player and he is only a sophomore.”  He confesses the real reason he doesn’t feel good.

“Are you kidding me Trent?”  I get in front of him putting my hands on each shoulder.  “Trent Basso is afraid he won’t play well?” 

He looks at me like how could I not agree with him. 

“Trent, you are the best soccer player I have ever seen.  You are better than that kid.  You were born to play forward.  That team won’t be able to keep up with you.”  I point out to the field.

“I don’t know Maddy.  I took a chance leaving football behind to pursue soccer.  What if it was a mistake and I can’t bring the championship back home?”  He shakes his head back and forth.

“Trent, don’t think like that.  I am so sure you can and WILL bring the championship back to Belcrest, I am willing to make a bet.”

“A bet?”  He raises his eyebrow at me.

“Anything you want” I say.

“You are that confident?”

“I am that confident in you Trent Basso.”  I guarantee him pointing my finger into his chest.

“If I win the championship, I want us to go out on a real date, just me and you.  No Kenna and Bryan.” 

“Here I thought you were going to ask to feel me up.”  I laugh.

“I am confident enough that after the date I might get that too.”  He winks.

“We’ll see.”  I hit him in the shoulder.  “Now go out there and kick some ass Trent Basso.”  I hug him.  When I step back he pulls me harder against him.

“Thanks Maddy, you are the best.”  He looks down at me and we feel the pull between us.  Bending down his lips graze mine.  I taste the orange Gatorade he must have just consumed.  His tongue licks my bottom lip begging to enter.  I open my mouth meeting his tongue before allowing it in.  He moans into my mouth and I fall into him more.  His hands come to the back of my head keeping me against his lips while my fingers grasp his jersey.

“Oh Jesus, you guys pick now to make-out?”  Bryan calls out to us.

I pull away fast but Trent grabs my waist.  “See you after the game.  Every goal is for you.”  He gives me a short kiss on the lips.

I lean against the wall trying to catch my breath.

“Maddy?”  Trent stops at the opening of the field.

I pick up my head.

“What if I lose?  What do you want?”  He asks.

“You won’t” I say.

Trent smiles and runs out to the field.

I was right.  Trent brought the championship back to Belcrest that night being the lead scorer six to three.  After the game, we all went back to the hotel including the Bigs to celebrate.   We ate pizza and discussed the highlights of the game.  Trent was gleaming from ear to ear making me ecstatic for him.   He was so excited and happy that he would be bringing the first soccer state championship trophy back home.

The adults grew tired and wanted to relax.  They allowed us to go down to the pool to soak in the hot tub.  We use the boys as an excuse to relax their muscles.  Mackenna and I went into our room and changing into our swimsuits.  We both wore our bikinis and I couldn’t help but think how different it is this time.

We walk into the poolroom with our cover-ups on.  Some of the boys are in the pool and others in the hot tub.  Kenna and I are used to being the only girls since it has been like that most of our life but I am nervous to take off my cover up.  Trent and Bryan are in the hot tub so we make our way to a table by them.  Kenna takes off her cover-up sauntering into the hot tub showing her black and white bikini.  A couple of the boys look but don’t make a big deal of it so I have high hopes it will be the same with me.

I take off my white linen cover-up displaying my pink and blue polka dot bikini.  Looking at the hot tub Kenna has a huge smile on her face staring up at me and Trent’s mouth is open in awe. 

“Man, what a difference from last time.”  A little screams from the pool.

“Shut the fuck up little.”  Jack yells back at him.

“Sorry man” the little apologizes to my brother.

The noise makes me look towards the pool and I notice the boys gawking and my brother scowling.  I rush into the hot tub next to Kenna hiding under the bubbles. 

“It’s like they’ve never seen breasts before” Bryan exclaims making me turn redder. 

“Let’s not talk about it.”  I request to him.

“Yeah, let’s talk about how next Saturday you two are on your own.”  Trent points from Mackenna to Bryan.

“Why?”  Kenna looks over to me and I shrug even though I know where Trent is going with this.

“Cause we won the championship.”  He says matter of fact.

“Is there some special celebration I don’t know about?”  Bryan asks.

Trent scoots closer to me putting his arm behind me.  “You could say that, right Maddy?”  He grazes my shoulder with his fingers and my body racks with goose bumps in the ninety-five degree water.

Mackenna and Bryan stare at me confused.

“Oh for heaven’s sake, Trent and I are going on a date.  From what I gather it is next Saturday.”  I divulge the secret.

“Finally,” they both shake their heads back and forth.  We all start laughing.

The next Saturday I wait outside my house for Trent to pick me up.  I don’t want him to come in since my mom is getting ready for one of her ‘dates’.  He pulls up at six thirty parks the car and comes walking up the driveway.  He is wearing jeans and dark Henley thermal with his Adidas soccer shoes.  I always love the way his jeans hung low on his hips.  I walk up to meet him.

“You look beautiful like always.”  He leans in giving me a kiss on my cheek.

“Thank you.”  I look down at my jeans and sweater not thinking much of it.

“You ready?”  He takes my hand leading me to the house.

“Yeah, let’s go.”  I start pulling his arm towards the truck.

“Hey” he brings me closer putting a hand on my face.  “I have to talk to your mom before taking you out.  It’s only right.”  He looks into my eyes trying to reassure me.

“You don’t understand Trent.  She’s getting ready for a date.  Its fine, she doesn’t care.”  I plead.

“I do Mad, come on.”  He starts walking up the walkway to the front door.

I reluctantly follow him.  I open the door to my house thankful I cleaned it today.  I call up to my mom in her room but she doesn’t answer.  I leave Trent in the living room and run upstairs to get her. 

She is blow-drying her long blond hair.  She turns the dryer off.  “What do you want?  I thought you left.”  She snaps at me.  I cross my fingers hoping Trent can’t hear her.

“Trent Basso is here to take me out on a date and is asking to talk to you first.”  I whisper to her.