Chapter 16: Boombox Austin took me out of English class and straight to the parking lot. He parks his car in the first row, next to Luke's. Their initials were painted red on the concrete. They've had those spots since I started high school and they were already sophomores. Rumors say they won a bet with some seniors and traded places. I guess I can just ask them now, instead of hearing the rumors. I glanced at the black jeep wrangler next to us, imagining Luke inside. I missed him already. "What event am I missing?" I asked Austin. He popped open the trunk of his car. "You're not missing it anymore," came the mysterious answer as he rummaged through the trunk. I saw a small keg in there for 'emergencies.' My rusty car was parked far back, under a tree somewhere. Maybe I could fill my trunk with an emergency keg of coffee. "All set." Austin slammed the trunk of his car shut with one hand and, in his other, was a speaker box. "Why would you need speakers but not a keg?" I asked. My first question should've been 'why a speaker at all' but I figured we were going to some impulsive party. Austin's the kind of guy who could a turn a classroom into a rave... or an unflattering poster of me into a marketing ploy for a party. Both of which he's done. He winked at me. "Alcohol is not always the solution." "It is in chemistry." I can't wink without looking like something got stuck in my eye, so I just went for a smile. He laughed. When Austin laughs... it's contagious. ** I started to figure out where we were going when we came across the crowds blocking the hallway. They were heading into the basketball court. Cheerleaders were dressed up and ready to perform, and the noise inside was loud. "Have you ever seen Luke play?" Austin asked me, guiding me through the chaos. "Yes, a couple times," I answered, "Once at Chad's garden party and then at that three-on-three game with Chris Hayes." "Oh yeaah," Austin took a trip down memory lane. "You gave Chris' sister a drink." Not my favorite memory. "Anyway," he switched subject, "Luke is coming to your math game in a couple weeks and he's blocked it off in his calendar. So, I thought you may want to come to his." No one's called my math competition a 'game' before. Makes me sound athletic. "Thank you. Good idea." I was going to have to know more about sports now that I was with Luke, "And why the speakers?" He looked down at the giant speakers in his hand and smiled mischievously, "Because we're not going through the front doors." ** I don't know how many doors lead to a basketball court, but we were going in a different direction to all of them. It's not second nature for me to think of basketball games and competitions. That was Luke's world and Austin knew it. So, I was grateful that Austin was keeping an eye out for me. He actually wanted Luke and me to work out. "Millie! Millie!" Cearra called out, running up to us in the crowd, "You sent me some crazy text about bleach and either you want your hair dyed or you killed someone." Are those my two options? Cearra's box braids were tied in a high ponytail. Her scrunchie and lipstick were both green for the school colors. "You're going to this game?" I asked her, surprised she hadn't mentioned it at lunch. "Are you?!" she replied, equally surprised. "Have you two met?" I realized I may owe an introduction. Austin was just standing patiently next to me, nodding at the people saying hi to him as they passed by. "Cearra, this is Aust-" But she finished my sentence for me, "Austin Taylor. You're a pretty popular guy." "Pretty and popular? That's everything I've ever wanted to be," Austin joked. "And the bleach is for my bedroom carpet," I explained, "It got stained red." "Blood red," Austin said. ** "I'm pretty sure this isn't allowed," I whispered, hiding behind Austin while Cearra was hiding behind me. Her green painted fingernails were digging into my arm. We walked step-by-step into the boy's locker room. The smell was less than great, and I was hoping not to see any naked- "They're all dressed," Austin said, not understanding why we were hanging onto him. "Movies make it seem like guys are always naked in here." "Cos we all want those shirtless shots," Cearra answered. Noise got louder. The coach hadn't come in yet, but the guys were in uniform, ready for the game. Or at least, most were. There were some shirtless ones left. We walked straight into the midst of it. There were backless benches with water bottles and neck towels scattered about. The school's mascot was printed onto the ceiling over them and green lockers lined the walls. In the middle of it all, Luke looked up and smiled. A megawatt smile. My eyes gravitated to his and I smiled back. While the other guys said Austin's name, Luke got up from his bench and said mine. "Minnie." He walked towards us, leaving his teammates behind. Cearra pinched herself and then me. "Hey Cearra," Luke greeted her as well, and his arm snaked around my waist, "Slept well last night Minnie?" I gulped. He looked good in his basketball uniform. The letter 21 was emblazoned on the back of his jersey. He had a black wristband that I softly touched. "Why do you wear this?" I asked him. "Helps cool me down," he answered, wrapping his hand over mine, "And maybe protects my wrist a bit. Are you here to wish me luck? I didn't think you were coming." Neither did I. "Yes, the most luck," I smiled up at him, "More luck than you need because you ran this morning and you're well prepared." My pep talks are A+ I hadn't stopped smiling since I walked into the room. Before Luke, I can't remember the last time I smiled at school. Now, it was a permanent fixture with him. I'd completely forgotten the dozen other guys in here, just because one of them was so- "Lovebirds," Chad interrupted, heading over to join us, "You still distracting him, Millie?" "I had no idea you were part of the team, Chad," I answered, staring at him in his pristine uniform. "He sits on the bench," Luke smirked. "I know nothing about the game," Chad confirmed. "Huh?" "His parents paid for the uniform," Luke explained. "Luke convinced coach to let me wear the uniform on game days and sit on the bench with the players," Chad said, "I've barely met half the team... But I've met plenty of girls." The lengths some guys go to meet girls. A loud sound emitted from the amp as Austin fiddled with wires to the speaker. Then came a pop and soon after, music. It blasted through the air. The whole vibe of the locker room changed as heavy rap music blared. Austin was getting them geared up for the game. The guys reacted well to it. "Oh!" I remembered, asking Luke over the music, "What did your teachers say about your homework, Luke?" "Homework?" Luke repeated, confused why I was bringing it up now. "Yeah!" I yelled over the music, "Because of your broken laptop!" He nodded and shrugged.