I got a good nap on Coach Carson's couch. A great one actually. He had a lot of paperwork to do so I got great sleep. I probably don't have the bags under my eyes anymore.

I'm currently getting ready for the basketball game tonight against Florida State.

Apparently this school loves basketball too. I mean my father told me they were a basketball school I guess I just didn't believe it.

I'm currently putting on natural makeup. While Nicole is putting on 3 loads of it. She needs darker makeup. If she had darker makeup she wouldn't have to overload her face.

Loren is currently applying mascara. She has the more natural looking makeup going on for her. Which is good because she is so pale.

"So I heard you ran into Teagan Smith." Nicole tells me

"Who?"

"The girl we told you that is obsessed with Chase." Loren states.

"Listen I don't like people who intimidate others to get ahead in life. So if she is the girl I told to drop out of college and become a hooker then I gave someone a piece of advice today. Y'all think she'll take it?"

"No! If anything she's about to make our life hell."

"My life, not yours. You don't have to associate with me if you're scared of a fake blonde who's hair turns green when she goes swimming. I've already been through hell. Nothing else can every compare to it. So I'm not scared."

"Well you will be." Nicole states.

"Y'all sound like this is high school. News flash we're sophomores in college. What did she ever do to you to make you scared of her?"

"She put me on the UNC exposing Instagram page. She put up a picture of me before I started tanning."

Seriously?

"I had braces and acne and was in the 7th grade. I just want to know how she found that picture. Their are so many more embarrassing pictures of me. She will put the out there."

"You have to give her the 2 words, one finger mentality."

"Huh?"

"I'm trying to dial it back on the cussing. I'm trying to lose the attitude and turn over a new page but it's hard. Very very hard. 2 words, f you. One finger, the middle finger. Give her that mentality. I will."

"Maybe." Maybe seriously girl come on. I've known these girls about two days. I thought Nicole was different you know, not so afraid of everyone.

"How do I look?" Asked Loren who's in a cropped UNC shirt with white pants. Those are going to get dirty. I don't own a pair of white pants and never will.

"You look great. Should I put glitter on my face?" Nicole asked Loren.

If she asked me, I would've said no. But Loren said yes. Why she said it I don't know. All I know is that Nicole is going to have to really wash her face tonight. 3 pounds of makeup and glitter. Geez.

I'm wearing a UNC Basketball oversized shirt with black leggings. I make sure I look perfect. I have people watching me. Waiting for me to screw up. I really hope the game against Kentucky is in North Carolina. I'll Google it later.

"Let's go girl!" A voice yells from the kitchen.

"Who's that?"

"Gracie and Paige." Loren answers as she grabs her phone and heads out of my room.

I follow Nicole into the kitchen to see a two brunettes. "Taylor this is Gracie she's dating Ethan. And this is Paige, Gracie's friend."

"Nice to meet y'all."

"So you mean we can't stay in your spare bedroom tonight?" Gracie ask

"No. Taylor is our newest roomie. We have an available couch though."

"I wasn't going to stay here anyways. I'll probably go to the basketball house and stay with Ethan."

"Yeah, I'm sure Chase will want company tonight." Says Paige.

What is up with UNC girls do they really believe they will get in a relationship by sleeping around?

We soon walk into the arena. We get seats close to the court. Apparently the girls have these seats every home game.

"Why's number 2 for Florida looking at you like that?"

I look to where Gracie is looking. Shit. That's Tristen. Tristen Street my brothers old teammate and best friend. He better not blow my cover. Last year he was a sophomore along side my brother. This year he's a junior but he transferred to Florida. Like I transferred to UNC.

"He used to play with my brother."

"Where does your brother play?" Paige ask leaning over Gracie.

"I don't remember." I tell her.

I watch as Tristen waves over at me. I wave back but Loren immediately pulls my hand down. "You don't want to be seen waving at the enemies."

We watch as the guys are huddle up. "What do you think they talk about in the huddle?"

"Game plans. I know what Coach Carson is telling them. He told my brothers it's a Rae family thing. My family tells it to each other every game day because my father and Coach Carson's Coach told them."

"Your father played here with Coach Carson and Chase's dad?"

"Yeah. Coach Carson is telling them to work so hard that one day there signature will be an autograph. Him and my father tell my brothers that because their coach told them."

"That's what Chase's dad tells him. He's told us." Nicole informs me.

Towards the end of the game Loren informs me of the afterparty at the basketball house. Coach Carson wasn't kidding when he said they party after every win.

I couldn't focus the whole game. I was to worried that Tristen would blow my cover. As the game ends and they make their way off the court he looks back at me, like he was about to walk over and say something.

"Let's meet the guys outside. It's too crowded in here."

"We're going to wait for them?" I ask

"Yes we have to congratulate them." Paige cheers.

As soon as we step outside I get a text.

Let's talk. Meet me in the back, behind arena.

I know exactly who it's from.

"I'll be back." I tell the girls as I make my way towards the back of the arena.

It's a long walk. I'm definitely getting my exercise. Once I get back there I immediately see him. He sees me. "Taylor!" He says waving at me to come over.

"Tristen, how have you been?" That's all I think of to say.

"I think I should be asking you that." He states.

"Don't. I get asked that too much. So why'd you call me back here?"

"I haven't seen you in forever. And once I left Syracuse your brother stopped talking to me. I miss my best friend do you know why he stopped talking to me?"

"If you're trying to ask me if I told him we hooked up, I didn't. I didn't tell him because I know y'all are best friends. Seriously Tristen we were both drunk that night. I wouldn't tell a soul. I hope the same for you."

"Yeah, no, I wouldn't tell anybody either. I was just trying to figure out why he stopped talking to me."

"I don't know, why. Austin is just trying to focus on basketball right now maybe he'll talk to you after the season." I tell him. Making up a lie. That's what the Lawson siblings do for each other. We lie.

"Are you sure you're okay though? Because the last time I saw you-"

I cut him off. "Tristen I'm fine. I'm a different person now. Or at least I'm trying to be. The last time I saw you I had just lost my best friend. I watched her take her last breath. So I'm sorry if the last time I saw you I did anything I could to get that thought out of my head."

"It's not like that. That's not what I mean..."

"It's okay. I have friends I need to get back to."

I don't wait for him to respond I just turn around and walk away back to my "friends"

"Hey there you are, we were about to send a search party." Nicole says directing everybody's eyes to me.

"I took a walk. My mom called when I started walking." I tell them clearly lying.

"Oh I thought you would've took off with that hottie." Paige says with a smirk

"What hottie?" Chase ask interested.

"Tristen Street." Loren answers for me

"Tristen Street is not a hottie. No way I'd take off with him. He's my brothers best friend. Or was. I don't really know." I say defending myself. No way in hell I'd ever like Tristen Street.

"Well I think he's hot." Paige states.

"You think every basketball player breathing is hot." Gracie tells her.

"Y'all ready for the party?" Ethan ask as he puts an arm around Gracie.

"Wait I thought we'd be able to change? I'm not dressed for a party."

"That's why we dressed cute." Paige says rudely. I'm starting to think she doesn't like me.

"We have clothes at the basketball house." Nicole says motioning between her and Loren.

Gracie and Paige showed up ready.

"Well I'm going to get dressed. Then I'll meet y'all there. Drop a pin or something." I tell Nicole.

"I should get going. My dad is expecting for dinner. He booked some nice restaurant across town. After the dinner I'm going to get shit-faced." Chase says as he starts walking towards his truck.

"I'll meet y'all there." I tell them as I start my walk back to my dorm.

"Wait do you need a ride?" Gracie ask

"I have pepper spray." I tell them.

_______

Y'all pray for Louisiana we're under water.

May 17, 2021