I'm currently reapplying mascara before I head to the party.

I hear knocking on the door. I immediately open it thinking Nicole or Loren forgot something but it's not one of them....

It's Chase.

He's standing in the hallway holding a necktie. He looks so attractive dressed up.

"I was praying you'd still be here." He says as I motion for him to come in.

"I'm here. Was actually about to leave."

"I have a favor to ask."

"Okay, I'm all ears."

He start pacing back and forth in the kitchen.

"My parents came to my game tonight. I have a dinner with them tonight. I don't know how to do this." He says while holding up his necktie.

I laugh. "What? I'm sorry but who normally does your necktie?" Most college athletes should know how to tie a tie.

"Well my sister but she graduated last year. I was going to ask the Loren, Nicole, or the guys but they would laugh. So do you know how?"

"Yes, I know how. I do have two brothers. It's quite simple though." I say as I take a step closer to him and invade his personal bubble.

I grab the necktie out of his hands and stand on my tippy toes to get it over his head. When I land back on my bare feet he's a step closer to me. Now in my personal bubble. I can feel his breath on my skin.

As I start to tie is necktie he asked for another favor.

"Can you do something else for me?"

"I won't tie your shoes." I joke.

"Will you be my date tonight?" Bomb dropped. I freeze and he starts talking.

"My date backed out. I was going to take a friend who goes to Duke but she got a stomach bug last minute. Now that I think about it she just backed out 10 minutes ago. My father hates her maybe that's why. Is my father scaring off my friends." He rambling now. He doesn't want to hear the rejection.

"Chase, I'll be your date. On one condition."

I watch as he lets out a breath he was holding in.

"What's the condition?" He ask

"You and the rest of the group will stop being nosy. When I want to tell y'all about me, I will. I just don't. Not at the moment. Don't lie and say you weren't being nosy because you liked a photo on my Instagram from 3 years."

"I'll stop being nosy but I can't say the same for the others. Now why do you want to come?"

"Maybe I'm nosy. Plus I wasn't really in the mood for a party. Now I need to get changed for the third time because you can't out dress me." I say as I finish tying his tie.

I head to my room and put on my knotted pink satin dress. I decided on wearing nice sandals because if I wear heels I'm going to be taller than Chase. I don't think he'd appreciate that.

"I can't bend in this dress but I'll be just fine." I say as I emerge from my room.

Chase looks and me and doesn't say anything. He just stares. "Did I dress too slutty? I didn't think I did. It might show off my curves but no skin is out. Or is it not dressy enough? I can borrow one of the girls dresses. Chase! Chase! Hello! What do I need to change into?"

He snaps out of whatever trance he was in. "You look perfect." He says barely above a whisper.

"Thank you." I say as I feel my cheeks heating up.

"Let's get going."

We walk out to the parking and approach a blacked out Chevy. "Oh thank you Jesus." I say as I walk to the passenger seat.

"Huh?" He ask

"I'm so happy you drive a Chevy and not a Ford. I can't stand dudes who drive a Ford. My dad drives a Chevy and hates Ford drivers so the hatred lives on within the Law- Rae kids." I say. I almost outed my last name.

Once he's in the truck and starts it Jason Aldean starts playing.

I skip the song.

"What? Not a Jason fan?"

"He has good songs. I'm just not a fan of a man who cheated on his wife."

Morgan Wallen, Had Me By Halftime starts playing.

"So you like country music?" I ask to which he nods while he makes a turn.

"I thought you'd like rap, if I'm being honest."

"Never. My younger sister does."

"Will she be there tonight?"

"Clarissa, no. She's in her last year of high school. I think she has exams coming up. So she's studying."

Soon we arrive at the restaurant. It's a fancy place. Only the best for Brad Jackson.

I go to open my door and look over at Chase. He hasn't moved. He's still sitting with his hands on the steering wheel and his seatbelt on. The truck is still on. He hasn't even cut the engine yet.

"So are you parents going to bring the food out here and we eat in your truck or..." I joke but Chase doesn't laugh

"My dad is going to talk about basketball the whole night. He might also be rude. He's going to drink as well. He doesn't like the girls I usually associate with. He might criticize you. Don't feel picked out, he does it to everyone. My mom is going to ignore you the whole night. She'll just think you're another whore. Don't try and make small talk with her. She hates that. Also don't order anything cheap. My parents hate cheap people."

Wow. This isn't what I was expecting. No wonder Chase's friend from Duke backed out.

"Chase I can handle basketball parents. I can handle the rich person behavior. I'll be alright." I assure him as I open the door and hop out of the truck.

He soon follows and we walk inside. "We're with the Jackson." He tells this hostess as soon as we walk in.

"Of course. Follow me."

"They're already watching us. Remember what I told you." He whispers as we follow the hostess.

We sit down at an empty table.

I look over at Chase.

"Are they not here yet?"

"I saw my dad at the bar on the way in. My mom is probably around somewhere." He states as he picks up the menu.

"Chase." A male voice calls out from behind us.

"Father. This is my friend-" he starts but is cut off.

"Becca Patterson?" He questions. Why did he just call me by my moms maiden name.

"Taylor Rae." I correct him.

"Sorry, you just look like a girl me and my wife went to college with."

"This Becca girl may be a long lost cousin. My moms name is Beth." I thought of that name right on the spot. "Bethany Rae." I tell him. Trying to make it sound believable.

"I would ask your mother if you are related to a Becca Patterson. I mean you look just like her." I am told I'm the spitting image of my mom.

"Where's mom?" Chase speaks up.

"Restroom."

"Chase!" A female voice calls out. We all turn our heads. This must be Mrs. Jackson. "Holy shit." She curses when she looks at me. "Are you Becca Patterson's daughter? I went to school with your mom." She starts but Mr. Jackson cuts her off. "This is Taylor Rae. She is no what related to Becca. I said the same thing."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes ma'am, I'm sure."

"So Chase have you thought on the idea I brought up?" Mr. Jackson ask as he takes a sip of his draft beer.

"I'm only a sophomore dad. I can think about it next year."

"Well your mom and I think you should do it."

"Bradley Wayne Jackson! Do not bring me into this conversation. Chase baby I never said that. The choice is yours." Mrs. Jackson you can tell hates the basketball conversation.

"Do you understand basketball?" Mrs Jackson asks me.

"Yes ma'am. My brothers play college basketball and Coach Carson is my god father and dads best friend. So I can't escape the basketball talk." I tell.

"We're going to escape this now. Come on sweetie." She gestures getting up.

I do the same. While Chase and his father talk about basketball.

She leads me over to the bar. "Do you want anything?" She ask. Is this a trick question. Yes I want alcohol but I'm going to say no.

"No ma'am. I'm okay." I pull out my phone and text the girls that I'm not coming to the party tonight. Then I put my phone on the bar counter as I take a seat.

"I'm so happy you're a natural blonde. Because these fake blondes that Chase brings around, well, I'm just gonna say it...they're slutty."

The bartender approaches as Mrs. Jackson asked for a Bloody Mary. I look back over at Chase and Mr. Jackson.

"Can you see as much as I can that Chase is unhappy talking about basketball?"

"I've learned throughout the years. That eyes say more than words can. Right now his eyes are saying that he wishes the conversation was over. I used to be a volleyball player for Kentucky. My brothers are athletes, so I always felt like I had to be one. My dad was an athlete. My mom was. What I'm trying to get at is the more you pressure someone about something the more it drives them away from what they love. Their sport."

I pause before continuing not sure if I should tell her the next part but I do "This isn't my place to say but I'm going to say it anyways. You know me and Chase probably sat in his truck for a couple minutes before we came in. I could see he was dreading tonight. The first thing he told me was that Mr. Jackson was going to talk about basketball all night and to be prepared. I haven't even known him a week but I know he's under pressure being Brad Jackson son." I tell her.

"And how do you know this?" She ask.

"I just do."

"Really or is it because your Becca and Ryan Lawson's daughter. So you can relate?" My eyes immediately get big and I turn to face her.

"I'm not dumb. You are a spitting image of your mother. You have her manners and the same exact personality. I visited your mother when you were born, Taylor. When you said you played volleyball for Kentucky you really gave it away. If I didn't know what your mama looked like as an college student. I would have never guessed you were her daughter but you look just like her. How's Austin and Seth?"

"Austin is a junior at Syracuse and Seth is a freshman at Kentucky. Both playing on scholarship for basketball. Seth actually started today and I wanted to cry because I wanted to be there to watch my baby brother, but I recorded the game and will be watching it when I get to the dorms."

"Seth started his first game tonight. Aww. Was your mom there?"

"No! Which I can't believe. She wanted to be there but she went to watch Austin because she promised him when he was five that when he was a junior and decided to play his last year in college basketball she would watch him. My dad went to watch Seth. Which probably added so much pressure to him. I wish I was there!"

"I bet she wishes she was there. So you gave up Volleyball?"

"Yeah, I did. It wasn't for me anymore. I loved it, I really did. It was just a lot of pressure to keep playing." Nobody knows the real reason I gave up Volleyball. Not even the family friends. Only Coach Carson.

"If you ever need someone to talk to I'm in Raleigh. You call me. I know Kentucky is far. If you need anything don't hesitate, please."

"I won't."

"Now get in my selfie. So I can tell your mama I saw you." I get in her selfie and she takes the picture. As soon as she takes it a very angry Chase come my way. "Let's go!" He says before exiting.

"Brad! What did you do this time? It always happens. When can never have just a nice simple dinner. It was nice meeting you Taylor."

"Nice meeting ya'll." I tell them as I exit the building.

As soon as I get in Chase's truck he pulls out the parking lot.

"Okay so I was really looking forward to some fancy food. What the hell happened?"

"Tell me Taylor why does my father insist that I should apply for the draft my junior year?"

I know that answer. The question is does he want my answer.

"The same reason my father wants Austin too. If you decide to play junior for UNC and apply your senior year. There is this possibility that you'll get injured your senior year. What team wants an injured player? None. No teams. That's why fathers are pushing for their sons to apply their junior year."

"Are you going to the party or do I need to drop you off at your dorm?"

"First we're going to get some food because I was expecting to eat fancy food, then you're dropping me off at my dorm."

_____

5/20/21