Bending Under Pressure (28 page)

“You’re still his family, too.”

“Someone should remind him of that,” I mutter, folding my arms over my chest. Because I can’t help myself, I continue, “What am I obligated to do?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, Walter is my stepdad and I have to give him a fair chance. Do I have to do that with them, too? Do I have to acknowledge that she’ll be my stepmom and that I’ll have a stepsister?” My voice drops. “They ruined our family, Mom.” My throat chokes with tightness as stupid tears well in my eyes.

Mom is quiet for only a few seconds. “I’m probably going to screw up as a parent, but here I go. First, her daughter didn’t ruin our family. She was as innocent as you were, even though it affected you differently. As for Tonya, I’m not sure what to tell you. If you’re going to give your father a chance, then you might as well give her one while you’re at it. If your father follows through, then you’ll have to get used to them being around too, at the very least. You don’t have to be friends with them or like them or to not like them. But your paths are going to cross as long as she’s with your father. My best advice is to not do anything that could ruin it before it starts.”

There’s a knock on the door. I jump up, half excited as usual, but also kind of dreading seeing Keelan. A half smile is the most I can muster when I see him.

“Hey, Hales.”

“Hey. Let’s talk out here.”

We take a seat on the porch steps and Keelan immediately starts talking. “I’m sorry about Wade. I didn’t know he’d do that. I didn’t say anything though.”

“Then how could he say what he did?” I interrupt.

“The guys were talking and he asked me, but he called you the new girl. All I said was, ‘It’s October. You don’t know the new girl’s name?’ and he assumed it meant no. I’m sorry. You’re not mad at me, are you?”

Keelan didn’t actually answer him. I can’t be mad at his response. I shake my head. “No.” The long day hits me hard and I rest my head on his shoulder. Then, I notice he smells good. “Did you go home first?”

He laughs. “Yeah, I wasn’t going to, but I needed a shower. I can’t stay long. Mom gave me just enough time to explain myself and get back home.”

Figures. “Thanks for coming. You better go before I get you in trouble again.”

He grins, kisses my cheek, and leaves with promises to text me later.

“Y
ou and Cameron seem to be doing okay,” I comment while we warm up for the last game of the season.

“We’re back to normal,” she agrees. This is really the first time we’ve talked this week. “I’m sorry for being a crappy friend.”

“It’s okay. I’m here to if you need someone to talk to, you know.”

She gives me a smile. “I know.” Jess sighs before adding, “I overreacted and then had some family things going on. I decided to check out for a while.”

I nod in understanding. Coach Spell gathers us for his pre-match pep talk, but I’m distracted. Mom, Walter, and Dad are here. I knew Mom and Walter were coming, but not Dad. He didn’t mention it when I spoke to him yesterday, and I’m a bit relieved that he is on the opposite side of the court than they are though. It’s weird how I used to wish I could get Mom and Dad into the same room in hopes that they could get back together; now I don’t want him near her or Walter. I want to keep them separate.

As I step onto the court for my match, I push everyone out of my mind. All I want is to win my last match of the year. I meet my opponent at the net, shake her hand, and then spin my racquet to see who will serve first. She calls it and wins the draw. As I walk to my place on the right hand side, I turn my racquet over and over in my hand.

My knees bend, and my feet rock side-to-side, waiting for her to serve. She tosses the ball up and the ball sails past me. Dang, her serves are fast and powerful. I’m already down a point.

“Fifteen – love,” she calls before she serves her next one.

I’m a bit more prepared and I’m able to return it. This girl is ridiculous, though. Is she some sort of pro player in disguise? She’s
that
good. I might as well be the last seed compared to her. The first set is over within five minutes. No kidding.

She butchered me. She continues to do so until we’re the first ones finished with our match. A win must’ve been too much to ask for. Dad is waiting by the gate when we walk off, so whoever is next in singles can start their match. I give him a half smile and he hugs me.

“You fought as much as you could have. That girl will be huge in the pro circuit one day.”

Just want I want to hear. “Thanks, Dad,” I mumble as I pull away. “You came to surprise me?”

“Yeah. I haven’t seen you play much, so I wanted to be here for the last one. I also wanted to talk to you about the wedding.”

“Now?” I’m so not in the mood for this.

“I just wanted to see if you needed anything to wear. I’d be happy to pay for something, or you can always go shopping with Tonya.” He smiles widely, as if that will help his case.

“Mom already said she would take me shopping.” He loses the grin. “Can I bring a date?” Might as well get all the wedding talk over and done with.

“Of course, Haley. I’ll let Tonya know.”

“Great, thanks.” Maybe I’m setting him up for failure, but I’m disappointed in him. He didn’t ask whom my date would be or if we’re driving home that night or anything. “Coach Spell wants to see me,” I sort of lie. Coach always wants to see us after a match, so there’s some truth in the statement even if Coach isn’t going out of his way to get me to come over.

Dad gives me a hug and says, “I can’t stay for your doubles match. I’ll see you soon, okay?”

I nod. Then he’s gone. After grabbing a bottle of water, I walk over to Coach who gives me pointers, and then over to Mom and Walter, who are now watching Jess’s match. It seems I had the only opponent with super powers. I sit next to them on the bench.

“I think Dad was hoping I’d let Tonya take me shopping for a dress to wear. I told him you already said you’d take me,” I tell her.

“We’ll go next weekend.” She wraps an arm around my shoulders. “I’m sorry about your match.”

“It’s okay.”

“Just think,” Walter begins, “you’ll be like her when we play together.”

I laugh. “Hopefully, you won’t feel like me afterward.”

“Hope not. Want to go to Mrs. Elsie’s for ice cream after your doubles match?”

“Maybe,” I answer him. We’ll see how the doubles match goes. At least, Jess won hers. I’m not sure how we’ll hold up against her opponent combined with mine though.

I soon find out we don’t hold up well at all. Jess had to battle hard for her win, but with that superstar on the other side of the net, we had no hope at all. I think the match was over as soon as it started; it felt that quick. Our season is over and we couldn’t even end it on a good note. I feel bad because I didn’t play like I wanted.

So, when Walter asks about Elsie’s, I turn them down to stay at the courts. I wait until everyone leaves, feeling crummier and crummier by the second. What is wrong with me this week? Dad started it off by ruining it with the wedding invite, then Wade was a dumb guy, and now my season is over. Last year, my team not only made it to the state championships, but we won. This year? Ha.

All I need is a good long session with the wall, an opponent I can beat. I start rallying, enjoying the movements of my body, hitting the ball harder than I need to. My grunts are loud and borderline animalistic as they come from deep down in me. The sweat pouring off me now is from hard work. Before, it was from trying to keep up with the girl with super powers.

But then I miss my own return.

I scream in frustration before hurling my racquet at the wall.

“What did the wall and racquet do to you?”

With a squeal, I turn to see Keelan. “What are you doing here?”

“Jess said you were still here.”

I glance over at her house. I forgot she had a clear view of the courts. Keelan’s fingers intertwining with mine pull my attention back to him. He pulls me into his arms.

“Rough day, Hales?”

“Rough week,” I correct. “Think your parents will be okay with some hammock time?”

“Yeah. Are you hungry?”

I look up at him and see his beautiful smile. “You haven’t eaten yet?”

“I grabbed a snack before I came here, but I’m starving. Let’s go to Elsie’s.”

After I pick up my racquet and spare balls, we drive separately to the diner, which is very popular tonight. So popular that we have to wait for a table. Keelan has an arm around my waist, and he squeezes my hip for my attention.

“Everything is set for Friday.”

A grin pops onto my face. “That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day! I could really use the rush.”

“Thought that would make you smile.” He leans down to quickly and chastely kiss my lips. He kisses my cheek and then just below my ear, adding in a whisper, “Maybe I can personally give you a rush later.”

“Won’t hurt to try.”

“Quit your smooching and let’s go,” Mrs. Elsie’s voice breaks through the yummy tension that just began. She leads us to a table and takes our order.

“How was practice?” I ask.

Keelan exhales long and heavy. “I think Coach wants to kill us. He usually gives us Thursdays off, but not this week since we have a big game tomorrow.”

Right. Junior varsity is home, which explains why Elsie’s is so crowded. It’s the place to go before, after, and even during the game.

“Are you nervous?”

“No more than usual. Coach just seems to be adding a lot more pressure on us this year. Hey, are you still coming this weekend? To the sleepover?” He rolls his eyes at calling his get together with Keira a sleepover.

“I forgot to ask my mom, but I’m sure she’ll let me.” As long as I explain everything well. And it’s my mission to do just that. A weekend of fun with Keelan and friends is exactly what I need. Let’s just hope Mom will be on board.

T
emperatures have plummeted by the time we get to my house, so I go inside to grab a pillow and a comforter for the hammock.

“She needs to head home around eleven,” Mom tells me after I explain what I’m doing.

“Yes, ma’am,” I reply.

Haley is sitting in the hammock, her head tilted back as if she’s star gazing, even though the branches of the trees are blocking her view. When the screen door slams shut, she looks at me with a smile. God, she’s gorgeous. Haley stands and helps me get the hammock ready. The pillow goes on, then the sheet, and I hold onto the comforter while she slips off her shoes and climbs on. I cover her with the entire comforter, toe off my shoes, and then climb in next to her, getting my share of the comforter.

She rolls onto her side, sneaks an arm over my waist as she rests her head on my shoulder. “Thanks, Keelan.”

“For what?”

“For coming when I didn’t even realize I needed you.”

I kiss the top of her head in response. ‘You’re welcome’ would sound weird, and I’m not sure what to say. Jess texted me, telling me how the matches went and that Haley was still on the courts. From experience, I knew that wasn’t necessarily a good thing. Hales hits the courts when she’s trying to escape from something. It’s her way of pounding out her emotions.

The text came in right as I was getting out of the shower. I was dying for some food and then my bed, but once I saw it, I couldn’t resist going to see her. My energy was completely gone. Knowing I would see her brought some of it back. However, now that we’re lying down, the exhaustion starts taking over. My eyelids keep drooping as the warmth of the comforter and Haley’s body heat cocoons me.

Faintly, I wonder if she’s disappointed that I’m not kissing her, giving her that rush I promised. I’m disappointed, but I’m also drained. If she lifts her head, then I’d kiss her. But as long as she’s just relaxing against me, then that’s all we’re going to do. Plus, it’s not like I need my parents catching us making out. There’ll be time for that tomorrow after the race.

Ah, this feels nice, practically perfect.

“Keelan. Keelan, wake up,” I hear someone whisper. “Keelan Moore, get your butt up.” The whisper is more stern.

Mom.

My eyes flash open to see my mom hovering over me. “We weren’t doing anything,” I blurt out.