Nice Guys Don't Win (The Boys #2) - Micalea Smeltzer Page 0,85

cursing the tiny amount of space between seats. They were not made for any person over six-foot, that’s for sure.

“Nothing much. The kid’s been sick so that’s been rough, but nothing I can’t handle.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s just a cold. He’ll be up and running circles around me in no time. That boy has more energy than I’ve ever seen.”

I chuckle, thinking of Zoey’s brothers. “Most do.”

At the thought of her brothers, I think once more about her strange behavior before leaving me. It doesn’t make any sense. Zoey isn’t the secretive type, and I trust her, but I can’t deny the nagging feeling that something isn’t right.

The bus pulls out of the parking lot of the gym and from the front Coach starts going over stats and figures of the team we’re going up against. Harding University in Alabama is our biggest rival. We’re ranked neck and neck in just about every category from sports to academics.

Everything Coach is saying is something we’ve already discussed, and my brain immediately tunes him out. It’s early in the morning, barely after six, since we have a long bus ride ahead of us and I fight to keep my eyes open. Before I can doze off to sleep, I send a text to Teddy, asking him to check on Zoey today and make sure she’s okay.

Coach finishes his spiel and turns around to face the front.

Beside me Shawn pops his earbud back in and leans against the window.

Closing my eyes, I visualize the game ahead and the victory I so desperately want to cinch.

I run up and down the court, laser focused on the game. Every worry I had this morning is empty from my head.

Jason Caswell is in the stands. Coach wasn’t going to tell me, probably didn’t want the pressure to get to me, but I saw him sitting there with his fingers pressed to his lips watching intently.

He could be here for any number of players. Doesn’t have to be me. Hell, he could be scouting someone on the opposing team.

Shawn passes me the ball and I run like hell, shooting when I have the opportunity.

It sinks into the net and I give myself one millisecond to celebrate before we’re back it. We’re currently down by six points. It’s not a lot, but in the fourth quarter we can’t risk any mishaps.

My eyes follow my every movement, not missing a thing. It was hard for me to ignore Jason’s presence at the start of the game, but now it’s like no one and nothing else is here.

My teammate Reggie tosses me the ball and I take an elbow in the gut from Kessler Cooligan on the opposing team. The sneer he sends my way doesn’t make me think it was an accident. I pass off the ball to another teammate and watch the ball sail into the net.

The clock is counting down and somehow, we manage to tie it up.

When the ball gets passed to me again, I know it’s now or never.

Five.

Breathe.

Four.

Focus.

Three.

Aim.

Two.

Shoot.

One.

The arena erupts with a massive wave of boos and heckling since we’re not on our home court, but it doesn’t matter. We don’t let it get to us. My teammates jump up and down, hugging me, smacking me on the arms, and celebrating the win we fought so hard for tonight.

I speak to reporters on the sidelines, answering questions when I can and evading ones asking about where I hope to play after I graduate.

“Ah, that doesn’t really matter,” I tell one reporter. “All I care about is the game. I’ll be happy to play on any team that wants me.”

I’m dripping with sweat as I walk off the court to the locker rooms. I’m desperate for a shower, not only to wash up but to help uncoil the muscles that I didn’t even realize tensed during the game.

Loading up on the bus back to the hotel, I refuse to let tiredness take hold. I want to call Zoey first. Whatever was going on this morning probably isn’t important and she might’ve just seemed off because of the early hour.

The bus pulls up to the front and we get off, our feet sounding like a stampede in the narrow aisle.

I have a room to myself, and when I get there I let the door close behind me and latch it. Kicking off my sneakers, I change out of my clothes into a pair of sweats before diving onto the bed. I ring Zoey but it