"Whoa, I have never been here" Alexis said as she stepped into the empty indoor basketball court behind Amarr.
The place was really big and it had a lot of seats for the crowd. The floor was well polished and the place had incredible lighting. So many bulbs.
"Really?" Amarr questioned walking towards a rack to pick up one of the basketballs.
"Yeah" she replied "I've never really been anywhere apart from the lecture complexes, cafeteria and the dorm." She explained and she sat down in one of the many seats.
"I have a big game coming up" Amarr told her bouncing a ball as he walked towards one of the hoops.
"When?" She questioned flipping through her script.
"The date hasn't really been fixed yet" he replied "the team is playing against another school" he explained "I don't know if you'll have the time but it would mean a lot if you come" he added.
"Of course I'll come!" She exclaimed. "The others are gonna be there right?" She questioned. "Dianne, Wayne and Blake" she added.
"Yeah, even Candace"
"Ugh" she rolled her eyes.
"Why do you guys hate each other so much?" Amarr questioned.
"SHE hates me for no damn reason!" She yelled back.
"Candace isn't someone like that" Amarr said turning to face the hoop.
"What do you mean?"
"She might seem gloomy, grouchy, sadistic, annoying..." Amarr was saying.
"Where is this going?" Alexis questioned cutting him short.
"She's actually a very good hearted person" he told her. "She's just like that due to something that happened" he continued. "She can't just hate you for no reason" he said. "You must have done something to her and you don't even know".
"I did nothing!" She yelled. "She already hated me the first day I came to school" she said.
"Why don't you think about what happened at your first encounter with her." Amarr said and he threw his ball at the hoop but missed it. "I'm not saying I know why she hates you, I'm just saying there's definitely a reason, trust me" he added then there was a short silence. "Candace finds it difficult to forgive, let things go and move on" he began again. "She might seem like a terrible person, but when you get to know her, she's just a victim of bad luck going through a lot of emotional pain" he continued. "It bothers us a lot and we try to help but she has built a large wall around herself, pushing everybody away, rejecting help of any and every kind." He added.
"What's going on with her?" Alexis asked.
She was already feeling kinda concerned. She thought Candace was just a terrible person, nothing else.
"I'd rather not say" Amarr replied picking up the basketball to bounce it again.
"Why?"
"I don't know if she would want me telling you" he replied. "It's her life" he added.
"Oh"
"Now, that aside..." Amarr began. "Can't wait to see you at the game" he said with a smile "don't let Dianne influence you" he told her.
"What do you mean?" She questioned with a short laugh.
"She goes crazy during all my games"
"How?"
"Well, one time she came with her body fully painted in the color of our jersey" he began.
"What?" Alexis questioned dying of laughter.
"Another time she came dressed in a porcupine costume, you know, cuz we're the porcupines" he explained. It was the name of the team. Amarr found it really weird but what could he do. "And then she would scream things like 'snatch it Amarr!' and 'finish him!'." He continued. "She always stands out in the crowd" he added.
"That's crazy" Alexis laughed.
"Yeah, now enough distractions" Amarr began. "What's your script about?" He asked shooting his ball directly into the hoop. "Nice" he muttered.
"I don't know, I've not really gone through the script" she replied flipping through the pages. "I think it's just another dialogue" she added.
Amarr picked up his basketball and bounced it twice before shooting at the hoop. It went straight in and he did a little dance, celebrating his goal.
"Wow, you're really good" Alexis said closing the script.
"Focus on the script Alexis" Amarr replied picking up the ball.
"In a minute" she replied getting up from her seat, dropping the script. "You know, basketball looks really cool seeing you do it" she said walking towards him. "I think I should give it a chance" she added.
"Well..." Amarr began, putting the basketball under his arm. "You don't exactly have the height" he said looking down at the center of Alexis' head.
She just folded her arm and glared at him. She wasn't that short but her height was definitely below average.
"Just kidding" he said with a laugh. "The height doesn't matter" he continued then he paused to think about it. "Ok it kinda does but whatever" he shrugged.
"Let me try" she said stretching her hands for the ball.
"Ok"
He handed her the ball and stepped behind her to watch with his arms folded.
Alexis bent a little and fixed her gaze on the hoop. She had never actually tried basketball.
Just as she was about to shoot the ball, she felt herself rise from the floor.
"Oh my God!" She exclaimed, holding the ball tightly against her chest.
Amarr was lifting her by her waist. He raised her so high, she was only a bit below the hoop. It was easy for him, she felt weightless. She was weightless.
"Might wanna drop the ball in the net while you're up there" Amarr said.
Alexis smiled and dropped the basketball in the net.
"You could have just let me shoot the ball" she said as he dropped her. "it would have probably gone in" she added.
"Yeah right" he scoffed with an eye roll.
Then she turned to face him. He was standing so close to her, she bumped into him, hitting her head on his chest.
"Ow" she muttered rubbing her forehead. "Why is your chest so hard?" She questioned looking up to face him.
He just kept mute and just stared down into Alexis' ocean blue eyes with focused eye contact.
There was an awkward silence for about ten seconds.
"What?" She questioned with furrowed eyebrows.
"You could have asked anybody to help you with your script" he began.
'Not really' she thought
"Why did you ask me?" He questioned.
"Cuz you really helped with the last one" she replied
"Oh so you enjoyed it" he said stepping closer to her.
There was barely any gap left between them.
"Yeah, cuz you really helped me memorize the script " she replied.
"Is that all?" He questioned.
She tried to step backwards but he grabbed her by her shoulder, holding her still.
"Hm?" He questioned and his hand slid down her arm.
Then she felt her heart skip a beat.
"I...I uh..." She stammered.
"Alexis..." He began.
"Ok porcupines, let's shoot some hoops!" A male voice yelled from outside and the doors flung open.
"Crap" Amarr muttered and he turned to face the door.
About fifteen guys trooped in, most of them wearing sleeveless jerseys and shorts and the place immediately got rowdy.
The guys scattered all over the place and balls immediately began to fly everywhere.
'of course this happens' Amarr thought and he turned to face Alexis.
"I should get going" she said and she began to walk away.
"Alexis" he called, knowing he had probably messed up.
Then she turned back to face him. "We can continue THIS some other time" she said with a smile.
"Oh" he began "ok then" he continued, smiling "see you later then " he added waving.
She walked towards the seats to pick her script. She grabbed it and turned to walk out. Then she saw him.
"Emanie?" She questioned.
He was walking towards her with a ball under his arm. He had on a pair of joggers and a tank top.
"Hi Alexis" he said with a smile immediately he got to her.
"Didn't know you played basketball" she said
"Just one of my many talents" he shrugged. "what are you..." He was saying but then he paused to stare at something behind Alexis.
Alexis furrowed her eyebrows and turned to see what he was staring at. It was Amarr. He was already standing behind her and he was glaring at Emanie.
"Oh" Emanie began "I see" he said with a smile, finally taking his eyes off Amarr. "See you some other time Alexis" he added and he immediately walked away.
"Ok"
"Try going through the script, see if you can memorize it. I'll help If I get the chance."Amarr said and he immediately walked away.
Alexis turned and walked out of the court. Immediately she got out, her phone beeped in her pocket.
She slipped it out to see. It was a text from Noah. It read:
Saw you walking into that guys room.
'oh jeez' she thought
Stop stalking me weirdo!. She texted back.