Full Court Press Read online

  The last person she wanted to see was sitting at the kitchen table.

  Beck.

  She groaned, not up for this right now. “Ugh, what are you doing here?”

  He didn’t look to be in a good mood. “Chill, I’m not here to see you.”

  “Anderson’s not up yet.” She noticed the medical file sitting on the table. “Oh, you—”

  Anderson’s mom walked in from the living room. “Good morning...Carmondy, right?”

  “Yeah, good morning.”

  The woman smiled pleasantly at her before turning to Beck. “Why don’t we talk in the living room?”

  Beck nodded and stood up with the file, not looking at Carmondy as he left the room.

  She poured herself a glass of organic orange juice and tried not to hear what they were saying. The house was quiet though, so it wasn’t hard to hear them.

  Anderson’s mother had a clear, high voice while Beck’s was deeper and quieter.

  “Well, the vitals look good, unchanged, normal.” Papers rustled as Anderson’s mom spoke. “How many episodes did she have this week?”

  “Only six.”

  “That’s good, a slight decline.”

  “Yeah, what I didn’t understand was this...” More paper rustling.

  The woman’s voice sounded knowing. “Ah, yes, numerical results from the MRI. They must have a new machine. That’s why it looks different. It pretty much just says that the deterioration hasn’t stayed constant. It accelerates and then decelerates. It seems to correspond with the number of episodes she has, but sometimes it changes on its own.”

  “What about the EEG? They said there was a problem.”

  More papers rustling. “Yes, well...let’s see...ah, these results aren’t accurate. They must have not been able to get her to hold still, so they’ll have to do another.”

  “So how does it look overall?”

  “Overall? Not a lot of change. Her vitals are strong. That’s good, but the neurological damage is the same as always. Some of it might be able to be repaired with the therapy they are currently giving her. But some of it is irreparable and anything that can be fixed is going to take a long time. We’re talking years. Of course, over the years the science of medicine is going to progress and they might have a breakthrough but...these things are unpredictable. You’ve heard all this before though. This isn’t news.”

  “I know...but, emotionally she’s still the same, right?”

  “According to the psychologist’s report, she’s happy even though she doesn’t understand most things. Strong or negative emotions still trigger her episodes, but the schedule regime seems to be helping. She had three less episodes this week. That’s a great improvement.”

  “In behavior, but that doesn’t mean the damage is healing?”

  “No, just that they are finding ways to more effectively manage her behavior, which is a good thing for her. It improves her quality of life.” Her voice was reassuring.

  “The meds they are giving her, any bad side effects?”

  “Well, let’s see...some to manage her seizures, those can make her dizzy if she’s real active but I’m sure they keep an eye on her. The meds to slow the deterioration can make her nauseous but again, they know what they’re doing. I’m sure that they’re careful. The sedatives obviously sedate her but no harmful side effects there. Other than that, they are just giving her vitamins and IV fluids once a week to keep her white count up. Everything seems normal for her. She’s doing fine.”

  “So there’s nothing I should be—”

  “Beck, you ask this every week and my answer is always the same. You’re doing everything you can. There isn’t much to do. Any improvement that she can make is going to take a long time. You know that she will never be normal, so all that you can do is stick to the schedule and visit her. Just listen to the doctors, okay?”

  Car didn’t hear an answer but Beck must have nodded.

  The front door opened and closed and Carmondy took a deep breath. She wasn’t exactly sure what was wrong with Beck’s sister, but the concern in his voice had melted her heart. This side of him, so caring, was the most dangerous side of him she’d seen yet.

  * * *

  Carmondy didn’t want to get hit on during the car ride to practice so she decided to start up her own topic.

  “So, Anderson, why don’t you have a girlfriend?”

  “Okay...random question. I dunno. I just don’t.” He turned his blinker on to turn off his street.

  “Why’d you and Kendall break up?” She wasn’t being as sneaky about this as she had planned.

  “She wanted to, said it wasn’t working.”

  “And you agreed?”

  “No, but what...why are you asking me this stuff?”

  She shrugged. “Just curious. So you didn’t want to break up?”

  “No. Kendall is great, and she was an amazing girlfriend,” he said sincerely.

  “She tells me she’s saving herself for marriage.”

  “You mean sex? Yeah, she is, so what?”

  “Do you think that got in the way of your relationship?”

  “What? Car, what’s with the third degree? Seriously.”

  “Nothing, I’m just curious is all. So you didn’t mind, the not having sex?”

  “No, I mean sex is great but it’s not everything, and she knew it wasn’t an issue. Besides, she was down for lots of other stuff.” He smiled fondly. “Stuff that other girls wouldn’t be down for.”

  “It sounds like you liked her a lot.”

  “I loved her,” he snapped as he whipped into a parking space at the high school. “But she didn’t reciprocate. She wanted to end it so she did.”

  “She didn’t love you back?”

  He frowned. She was starting to hit a nerve. “If she did then she wouldn’t have ended it, now would she?” He got out of the car and slammed the door, stalking into the school without looking back at her.

  “Oh...” Car said to herself. Interesting. These two had loved each other but had broken up over a non-issue. She needed to find a way for them both to see it.

  She hurried out of the car and jogged to catch up with Anderson, not wanting him to be in a bad mood when he went to practice.

  She grabbed his arm as he opened the door. “Anderson.”

  He let go of the door and turned to her, looking hurt. She had dug up some painful memories for him.

  “I didn’t mean to upset you.” She squeezed his arm and looked into his eyes, hoping he wasn’t too upset.

  He shook his head. “You didn’t...it’s just the whole thing...kinda sucks to talk about.”

  She nodded. “I’m sorry.” She wrapped both arms around his waist and gave him a hug.

  He sighed and hugged her back. “Ooh, maybe I should get upset more often.” His hands slipped down to her ass.

  “Hey, now.” She pushed him away but smiled. At least he was back to normal.

  He grinned and grabbed her hand. “Come on, lover, time for practice.”

  Car smiled as they walked hand in hand into the school. “Ooh, lover is it?”

  “Yep. I see it like, you’re doing Beck but keeping it secret. You’re not doing me so we have to pretend like we are. Keep my rep up, you know?”

  Car laughed. “Who says I’m doing Beck?”

  Anderson laughed and spun her around by the hand. “You think I’m stupid? I’m Beck’s best friend. I can read him like a book. And you,” he laughed harder, “it’s so obvious. I’m surprised that more people haven’t caught on.”

  “You knew yet you were still hitting on me? What happened to not doing girls that he did?”

  Anderson shrugged. “All rules have exceptions. So how about it?”

  She shook her head. “Sorry, Anderson. But if it makes you feel better, I’m not going to be doing anything with Beck anymore.”

  “Sure.”

  “No one believes me, but it’s true!”

  “Uh huh. I’ll believe it when I see
it...or...not that I want to see you two getting it on...gross. You know what I would pay to see?”

  “What?”

  “You and Kendall.” He nodded approvingly and surveyed her body. “Uh huh, that would be nice.”

  “Where the heck did that come from?”

  He shrugged. “She’s hot, you’re hot, simple. I’m picturing like...naked oil wrestling or maybe a kinky roleplay thing. How do you feel about handcuffs?”

  Car was thrown at first but then saw the humor, so she decided to mess with him a little. She stepped forward and ran a hand down his chest. “Actually, I have always fantasized about getting dominated by a girl...or guy.” She looked at him pointedly and lowered her voice. “In my fantasy, you would put a collar on me and get me all dressed up in one of those corsets that don’t cover my breasts, but just pushes them up. And...ooh, crotchless panties? For easy access, you know.” She trailed a hand down her body. “And you would have one of those sex furniture things that you can strap me down on? So I’d be open to you...helpless.” She touched his chest again, this time with both hands. “You could do whatever you wanted...you could have me however...you wanted...but you’d make me ask for it. And I would...I would beg for it. And if I was good,” she spoke into his ear now, “would you let me touch myself?”

  Anderson couldn’t stand it anymore. He coughed loudly and pushed her away. “God...dammit, Car.”

  “What? It doesn’t sound like fun?” she teased, knowing that it had gotten him a little excited. She was a little surprised at herself.

  He took a deep breath and looked around, adjusting his T-shirt. “You can’t go around saying...things like that.”

  “Why not?”

  Carmondy jumped when two hands grabbed her waist from behind. “Because...” Beck’s voice sounded in her ear, “...someone might get some ideas.”

  Carmondy froze. Busted. “Uh, I was just messing around. Getting him back for hitting on me and stuff.”

  “Sure.” Beck’s voice in her ear made her shiver. He released her and she didn’t turn around as he heard him walk away.

  Anderson grinned. “That’s what you get for being all...” He waved his hands in the air, looking for the right word.

  “Sexy?”

  “Yeah! Do you really fantasize about that?” he asked.

  “No!” she laughed. “I just knew it would get you all worked up.”

  He pouted. “Damn...cause you were really reminding me of Kendall just then.”

  She cocked her head. “Oh really?”

  He nodded. “God she was so...sexy. I mean...you gotta be one confident woman to be comfortable with that stuff, you know?”

  “Umm, no, I don’t actually, but if you say so. So you and Kendall were...into that stuff?” she asked casually.

  Anderson grinned. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” He pushed her down the hall. “Get outta here, psycho. I’ll see you after practice.”

  She grinned back and blew him a kiss.

  * * *

  Practice was the hardest they had had so far. The boys got the court first so the girls ran the stairs in the balcony. Up, across, down, across, up, across, down, across, up. They circled countless times above the court while the boys practiced. One of the requirements was that no one was left behind. They all had to either slow down or speed up to keep up the average pace. The coach insisted it was a team building exercise but Car was pretty sure it was just torture.

  She and the posts were the tallest on the team, so it was hard for them to go so slowly up the stairs, but they had to stay with the team. The coach had let them have a ten-minute rest once half an hour had passed but then they started right back up again.

  The only good thing about it was that they got to watch the boys, as long as they could navigate the stairs while looking down into the court. She watched as they ran through all of their presses and offenses.

  They had a particularly effective-looking full court press called Code Red that put Beck smack in the middle of the court. He used his height and long arms to pick off lazy passes. Car got into a steady pace, keeping slow to make sure the team stayed together, but watching Beck the whole time. She wanted to study him, to be like him on the court. He seemed to have his mind everywhere. He knew where everyone should be at all times and seemed to know where the other team was going to pass. It was fascinating to watch him. She could do it all day.

  “Car...Carmondy!” Someone called her name and snapped her out of her thoughts. She was halfway up a set of stairs, by herself.

  “What are you doing?” Alli asked, looking up at her from the landing.

  “Huh?”

  “We’re done. Come on.” She shook her head and left the balcony, leaving Carmondy a little confused. She looked down and saw the boys clearing off the court. She hurried down the stairs and exited the balcony as the boys made their way up.

  She shouldered her way through the wave of boys, though it wasn’t real effective. She ran head on into Beck. He scowled at her.

  “What are you doing?” he asked, grabbing her arm.

  “Trying to...” suddenly the boys all squeezed up the stairs, leaving them alone in the dark stairwell, “get out.”

  “So I was thinking, tomorrow after shoot-around—”

  “I’m coming over for homework,” she said firmly.

  “Yes, but also if you wanted to work on your post moves, that was the deal, right?”

  “Oh, yeah, right. That’d be cool.”

  He nodded and let go of her arm.

  “Oh, and about what you heard in the hallway, between me and Anderson, that was just a joke. I mean...that’s not really my style.”

  He smirked. “And you’re letting me know because you don’t want me to be confused for next time?”

  “Well, yeah, I didn’t want you to think...I mean...wait. No, because there isn’t going to be a next time.” She shook her head, confused. What was she thinking?

  He just looked down at her, waiting.

  “Err. Bye.” She turned and walked away abruptly, before she could say something even more stupid.

  For the remainder of practice, she managed to keep Beck out of her mind for the most part. She had glanced up at the boys a couple times. Beck was leading the team at a steady pace, up and down the multiple sets of stairs. Seeing Beck shirtless brought back some very pleasant memories of that evening she had spent at his house. She couldn’t deny that it had been amazing but it really shouldn’t happen again. She was the kind of girl to find a relationship, not have casual encounters.

  Chapter Five

  After practice, Carmondy was invited to go to a preseason party at Torie’s house. She had a blast and stayed after to help the other girls clean up. She was starting to feel like part of the team.

  When she got back to Anderson’s, she opened the door to his room to tell him she was back. “Oh...sorry!” She scurried back out the door and slammed it shut.

  Anderson wasn’t asleep, and he wasn’t alone either. She hadn’t been in there for more than a second but the image was burned into her mind. Anderson was currently having sex with a redhead she didn’t recognize. Unfortunately for Car, they hadn’t turned off the lights or even bothered to get under the covers. The girl had been on all fours while Anderson knelt behind her and had a hold of her hair while she made some...interesting noises. Oh, God. She clenched her eyes shut, trying to get the image out of her head.

  She glanced around. God, she couldn’t stay now that she knew Anderson was having sex—semi-kinky sex—in the next room.

  Suddenly his door burst open and Anderson stood there, a sheet wrapped around his hips, a little lipstick smeared on his neck.

  “Ah! Sorry, sorry, I didn’t know you were...err, had company.” She tried to avert her eyes.

  “No...it’s okay.” He was a little breathless. “Sorry, I thought that you would...be longer.”

  “No, sorry, um...” She blinked. “I’m just going to...” she grabbed her keys and wallet off the co
uch, “get out of your way.”

  “Car...you can stay, really, I’ll just—”

  “Anderson! No. You just go on back in there and...continue.”

  “Go to Beck’s. He won’t mind and I’m sure he’s not asleep.”

  “I don’t think—”

  “Please? I don’t want you driving home. You’re tired, and it’s late. I’d worry.”

  “Okay, I’ll go to Beck’s, all right? Just...” She waved him back into his room. His arousal was all too obvious under the sheer white sheet, and she really needed to not see it anymore.

  “Okay...yeah, sorry again.” He hurried back into his room and shut the door.

  She sighed in relief and rushed back out of the house. She didn’t want to go to Beck’s but Anderson was right, she didn’t want to make a two-hour drive back to her house. She was a little nervous as she pulled into Beck’s driveway and behind his house. She hadn’t been here since the night they’d had sex. She parked beside his car and glanced at the windows. There was at least one light on inside.

  She took a deep breath and got out of her Jeep, quickly crossing to his door and knocking hurriedly. She waited, stuffing her hands into her pockets and remembered that she was still wearing jeans. She didn’t have anything to sleep in...great.

  The door opened within a minute and Beck stood in the doorway, shirtless, looking a little tired.

  He leaned against the door jamb. “Wow, gotta be honest, I didn’t think you’d be back for more so soon.”

  “I’m not here for that.”

  “No?” He didn’t move from the doorway, just stood there, forcing her to take in the view of his fully exposed abs and chest.

  “I need somewhere to sleep.”

  He cocked an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with Anderson’s place?”

  She frowned. “I kind of...walked in on him having sex.”

  “Oh yeah? Good for him. Was she hot?”

  “Look, he wanted me to come here because he didn’t want me driving all the way home, but if you don’t want me to stay then just say so.”

  “I don’t want you to stay,” he said.