Love Always, Ella

Chapter Seventeen

Patrick

Basketball is tiring, but with Drew it always is. By the end of two games with him I'm sweating from head to toe, my tank top soaked with sweat lying on the ground. I grab my water bottle that's on the bench beside the court and let the liquid gratefully start to somewhat cool my body down as Drew does the same thing. I'm not sure what time it is, but I need to leave soon so I can go see Ella. I'm also not sure how it's humanly possible for someone to miss someone else when they've only been apart for like two hours.

My phone on the bleacher lights up from a text, Drew peering over at it before I snatch it away and shove it into the pocket of my basketball shorts. The guilt that I'm trying not to feel is overpowering me, slowly seeping into every possible crack of my being.

"Do you know Casey Walker?" He asks me, a slight smirk forming onto his face. I thought he was going to bring up the text, but I'm thankful he ignores it.

"Uh, yeah. I think so." I reply, trying to scan my brain for a connection. "Wasn't she in our homeroom last year?"

"Yeah. The other night Rosie brought her over to my house to chill, and she may or may not have said that she's interested in you."

"Casey?" I ask, furrowing my eyebrows together. "Isn't she dating Cameron?"

"Was." He smirks again. "I guess they broke up last month. I told her I'd see if I could set something up."

My heart plummets down into my stomach, the bile automatically rising into my throat. I don't know what I'm going to say to get out of this. I should just tell him that I'm dating Ella. I should just tell him that I already have someone and that I'm so happy. It doesn't seem to come out though. I just continue to bounce the basketball with one hand while I wipe sweat from my forehead with the other one.

"She's not really my type." I decide to say, shrugging my shoulders as if I could care less. "I'm good."

"Casey?" He asks again, letting out a laugh of disbelief. He stands up and takes the ball back from me, running over to the court so he can attempt to make a lay-up. He misses. "How is she not your type? She's a cheerleader. She's sexy as fuck. What isn't there to like? Hell, I'd kill to have a shot with her."

He passes the ball to me as I shoot from the three-pointer line, the ball going into the net with a clean swoosh. When he goes to retrieve it I roll my eyes so he can't see and wipe the backs of my shoes off with my hands. It doesn't surprise me though that he's this immature. He's always been like this. It's comical to me that the only thing he thinks a girl can have to her is a nice body and a good social status. What a loser.

When he notices I still haven't said anything he widens his eyes towards me, passing me the ball again. "Well?" He asks.

"I said I'm good." I laugh again to act like I don't care when in reality I want more than anything for him to shut up and leave it alone. My phone buzzes again in my pocket, and when I pull it out to check it I see a text from Ella asking where I am. That's when I realize I'm already fifteen minutes late.

"Shit." I mutter, picking up my tank top from the gym floor. "I gotta go."

"Why?" Drew asks, his face scrunching up in confusion. "You don't wanna play three? We always do."

"I just can't. My mom wants me home."

Why am I lying? Why can't I just look Drew in the eyes and tell him I'm dating Ella and that I don't care what he thinks about it? It's like I'm scared to tell him, but in some ways I am. I just know that when I do tell him, he'll tell everyone else and they will never stop making fun of me. I know that's horrible for me to care, but I do. I shouldn't care, but being made fun of my last year in high school isn't something I want. I don't want to lose Ella either, but it's like I can't grow the balls to say anything. That hurts me just as much as I know it's going to hurt her if she ever finds out.