Page 37 of I Don't Need Your Love

I laugh, so relieved to see his face. He makes me feel like home. “Hey, man. Things are good here. How about you?”

His cheeks puff up. “We’ve got a tough game coming up tonight. Hartwood High.”

I wave my hand. “You’ll smoke them, no worries.”

“Not without you.”

That makes my throat tighten. “You know that’s not true.”

“Isn’t it? We’ve been struggling since you left. Of course no one blames you for the injury, but we miss you, bro.”

I nod slowly, swallowing the lump in my throat. “I miss you and the others, too. But enough with this sad BS. You’ve got a game to win.”

He laughs. “We’ll try.”

“Not try. You’lldemolish.”

He smiles sadly. “I miss your pep talks.”

“Can always request them.”

“Yeah, thanks. So how’s that fancy school treating you?”

I roll my shoulders. “It’s fine. A lot of work, but it keeps me busy, you know? And I’ve got dance to focus on.”

He stares at me. “Wait, Carly’s dance thing? I heard she put a team together and they’ll perform at games and competitions.”

“Yeah, I tried out and got in.”

He bursts out laughing. “On Carly’s team? Man, please tell me she hasn’t tried to murder you.”

I laugh along with him. “Not yet, but there’s still time. She had no choice but to accept me on her team because of my sick moves. She knows she won’t win without me.”

“Still as cocky as ever.”

The side of my mouth lifts. “You know it.”

“Dude, how much are you pushing her buttons?”

I hold up my hands. “I’m totally innocent.” I tilt my head to the side. “But I called her dance team corny.”

He chortles. “And I bet she bit your head off.”

“Pretty much.”

“Are you ever going to stop messing with her?”

I think about it for a second or two. “Nah.”

He laughs harder. He and I used to tease her all the time when we were little. We’d climb a tree and she’d be too scared to join us. So we ignored her. Until she cried to her parents and they insisted we come down.

I regret how we treated her, but we were stupid kids. Unfortunately, I was annoyed when Carly hung around us. I felt like she got in the way and tattled to her mom whenever we were up to no good. Looking back now, I wish I wouldn’t have treated her like crap. She just wanted to play with us.

“Blake? We were jerks to Carly, weren’t we? When we were younger, I mean.”

He gives me a look like he has no clue why I’m bringing it up. “I guess, but don’t most older brothers treat their little sisters like that?”

“Well, sure.” Lots of our friends had “boys only” clubs and tree houses. That’s how some little kids are, but I feel bad about it.