Break Your Fall

Basketball.Reyna Stokes.The two loves of my life, and I’m losing both.The first—the sport I’ve dedicated most of my life to—has been slipping from my head and my heart since spring.Setting foot on a college court, playing college ball, has been my dream since I was a kid. It’s bad enough that my dream is dying, but I literally can’t afford to not play ball. If I don’t play, I’m out. Everything I’ve worked for is gone. I keep telling myself it’s just a funk, because if I lose this for good? My future is done.The second—the girl of my dreams—I’ve never really had.I’ve loved Reyna for as long as I can remember, but I’ve been firmly planted in the friend zone. Julian’s the guy who got the girl. In the case of our friend group, he got both girls.He hurt me by hooking up with Reyna, but he deceived Reyna by trying to love her when he knew he couldn’t, then let her go to be with the girl he could.Julian and Camille broke her and left me to pick up the pieces.As much as I’ve tried to play referee, friendships have been shattered. Sides have been taken. Lines have been drawn. And I’m now all Reyna has. She needs a friend. A line made deeper by the loss of two. A line that’s going to be harder for me to cross. But I’d be a fool not to try. A complete moron not to show her that I’m the guy for her. That I’ve always been the guy for her.It’s our last summer together, and I have but a short time to turn everything around before I leave Bellsby behind for good.First? Salvage friendships.Second? Reignite my love for basketball.And third – the biggest one of all? Get the girl.