Hate to Love You novel · Chapter 18 of 24

Chapter 18: January

The Garnet Falls gym on a Friday night in January smelled like popcorn, floor wax, and wet wool.

I had never been inside it when it was full.

I stood in the doorway with Jess's elbow in my ribs and understood that Mason had been telling the truth in the parking lot.

I had never come to a single game.

Last year it had been Mom's hospital room, and the year before, excuses.

"Sit," Jess said, steering me toward the third row of the student section. "You look like you're about to bolt."

"I'm not bolting."

Across the court the Badgers were warming up in white jerseys, in two neat lines.

Dad sat in the first row behind the bench, in his best flannel, holding a foam finger.

He saw me and held up the finger.

I waved back, and my face went hot.

Then I looked for Shay, and my stomach dropped.

He wasn't in the layup line.

He sat at the far end of the bench in a white warm-up shirt that said DUNLEAVY 11.

Beside him sat Mason.

My brother was in street clothes.

His left leg was stretched out in front of him, and a bag of ice was strapped to the knee.

They were two feet apart.

Neither of them was talking.

"Why is Hollowell out?" I asked Jess.

"Skipped Thursday practice and the coach lost his mind."

"Benched him for the first half." She leaned closer, whispering.

"Which is the funniest thing that has ever happened."

"The captain and the pariah, side by side."

Before I could answer, a voice at my shoulder said, "Excuse me, miss."

A man in a black windbreaker stood in the aisle.

He was about fifty and heavy through the shoulders, with a whistle cord still looped around his neck out of habit.

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