My life has gone in a very strange direction. I've started meeting Adam now by the tree I thought reserved for Brynn and me. He insisted on giving me updates on Brynn and Gran in the morning. Most likely because he wishes to ignore I exist for the rest of the day and this makes that possible. He is wearing his trademark frown as I approach him.

"Adam."

"Finn."

I stopped a few days ago from trying to shake his hand or any other similar friend like greeting and settle for a head nod.

"I let Brynn know your message but her Dad has since confiscated her phone. He decided to get her a new number to ensure you or anyone from this school can't contact her anymore. So, unfortunately, that means me also, until she gets the phone back and can give me her new number."

I sigh. Brynn's dad is a real piece of work. "I just don't get it. Does he enjoy isolating her? Is he trying to make it so her whole world revolves around him? What is his deal?"

Adam shrugs in response to my questions.

"How did you find out about the phone if she can't call you?"

"Gran."

"Is she doing any better?"

I couldn't help noticing the quick shift of Adam's gaze before he gave another noncommittal shrug. "I guess. They still don't know what caused her to blackout."

Adam is tense. I can see it. His hands got shoved into his pockets and he started looking around like he wishes he were anywhere but here.

"What aren't you telling me?"

Adam sighs. "They are leaning towards a mini-stroke. If that is the cause this could be the beginning of the end. It was for my grandmother."

"Your grandmother died from a stroke?"

Adam rocks on his heels and looks away from me. "Yeah, but a major one. It all started with a series of mini-strokes... each one worse than the last until half her body was paralyzed and then finally her heart ceased to beat."

"Adam, I'm sorry."

Another shrug.

"Brynn must be going out of her mind with worry. I know I'm going out my mind with worry for her and Gran both. I wish I could see her, instead, I'm going off to some stupid prom."

Adam's head shoots back. He locks his eyes on mine. "You're seriously going to go?"

"I promised, okay. What am I supposed to say? Paris wouldn't get to go to her prom otherwise. Besides Brynn is aware and knows where I stand with Paris."

Adam scoffs at this. "Girls and guys can't be friends. One of them always likes the other."

"Is that why Brynn was always telling me you weren't friends?" I counter.

"She said that?" He concedes with a meh kind of look. "Guess she's right. She knows I've never been interested in being just friends." He smirks.

I instantly get that gnawing feeling in my stomach that only comes from jealousy but I try to squash it down deep. Right now Adam is my only link to Brynn and it's a tenuous link. I can't afford to piss him off.

"Look do me a favor and just keep me posted, should anything change with Brynn or Gran?"

"Fine, but you should have told that Paris girl no. Now you're just leading them both on." These are Adam's parting words to me. I so wish to rebuttal but seriously need to get to class.

Tyler meets me at my locker now. He won't come with me to talk to Adam because in his own words... "That dude creeps me out."

He opens with, "I don't know what to do about the team."

Coach had made him Captain after I had to step down or well was kicked off the team thanks to Adam's foster parents.

"What's going on?"

"Their heads aren't in the game, their hearts either. I'm not good at motivating them like you." He lets out a heavy sigh. I know Tyler never wanted to be a leader. He likes being part of a team without the hassle of the responsibility but knowing the next choice would have been Mike pretty much sealed the deal for him.

I hated to see him looking so forlorn. "Hey, you got this. The team just needs to make peace with Mike." Tyler gave me a look that said, that ain't ever going to happen.

"Have a little faith."

Tyler looks defeated and I hated seeing it.

"Look I can't promise anything, but I'll try and talk to the team at lunch okay?"

Relief washes over his features. "Thank you!"

"No problem."

"How are things going with Brynn and her Grandmother?"

"Her Grandmother isn't doing well. She's still not being released from the hospital. Brynn? I have no idea. Her Dad cut her off from everyone by taking her phone away to change her number so I can't reach her."

"What an A-hole."

"I know but there isn't anything I can do."

He pats me on the back as we enter our English Class together. There's a substitute in Sierra's place. I look questioningly back at Tyler and he's not at all surprised.

"Hello, class. My name is Mrs. Evans I will be taking over for the remainder of the year for Ms. Valentino who will not be returning to teach this year."

I shot Tyler a look but he avoids eye contact with me.

After class I'm hot on his heels. "Did she break up with you?"

"So, that's your first conclusion? Thanks a lot."

"Sorry. You break up with her?"

"No." He gives me another frown. "We're still together Finn. In fact, things have gotten serious and so we talked and she thought it best to transfer to a different school. She didn't want to put your mom, me or herself in jeopardy."

I was grateful for that. "How serious?"

Tyler gives me this wide toothy grin. "Like she's the one, kind of serious."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, Finn. I love her. She's talked me into going to college, so now even my parents love her."

"Your parents met Sierra? And they... approved?"

"They weren't exactly happy about it at first, but I'm eighteen, it's legal. You'd have to be an idiot not to see how much we care about one another. It's so obvious, that's the reason we brought it to my parents, the whole idea of her leaving Lenape High, they thought it a wise choice.

Sierra has been helping me fill out all the paperwork for grants and loans for the local community colleges. I don't have the grades to get into the other schools."

"There's still a chance for a basketball scholarship," I offer.

"I know but I don't know if I want that kind of pressure on top of trying to complete a degree. You know they all require you to maintain a certain GPA."

"You're smarter than you give yourself credit for."

Tyler rolls his eyes. "Now you sound like Sierra."

"Well, she's not wrong. When you do the work, you kick ass."

"Thanks."

I feel guilty there is so much going on in his life that I've missed out on. So wrapped up with my own drama I realize I haven't been such a great friend lately.

"That's a face."

"Sorry, I feel like I've dropped the ball on our friendship."

"Dude! You've got a truckload of problems dumped on you. I'm surprised you've kept so sane. I honestly didn't tell you anything because things were going so great for me I felt guilty that things were going so bad for you. If anyone deserves the happiness I found with Sierra... well Finn, I've never known anyone to work as hard at making his life perfect than you."

I shake my head. "Making life perfect and everyone happy with you I've learned isn't the key to happiness or leads to the life you want to live. I needed Brynn to flip my world upside down to learn that. It's been a painful lesson but one I'm still grateful for."

We part ways with a bro hug and I get to my next class. Thinking of Brynn and how I just want to be with her again. I have to wait, I have to patient and I must have faith we will make it through, but I'd be a liar if I didn't say I sometimes have my doubts.

At lunch, the gang is all quiet and reserved. It's weird. I look over at Mike who refuses to look back at me. "Fix this!" I mumble to him and he looks up at me with his eyes only.

"I can't!"

"What do you mean you can't? You at least need to try. The team is suffering. Don't you care?"

He glares at me. "Of course I care."

"Then fix this!"

"She left me."

"What?"

"Jessica. She left me, Finn. She was just using me to get to you. You're off the team because I defended her, and it was all for nothing."

I let out a long slow breath. I know he's hurting right now and has buried himself in guilt. "Who cares about her anyway? These guys have had your back since day one on the team. Mike, please... make this right."

"How can I?"

"Apologize."

He looks up at me like he never even thought of the idea until I said it. He glances down the table at the rest of the team and they look miserable. I could see he began to lose his nerve. "You got this!" I encourage.

Then he stood up and he took me by surprise when he stood on top of his chair. "I would like to make an announcement."

All eyes turn in the cafeteria, including Tyler and the others, to stare at him. I can see the sweat gathering at his temple. "I screwed up! I was wrong and I am asking my team in front of all of you to forgive me. For four years you've had my back, my trust and I broke that trust when I put a conniving, self-centered..."

I cough loudly. His eyes meet mine and he gets back on track. "Right. Brothers, can you please forgive me for screwing up and screwing over this team. I really believe we can win the championship, but we need to trust each other. You need to trust me. To know that I have your back just like you've always had mine. I promise never, ever, to let someone else come between us again. Bros before..."

I cough loudly again and he smirks at me. "Well, you know the saying."

Somewhere in the cafeteria, we hear Jessica hiss and that was all it took for the rest of the team to get up and start to fist bump or high five Mike. The siege was finally over.

He chose them over her and they were happy with that.

Mike gets back down off of the chair. "Finn, I owe you the biggest apology. You should be Team Captain. You should be back on this team."

I pull him aside. "Thank you for saying so but I don't need this. I would love to be playing with you all but honestly, this is your time to shine, you, Tyler and the rest. Make yourself look good out there for me. That's all I ask."

"Deal!" Mike said. "Let's win this next game for Finn!"

"For Finn!" They echo.

I breathe a sigh of relief. They are a team again, and finally, they will have a chance to win.