Olivia

Sasha's team won. Which isn't really a surprise.

What did surprise me was Nick. He had told me he wasn't sure if he was coming to the game or not and then when Charlie was in the bakery he said we were going. And then he sat right beside me! And, I'm not sure if I was just imagining it, but I'm pretty sure he kept brushing against me, on purpose everytime we stood up and cheered.

Now we stand outside the gym waiting for Sasha. She might be coming straight home with me or she'll be going to her teammates house for a sleepover. She hasn't decided yet.

"Sasha did really well," Nick says.

I nod. "She's always really good. When she isn't at the bakery or at school or practice I find her out in the backyard a lot shooting hoops."

"Do you help her practice?"

I laugh. "I'm not that kind of sports girl. Or, well, any sports."

"What do you do then?" Nick leans against the wall. He one leg up against it.

God. He's so hot.

"I mostly just run and do yoga."

He raises a brow. "Like downward dog?"

I nod. "But there's more moves than that one."

"Is that so?"

I nod.

"Maybe you can teach me one day."

Me and Nick? In tight fitting exercise clothes? Butts in the air? My face goes red and hot. "I'd like that," I choke out. I duck my head to try and hide the redness on my face.

He grins.

The doors to the gym fling open and the girls all rush out. They cheer and scream and hop around. I don't understand how they're still so full of energy after how they just played. I watch as girl by girl runs past us. None of them are Sasha.

Where is she?

Finally, she walks out of the gym. She seems the least excited and most tired but there's still a big grin on her face. Her gaze moves around and when she spots me her eyes widen. She walks over to us.

"Good job," I say when she's closer.

"Thanks."

"So, what's the plan?"

She shrugs.

"What's wrong?" I ask. I wrap my arm around her shoulder.

"Nothing. I'm just really tired."

"Are you sure?"

She nods and purses her lips. "Can we go home?"

"You don't want to go to your friends?"

She glances over at where her teammates are bundled together and still cheering. She shakes her head.

I squeeze her closer to me. "Okay." I look over my shoulder at Nick. "Are you still good to give us a ride?"

He nods. "Of course."

We walk down the halls in silence. Sasha under my arm and Nick on my other side. I don't know what could have happened between winning the game and now to have her so upset that she doesn't want to go to her friends. But I won't push her. I know I hate it when anyone does that for me. We push out the school doors and make our way through the parking lot to Nick's jeep.

"Do you maybe want to get ice cream?" he asks. He looks at Sasha when he asks.

I glance down at her in time to see her nod.

Ice cream? At ten o'clock? Are there even any ice cream stores open at this time?

As if reading my mind Nick says, "We'll stop at the grocery store and each get our own tubs."

"That makes more sense then what I thought," I say.

Sasha moves out from my side to look up at me. "Did you think we were going to an ice cream shop?"

My face goes hot. "Of course not." I mock roll my eyes. "Why would I think that?" I try not to look at Nick.

They both laugh.

"Shut up," I mutter. I walk over to the passenger door and hop in. Even from inside the jeep I can hear their laughter.

Both the driver side and the back door open at the same time. The jeep bounces from side to side as Nick and Sasha get in.

I glance at Nick out of the corner of my eye and find a smile on his face.

"It's not funny," I mumble.

"It kind of is though."

I cross my arms and glance out the window.

He laughs as he starts the jeep. The radio starts to blast some rock music before Nick quickly reaches over and turns it down. Then he focuses back in front of him and pulls out of the stall and out of the parking lot.

The road to the store is done in silence beside the radio that plays in the background.

Once Nick has pulled into a parking spot we hop out and make our way over to the store. Sasha walks in front of us while me and Nick walk side by side behind her. I can't help but think we look like a little family walking like this.

I glance down and act like I'm looking at the ground, but I'm really looking at Nick's hand swinging by mine. What would he do if I reached out and grabbed it? Would he pull away or keep holding mine? Right as I'm about to reach out he lifts his arm up. My eyes widen and I stop dead in my tracks.

He laughs. "You okay?"

I notice now that he was reaching for the door to the store that we've reached. Sasha stands on the other side looking back at us with a confused look on her face.

I nod as my face gets hot. "Yep! I'm fine. Perfectly fine." I giggle a not very convincing giggle.

Nice raises an eyebrow and chuckles. "Whatever you say."

I nod and rush into the store behind Sasha. She reaches out and grabs my arm. A smug smirk on her face. "What was that?" she asks as she pulls me closer to her.

I laugh. "I have no idea."

"You really need to rein in your crush."

I groan. "I hate that I ever told you about it."

"I don't." Her smirk grows bigger.

A weight appears on my shoulder. Both me and Sasha struggle under it as a deep tone asks, "What are we whispering about?"

Through her laughs Sasha responds," Boys."

I groan but it comes out as a strangled laugh, which just leads to me laughing more. I double over and rest my hands on my knees so I don't fall onto the ground.

"Like that Charlie boy?" Nick asks.

I snort as I wipe tears from my eyes. I straighten up and turn back to Nick. Out of the corner of my eye I see Sasha double over with laughter again. I try to choke back another laugh that comes with looking at her. "Definitely not him."

Nick tilts his head. His eyes light up in a playful way. "Oh yeah? Why not?"

I shrug and pull on the zipper of my sweater. "He's just helping me with something. There isn't anything between us."

He raises an eyebrow. "I don't think Charlie knows that?"

Sasha's laughter dies and is replaced with a curious gaze.

"What do you mean?" He's lying, right? Me and Charlie barely know each other. We haven't even started looking for a career for me.

"Well, for starters he's at the bakery everyday, and when he is there he can't take his eyes off you."

"And he asked and only ever seems to order your favorite fudge," Sasha pips in.

I shake my head and smile. "You guys are just playing."

They share a look.

I shake my head. "We're just friends. Now let's get some ice cream." But even as I say it, I know what they mean.

Charlie's known as the kid who crushes hard. He fell for Eva five years ago and just recently asked her out. Everyone knew about the crush and knew it would never go anywhere. So the fact that he tried had shocked everyone. We all thought he had known Eva didn't think of him that way. I feel bad for the guy, and so does the rest of school. He gets so many pitiful looks because of the whole situation. So if he's falling for me, I can't see it ending well. But he doesn't like me.

Right?

"Let's go get that ice cream," I choke out before spinning around and speed walking to the freezers.

***

After we each pick out a tub of ice cream Nick drops us off at home.

Sasha doesn't waste any time saying thanks and hopping out of the jeep. I watch her as she runs up to the door, unlocks it and disappears into the house. The living room lights flick on.

Nick puts the jeep into park. "Tonight was fun," he says.

I nod. Words still feel sticky in my throat ever since the grocery store.

"Do you... maybe want to do something like this again?"

I spin around. My hair almost whips me in the face as I do. "What?"

He ducks his head. "No um, nevermind. I'll see you at work tomorrow?"

Did he just ask me out? "Um, I don't work tomorrow."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Nick rubs the back of his neck. "Then see you later."

I nod. Disappointment settles over me. Why didn't he repeat the question? Does he think I won't say yes? Because I'll say yes a million times if I have to.

I open the door and hop out. My ice cream cold in my hand. I grab the door to shut it, but right before I do I tell him, "I'd like to hang out with you sometime."

Nick's head whips up towards me, a smile gracing his face. "Really?"

I nod and close the door. I turn my back towards the jeep so he doesn't see the big grin on my face. If he weren't sitting right behind me, possibly watching I'd do a happy dance. Instead I walk to the front door as smoothly and calm as I can. When I reach the door I turn around and find his jeep still there. I wave before walking into the house.

When I get the door closed all the way I do my happy dance. A sequel escapes my mouth.

"What?" Sasha yells as she rounds the corner.

I stop jumping for a moment. "Nick asked me out!"

Sasha starts jumping and squealing. "Yay! I'm so excited for you!"

"Me too!"

We jump up and down and make our way into the living room where we collapse for the night to watch movies and eat our ice cream.