Christmas Re-Do

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

       I really hated the basketball team. Words couldn't even describe how much I hated them. They still couldn't get over the fact that I quit the team, even though it was their fault. They only wanted me on the team because of how good I was. They only cared about basketball.

       They wouldn't stop tormenting me at school. It was like I was reliving the eleventh grade all over again, but it was way worse.

       I tried asking Melody to Winter Formal, which was in four days, but every time we were alone together and I tried asking her, the basketball team decided to approach us and pester me. It was getting really annoying.

       At lunch, I thought it was the perfect time to ask her, seeing as we always ate in the back of my truck away from everyone.

       "So," I said before we got in the back of my truck. "I've been meaning to ask you something."

       "What?" she asked as she set her lunch down in my truck.

       "Would you...." I stopped when something hard suddenly hit the back of my head. I grabbed my head in pain, seeing a nearby basketball. Of course it was the basketball team.

       "Luke, are you okay?" Melody asked.

       "Not really," I admitted, rubbing the back of my head. I turned around and watched as the basketball team approached. 

       "Oops," Briggs said as he picked up the basketball. "I am so sorry, Lucas. The ball slipped from my hand."

       "Are you freaking kidding me?" I asked as I continued rubbing my head. "The ball slipped and just so happened to hit my head? God, it hurts."

       "You know, this wouldn't have happened if you never quit the team," Briggs said with a smirk.

       "Yeah, and I wouldn't have quit if you didn't sleep with Annie and got everyone to keep the secret from me," I shot back. "I'm done with the team, so get over it."

       "You were our captain," Briggs said. "You're the reason why we're going to Miami for the National championship. You were going to help us win, but you're throwing it away because of a little thing?"

        "You call sleeping with my girlfriend a little thing?" I asked. "I trusted you. I trusted all of you, but you decided to keep something so huge from me."

       "Annie was hurting," Briggs said. "You were constantly neglecting her and I was there for her. So if anything, it's your fault."

       "My fault?" I asked. "No, it's not, because I never neglected her. I was there for her through everything. Just because I didn't have sex with her, it didn't mean I was neglecting her. And if she had a problem with me, she could have talked to me instead of running of to my best friend. And you shouldn't have done anything in the first place. You were my best friend, Briggs, yet you decided to sleep with Annie. It's your fault, not mine."

       Briggs narrowed his eyes at me. "Don't put the blame on me."

       "I am because it is your fault!" I said. 

       "Really?" Briggs asked. He then turned to everyone on the basketball team. "How many of you think that it's Lucas's fault?" I rolled my eyes at him using my full name. He always did that when he was pissed at me.

       Everyone except for Matt raised their hands. He was looking quite irritated. "Oh, come on, Briggs. You're taking things too far. Even if Luke was neglecting Annie, that didn't give you that right to do what you did."

       "Yeah? Well, everyone else seems to disagree with you," Briggs said with a smirk. "They're all on my side, because it's the right side."

       "More like the douche side," Melody muttered under her breath. She was quiet the whole time, so what she said shocked me a bit. But it also made me have the urge to laugh. She was right.

       Briggs looked at Melody. "What was that?"

       "Nothing," she said. "I didn't say anything."

       "You said something," Briggs objected. "Tell me what you said."

       Melody looked away and I didn't blame her. Briggs was a bit scary when he was pissed. And he was starting to get really pissed.

       "Cosgrove, tell me what your girlfriend said," Briggs snapped at me.

       "No," I said. I didn't even bother correcting him about Melody not really being my girlfriend.

       "Briggs, just leave them alone," Matt said. "Pestering Luke isn't going to change the fact that he quit. He's not coming back on the team."

       "Thank you," I said. Finally, someone who got it.

       "He's overreacting," Briggs said.

       "Overreacting?" Melody spoke up. "His best friend slept with his girlfriend and nobody told him. Of course he's going to quit the team. The team is supposed to protect each other, not just one person."

       "You have no say in this," Briggs said, glaring at Melody.

       I sighed. "Can you guys just go away? I'm not joining the team again. Get over it because pestering me is only going to make things worse."

       "Whatever," Briggs scoffed before walking away with the team. Matt gave me an apologetic look before following them.

       "Are you okay?" Melody asked me. "They've been acting harsh to you lately."

       "Yeah, I'm fine," I said. 

       "So, what were you going to ask me?" Melody asked.

       "Oh, yeah, that," I said. "I was just wondering if you'd want to go to Winter Formal with me." Finally, I was able to ask her without any interruptions.

       "Really?" she asked.

       "Yeah," I said. "And it's fine if you say no. I'm just....wondering."

       Melody gave me a small smile. "Yeah, I'd love to go with you."

       I gave her a smile back. Perfect. I was closer to going back to my regular life.