I Never Thought

Chapter 3

-Matthew-

     At this point Mark was just beining a smartass to everyone. It was August 8th, my first day at Duke to learn. I was nervous to go to campus that morning. Would people recognize me from the pre-season games? I got somewhat good clock time on the court for a rookie. My first post-season game against Wake Forest I made 14 points, coming in third on most points per game. I knew Seth, Austin, and Andre would average the most, but I had to keep up with the big boys now. Not a little high school league, with a few dunks here and there during warm ups when the reff wasn't looking.

     I pull up into my assigned parking space in Kville. Most of the athletes parked here. I saw Ryan Kelly's car four spots down and was going to prank him, but heard a bell and figured I should find my first class.

     I wandered around like a lost puppy. I kept my eyes on my map of the campus trying to find one simple class; biology. Why wasn't this easy to read? Did a lot of people get lost on their campus? I walked over to a bench and sat down. Hm. This wasn't fun. I sat the map down and pulled my head back and looked into the sky.

      "May I?" This beautiful voice spoke. I looked up in front of myself and stood a girl. She had long dark brown hair, brown eyes, and silky skin that glistened in the sun. What was I thinking?! I have a girlfriend. Well she is back home in Virginia, but I'm still dating her. Miranda was my girlfriend that I first started dating freshman year of high school. We fight a lot, but we never go to sleep still fighting. We always resolve our problem.

     "Sure, I don't own the place." I said chuckling. She laughed with me and sat down with her text books and bottled water.

     "So, you new here?" she asked. Oh gosh, does she think I'm lost? Well it wasn't that hard to see that and know that I was.

     "Is it that obvious?" I stated.

     "Haha, Mr. Funny Guy eh? I like to laugh. Hey, aren't you that crazy rookie in basketball? You know the one who made a lot of baskets in just the post-season?" Hey she knew who I was. I might like it here if more people knew who I was.

     "I'm not that crazy! Just good at ballin'. My daddy always wanted me to ball. Even when I was still in my momma."

     "Oh so I guess he's one of those fanatic basketball dads?" she asked. Did I really want to bring the whole, 'My dad is dead. I've never met him. No he didn't leave my momma.' sob story or just leave it at a stop?

     "I guess you could say that." I said. It wasn't a lie because if my dad was here right now he would be a crazy fan. He would never miss a game, and always be there cheering me on.

    The bell rang again and the girl spoke, "Oh I bet get going! Here's my number, maybe we can get together for coffee sometime." She gave me a smal slip of paper with her number. She had very neat hand writing to write it down so quickly. If only she knew that I had a girlfriend, and that I didn't like coffee.

-Mark-

     My first day of attending University of North Carolina was great. I got a pocket full of numbers, and four dates next week. I could get used to the college life. Besides the 15 page paper due next week and the rough basketball practice schedule. I could get out of the paper easily; just get a smart girl to do it, or threaten a guy to do it or else. Ha, easy as pie.

      "Mark! Mark Hale! Wait up!" a voice behind me spoke as I was walking to my convertible after practice.

    I turned around and there was Harrison Barnes. I secretly hated him behind his back, but I had to be a suck up to him or else I wouldn't be anything on the team. "Yeah man? What's poppin'?"

    He came up to me slowing his jog down and said "Dude, I was talking with your brother yesterday. What happened to the Hale brothers taking it all in college basketball?", Here we go again. Everybody asked why Matt and I weren't teaming up. "I mean you know you can't team up with a guy that is your biggest rival in ball."

    I was getting stressed out. I know everything that is going on isn't going as planned. I hated that everyone hated me because I'm going against my fathers wishes. Wishes don't always come true. It was about time everyone realized that.

-Emily-

     I couldn't believe my two boys were gone to college. I wasn't sure how I was going to juggle going to both of their games, and better yet, I wasn't sure how I was going to handle going to the game which they play against each other, should I wear Duke or Carolina blue, or should I just wear white. Do I sit on the blue devil or tar heel side. I guess I would cross that bridge when I came to it.

      The phone started ringing so I rushed to it hoping it was one of my two sons. They have been gone for two months and I missed them so much. I answered the phone to find a deeper voice than my two son's vocal chords were.

     "Hello James." I answered. Butterflies in my stomach began to flutter and I could help but to smile. James was a man who I had met in the grocery store about a year ago, and I have been secretley talking to. I didn't want ot hide my relationship with James but I wasn't sure how Matthew would take the thought of another man taking the place of his own father. Mark on the other hand could careless. He was over the stories of his daddy, which killed me inside.

       "Hey Emily. I was wondering if you would like to go out for dinner tomorrow night? I made reservations to Olive Garden, and then I thought we could go to Dairy Queen. I know how much you like their brownie blizzards." He joked. He made me laugh so much, which I loved. He was like I had a little piece of Samuel back. I couldn't believe how much he was like Sam. It amazed me.

     "Oh that sounds great! When is the reservation set for?" I asked hoping it would interfere with the time Matthew said he would call me tomorrow night since it was Thursday.

     "Seven o'clock. is that okay honey?"

     "Yes that's perfect! See you then!"

      "Can't wait." He retorted. I hung the phone up and thought. Matthew will have to call earlier, or I needed to cancel the date for now.