Ring by Spring| ✓

seven.

"WHO IS THAT?"

I look away from my camera and glance toward my side to find a teenage girl practically drooling over one of the many basketball players that were running up and down the court.

The girl ruffled her blonde hair; which drew the attention of the one she was admiring. She looked familiar; maybe she had been apart of a high school tour group I had seen around campus last week.

"Thorne," I said answering her question.

"That's who I thought it was." Her hair was short; it barely brushed her shoulders.

I nodded, acknowledging her statement. She then took a seat beside me still staring adoringly at Thorne.

"You like basketball?" I question.

"I don't have a choice it's my family's life." She huffs.

I can't help but be amused, so I laugh. "I guess I can semi-relate; my grandparents are obsessed with rowing. They even signed me up for a rowing club when I was in middle school."

"No way! I'm a rower." Her hand rests heavily on my shoulder as she bounces with excitement.

I simper at her joy. "Okay, okay calm down," I gently move her hand from my shoulder.

"Sorry. I'm rude," the girl sticks out her hand. "I'm Chamonix."

"That's a cool name," I shake her hand. "I'm Annie."

Chamonix looks at me with a smile filled with mirth. "Oh, I know," she pauses.

I narrow my eyes, curiosity running rapidly. 

"You're neck strap is monogrammed with your name. See?" She runs her fingers along the embroidering on the material.

"Right," I tuck my camera strap inside of the camera's case. "It was nice meeting you Chamonix. Are you considering Duke?" I stand to slide the case's band onto my shoulder.

She runs a hand through her blonde hair and laughs.

"I have no choice. My parents met here at Duke, and my eldest brother graduated summa cum laude, and my other older brother is practically on his way to the top which just happens to be beside Christian Laettner."

"Woah. Duke runs in the family."

"I want to row. I want to go to the Olympics, and that means that I need to go to Stanford." The blonde sighs into her hand, making her green eyes widen.

"I'm going to go now, Chamonix, whatever you decide I pray it works out." I smile at her and start walking towards the emptying basketball court.

Ambling across the court to reach the door seems ten times easier than walking all the way around the court.

"Annie?"

The voice I hear call my name is distant both in sound and in mind. I don't want to talk to him. I don't want to look into his green, green eyes.

I look up, more like down.

Big mistake I'm aware.

"Annie, are you ignoring me?" He's laying on the court sprawled out in a star shape.

I nod.

"It's a cooldown exercise."

I nod again and do the only trivial thing I know how to do; I step over him.

"Annie, Annie, seriously."

Graham's teammates laugh at him, and I'm glad. The boy deserves every bit of humiliation that is possible for someone like me little Annie Chance to give him.

Why? I might as well explain.

He kissed me. Me. It may seem as if that is the most superfluous reason ever, but he's not the guy who will be putting a ring on my finger by spring.

Kisses nowadays in the twenty-first century don't automatically signify a relationship, I am aware but back in the days my grandparents grew up it did.

I wouldn't mind kissing Charley because if I kiss him I know it'll establish a relationship.

Charley's normal, pedestrian.

Graham on the other hand is well known, out there, and sought after.

Graham's committed to playing basketball just as my parents are to their job.

The boy is impractical. He may have kissed me during the new years in the sweetest way possible, but I'm not falling for it.

I'm not falling for him because just like my parents someone that committed to something can't be committed to another person at the same time.

And in my experience the something always wins.

Anyway, I hear that you can meet your future husband at a friend's wedding. More specifically, Simirin's wedding. Here I come, boys, watch out!