Hustle Vs Muscle

Chapter 29: The Movie Night Debacle

When I come home from practice on Thursday, my mom tells me to get ready and help her clean up the house. I know we have guests today. My mom always wants the house clean when we're having people over.

Luke and I wipe down the kitchen. The aroma of meat lasagna drifts through the kitchen, making me feel hungry. Luke and I spend all afternoon cleaning up the house. We do the dishes, clean up our rooms, set the table, repaint the porch and clean the living room. "Who is coming over anyway?" says Luke.

Luke goes to ask my mom. He comes back thirty seconds later with a look of horror on his face. "The D'amatos. Liam, and his parents. They're coming over." he says. I facepalm. "You've got to be kidding me." I say through clenched teeth. "Nope." replies Luke. I should've seen this coming after seeing my mom go up to D'amato's parents after the last four games and have a conversation.

"Why don't we just be really nice to him, just for the evening?" I say. "Sure. Just a one night thing." D'amato had been nice to me at MK's party that night and after what I thought was my last game with my teammates. And it was no longer me against him. It was us against the other schools. "Yeah." Luke agrees.

The doorbell rings at exactly seven 'o clock. Time to put on my fake smile and act nice. My mom opens the door. "Hi!" she says. "Come in! Come in!" "Oh, hi." says D'amato's mom. "Nice house." "Thanks." my mom says modestly. D'amato looks bored, as if he would rather be anywhere but here. D'amato's parents and my mom walk into the living room and sit and chat. I sit in the armchair across from D'amato, the fake smile plastered on my face as his parents ask me about the basketball team and about our new coaches. I smile and answer properly, acting "ladylike" as people say in all those old-time movies.

"Why don't you, Luke and Liam go upstairs and watch a movie?" says my mom. "Uh...sure." I say. This is going to be torture. Plain torture. We go upstairs to the lounge and look through the drawers for a movie. "How about this one?" says D'amato, holding up a movie case. The case reads Tall Girl. Luke and I had watched that movie a million times since it was released. It was about a girl who was insecure about being tall. I could relate to the story, because I have been insecure about my height but learned to embrace it. I can't understand for the life of me why the tall girl hated being seventy-three inches tall. Luke puts the DVD in and turns on the TV.

Halfway through the movie, Luke says "I'm going to get some popcorn! Be right back." Damato scoots closer, filling the gap in the couch between us. Without warning, he wraps his arm around my shoulders and whispers in my ear. "You're a good player." D'amato whispers. "I could use a little one-on-one practice. I like shooting shots. Preferably nothing but net." I try to pull away but his grip on me is too tight. I feel uncomfortable and trapped, like I might vomit that meat lasagna I'd had for dinner. D'amato touches his finger to my collarbone, tracing his fingers down and I realize what he's doing. I slap him in the cheek. He cries out. Before I can get away, he grabs me and pushes me down, pinning me against the couch seat.

"That's a feisty one." grins D'amato. "Stop!" I say. I open my mouth to yell for Luke. D'amato presses a finger to my lips. "Shhh." he says mockingly. "I thought you liked being daring. We can play a round of Dare. Just don't call your mommy or your brother." He leans closer to me, a taunting grin on his face. I slap him again and kick him.

D'amato releases me just as Luke comes up the stairs with a bowl of popcorn. Luke sits between us, the only thing standing between D'amato and I. I can barely concentrate on the movie, because the idea of a "one-on-one practice" with D'amato makes me sick to my stomach. It's inappropriate. It's disgusting. Luke leaves again to refill the popcorn bowl and as he leaves, I want to yell for him to come back, to stay with me. To not leave me alone with this six foot two monster.

D'amato reaches across the couch, grabs my hand and pulls me closer. I punch him in stomach but he grabs my wrist and forces me back into the couch seat. "Stop." I moan. "Aren't you supposed to be the daring girl?" D'amato says. He grabs my chin and tilts my face upward, forcing me to look at him. He has a glint in his eye. "Little Miss You-Only-Live-Once? The one who was brave enough to go up against a bunch of guys?" D'amato says teasingly. "Nobody will believe you if you tell. Don't say anything, or you'll face the consequences."

I am not watching the movie intently. I am just nibbling nervously on my popcorn. Luke seems to have noticed it, because he asks if I'm alright. I say that I'm okay, just tired.

I am such a liar.

I don't tell my mom or anyone. I don't know what D'amato's "consequences" will be but he could do some pretty bad stuff to me. He could gather his friends and surround me when I'm alone. You never know what someone could have in their pocket. I cry myself to sleep. I hate myself. I'm supposed to be brave, aggressive and strong. Where is that girl now? I'm supposed to be strong, not a spineless pussy. But now I'm just a chew toy for Liam D'amato. I try to go to sleep and forget about the whole movie night debacle.