Boarding with the Brooks

What's your big Plan?

Sarah turned the music up on the radio as Post Malone sang through the speakers.

She turned it off when she realized I wasn't singing, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I shake my head and turn the music back on.

She reaches over and turns it back off, "I swear, Em. What is wrong?"

I take a deep breath, "I think Liam is pissed at me.. and I don't even know why."

"Well, why do you think he is pissed?"

My lips pull back between my teeth, "Pretty sure it has something to do with Roman."

Her eyes grew wide, "Roman? Why?"

"Something about a stolen binder and he said yes, I don't know?"

She turned sideways in her seat, "Yes? To what?"

Shrugging, "I don't even know! Maybe something to do with his sister?"

"Fuck that bitch," Sarah returned to her orignal position, "I want to kick her ass so bad!"

I let a laugh escape, "Will you just talk to Liam, please?"

She nodded, "I will see what I can do about Liam, you have to handle Roman."

I sarcastically hold up my thumb.

Liam was waiting on the front porch when I arrived to drop Sarah off.

"Well, it looks like you might get to handle both," she grabbed my hand, "You got this, but if it goes south.... go for the nuts and run as fast as you can."

I laugh, "I think I have other solutions to choose from, but thanks."

He opened the door for Sarah, then took her seat as she walked to the house.

We both took a deep breath, but he beat me to the punch, "So, we need to talk."

"Yeah," I nod, "How did your meeting go with Mr.-"

He cut me off, "I don't want to talk about it. Do you want to go inside?"

Liam closes the door behind us, and I take a seat on his bed. His bag falls off the side, dumping into the floor.

"I'm sorry," I begin to pick up his stuff and put it back in his bag, when I see a letter, "What is this?"

As I begin to open it, he took it from my hand, "It's nothing."

"Did you get an acceptance letter? Is that what your meeting was about? Oh my God, Liam! That's amaz-"

"No, its not an acceptance letter," He tore the letter in half and tossed it into the trash can, "And the meeting was to inform me that I need to give up on basketball. You happy?"

I swallow the lump in my throat, "Give up?"

He placed his hands on top of his head, "If I go away to college, I lose you... If I don't go away to college, I lose basketball..."

"Hey," I grab his hand, "Don't ever say you are going to lose me. I am not going anywhere."

He walked away, scratching the back of his neck, "What do you want to do in life, Emilie?"

My mouth formed a small smile, "Be happy, I guess."

"That's not a good enough answer," he drug his foot back and forth across the floor, "After you graduate, what's your big plan?"

I shrug, "I don't know, maybe go to college...travel to somewhere beautiful like Italy, or Ireland? What's your big plan?"

"My big plan? A pile a shit. My plan has been basketball, my entire life... I have worked so damn hard for scholarships, and to get into scouting camps. Basketball is literally the only thing I am good at, actually, great at."

"Liam, who gives a fuck what Mr. Martin says? He is an old, miserable, dreamless man... what right does he have to tell you how to live your life?," Placing my hand on his shoulder, "What's going on?"

"I need you to be honest with me."

I felt my heartrate pick up, "Okay?"

He held up one finger, "Number one, if I get into a college far away from here...I need you to promise me that we will make it work. Number two," he looked down at the floor and took a deep breath, "I need you to realize that basketball isn't the only thing I have worked so damn hard for."

His hand falls into mine, "I went through hell and fire chasin you, Emilie Jones, so please....I am begging you, don't break my heart."

I had so many words in my heart to say, but none of them made it to my mouth. I simply kissed him, and then kissed him again.

My pinky finger rasied to the air, "I promise."

Nodding, he placed his pinky around mine, "Are you ready for our date?"

A smile spread across my face, "I almost forgot..."

Liam kept his secret about his plans for tonight. The entire car ride was mainly silent, but filled with glances, smiles, and kisses.

"Okay, here we are."

The jeep comes to a stop on the side of a hill, not a building, car, or human in sight, "Where?"

He laughs, "It's a short walk, just over the hill."

I didn't realize just how ou tof shape I was until I was almost dying trying to steady my breathing so that Liam didn't hear me wheasing like a pot belly pig. I obviosly wasn't great at hiding it,

"Are you doing okay over there?"

I smile, "Me? Oh yeah, I just wore the wrong shoes for this."

"Here," he stops, holding his arm out, "Get on my back."

"Absolutely not, I can walk."

"I didn't ask, Em...besides, you would be doing me a favor, I skipped workouts today."

I wrap my arm around his, and step off his leg, swinging onto his back, "I thought it was just a short walk?," Liam turns us to face the jeep, "Oh, it feels like we have walked much further than that."

He laughs, "Must be the shoes."

After a few more minutes of the piggy back ride, the hill finally curved over revealing a small lit up cottage with picnic tables around it. A few couples and families gathered around them, "What is this place?"

He sits me back on the ground, taking my hand in his, "When Mrs. Helen's husband died a few years back, she turned this old cottage into a tiny cafe. It stays pretty busy to be so secluded... but I think that's the beauty of it."

"You never cease to amaze me. How did you ever find this place?"

"I have known Mrs. Helen since I was a kid. Her husband was my first basketball coach, and the best one I ever had. He taught me how to believe in myself, and that playing was way more fun than sitting on the bench."

I see the look of adoration in his eyes as he speaks, "I would have loved to meet him."

Liam smiles, "He would have liked you, Em. He had a soft spot for the kind ones."