Freeing Carter

"Sara!" Mom gasps.

Mel huffs. "Whatever."

I finish pulling away from her.

Kira is standing with my family. She crosses her arms and shakes her head. It's almost a mad gesture, but she doesn't look mad. Disappointed, maybe? Jealous?

A woman stands behind her, touching Kira's shoulder. Comfort? Wishful thinking on my part? Probably.

"I'm sorry, Mel, I gotta go." The words haven't finished leaving my mouth before I start jogging away. "Hey," I say to Kira when I get up to them. I look back to make sure Mel is gone, which she is.

"Hey, Coach. Good game."

For the first time in my life, I try to study a girl's voice besides my mom. Is there something hidden in there? Is she really telling me I had a good game or pretending she thinks that when really she's wishing I fell and busted my head open on the court.

"Thanks..."

The woman behind her reaches out her hand to me. "Hi. I'm Lana. I've heard so much about you."

Those words, hearing that she's heard about me, make me feel better than wi

"Sorry I missed most of it. The store was crazy. Since Kira took my car, I rode out with Lana." Mom's voice is the only thing that pulls me away from Kira. It sounds right. Normal. Sober, but I need to look at her too. See her eyes, feel the way she hugs me. See if any hint of that tangy scent clings to her.

"It's cool." I reach out and hug her, which I'm sure she thinks is strange. But it's her and she's sober so everything's okay. My lungs stop hurting when I let the air out of them. I hadn't even realized they hurt until they didn't.

"Wow. That was nice." Mom smiles. "Sara's tired though. We're going to head home."

My little sister's arms wrap around my waist and I squeeze her shoulders. "I like it when you win for me."

"Always."

"Be home by curfew." Mom winks and glances at Kira, throwing me off a bit. She's never winked at me like that. Sara pries her arms away. "Thanks for the ride, Lana. Are you guys leaving too?"

The other woman nods and I feel like hyperventilating.

"See ya later, Coach."

There's no way I can let Kira walk away. On instinct, I reach out and grab her hand. "Wait... Let me take you home. I mean," I turn to Lana. "Can I take her home?"

She laughs. She has dark skin too, but I don't think she has African American in her like I think Kira does. Lana looks like she's Hawaiian. Kira a mix of black and something else. "You don't know her very well if you're asking me that question."

My heart starts racing. I need Kira to say yes. I also need to talk to Mom. "Wa

She sighs, but it's not an a

I smile at her, but it's Lana who replies. "Curfew for you, too."

Mom, Lana, and Sara start to walk out the door. Panic swells inside me. I need to catch Mom but away from Lana. "Wait! Mom. I..."

When she looks at me, I see the hurt in her eyes. It beats down on me, burying me in guilt. She knows what I think. What I want to say. What I can't find a way to say in front of everyone else.

"I know, Carter. I know. Sara and I will be okay. I'm thinking popcorn, hot chocolate, and a Barney marathon. How does that sound to you?" Her voice fakes the lightness that doesn't reach her eyes.

"Perfect," I reply, even though she wasn't talking to me.

Chapter Twelve

Just like when I brought her home the other night, my truck is quiet. It's a little after nine so we have a couple hours before either of us has to be home. I have no idea where we're going, so I'm just driving around, trying to figure out where to take her since I practically begged her to come with me. That's not the only thing I'm trying to figure out. I'm not sure what to say, either. I sort of want to talk to her about Mel. Let her know that if it looked like we were up to something, we definitely weren't. Mel was, but not me. But that makes it look like I think she cares, when I don't know if she does or not.

Will it make me look like a conceited jackass if I bring it up?

But if I don't, am I the jerk who kisses her and then has my ex's hands in my hair a week later?

I'm really not too thrilled to be either of those guys.

"Music?" I ask, reaching for the CD player, but she pushes my hand down and shakes her head.

"Nope. I like silence sometimes."

Oh-kay. There went that try. Next option—basketball. "So...you practiced anymore since the other night?"

"Let's do something crazy!" She says in reply, turning in her seat to face me.

"Huh?" I totally just missed something.

"You need to relax. I can see it. You're too tense. Let's do something fun! Let's be wild!"

This is what I love about spending time with this girl. She never says or does what I expect. It's so different being with her than anyone else, because even though I have no clue what she means by 'something wild,' I want to do it. With her. Actually, I'm pretty sure I need to.

"Okay. Like what?"

"I don't know. Let me think." She looks around, out the windows like something is going to jump right out at her. I have no doubt it will. Any time I can spare having my eyes off the road, they're on her. Taking in her hair. Seeing her in a jersey with my name. Wishing I could touch her the way the shirt does.

"Oh! Right there!" She points off to the side of the road. "Pull over."

I look, but all I see is a small senior apartment complex. "Where?"

"Coach!" She grabs the wheel like she's going to pull off the road for me. I slow down more, batting her hands away and pulling in.

"Okay, okay. I'm going. Don't make us wreck."

The place is totally dark, I'm assuming because old people live here, and they go to bed early, right? There are a couple big, brown buildings that I'm assuming are packed with...well, senior citizens. "I give up. Why are we here?"

"Do you have a pencil or a pen in here? Oh, and what do you have in your bag for clothes?" Kira opens my glove-box and pulls out a pen. I can't help but stare while she pulls her hair up. Does some crazy, twisty, turny, girl thing and suddenly her hair is held up in a ponytail with a pen. I'm man enough to admit I want to ask how she did it, but I don't.

"Clothes? Um, I have a pair of basketball shorts and t-shirt that I use for practice. There's also shorts in the cab that I keep there just in case." She looks at me fu

She smiles widely, and for the first time, I notice a slight gap between her two front teeth. Nothing big, obviously since it took me this long to notice it, but for some reason, it's so her. "Grab the clothes and be quiet. It's time for a little breaking and entering."

***

Yeah, definitely not what I expected her to say. I'm jumping out of my truck and behind her in about two seconds flat. "What? Where are we breaking and entering? Grandma's house?"

"Shh." She slips her arm through mine, hugging herself close to me as we walk. I can't believe it, but it almost makes me stumble. That little touch sends all sorts of firecrackers exploding through my body. I like touching her. I want to touch more of her. "Let's not a