Chapter 21
Dodging Curveballs

We were sitting on her pink comforter on her bed with my hair was still soaking wet, but I was comfortable and warm in Paula’s baby blue bathrobe.

I told her everything—from my crush on Collin to his lies to his half-assed apology. Even his pathetic attempt to get with me.

It felt like the huge weight of guilt I’ve been carrying around for weeks just lifted off my chest.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Paula questioned in a soft voice as she picked at her comforter.

I shrugged. “It was a long time ago,” I replied in a low tone. “I thought I was over it.”

She nodded and seemed to be in thought about something else. “He said those things to you?” she asked, her eyes on her comforter.

Biting my lip, I nodded. “I was stupid enough to believe them,” I said, ashamed. “I thought after Jason, I would know it when guys are lying…”

She shook her head. “No, Collin’s just good at lying,” she mumbled. “I would know.”

Paula finally looked up at me with her pretty brown eyes. “I’m sorry I put Collin before all of you guys,” she apologized in a soft voice.

I quickly shook my head. “It doesn’t matter anymore,” I assured her. “That’s not shit compared to what I did,” I mumbled, still ashamed of myself.

“And I can’t believe I took his word over yours,” she said, shaking her head, disappointed in herself.

“Yeah, he’s like the Jedi master of bullshit,” I said, lightening up the mood.

She cracked a small smile.

“No, really, though,” I said in a more serious tone. “I’m sorry,” I repeated for the hundredth time. “Even if he was a manipulating jerk, it justify what we did.”

The room became silent again when Paula looked like she was in thought. “Did you love him?” she questioned in a low, soft voice. “I mean, I know you,” she whispered, not looking me in the eye. “You wouldn’t…if you didn’t…”

She made me fill in the blanks.

I looked up; surprised that she would actually asked if I was in love with her ex-boyfriend, then my eyes found her bedroom floor. “That doesn’t matter anymore either,” I whispered lowly as I shook my head.

The same answer was going through both of our minds, but neither of us wanted to say it out loud.

A friend is someone who can see the truth and pain in you even when you are fooling everyone else and I knew Paula was seeing right through me.

“That doesn’t justify it either,” I finally spoke up.

“God! I can’t believe I ever believed him,” she said as she shook her head in disgust. “Tell me why I ever went out with him?”

She looked back up at me; her amazing brown eyes were no longer the cold and angry ones that I’ve been seeing lately. “He cheated on me and he used you,” she shook her head, “what a jerk.”

I sighed. “Yeah, we both got played,” I muttered.

We were both silent for a moment, overwhelmed by everything that went down these past few weeks.

I looked back up at Paula, her lovely, long brown hair covering her face. How could I’ve been such a rotten friend? “I’m sorry, Paula,” I repeated in a soft voice. “For hurting you. And everything else,” I added.

She quickly looked up at me and nodded. “I know,” she whispered. “For the hundredth time: I know.”

I flashed a weak smile. My insides were bursting from happiness because Paula finally forgave me. We had a lot more to talk about and figure out, but right now I was as happy as can be with my best friend back.

“Promise that no guy—no matter how chiseled and gorgeous he is—will ever get in our way again,” Paula stated.

I laughed. “Promise,” I said.

She extended her hand out and held out her pinky. “Pinky promise?” she questioned with a grin.

At that point, I knew my note from Spanish class had got to her. “Pinky promise,” I whispered as our pinky fingers wrapped together as we both smiled.

Tony sat down on the concrete, breathless in defeat. “Now what?” I taunted him playfully as he wiped the sweat off with a towel. “So what are we now, ten and sixteen?” I questioned teasingly. “Dude, I’m catching up. You’ll look like such a bum with that Dodgers gear on,” I pointed out, grinning. “Not so hot now, huh?”

“Sit down and shut your mouth, Nessa,” Tony teased as he threw his Gatorade at me.

I laughed and sat down next to him on the concrete. I took a big gulp of his Gatorade because my throat was killing me.

“Nice game out there, Nessa!” Mike called out from the opposite basketball court.

“Thanks, Mike!” I shouted back with a grin. Things between Mike and me weren’t the same, but I was content with it. I thought I would always be best friends with him, but I guess things change. Maybe it was a good thing for the both of us. We’ll probably never really know.

I sighed and took the rubber band out of my hair. After I had shook my hair loose, I looked up and caught Tony looking at me.

I grinned amusingly. “Quit checking me out, Campi,” I teased playfully.

“I’m not,” he said quickly, turning away. I thought I saw him blush. No, that’s just his cheeks being red from the ass-whooping he got just now, I thought to myself.

“And I thought you only had eyes for Jessica Alba?” I added jokingly. It was so fun teasing Tony especially when I got him using his own words.

He laughed and playfully pushed me. It was like he always pushed me harder than all our other guy friends would.

“Big game for you tonight,” I said, changing the subject as I took another swig of his Gatorade.

“Yup,” he replied, roughly rubbing his fingers through his blonde hair. He was pretty calm when it came to playing in his baseball games, but I could tell he had some nerves because he didn’t play too hot the last game.

“You got this,” I assured him in a soft voice. “Hit another out of the park again,” I encouraged him.

His amazing blue eyes gleamed. “I will,” he said with confidence and a grin. “Now that I got my squad back together.”

I smiled.

“I won’t be able to go to the Giants game today or tomorrow,” he added, “but do you wanna go with me to the game against the D-backs on Friday?” he asked, his eyes hopeful.

I nodded. “Yeah, sounds awesome,” I replied.

I looked at Tony, who flashed me a small grin. Having a friend who wouldn’t judge me made me a lucky girl. He was always there for me, whether I struck out or hit it out of the ballpark. Plus, I was his number one fan and he knew it. My basketball opponent, my fellow diehard baseball fan, my friend. To be completely honest, I would never trade Tony for seven Noah Lowrys.

Maybe ten, though. Maybe.

“Hey beautifuls!” Paula greeted with a smile as she approached us on the basketball court. “Excuse me while I steal my best friend away from you,” she playfully told Tony as she stuck her tongue out at him.

Tony chuckled. “Do that again and maybe a bird will aim it’s shit there!” he joked teasingly.

Paula laughed and grabbed my arm and we walked away from the courts. “See you guys tonight!” Tony called out.

A smile formed across my face because I knew we all would be sitting together again at Tony’s baseball game.

“So,” I said as Paula and I walked together, arms linked, “how about we go to the mall on Saturday?” I suggested.

Paula shook her head. “Shopping? I was thinking more like the Diamondbacks-Giants game,” she suggested with a grin.

That was a surprise. “I’m shocked. Looks like the tables have been turned, Miss Paula,” I laughed.

“I just wanna see more of Barry Zito,” Paula informed me, half-joking.

I laughed, but then it turned into a nasty cough.

“Aw…is my bestie sick?” she questioned with a playful frown on her lovely face.

I laughed weakly and nodded. Standing outside in the pouring rain for minutes with no hood…not smart at all. “Well,” I shrugged, “You’re worth it,” I told her with a smile.

She flashed a smile back. “Aw, and that’s why you’re my best friend,” she said, linking our arms back together. “Because I love you,” she added casually.

“I love you, too,” I reminded her. It was natural for us.

We walked past the basketball court with a bunch of guys playing. All of a sudden, I tripped and fell over one of their backpacks. Paula, thank God, saved me some embarrassment by pulling me back up as quickly as possible.

The guys stopped playing and started laughing.

“Watch out, Nessa,” one of the guys teased playfully.

“You okay?” someone else laughed.

“Damn, how many times is that, Ness?”

“Someone’s accident prone as hell.”

I’m glad it was in front of guys I actually knew or else it would’ve been completely mortifying.

“Hey!” Paula exclaimed in a playful, stern tone as some of them were still chuckling. “This is my best friend, okay?” she told them with a proud grin. “So shhh or die!”

I looked at her and flashed a smile. Even when I look like a complete idiot, she’s still proud to say that I was her best friend.

Everything seemed to fall back into place. There comes a point in your life when you realize who really matters, who never did, and who always will. I realized that things don’t go as planned sometimes. First loves vanish, people change, but the genuine friends will always be in your life.

I was ready for any more curve balls to be thrown at me. I was actually waiting for them to come. This time, I had all my friends by my side to help dodge them and lead me into the right direction.

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews everyone! It was fun rewriting this story and I hope you guys enjoyed reading it. Check out the sequel to this. It's called The Game of Love - Basically My Favorite