8. Not Ready

Parents are cheering on their kids and some are raging at the referee about an unfair game. I have moved to the very top of the bleachers due to a few parents and their kids throwing popcorn and nacho chips at me. Someone even went as far as to throw a half-full coke bottle at me. Thankfully, whoever they were had bad aim and missed. Security guards were there to stop them and even escorted them out of the gym. At least this place has some rules and regulations.

When we entered the rec center, everyone's mouths gaped open at the sight of me walking with my family and the whispers started.

Alchemy and her new boyfriend are outside possibly flirting, making out, or whatever. My mother climbs the bleachers carefully while holding nachos and two bottles of sprite. She makes it up to the top without any issues and sits down then comes Sydnie with a coke bottle and sits by me. Mom hands me a sprite and I take it, open it, and drink a few gulps of it. She hands the nachos to Zander who is intently watching the game. Nick, on the other hand, is in the lobby trying to pick up some girl.

"Where's Alchemy?" Sydnie asks looking around me for her.

I shrug my shoulders, "Last time I saw her, she went outside with her boyfriend."

Sydnie shakes her head, "I just came from out there, and she was nowhere to be found."

I groan, not wanting to deal with this and pay attention to the game. Andy scores two points, I cheer along with the other parents whose kids are on the same team. During a time-out, Sydnie turns to me and just stares at me.

"What?" I ask uncomfortable with the silent stare.

"We need to talk when we get home." Sydnie takes a sip of the cold cola.

"About what?" I ask arching my brow.

Our sisterly bond used to be stronger than it is now. But I supposed with time and Brent entering my sister's life, our relationship just kind of fizzled out. Though she is never rude or mean to me like Nick is, we still talk about things. But, when Sydnie tells me she wants to talk to me, I know that it is a very serious matter.

"Just a few things that I have no-," she burps, "been noticing lately. I need to nip it in the bud with you." Sydnie partially explains.

"Alright," I am not too enthusiastic about whatever Sydnie wants to talk about. I surely hope it has nothing to do with Alchemy's change in behavior, Nick's treatment of me, or another lecture about me being adopted. She does the last one quite often, I guess she knows when I am feeling down about it, hence why she tries to help ease the pain and have me feel like I am a part of the family. It helps sometimes, other times it makes me wonder where my parents are or if they are even still alive for that matter. This thought comes up a lot when I see mom and dad helping my siblings with their homework and during family outtings. 

Sydnie looks back at the game. I do the same. Andy's team is leading by five points and it is the 4th period of the game with 1 minute and 30 seconds to go on the clock. Everyone is at the edge of their seats for the game considering it is the game for the playoffs.

Andy's team has the ball and Andy dribbles the ball down the court, shouting out a play. Her teammates spread out and start jumping up and down, shouting for the ball. The other team tries their best to guard the jumping team members. With 20 seconds on the clock and seeing no one open, Andy shoots the ball from the three-point line, the buzzer sounds, and the ball goes through the hoop with a swoosh. The whole gym erupts in cheers as Andy's team members high five Andy and hugs her.

A few minutes later, some of the parents leave with their kids while others stay behind and talk to the coach about playoffs and what kinds of drinks and snacks they need to bring.

The boys' basketball team comes in dribbling the ball and starting their practice before their games begin. Sydnie has her arm linked with my arm and we make our way through the overly crowded lobby and outside.

Outside, I inhale a breath of the fresh night air and welcome the partial silence. The gym filled with the smell of popcorn and nachos was making my stomach churn a little.

Alchemy and her boyfriend come from around the corner, behind the gym. Alchemy is buttoning up her pants and her shirt  while her boyfriend is adjusting his own pants and making sure the zipper is up.

"Hey, you missed the game," Sydnie says to Alchemy. "It was awesome."

Alchemy shrugs, "So? She will have others that I will have to sit through." not caring about that.

Sydnie rolls her eyes at Alchemy's poor attitude. I can feel the tension between Sydnie and Alchemy building. Sydnie has never liked Alchemy and sometimes I can understand why that is. However, other times it isn't so clear.

"Where'd you go?" I tilt my head in question.

"Louis and I were talking about things in his truck." She snuggles against Louis and he absentmindedly puts his arm around Alchemy's waist while looking in the other direction. He does not really seem too interested in Alchemy or what she was saying to me. He just seems to be there for the moment.

I smile, "Oh?"

"Yeah, like our future together, which colleges we are going to go to or he is gonna go to," Alchemy says, completely smitten. "I told him that I don't mind being a stay at home wife, as long as he gives me a decent allowance to buy sexy lingerie for him every once in a while." She coos at him as she twirls his hair around her finger.

"That sounds-." I begin.

"Like complete and utter bullshit." Sydnie spat interrupting me. Sydnie has always been the one to speak her mind between her and me. When Sydnie senses bullshit, she calls it out. Myself, I am not entirely like that.

Alchemy snaps her head towards Sydnie, "It's not bullshit. It's real, isn't it Louis?" she coos at him again.

"Huh?" He looks at Alchemy, "Oh, yeah right. It's true."

He goes back to scouting out some females, and then secretly his eyes would dart to me. I catch him looking at me and we lock eyes for a while. He smirks at me then goes back to staring at other females.

"Well . . . you know . . ." Alchemy begins.

I know that deep down Alchemy is telling a flat out lie, but I am not one to question Alchemy's happiness or relationships. I did that one time in the 9th grade and she accused me of wanting her boyfriend. However, within days of that fight, she broke up with the guy claiming he was a jerk and tried to have sex with her.

Sydnie, on the other hand, "Psh, he isn't even interested in you or into you. What do you really know about him? Like really know about him? Do you know him like I know mine?" She questions Alchemy's relationship.

"I know a lot. What-." Alchemy says on the defense.

"Oh yeah . . . such as?" Sydnie challenges as she finished her soda then throws the bottle in the trash can we are standing next to.

"Uh, I know he wants to work with cars," Alchemy says hesitantly. "Right?"

"Yeah, sure," Louis says. "Uh, I am ready to go." He removes his arm from her waist. "Are you riding with me or your family?"

"Let me ask my mom." She says excitedly and runs into the gym.

He huffs with relief as Alchemy goes inside the building to look for her mom. Sydnie, Louis, and I stand there in silence.

"She's so needy," Louis says to no one in particular while fidgeting. He turns to me, "She wants to always be around and under me, and meet my family. I cannot deal with her and we've only been dating for a few hours. A few hours and she is already talking about the future and kids and marriage." He rakes his hands irritably through is brown hair then takes out a cigarette pack from his back pocket. "I am a senior; I don't want to have to deal with commitment, right now." He takes a cigarette out along with a lighter, he lights the cigarette and puffs on it anxiously. He puts the pack back in his back pocket. "I just want to have fun and go to parties and work on cars and possibly go to college. I don't want to take care of any kids at 21 years old."

Sydnie smirks at the confession of Louis as our mom comes out of the gym with a smile and Andy is beside her.

"Hey, my mom said I can spend the night with you on Saturday." Andy beams at me.

I clap excitedly. "Awesome." Alchemy and I stopped having sleepovers in the 9th grade. She had said sleepovers were for babies. "Where's Alchemy?" I ask Andy in confusion.

Andy shrugs not concerned about her sister's whereabouts, "No clue. I am not her keeper."

Louis sighs thinking that this is his chance then goes to his truck, Sydnie and I stare. He cranks it up and peels out of the parking lot, my eyes widen while Sydnie bursts out laughing. Our mother arches her brow at Sydnie wondering what is so funny as we walk to the car. Nick and Zander race to the car.

"Bye, Sirrah!" Andy shouts jumping up and down and waving.

"See ya on Saturday," I shout back.

"Yeah, see you on Saturday! We are gonna have so much fun!" Andy yells as her mother come up behind her.

Before driving off, I could see Alchemy running outside excited and looking for Louis. The excitement falls as she realizes that he is no longer there. When Sydnie sees the embarrassment on Alchemy's face, she starts laughing even harder. All I can do is shake my head and sit forward.