“Ow, it hurts…”

            “Come on, a little more.”

            “No, I can’t. It hurts!”

            Anthony frowned at me. “You’re acting like a virgin.”

            Scowling up at him, I let my arms drop, a basketball in hand. “No, I’m acting like a girl in pain from shooting a basketball a thousand times in a row!”

            “Okay, you can take a break,” he said reluctantly. “But after we’re having a one-on-one match. You can actually make a basket now. You should be proud!”

            “I’d be more proud if my arms weren’t burning.”

            “I thought you played soccer for three years?”

            I crossed my arms, huffing at him. “Soccer doesn’t involve using your arms as much as basketball— actually, it hardly requires you to use them.”

            “I’m curious now though…”

            “About what?”

            “Are you a virgin?”

            Doing a double take, I stared at him in astonishment. Did he really just ask a girl— who wasn’t his girlfriend — that? “Is that really any of your business?” I finally retorted.

            He shook his head, giving me an innocent look. “Nope, I was just wondering. You don’t need to tell me if you’re embarrassed.”

            “I’m not embarrassed!”

            “So you’ll tell me?”

            “No,” I snapped at him, turning my head away. “Come on. I’m ready to play a game.”

            He quickly bounded over to me, throwing an arm around my shoulder. “I have a different idea. Instead of having a one-on-one match, let’s play a different game.”

            “What kind of game?” I questioned warily.

            “Horse.”

            “Horse?”

            “Yeah, have you heard of it?”

            I nodded. “We used to play it in soccer. It’s where one person shoots and the other person has to mimic it, right? From the same position?”

            “Yep! Exactly!”

            “We can play that I guess.” It gave me a better chance of winning. Even though I was nowhere as good as Anthony in this sport.

            He gave me an evil look. “Let’s up the antes a little bit.”

            “How?”

            “Whoever misses a shot has to honestly answer a question the other person asks. For example if I made a basket, and then you tried to mimic it and missed, I’d get to ask you a question.”

            I grimaced. I should’ve expected that. It was obviously unfair to me. He could wreck me as easily as a wrecking ball to an abandoned building! Which meant he’d be the one interrogating me the entire time! “You know I wouldn’t get to ask you one question.”

            He winked at me. “I’ll go easy on you. You’ll definitely be able to ask some questions. How ‘bout it?”

            “Fine,” I agreed reluctantly. Hopefully I’d be able to think of some good questions for him… A grin spread across my face. Like why Julius said he’d be a bad influence for me.

            “You can go first,” he offered, tossing me the basketball in his hands. “It’s only fair, right?”

            Frowning at him, I moved over to where my imaginary free throw line was. It was the simplest place to shoot from. I stared at the hoop’s backboard, taking a deep breath. The ball felt like lead in my hand. What was I so worried about? It wasn’t like missing a basket was the end of my life. Shaking my head, I bent my knees, preparing to shoot. As the ball left my hands I immediately knew it was going to swish.

            And swish it did.

            Anthony smirked arrogantly at me as I twirled around to give him a smug look. “Easy,” he told me, jogging over to where the ball had rolled. “Just too easy, Ellie.”

            “We’ll see.”

            Unfortunately, his words proved to be true. He easily sunk the shot, the ball not touching the backboard or rim. He gave me another cocky smile. “See? Go again.”

            “Yeah,” I muttered, picking the ball off the ground. For a moment I debated on where to shoot from next. It was impossible for me to make a three-pointer… but maybe a layup? Anthony had taught me pretty well with those…

            Settled, I moved back, setting myself up for a layup. I ran toward the basket, putting my best foot forward, and shooting the ball with my left hand. It bounced off the backboard, straight at me. Startled, I nearly tripped over my feet trying to escape the rebounding ball.

            Not to my surprise, Anthony started laughing. “Hahaha! You’d think you would be over your fear of basketballs now!”

            “Shut up,” I snapped, ashamed by my hasty antics. “I-it’s not that I’m afraid. I just don’t want to get hurt.”

            He grinned and patted me on my head. “I don’t mind. This means I get to make a shot…”

            My jaw dropped as Anthony stood way past the three-pointer line and shot the basketball, making a perfect shot. “That’s totally unfair!” I cried.

            “Is it?”

            “Yes! There’s no way I can make it!”

            He seemed pleased with himself. “I guess my shot was a sure-fire way to asking you a question.”

            Shaking my head in disbelief, I made my way over to where he was standing, scooping up a Wilson as I did so. As I thought, that was his plan all along— to make impossible shots so I had no choice but to answer his questions. Even with all my strength the ball didn’t make it to the hoop. I turned, putting my hands on my hips. “Fine. What’s your question?”

            “What’s your favorite color?”

            “That’s your question?” I responded in surprise.

            He nodded. “You have to answer honestly.”

            “Um, blue,” I told him, feeling a little bit more relieved. At least he didn’t start with the deep questions.

            “Mine too,” he commented with a grin. “I’m going to shoot again.”

            With no problems, he sunk the shot. When I went I missed. Of course. If I ever wanted to make one, he’d have to move at least ten feet closer.

            “Okay… What kind of music do you like?”

            “Umm, a little bit of everything,” I responded, pursing my lips to the side. “Mainly boy band music. I’m not so fond of rap or country. Rock, pop, alternative, post-hardcore… I like those.”

            He wrinkled his nose. “I don’t like rap either.”

            “Really?”

            “Really.”

            I smiled. “That’s good.”

            “It’s good?” he repeated.

            “If we ever drive somewhere together I’ll know I won’t have to put up with it. Julius likes it a lot.”

            Anthony shook his head. “No more mentioning Julius, okay?”

            “Okay…?”

            Satisfied, he easily made another basket I had no possible hope of ever landing. With an evil look in his eyes, he turned to me. “Let’s try deeper questions. What do you look for in a guy?”

            I stared at him blankly. Was he really going to ask that? Everything I looked in for a guy described him! How could I say that to his face? I wanted to lie, but a nagging feeling in the back of my mind forbade me from doing so. Reluctantly, I began to spill my guts. “I guess I like guys with a good sense of humor. He’s gotta be chivalric— not overly so, but a little bit. So he’s not completely rude. It’s okay if he likes to joke around, but he has to know where to draw the line. And, this isn’t meant to sound shallow, but they have to look at least okay. I’d feel bad if I didn’t think the person who liked me was attractive. Um, they have to play a sport. I kind of go for guys with darker hair, but I guess it doesn’t matter too much…” I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. My eyes met Anthony’s and I tilted my head to the side. “Is that okay?”

            “That’s more than I expected,” he responded with a bark of laughter. “Sounds like you’re looking for a prince.”

            “I am not! I’m looking for a normal guy!”

            “Those don’t exist,” he told me tauntingly.

            Instead of arguing with him, I let the topic drop. He could think whatever he wanted to, but he was that kind of guy in my eyes. Although he was far from normal. No, he was much, much more.

            Suddenly a Wilson was pressed to my face. “I’ll let you shoot now.”

            “Sure,” I mumbled, moving toward the basket. This shot couldn’t go to waste, so I decided to simply shoot from where I felt most comfortable. It was an easy shot, only about five feet away from the basket, but I had the feeling Anthony was going to miss it purposely so I could ask him a question.

            As expected, he threw it too hard and it bounced off the backboard. “Damn,” he swore half-heartedly. “What’s your question, El?”

            “Don’t call me El,” I told him, scrunching up my nose. “I hate that nickname. Julius— oops…”

            He feigned a hurt look. “Always about Julius, is it?”

            “Umm, well my question is… Well, what’s your type of girl?” It was a good question. A little bit of anxiety formed in my stomach at the thought that maybe Anthony’s type of girl was the opposite of me.

            “Well, for starters, she’s got huge boobs.”

            My eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. “Anthony! You’re disgusting!”

            His laughter echoed through the storage room as he bent over, slapping his knee. “Your face! Your face! You should’ve seen it! It was like you got slapped with a fish!”

            I angrily shoved him backwards. “Be serious!”

            “Okay, okay,” he agreed, sobering up quickly. “Let’s see… Where should I begin?”

            “Wherever you want…”

            He tapped his chin. “Appearance doesn’t matter that much, I guess, but being fit is a plus. I want a girl who wouldn’t mind going on runs with me.” A grin appeared on his face and after a short pause (and a flirtatious look sent my way), he continued. “Someone who is easy to tease and isn’t afraid to blush. Someone honest… Someone who won’t cheat on others,” he said, his eyebrows furrowing together in concentration as he became more serious. “Someone who doesn’t act differently to me when she’s with her friends. Someone who genuinely cares for others. And animals. I like animals, so she has to like animals too. Oh! And she has to know how to cook because I can’t even make toast without burning it.”

            I laughed quietly. “Believe it or not, that’s actually a problem to many people.”

            “I also like a girl who likes to make me feel better about myself,” he added with a sweet smile.

            Taken aback by this new expression, all words left my mouth. It wasn’t fair. He was too dang handsome for his own good! Especially with that smile! Why had he been holding that heart-stopper back? Butterflies erupted in my stomach and there was nothing I could do to rid myself of them.

            “Y-you were a lot more honest than I expected,” I finally managed to force out.

            “That’s because I was describing someone I’m interested in,” he responded easily. “She’s the best.”

            My stomach shifted uncomfortably. Somewhere in my mind I believed he was talking about me, but there was also that part with doubt. He’d mentioned an honest girl, and yet I was lying about being in college and being twenty. The sudden urge to bash my head against the wall came over me, but I managed to hold myself back. We had maybe one more day in here. Then I could come clean with him. Right now though, I’d just have to deal with it.

            “Okay, my turn. Let’s not even bother having me shoot because we both know I’ll make it.”

            “Fine,” I grumbled.

            “Are you a virgin?”

            To be honest, I expected that question, so I wasn’t surprised in the least. Actually, I felt exceptionally calm. It was easy to answer honestly. “Yes, and I’m not ashamed of it.”

            He clapped me on the back, startling me. “That’s great to hear! These days you hardly hear of someone graduating a virgin! That’s some self control, Ellie!”

            “You make it sound like it’s the minority who graduate a virgin.”

            “It is though.”

            I wanted to argue with him, but I couldn’t if I was being completely honest. Almost all my friends had lost their virginity either junior year or this year. But they all had their boyfriends for at least a year and a half… Well, most. I smiled at the thought of my one friend who was a little… friendly. Not a whore. Just friendly with her boyfriends.

            “Well what about you?” I demanded finally, crossing my arms. “A big playboy like you probably lost it junior year, huh?”

            “Sophomore, actually. But the girl I was dating was a senior.”

            I faked a gag. “Ew. That’s gross.”

            He straightened out his back a little. “Not really. You might think that because you’re a virgin, but actually it’s great.”

            “I don’t want to hear about your sexual escapades,” I snapped at him, my mouth rapidly becoming dry.

            “The twenty-year-old virgin, huh,” he commented thoughtfully, his forest green eyes scrutinizing me. “We should fix that.”

            I glowered at him. “I’m waiting until I find someone special.”

            “Have anyone in mind?” he asked curiously.

            “Maybe,” I mumbled, unable to keep eye contact with him. We really needed to change the topic. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

            “Aw, come on, tell me!” he prodded.

            I shook my head, starting to walk away from him. “No, now stop asking me.”

            “Pretty please? I probably don’t even know him!”

            “Hah.”

            “Ellie! Please!”

            Suddenly I felt him grab my arm, yanking me back toward him. He let out a squawk of surprise as he tumbled over backward, dragging me down with him. Somehow he’d managed to twist us around so instead of me landing on him, he landed on me, crushing me into the cement ground. We both groaned in pain— me more so than him.

            “Sorry, Ellie,” he apologized at once, pushing himself up with his hands so he wasn’t completely squashing me.

            Due to his proximity, I was finding it a little hard to think. Either that or the fact I’d just bashed my head against the floor. “It’s okay,” I finally managed to breathe. “Can you move so I can get up?”

            He smirked evilly. “If you tell me who you like.”

            “Anthony.”

            “Ellie.”

            “Move,” I commanded, narrowing my eyes at him. “Otherwise I’ll shout rape.”

            He chuckled darkly. “Who’ll be around to save you, hmm?”

            I stayed quiet. He got me there. “Seriously. I won’t tell you.”

            “I bet I can get it out of you,” he insisted, dropping his head so that our noses were inches apart. “I have a special way of torture…”

            Afraid of the tickling I assumed was about to come, I blurted the only thing that came to mind that would keep him off my neck. “It’s Julius! It’s Julius!”

            His expression fell immediately. “Oh.”

            Mentally, I beat myself up. Julius? That was the only guy I could think of? Why couldn’t I have just made up a mind! Julius? There was something seriously wrong with me. Grinding my teeth, I realized I didn’t have any other choice. There was no way I could tell Anthony how I felt about him in here. Absolutely no way! It would be way too awkward if I was misreading his feeling about me. And I also had to tell him I was only eighteen and still in high school.

            “Can you get off now?” I asked quietly.

            “Oh, yeah, sure,” he responded immediately, shoving himself to his feet. After that he held out a hand to pull me to my feet.

            An awkward silence had now settled in. I cursed myself for it. Maybe it was safe just to say I didn’t like anyone. That way he wouldn’t think I had feelings for Julius. “Hey, Anthony—”

            “I should’ve known,” he sighed deeply. “Julius always talks about you. It’s only a matter of time before you guys get together.”

            For some reason, I felt annoyed by his comment. Was he really going to give up on me that easily? “Yeah,” I agreed, deciding to play the lie a little longer. “I’m just afraid to say anything to him, you know? Since right now we’re just friends. But I love him so much.”

            Anthony grunted in response.

            “His luscious locks of hair,” I started dreamily, placing a hand on my heart. “The way his dark eyes twinkle in the sunlight. You hardly see blondes with brown eyes, you know. It’s quite attractive. Oh! I also love the way he snorts when he laughs. His lips are rather lovely too… And the shape of his eyebrows…”

            “You’re bullshitting me right now aren’t you?” Anthony deadpanned.

            Surprised he’d figured me out so easily, I couldn’t think of a response right away. “Uh… no?”

            Scowling, he slowly advanced on me. “You’ll pay for that, Ellie. You almost fooled me.”

            “Why does it matter?” I challenged. It was okay if he was the one who confessed first.

            “Because I want Julius to suffer alone forever,” Anthony responded wickedly, holding up his arms. “Now prepare for the tickle monster.”

            Within the blink of an eye, I was out of the storage room, sprinting through the messy main room. He was hot on my trail. I could hear his feet pounding only meters behind me. It was a struggle to dodge all the miscellaneous items on the floor, but I faired pretty well. Better than him at least. I heard him cry out in surprise and then a loud thud met my ears a few seconds later.

            I paused for a second, just to see if he was okay. My eyes widened in fright when I realized he hadn’t fallen at all. He’d faked it. Now he was lunging toward me, his arms outstretched. Just as I turned to start running again, he grabbed onto my legs, sending me headlong into a stack of fortuitously placed pillows. I realized after a moment that it was the same stack that I’d knocked over when I’d first came in to steal toilet paper.

            “You’re going to make me pee!” I shouted as soon as Antony’s slim fingers made contact with my skin. “This isn’t fair!”

            He ignored my protests, focusing on his ticking fingers. “I think this is plenty fair, actually.”

            “Haha! No! It’s torture!”

            “Torture? But you’re laughing…”

            “Hahaha! I hate you!” I cried, tears starting to form at my eyes. My back was protesting at my position, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it. Anthony had total control.

            After a few more moments of agony, he finally gave me an ultimatum. “Okay, I’ll stop if you tell me I’m drop-dead gorgeous.”

            “You’re drop-dead gorgeous!” I gasped.

            He beamed at me, pulling his hands away. “Why thank you!”

            “And vain,” I muttered darkly.

            His hands went up threateningly.

            “And by vain I mean striking,” I corrected myself quickly, terror seizing me by the neck. Never underestimate the act of tickling.

            “Well, now I know your weakness,” he concluded, returning to his feet. Once again he helped me back up.

            “And I know you have horrible balance.”

            He smiled innocently. “Do I?”

            I stared at him for a few moments. Was he insinuating something? It was true that I’d never noticed his bad balance before but…

            With a shock, I realized what he meant.

            “You did that on purpose?” I cried shrilly.

            He patted my head. “You’re getting smarter every day, Ellie.”

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Sorry for the late update! Don\'t have much time to chat! I\'m chaperoning a middle school dance with my friends. It\'ll be fun! :D

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Today\'s song is You Make Me Feel by Cobra Starship!

Today\'s story is... No, I Cannot Sleep Without My Teddy Bear by Monica4242! Here is the description!

\"Adrianna knows that she is meant to be with Jackson, the hottest guy in school. Her new neighbor Lucas is willing to help her get together with Jackson sooner. While going through their plan, Lucas and Adrianna start getting feelings for each other that scare them both. Now Adrianna should choose one of them. Can she possibly forget about Jackson? Can Lucas convince her to choose him? Can Adrianna’s life ever go back to being simple and fun?\"