Today was our first full day in Texas and we were pretty much doing nothing besides practicing for the big game tomorrow.
It's currently 7 A.M. or at least that's what I'm assuming.
I'm sharing a bed with Maisie, and Brooklyn and Ashley are sharing the other bed together. All 3 of them said they were going to wake up at 7 AM and I hear a lot of hustling around so I'm assuming that's what time it is.
Of course my eyes are still shut.
"Holy fuck Jules wake the fuck up."
I try my hardest to fight the whacks of the pillow Brooklyn is hitting me with but it's honestly too painful at this time of day.
"I'm awake, I'm awake."
Sadly.
"Ms. Reed says we have to be downstairs by 7:30 so we can catch the bus and go to the practice facility."
There's not much at school I've learned about because I never really cared about education but if there is one thing I did learn is that you should never piss Ms. Reed off.
Even if you're her favorite student.
I know she will never admit it but I think it's way too obvious for me to not be her favorite student.
...
Today had to be one of the most exhausting days of my life.
And that's coming from a D1 basketball player.
We had three hours of practice, an hour lunch break and then another 2 hour practice.
I'm sure the hardest thing that Ms. Reed had to do that whole time was walk to the bathroom.
Our game is at 11 A.M. tomorrow and Ms. Reed told us to go to bed early to get some rest. She was mainly looking at me that whole time because she knew I wouldn't listen to her.
But I'm not going to lie, I'm actually going to try and get some rest.
It's 9 P.M. now so I'll try to sleep at 11.
"How are you guys feeling for the game tomorrow? Besides Jules I'm sure this is going to be the biggest game any of us will ever play in our lifetime."
I ponder after Ashley speaks.
Ashley and Brooklyn were sitting on their bed while me and Maisie were sitting on ours.
We were in our 'no cellular device' era and decided to just chat.
This was going to be the last game we play together whether we lose or win this game. After 4 years of playing together, it's all done tomorrow.
"I don't know about Jules and Brooklyn but I'm trying to fight the puke that I can feel building up inside me."
"Ew get away from me the fuck."
I simply cannot deal with vomit.
On shows I guess it's fine because I know it's not real, I hope. In real life vomit, yeah I'll pass on that.
"Relax, I'm just joking."
We chat for another 5 minutes and we decide its time for lights out and for us to get some sleep.
My airpods died and I don't feel like waiting for them to charge. If I don't use my airpods everyone's going to be yelling at me about the noise coming from my phone and I honestly don't want to ruin their night so I guess I'll take one for the team and try to sleep. Two hours earlier than I expected.
Maisie is a pretty petite girl and these beds are pretty big and comfortable so I actually have a lot of room to move around without Maisie yelling at me for moving too much.
Sleeping in a room with Maisie is kind of like a race.
You need to try and fall asleep before Maisie begins snoring. Obviously you win the game if you fall asleep before the snoring begins. Once that snoring begins, it never ends.
It's been two hours and I still haven't fallen asleep.
I'm not going to lie, I am actually really nervous for the matchup tomorrow.
Laying in this bed, staring at the ceiling has given me a lot of time to think. Let's just say the thinking led to over thinking.
I'm trying my hardest not to break down and cry right now because all I want to do is go to sleep but I can't and I know I'm going to be exhausted tomorrow morning.
I think there is something or someone that can help me with this though...
I put on my slides and grab my phone and I leave my hotel room.
The hallway is empty and quiet and I feel like I'm in a horror movie. The only person who can protect and save me is the persons door I'm at right now, about to knock on.
I don't even know if Ms. Reed is up but she said to stop by her room if its an emergency which in this case, it is an emergency.
To my surprise, she opens the door.
"Seriously? It's almost midnight. What the hell are you doing? Go to bed."
Ms. Reed's voice is scaring the shit out of me because of how stern it sounds right now.
"I'm, I'm sorry Ms. Reed. Its just that I can't fall asleep and I'm about to lose my mind because of it."
As soon as I say that, Ms. Reed's face and voice softens.
"Me too Oliver, me too."
Ms. Reed looks at both directions in the hallway and then looks back at me.
"Come in."
Say less.
I honestly don't know what to feel right now.
I'm in a fucking bedroom alone with Ms. Reed.
Imagine all the magic that could happen with us inside of this room right now?! I wish my image could become a reality.
"So what's bothering you Jules? Sit."
She gestures for me to sit right next to her on her very messy bed. I can tell it's been a stressful night for her as well.
"I just can't sleep that's all. I don't know why I can't sleep because I'm so sore and tired from today."
"I know there's more to it then that."
I guess it's easier for Ms. Bodacious to tell because I'm trying to ignore eye contact with her but I can tell she's trying to get me to look in her eyes.
"Just forget that I'm your teacher for a minute okay? Talk to me how you would talk to the ones closest to you and tell me what's wrong."
"It's nothing Ms. Reed I swear." I can feel my eyes start to well up. I don't think this tough face of mine is going to hold up for much longer. "I'm so nervous for tomorrow and I can't sleep because of it and it's making me lose my fucking mind. If we lose tomorrow it's all going to be because of me and I can't have my family and friends have such disappointment in me when we go back to California. Especially you."
I feel tears start to stream down my cheeks and at the same time I feel Ms. Reed start to rub my back with her hand.
Tears are flowing down somewhere else that isn't my cheeks.
Too much? Sorry. Okay.
"You're not going to disappoint anyone okay? Especially me. You're the best player on this team by a mile and we wouldn't have been able to make it here without you."
I can tell she's trying to get me to smile but I feel so confused right now.
"I know you're just saying that to try to make me feel better which is weird coming from you. I just can't get the thought of me screwing everything up out of my head."
"Well you gotta get it out of your head at some point because you're amazing Jules. This team would be so different without you. You are an amazing influence and you're an amazing person overall."
All of a sudden I can feel our faces creeping closer to each other and neither one of us seems to be backing out.
It's happening.
Our first kiss is happening.
This is happening sooner than I expected but I'm not complaining at all.
"Ms. Reed? Are you awake?"
Someone rudely interrupts by knocking loudly on Ms. Reed's door, forcing the proximity between me and Ms. Reed's faces to go away.
Ms. Reed clears her throat and I immediately stand up.
"I should, uh, I should probably go."
"Yea it's probably best if you did."
I speed walk out of Ms. Reed's door and I see one of my teammates, Chloe outside of Ms. Reed's room.
I ask her why she was outside of Ms. Reeds room and she was having the same problem as me with the struggle to sleep.
To make it less weird, I explain why I was in Ms. Reed's room and that it was only for a minute.
I'm finally outside of my hotel door and I realize something.
I forgot my room key.
Authors Words:
Fuck Chloe