Freeing Carter Read Online Free PDF Page B

stepped on the court , even if it wasn ' t for a game.
    All I know is this is my house. This is where I ' m alive.
    ***
    My hair is wet from showering when I walk out of the locker room after practice. Mel and I always meet each other in the parking lot , so I head straight there .
    " You doing anything? " Travis asks. " Want to chill? "
    " You ' re not going to be with Trina? "
    " Nah. " He shakes his head. They ' re usually together as much as Mel and I. I almost ask him about it , but he doesn ' t give me a chance. " She ' s busy , I guess , and I ' m trying to avoid the parentals. They want to ' talk ' and that ' s never good for me. " Travis laughs.
    " Oh. Sorry. Can ' t go. Going to try to make up with my girl. Take her out or something. " I ' m still feeling like a live wire. This is just what I needed to feel on track again , the distraction to make everything else disappear.
    " Fine , I see how you are. " Trav holds out his fist and I bump it. " I ' m out. See ya later. " He runs down the hall ahead of me , probably meeting up with the other guys or something.
    When my feet hit the pavement , I stop for a minute , and Mel ' s voice floats toward me. She ' s standing in the parking lot talking to Devin. He graduated last year , but his sister , Sam , is in cheer with Mel. Since he picks up and drops off Sam sometimes for school , I guess he ' s doing it after practice , too.
    " Shut up ," Mel laughs , playfully pushing him. Devin crosses his arms and leans against his Mustang and says something I can ' t hear. My muscles tense. I know Mel. Know how she flirts because she used to do it with me.
    Mel crosses her arms and pretends to pout. Devin steps closer like he ' s going to console my girl and she smiles . Yeah , so not going to happen.
    " Mel! " I jog toward her. I nod my head at Devin as I step between them , hugging her. Is it me or is she not giving me the same death grip she usually does? Suddenly , not liking my back to Devin , I let go and face him.
    " I ' ll see you later , Melanie ," Devin says , ignoring me completely. And then he turns , walks around his car , gets in , and drives off.
    Rigor mortis has now set into my limbs. My basketball high has been thoroughly killed. " What ' s up with that? " I'm really trying not to sound accusatory.
    " Nothing. " Mel pushes up on her toes and kisses me. She sounds normal. Happy to see me. Maybe I was freaking out for nothing. My muscles loosen again and I feel like an idiot. They were just talking. It ' s not like they haven ' t talked before , or like Devin doesn ' t have a reason to be here. Mel wouldn ' t do that. She ' s the one who always wants to be with me and I ' m the one who ' s been more standoffish lately.
    " How was practice? " I ask , still holding on to her waist.
    " Awesome. "
    " Mine too. We — "
    " Is Travis with Trina , do you know? "
    Okay. So obviously we ' re not talking about my practice. " I don ' t think so. She ' s busy , I guess. He asked me to hang out and then took off when I said I wanted to see you. "   These past couple days have been crazy for me. I really want to get back to normal. Mel is normal. " But whatever. Let ' s go somewhere. We can grab something to eat or whatever. " I lean forward to kiss her again , but she stops me.
    " I can ' t ... I need to find Trina. We ' re supposed to hang out. "
    " Oh. " I step away a little. " Can ' t you tell her I want to see you? I ' m sure she ' ll get it ... I know I ' ve been kind of a dick lately and I want to make it up to you. "
    She ' s not really listening , her fingers moving over the screen on her phone. " I can ' t , Carter. Not today , ' kay? I don ' t wanna ditch Trina. "
    " Whatever. " I take another step back , trying to show her it doesn ' t bother me , when really it does.
    " I ' ll see you tomorrow , okay? " With another quick kiss , Mel is jogging toward school again. I shove my hands into my pockets , leaning against her brand new VW Bug. What just happened? I mean , I