Chapter 9 Reagan
NINE
REAGAN
My nerves are sky-high as I wait for Riggs to get here. I came home and changed into leggings and an off-the-shoulder Chicago Bulls sweatshirt. Left my hair in a high ponytail and called it good.
Just as I pour popcorn into a giant bowl, the doorbell rings. Oh gosh, he’s here. You got this, Reagan. Just be chill.
I open the door and am hit with the scent that is all Riggs. He smells like clean laundry and mint from the gum he chews. He has a smile on his face and a bag in his hand.
“What’s in the bag, Point Guard?” I ask, curious as to what he would bring.
“Hello to you too, Sunshine. It’s just the movie-watching essentials.” I gesture to the living room, and he walks in.
We sit down on the couch, and he begins opening his bag. He reaches in and grabs a can of Dr Pepper, handing it to me.
“You remembered Dr Pepper is my favorite?” I ask, surprised.
“I remember everything you tell me, Reagan.” He says it with a serious face, and I think I blush down to my toes.
“Oh, um. That’s really sweet, Riggs,” I say quietly.
He continues pulling out things: Mountain Dew for him and a box of Milk Duds. I wonder how he knew that I love Milk Duds with my popcorn.
“I wasn’t sure what candy you would like, but Milk Duds with popcorn are my favorite,” Riggs says as he pops one into his mouth.
“Actually, it’s my favorite too,” I respond.
I take a handful of popcorn and chase it with a long pull of Dr Pepper. Something about that first sip always gets me. I think it’s a nostalgia thing. My grandpa and I would drink them when I visited as a kid. Now that he has passed, drinking one always reminds me of him.
“So, tell me, were you really going to read all night?” He has a grin that makes me melt.
“Probably. I have a bad habit of reading way past my bedtime. Books give me a break from reality.”
“What do you like to read?” He asks this out of curiosity, I’m sure. Do I want to share the type of books I read? Not necessarily. I don’t know if he’ll judge me, but with him, honesty is the only way to go.
“I mostly read romance books. My favorites are sports romance and small-town romances. Don’t judge me.”
“No judgment here, Sunshine. My mom reads them, too. I remember when I was about fifteen and I picked up one of her books off the shelf. It wasn’t terrible, but I’ll never admit to saying that out loud, so don’t get any ideas.
I get why you would like them, though. Who doesn’t want their happily ever after? ”
He looks at me so intensely, it’s like I can feel my body heating up from his stare.
His phone beeps, and he instantly freezes before grabbing it and looking at the screen. I see him type out a quick reply and put it away.
“Sorry about that,” he says, offering no explanation. Not that he owes me one.
“It’s fine.” I try to keep my tone even, but little warning bells are going off in my head about who he could be texting and what he might be saying.
Forcing myself to ignore that, I turn the tables back on him. “Okay, Riggs. I’m ready to hear more about you. Tell me something.” I bat my eyelashes at him.
He pauses for a minute, trying to decide where to start. Then he gives me his eyes as he begins to share.
“I grew up in Illinois, a few hours outside of Chicago. It’s always been my parents and me. Mom had a hard time getting pregnant, and after I was born, she kept trying, but she couldn’t have any more.
“I started playing basketball when I was four. Of course, I grew up a Chicago Bulls fan because of Michael Jordan. I basically have lived and breathed basketball my entire life, ignoring everything else. That sounds bad, but I only wanted to make it to an elite school, and that was a full-time job. I had my teammates and parents, but other than that, I kept to myself. I’m a finance major, but my true passion is coaching.
I’m hoping Uncle Jake will have a spot I can apply for and stay at CTU. ”
I love hearing about his life before CTU. “You sound like you have it all figured out. And it just so happens I’m also a Chicago Bulls fan because of Michael Jordan.” I point at my Bulls shirt, and he smiles at me.
“I don’t have anything figured out, not anymore. Anyway, what are we watching tonight?” he asks.
Before I can ask him anything more, he hands me the remote, and I pull up the menu. We scroll through a few choices before deciding on an action movie he promises I’ll like.
As the movie starts, I don’t know what to do with myself. I feel as stiff as a board and keep looking out of the corner of my eye to see what he’s doing. He’s on his phone again.
He pockets his phone quickly and turns toward me so we are facing each other. The movie being completely ignored at this point, he clears his throat, looking a little pale.
“I, uh, want to talk to you about something else,” he says and almost looks nervous.
“Yeah, of course, go ahead.” Now my nerves are raging.
“I want to tell you about why I came to Carolina Tech before you hear it from someone else.” I’m intrigued to say the least.
“I thought you wanted to play for Jake, I mean, Coach H?” I ask. He said he wants to coach, but I didn’t realize there was more to the story.
He runs his hand through that messy brown hair, and it makes me want to do the same.
“Yeah, that is one reason, but not the main one. I don’t really talk about it with anyone.”
“Oh, you don’t have to tell me then,” I say quickly. “I’m happy to listen, but I get it if it’s too personal.”
“I want to tell you, but I don’t want pity, okay?” I nod, encouraging him to continue.
“Like I said earlier, I grew up in Illinois and committed to Chicago State right out of high school. I loved playing there and never thought I’d leave. Late in my junior year, my dad was having some weird pains and went to get it checked out. He was diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer.
“My parents found a specialist in Raleigh and relocated. It was supposed to be temporary, but they decided to make it permanent after they found out he wasn’t responding to treatments. My dad wanted to be near his brother, Uncle Jake.
“I don’t know how much time my dad has left, and I wanted to be closer to him.
I hope he can watch me play this year, and I can soak up as much time with him as possible.
I couldn’t stay in Chicago knowing he needed me here.
My dad has always been my best friend, and I won’t miss any chance to make memories with him.
” He finishes with his eyes going a little misty.
I wipe a tear off my cheek, not sure how to respond.
“Riggs, that is so incredibly hard. I am so sorry your family is going through that. It sounds like you made the right decision, though, to get as much time with him as possible. I haven’t been through anything comparable, but I am a pretty good listener.
” I blurt all that out and reach over to hug him.
My body is on fire where we make contact. It’s a feeling I haven’t felt before.
He pulls me closer, and we stay like that for a minute. “Thank you, Sunshine. It means a lot to have you say that. I just wanted you to know.”
“Is that why you’ve been on your phone tonight?” I ask, hoping that’s the case.
“Yeah.” He grimaces a little. “I’m sorry, I always need to be available for him.”
“That makes sense, and you don’t need to apologize,” I reply.
I pull back just a little, and we lock eyes. My breathing hitches as he glances down at my mouth and back to my eyes.
The garage door opening causes me to move away from him instantly. I look at my phone and see it is 10:30, which is way too early for Jordan to be home.
I quickly grab our bowls and drink cans and head to the kitchen to clean up. As I do, the door opens and in walks my twin. He smiles at me, but it fades when he notices Riggs sitting on the couch.
“Jordan, what are you doing home so early?” I ask.
“Cops busted the party, and I wasn’t feeling it, so I bailed. But the real question is why is my teammate at our house? Alone. With you?” he asks with a hint of annoyance.
“Hey, man,” Riggs says as he stands, “Reagan and I were just watching a movie. I’m glad you’re here, though. I wanted to see if you had that game film we talked about earlier.”
That sends a jolt of awareness through my body. Yes, Riggs and I can be friends, but I need to remind myself that basketball will always come before me. Learned that the hard way and don’t want to go through it again.
Jordan looks from me to Riggs and back again. “Yeah, man, I’ll grab the link for you.” He pulls his phone from his pocket, and I hear an alert sound from Riggs before Jordan sets his on the counter.
Riggs comes into the kitchen, and I keep waiting for J to take a swing, whether physically or verbally, but he shocks me again.
“I’m out. See you in the morning, Rea.” Then he narrows his eyes at Riggs. “You can see yourself out, Riggs. Like now.” My twin brother, ladies and gentlemen.
I roll my eyes, and Riggs chuckles. Jordan walks up the stairs, and it is just the two of us again.
“Tonight was fun, Sunshine. Thanks for listening to me.” Riggs has a little pink on his cheeks and is looking at his feet. He’s been vulnerable with me. Something I don’t think he does very often.
“Of course. What are friends for?” Cringe, Reagan. Cringe.
Riggs winces a bit, or maybe it’s just my imagination. He looks back to meet my eyes with a neutral expression on his face. “Friends. Yeah.”
He gives me an awkward side hug thing before practically sprinting out the door. Once I see his car backing out of the driveway, I close it and slink to the floor.
“What just happened?” I whisper to myself.