Rumor Has It (Rumor Has It #1)(57)

If my eyes were any wider, they might fall out of my head. I raise my hand to my mouth, unsure I'm even awake.

“No way.” Jen gasps.

Carter runs out, bouncing a basketball, now wearing a red headband. I didn't pay attention to his jersey before, but as I watch him now, there it is. Twenty-seven.

“He’s quite a big baller, isn't he folks?" Matt says to the crowd, again emphasizing the words I know.

Carter finds me and smiles. After a flurry of moves that look extremely hard to do, Matt runs over and brings along with him a rack of basketballs. Unlike the game ball, these are all white and have little red hearts painted on them. I'm still trying to digest everything, as Carter begins shooting.

Carter is BigBaller27? What? How is that even possible? But it is possible. In fact, it's the truth. I'm going through my memories as I watch him shoot. His words that he knows me. That I know him better than I think I do.

Other memories flood through me. Him listening to Empire under the oak tree that day. The nervous habit of rubbing the back of his neck when he’d admit something. Something that I probably should’ve pieced together. The small things, like bringing me a Pepsi. The big things, like talking about his grandmother passing away or why his parents got divorced.

Then the main memory: Baller didn't stand me up. He was there. Carter knew exactly who I was, but he showed up anyways. He took a chance, and I threw it in his face. Of course, he wouldn't have told me the truth after that. In all the time I've known him, the little attention I showed him was cold and harsh. I thought he was a player who just hooked up with girls.

While everything else runs through my head, Carter grabs the last ball as the song is coming to an end. He pulls off the red headband, and as he walks closer, I see the apprehension on his face.

“I know it’s corny.” He holds the painted ball out to me with a nervous grin. “Full disclosure, I got the pun from a Valentine’s Day card Matt’s little brother had.”

I look at the painted basketball and see words between the red hearts. I’m head over hoops for you. I want to smile, but the shock hasn’t worn off. I’m faintly aware that some of the crowd is watching us, but others have started to go about their business. I look back up at him, unsure what to say.

“I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you before, but I just never knew how. And I knew you hated me—”

“I didn’t hate you.”

“Okay, strongly disliked.” He laughs, nervously. “You heard all the rumors. And it’s what I let people believe. Emma, I really do—” He stops and bites his bottoms lip. “Well, I won’t say it, because I know what you said before. But now you know. Now you know why I say I know you. Because I do. And you know me too. The real me.”

I quickly glance at Jen, standing there dumbstruck, before I meet Carter's eyes again. I know he's telling the truth. More stuff clicks into place. How Baller said he loved basketball, then I remember the memories he told me about going to games with his mom. It was Carter all along.

“Say it.”

He gives me an unsure look. “Say what?”

“Say what you told me at lunch.” I smile, and it inspires one of his own.

“I love—”

I don't let him finish. My lips crash into his, he drops the ball, wrapping his arms around me. There's noise around us, and I think I hear Jen squealing in excitement, but I'm not sure. I'm not sure about anything around me, only what's going on within me. My hands run through Carter's hair, as he pulls me in tighter. I finally break my lips away from his, looking up into his eyes. He has a little of my lip gloss smeared on him, so I reach up, brushing my thumb over his swollen lips.

“I love you, too.”

“You’re not mad at me?” he asks with an unsure smile.

“I mean, you could’ve acted a little more jealous earlier today.”

"Don't worry." He laughs. "If you ever tell me that again, I'll handcuff myself to you."

“Oh, kinky,” Jen blurts out, nearly deflating the moment we’re having.

“I thought you had to go to the bathroom?” I growl at her but keep my eyes on Carter.

“I went already. All this excitement made me pee my pants.”

I shake my head at my best friend, just as Carter kisses me again.

“Sorry, bro.” Matt walks up behind him. “Coach wants us back in before the half starts.”

“I know,” Carter grunts, but keeps a hold of me. “Text me after? Since, you know, you already have my number.”

“I deleted it,” I respond, blushing.

“I’ll take that as a good sign that you really do love me.”

“My word isn’t good enough?”

“Maybe.” He grins as I raise an eyebrow. “If you say it again.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“Oh, my God!” Jen yells. “You guys can totally send pics now. Let the sexting begin!”

"Jen!" I yell at her, my cheeks blushing, as I watch her walk away towards the restroom.

“I like your best friend.” Carter smirks.

“Yeah, you want to trade?”

“I heard that!”