Curvy Girls Can’t Date Soldiers by Kelsie Stelting

Fifteen

Nadira

I puton my Brentwood U jersey and swiped a mascara wand through my eyelashes. The jersey hung low enough that I wore leggings underneath without worrying anyone would see the ever-present dimples on my bottom.

Dad had already been at the college for a few hours now, along with Mom, so Carver, Terrell, and I loaded into my car. As soon as the doors closed, I was overwhelmed by their cologne. My throat constricted, and I coughed against the strength of the smell. “Do you guys think you used enough cologne?”

“No,” Carver retorted.

Terrell snorted. “He wants the girls to smell him coming.”

“It’s better than the way they’ll smell you coming,” Carver said. “I don’t know why Tatiana agreed to go to the game with you.”

My eyebrows rose, and I looked at Terrell out of the corner of my eyes. He was meeting Tatiana at the game? He never took girls to the game, instead trying to chat up the pretty college girls.

He didn’t meet my eyes, so I shook my head and turned up the music. They took the hint and got out their phones. Part of me wished I wasn’t driving so I could do the same. I wanted to distract myself and message Apollo to ask if he was going to the basketball game. If I would see him there.

Instead, I kept my hands on the wheel and my focus on the road until I reached the crowded parking lot at the university. Dad had put a parking sticker in my car, so at least I could park up close.

We got out of the car, and the boys ambled ahead, ready to check out the concession stand and the college girls. People streamed around me as I walked toward will call and told them my name.

They handed me a ticket, and I continued into the building. Families of the players and coaches got to sit pretty close behind the home team’s bench. I made my way to the familiar place, waving at the people I knew as I went.

Sitting in my usual seat, I watched as the players warmed up. I glanced around the gym, looking for my brothers, and found them already sitting with a group of girls. Of course. Except I recognized one of the girls this time. Tatiana sat in Terrell’s lap, running her fingers along his short curly hair, down his cheek.

“Is anyone sitting here?” a guy said, drawing my eyes away from the nightmare.

I looked up to see a super cute guy waiting on me patiently, and I almost couldn’t speak. “Um, no, it’s free.”

“Awesome.” He smiled. “Would you mind scooting down so we have some room?”

It was then I noticed the cute girl behind him. “Oh, sure.”

If they hadn’t been right next to me, I would have facepalmed so hard. Instead, I had to act like I wasn’t completely pathetic as the warm-up clock counted down and the game began.

My phone vibrated, and I got it out, wondering if I’d forgotten something at Des’s house.

Unknown number: Hey, it’s Josh from the party Friday. Are you at the basketball game? I think I see you.

My cheeks instantly heated as I straightened to a more attractive posture. Where was he? I looked around but couldn’t see him.

Nadira: Yeah, where are you sitting?

Josh: Look to your right.

I turned my head and saw him standing in the aisle. My face instantly lit into a smile, and I waved him over, feeling a lot less lame than I had earlier. As he walked toward me, I noticed his outfit—dark jeans and a blue Brentwood U T-shirt a size too big.

“Hey,” I said as he sat down. “I didn’t take you for a basketball fan.”

“I’m not. My roommate talked me into coming.”

“Your roommate sounds pushy.” I looked around for a friend but didn’t see anyone. “Where is he?”

Josh pointed toward the student section. “Second row, three down.”

As Josh sat next to me, my eyes landed on his roommate. I could have picked him out anywhere. My heart stalled, and my breath shallowed. Josh’s roommate was Apollo.

I couldn’t help but take him in, every bit of him, from the jeans that fit too well to the Brentwood U T-shirt that clung to his muscled chest.

Josh said, “Do you see him? He’s in a white shirt? Short hair?”

“Oh, yeah,” I said, slamming my jaw shut. My mind was racing, and I didn’t know how to act. How to behave. What if Apollo saw me? What if Josh told Apollo my name? There weren’t that many Nadiras in the world. Would he know I was a fraud? Would he hate me?

Then I looked a few rows behind Apollo to see Terrell and Tatiana were still absorbed in each other. And I panicked. Apollo might not have known what I looked like, but he had seen a picture Tatiana. She was only ten feet away from him.

“Holy crap,” I muttered.

“What?” Josh asked.

“Oh, I, um.” How did I get out of this? How did I keep Apollo from looking just a little behind him and to the right? “I need to use the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”

“Sure,” Josh said.

I scrambled up and edged along the bleachers, rushing to get to my brother. I had to find a way to get Terrell and Tatiana out of there.

The second I was out of sight of Josh, I pulled my phone out and dialed Terrell’s number. “Pick up,” I muttered as it rang. “Pick up.” I hurried along the track on the back side of the bleachers, preparing myself to go up and get him if I needed to.

Just when I thought it was going to voicemail, Terrell answered with an annoyed voice. “What?”

I raised my eyes toward the ceiling, biting back a retort. “Hey, I was wondering if you and Tatiana might want the car keys? You could make out in the parking lot.” That was safe, right? It wasn’t like they could get naked on a college campus.

“What’s the catch?” he asked.

“No catch. Except for the one where I don’t have to see you two suck each other’s faces off the whole game.” There was a bite to my voice, but considering my brother was dating my bully, I felt pretty proud I wasn’t screaming and dragging him away by his ear right now. “Are you in?” I asked impatiently.

A loud cheer swept through the crowd, echoing in my ears and then a second later in the phone.

“Sure,” he said.

“I’m behind the bleachers.”

The call ended, and I looked down at my phone, bouncing from foot to foot and praying that Apollo wouldn’t see them on their way out. A few minutes later, they stumbled out from the bleachers, Terrell’s arm hooked around Tatiana’s shoulders, her giggling up at him. I wanted to punch something, throw up, and breathe a sigh of relief at the same time.

But since all of those things would have been awkward to do in front of them, I extended the keys, and Terrell took them, not giving me a second glance. Shaking my head, I turned away and walked back to the bleachers where Josh had been sitting.

With a million excuse-mes, I sidled toward him and sat down again.

“Hey,” he said with a warm smile.

“Hey,” I said, looking over the court and not wanting to be here at all. I was exhausted, the lights were bright, Apollo could see me, and there was no way I was going to be able to keep my eyes off him. Not to mention, adrenaline still raced through me at the fear of Apollo seeing Tatiana making out with my brother. “Do you want to go to the coffee shop?” I asked. “I was up a little late last night.”

“Sure. Basketball’s not really my scene either. Want to go to the one in the library?” Josh asked.

I nodded. “Unless you know of another one nearby?”

“That’s the closest one,” Josh said. “Let me text Apollo.”

My heart stumbled as his name fell over my ears. Josh didn’t seem to notice as he tapped at his phone. I watched as Apollo got his phone out of his pocket, checked the screen, and then waved our way.

I blanched as his eyes traveled across his friend to me for a second time, that same slightly crooked smile turning up his lips. Apollo had smiled at me. Me.

Completely oblivious, Josh turned and walked away down the bleachers. I sucked in my stomach as I crossed the full bleachers again and finally reached the freedom of the stairs.

I followed Josh out of the stadium, my heart hammering and my stomach turning and my body changed.

I’d seen Apollo. And he’d seen me.