“Aw c'mon Brian,” Nick circled his arms around the area of the court. “boundaries.” Nick watched as his friend dribbled the basketball around the outside of the court, under the hoop shooting for an easy two points.
“Isn't that called the older, considerably shorter, better looking player's area?” Brian joked and passed the ball back to Nick.
“You are only five years older than me.” Nick argued back. “That's really no excuse.”
“Five years does a lot to your body, you'd be surprised.” Brian held onto the ball and walked to the side of the court, to the bench, where his water bottle waited for him. After first squirting some water into his mouth, Brian wet down his hair before taking a seat on the bench.
Nick moved to the bench, wiping the sweat from his face with the bottom of his t-shirt, grabbed his own water and opened his mouth randomly spraying himself with the water with the hopes that some would enter his mouth. Throwing his water down, Nick reached for the ball from Brian motioning for him to toss him the ball. “I want to shoot some more baskets before calling it a night.”
Brian instinctively jerked the ball away from Nick. “Horse?” He asked.
“Sure.”
The two friends moved back to the court, Nick watched as Brian lined himself up for his first shot. Standing at half-court, he turned around backwards and threw it from between his legs towards the basket. Nick balked when the ball swooshed through the hoop. “Been practicing that one much?” He laughed taking the ball and lining himself up for the shot.
Brian chuckled as Nick missed the first shot. “H to you,” He played as if Nick threw the ball at him too hard and the wind was knocked out of him.
“Have you talked to Howie lately?” Nick asked Brian as he watched Brian take a relatively easy shot. Brian easily sunk his shot.
“Yah, he’s still talking about getting implanted, he’s convinced he will be able to talk Anna into going along with it.” Brian tossed the ball to Nick so he could make his shot, which he did just as easily. “I can’t see this ending well for him.”
Nick nodded. “He is romanticizing the power of these things.” He held up his wrist showing his still inactive timer. “He loves her, she loves him, and they are good together. Why not leave it alone?”
“She turned him down again.” Brian remarked solemnly.
“Again? Did she give a different explanation?” Nick did a small whoop for joy at Brian’s miss, it meant it was his turn to set the shot, ‘he’s going down now’ he thought.
“Howie didn't say.” Brian attempted the shot Nick just made but missed wide. “So how is your love life?”
“Non-existent. It's getting harder to find girls who don't have the timer already.” Nick dribbled the ball to his next position on the court to shoot from, the top of the three point line from the opposite side of the court.
“So what about dating girls who have timers. There's no rule when you get the timer that prohibits you from dating a girl just because she's not your 'one' is there?” Brian cringed as Nick's shot hit the rim but bounced through the hoop instead of shooting towards the side of the court like he hoped.
“No, no rule. The girls with timers are either not interested in dating, why get their hearts broken when they know when they will meet their true love. Or they are only interested in sleeping with you and, though it pains me to say this, I am sick of that kind of relationship.”
Brian missed the shot again and was subjected to Nick calling him a 'HO' for the next minute. “You need to do something Nick, you can't just sit around and wait for your timer to go off, don't romanticize the power of that thing.” Brian winked at his friend and moved to the bench to sit and watch as Nick chose his next spot from the court to shoot from.
They were silent, except for taunts, until they finished their game. As self-predicted, Nick won the game. “Sometimes I feel like a slacker,” Brian mused to himself as he watched the courts fill with boys and girls come to play after school.
“Why?”
“I feel like I should be doing more.” Brian shrugged his shoulders.
“You record music, you preform and promote. What more should you be doing?”
Brian could only shrug his shoulders, then he turned back to his friend. “So are you going to ask some girl out, timer or not?”
Now it was Nick's turn to shrug. “I don't know man. I'd like to be with a girl, to have someone to cuddle with while watching a movie, to hold in bed. It would be nice.” He glanced side long at his friend and saw his face about to burst out in laughter.
“When did you get so sappy?” Brian shoved his friend towards the edge of the bench.
“Don't you dare tell AJ what I just said.”
Brian shook his head, he wouldn't betray Nick's confidence like that.
“It would be nice, but what's the point? I can understand why some girls refuse to date once they get a timer and the clock starts counting down. Why waste your time and energy one someone else when you can focus on other things and still know you will not be alone.”
“Hogwash!” Brian shouted back. “Don't let how women think dictate how you think. I bet if you ask, there will be girls, timer or not, who will go out with you just for the pleasure of your company.” Brian looped his arm around his friend's neck.
“Well they have to smell better that's for sure.” Nick shoved Brian's arm off his shoulders. “Speaking of dating again...” Nick trailed off, his friend's face got stern as he spoke those five words.
“We aren't talking about me.” Brian turned back towards the courts, avoiding Nick's gaze.
“Brian, it's been two years.”
“I said we aren't talking about me!” Brian yelled and stood up, grabbing his ball and water bottle, he stormed off the court.
Nick was left sitting there opened-mouthed as his friend got in his car and drove off. “Shit!” He cursed loudly causing a few kids to stop playing and look his way. “That guy was my ride.” He pointed to Brian's car, now speeding away from the courts.
