Covering the Carolinas by Casey Peeler

completely shocked when he saw me
before the game. He thought I didn’t notice, but I did. It doesn’t
matter how long we’ve been apart, when he’s near me my world stops
and begins to revolve around him just like it did they day I met
him.
    I’m not sure how long I stand there, but at some
point my sisters are at my side. As the moon rises higher in the
clear sky, they guide me back to the house and my anxiety grows as
I imagine a conversation with the boy who stole my heart and gave
me the most precious gift without even knowing.
    “ Come on, Mar. Let’s go home,” Carleigh says
as we make our way back to the house.
    When I wake up I realize it’s already lunch
time, which is crazy because usually Gunner calls me in the
mornings waking me up. When I try to Facetime him, he doesn’t
answer, then I realize they are probably eating lunch after church.
The house is super quiet and it doesn’t take long for me to realize
it’s empty. Weird. I make my
way to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee when I notice a note
from Tinleigh saying they were going grocery shopping, but would be
back after while. Taking a few minutes to enjoy the quietness and
relax, I take a sip of my coffee. Coffee! Shit! I’m meeting GC in
two hours! Jumping up, I hurry to my room and take a shower. What the hell am I going to wear? What am I going to say? How will I tell him about
Gunner? All my thoughts are jumbled as I prepare to
see him.
    Deciding I don’t want to look too polished, I
wear a pair of jeans and an embellished top. Taking a few extra
minutes to apply my makeup and style my long dirty blonde hair, I
stare at my reflection in the mirror as I finish. I wonder what he thought when he saw me? Did he
think I was still as pretty as the last time he saw me? Trying my best not to get myself too worked up, I exit my
room and leave my sisters a note that I’m at Coastal
Java.
    GUNNISON
    Waiting for Marliegh at Coastal Java is like waiting
on water to boil. Just as I think she’s not going to show, I hear
the bell ring as the door opens. I’m speechless when she smiles as
she walks toward me.
    I stand when she approaches. “Hey,” is all I can
manage because she is absolutely stunning.
    “ Hey,” she says sweetly.
    “ Caramel Coffee?” I ask.
    A perfect smile escapes her lips when she realizes I
remember one of her favorite flavors. Did she really think I could
forget the ice cream shop? “Yes, that would be fabulous,” she says
as she takes a seat. I make my way to the counter order two caramel
coffees and realize my hands have become clammy.
    Once I’m seated, I can’t help but start with the
questions. “Marleigh, I’m so surprised to see you. I don’t know
where to start. How are you?”
    “ Pretty good I guess. What about
you?”
    “ School and basketball have been just like I
dreamed they’d be.”
    “ That’s great! Are you still planning on going
back to run the farm?”
    “ Yeah, well unless the NBA comes calling,” I
say with a laugh.
    “ NBA really?”
    “ Yeah, I mean, it’s highly unlikely that will
happen, but with the coverage we’ve been getting, it does put eyes
on us. I’m not banking on that though. That’s like a one in a
million chance.”
    “ Still, that’s awesome.”
    Unable to hold back the questions I want answers to
I just blurt it out. “How long have you been here?”
    “ I’ve been here since August, but I’m only on
campus Tuesday through Thursday. I’m not around much other than
that. I’ve been going home a lot.” Why
would she go home?
    “ I guess that’s why I haven’t seen you. When
I’ve run into your sisters they usually avoid me and quite honestly
I have no idea why. I mean, what happened? We had our plan and you
just gave it up without notice or an explanation? Why would your
sisters avoid me? I really don’t understand?
    “ Yeah.” We don’t say anything for a few
minutes. As we sip our coffee in silence the bell rings again and I
glance over my