***Tommy’s POV***

                I jumped up and fell back to the ground. I let out a frustrated sigh and pushed myself back to my feet, picking up the basketball.

                I backed up and ran back at the basketball hoop in the driveway. I jumped up and the basketball touched the rim before I fell down again.

                I glared up at the basketball hoop. I bet Kory could make it. Because Kory was tall. Lucky him. I was just short, little Tommy. Not as talented as Kory.

                “Oh Tommy, you’re jealous,” I mumbled and sighed, bouncing the basketball. I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath to relax.

                I shouldn’t have hurt Kory today just because I was getting jealous of him. Hurting him wasn’t going to make Zeke love me. Plus, it wasn’t Kory’s fault Zeke was so in love with him. I wasn’t really a violent person. I needed to get a hold of myself already.

                I took another deep breath and opened my eyes, calmer now. I had to get a better hold on this stupid jealousy of mine.

                I tried to slam dunk again, failing epically yet again. I bounced the basketball absentmindedly before jumping up to try again, only to fall back down.

                “Tomcat, what are you doing?” dad asked curiously, watching me from the front door.

                “What does it look like I’m doing?” I mumbled, trying to calculate how to do this.

                “No offense Tomcat, but you’re not tall enough to slam dunk,” he said, stepping outside and coming over to me. He snatched the basketball from me and slam dunked.

                “Dammit dad! I hate tall people,” I whined, glaring up at him. I was the only short person in my entire family, besides my Uncle Danny.

                Dad chuckled. “Tommy, soccer’s your sport, not basketball. You’re my midget Tomcat,” he said and ruffled my hair before turning and heading back inside.

                I fixed my hair and glared at the stupid basketball hoop. I really hoped Zeke wasn’t into taller guys. Him and Kory were about the same height, so that wasn’t really an indication. What if a shorter, younger guy was creeping him out? Aw damn. Stop thinking Tommy. You know it hurts your brain.

                “Need some help reaching the rim Tom?”

                I sighed and turned to calmly face Davey and Juliet. “Davey, you don’t call me Tom. I don’t like to be called Tom. You know that,” I said flatly. My mom and dad were the only people that could call me something other than Tommy without me getting mad.

                Davey grinned. “Sorry Tom,” he said with a shrug.

                “What do you want?” I asked, eyeing him and Juliet carefully. Why were they at my house? I was trying to stay calm, but it was hard.

                “I was just up talking to Zeke. I heard what he said to you, and just want to make sure you’re okay. He didn’t have the right to say those things to you,” he said with a frown.

                I stared at him in complete confusion. Was he…was he sticking up for me? When my own boyfriend was saying I shouldn’t make the team?

                “He told me and Juliet that he hopes Kory makes the team this year. I told him to fuck off. You’ve been playing with us for years,” he said.

                “He said Kory should make the team?” I asked, trying to sound casual. But inside…Ouch. Yea, that didn’t feel too on the old ticker in my chest. Dammit Zeke.

                Davey and Juliet nodded. “Yea, he said he wants Kory to make the team because he’s better than you. But I think that’s a lot of shit. You play dirty, but you’re talented,” Davey said.

                I kept my expression the same. “He said Kory was better than me?” I asked calmly. Davey nodded again and frowned. “I don’t think so,” he said with a shrug.

                “What else did Zeke say?” I asked.

                “Well, like I said, he said he wants Kory to make the team because Kory’s better than you. Then he started making fun of your height and called you weak. He said the other teams would step on you if they weren’t careful. You’re short, but you’re not that short,” he said.

                He thought for a minute and glanced at Juliet. “What else was Zeke saying?” he asked, trying to remember.

                “Kory,” she reminded. “He said he missed being Kory.”

                Davey snapped and nodded. “Right! He said he missed being Kory. He said Kory didn’t take things so seriously.”

                I shrugged and rolled my eyes. But inside, my heart sank. Had I taken things too seriously? Ayo Tommy; you’re a dumbass.

                “So why are you here?” I asked flatly.

                “We just wanted to make sure you were okay. Zeke made it sound like you two had broken up or something. You’re a faggot, sure, but you’re still a team mate,” he said.

                “I’m fine. We’re still together,” I said. We were still together…right?

                Davey nodded. “That’s good. I’m going to go ask Mikey something real quick, and then we’ll leave,” he said and went into my house.

                Juliet came over me as I started dribbling the basketball for the hell of it. She sighed and offered me a slight smile.

                “Tommy, you’re eyes are so pretty. I’m jealous of Zeke,” she said, twirling a piece of hair around her finger shyly.

                “I’m gay,” I said simply, turning to the basketball hoop and throwing the ball at it. It swished through and bounced back to me.

                “I wish you weren’t. You’re so cute and funny,” she said, eyeing me and blushing.

                “What about Trace?” I asked. “I thought you were all pissy because he fucked you and dumped you.”

                Anger flickered through her eyes and then they returned to that shyness. “I’m trying to get over Trace. I’m having more luck than Zeke with Kory,” she said with a shrug.

                “Ain’t that the truth,” I grumbled, shooting again and grabbing the ball before it could bounce into the street.

                “Tommy, how long have you been gay?” she asked.

                I shrugged. “Awhile. Didn’t want Zeke to know.” I had already told Zeke that, and I really didn’t care if anyone else knew.

                “Have you ever had feelings for a girl?”

                I nodded. “Yep. Crushed on a few. But that was when I was a little kid. I knew I was gay by the time I was 12,” I said with another shrug. I shot. Made it. Got the ball.

                “Would you ever think about getting with a girl?” she asked, coming over to me and gently brushing her fingers on my cheek. “It’d be a real shame if you said no.”

                “I’m gay. Vag creeps me out,” I said, not moving to take her hand away. She couldn’t turn me straight.

                “Trace was so positive that he was straight, and he ended up being gay. Maybe you’re the opposite,” she whispered, leaning closer to me.

                I kept my mouth shut, my mind suddenly going into overdrive. Could I use her to make Zeke jealous? Would it be possible? Would he realize his feelings for me were strong?

                No Tommy. Don’t think like that. Using people was wrong, and I was gay. Plus, Zeke obviously didn’t have as deep of feelings for me as I had originally thought he did.

                “I highly doubt it, but a girl can have her fantasies I guess,” I said, dribbling once again.

                She grabbed my chin and tipped it so that I was looking into her eyes. “If you change teams, let me know Tommy,” she whispered, winking.

                “Let’s go,” Davey said and Juliet released my chin. She smiled at him as he came out of my house. She and him waved at me before walking away.

                I shook my head and tried to slam dunk, only to fall on my ass again. I glared up at the rim as I set the basketball down.

                “Someday I will slam a my ball into you so hard,” I growled before retreating into my house.

                “Hey short stuff,” Sammy said with a smirk. “Saw you trying to slam dunk. Runts aren’t supposed to play basketball. Stick to being a foot fairy.”

                “Stick to shutting the fuck up Sammy,” I growled, shoving him. He stumbled back a little in surprise.

                “Hey, Tommy! No need for that language,” dad said with a glare, getting up and coming over to me and Sammy.

                He sighed. “Come with me Tommy,” he said, placing his hand on my shoulder and leading me upstairs to my bedroom. He shoved me onto my bed and crossed his arms. “What’s up kid? What’s got you in a mood?”

                “I’m not that short!” I grumbled.

                Dad rolled his eyes. “Yes, you are. Sorry Tomcat, but it’s dead true. You’re a shrimp. But that’s why I always let your brothers bully you around when you guys were younger. I had a feeling you’d never have a growth spurt. I hoped it make you tougher, and it did. Anyways, does this have something to do with Zeke?”

                I shrugged. “I’m not going to make the team this year,” I said and leaned back against my wall with another shrug.

                Dad barked a laugh. “Not make the team my ass. You go out to the tryouts this year and work your ass off Tommy. Maybe they’ll kick that bastard Davey off.”

                I snickered and nodded. “Yea, okay dad,” I said. But I was thinking again. Did I even want to make the team anymore? Zeke obviously didn’t want me to. He’d be happier with freaking Kory than me.

                “Don’t think on it too hard Tomcat. You’ll make the team. And I wouldn’t say that if I didn’t think that,” dad said with a shrug before leaving my room.

                My phone buzzed and I answered it. “Ayo?”

                “Hi Tommy,” Zeke said nervously.

                “Oh. Hi Zeke,” I said and cleared my throat so I didn’t take on the same nervous quality as him. What did he want? I thought he was busy talking about how in love with Kory he was and how pathetic I was.

                “Do you, uh, want to hang out tomorrow? Just me and you?” he asked. Now he just sounded awkward. So he thought hanging out with his boyfriend was awkward? Great.

                “Sure. I’ll head over to your place around noon tomorrow,” I said.

                “Okay. Sounds good. Bye,” he said and hung up.

                I tossed my phone away from me and laid down, folding my hands behind my head and staring at my ceiling blankly. So in the course of about an hour or two, we had gone from two boys falling in love to an awkward couple on the brink of a breakup. Wonder-fucking-ful.