Red

By Calvin H Allen

Sam is a senior in high school. He's on the basketball team, and works with his father, a veterinarian. When Sam catches a glimpse of Red at the local stockyard, he is attracted to her, even though she already has a boyfriend. Red is the story of Sam's messy efforts to navigate puberty and his first real love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Calvinz
• Release date: Jan 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9781087939667

Book preview

1

Seeing Red

Sam commando-crawled across the two-by-twelve over the women’s bathroom at the stockyard.

He lay on the dusty ceiling, heart thumping, peering through a crack in the ceiling.

photo by Jonathan Borba, Pexels

Below him, the door opened and a girl with flaming red hair came in. She quickly pulled down her jeans and sat on the toilet. Sam heard the sound of water, then a flush. He thought he caught a glimpse of red as she stood up.

Sam scooted back across the board, ran down the steps, and barrelled out of the stockyard’s front gate — and ran into the girl, smashing against her and pushing her onto the hood of a truck.

What the?! Get off me, she hissed, shoving Sam away.

Sorry, didn’t see you, said Sam, staring into her emerald eyes.

Watch where you’re going, dummy! she spat, spinning away and stomping off across the gravel parking lot.

photo by Thiago Schlemper, Pexels

As Sam watched her go, he heard someone walk up behind him.

You don’t want to mess with that one, hoss, said Bo.

Who is she? asked Sam.

Just put her out of your mind, said Bo.

Who? said Sam, watching her get in a cherry-red ‘68 Mustang and tear out of the parking lot.

No, no, no, said Bo, walking back into the stockyard. OK, for starters, her daddy owns the yard and about half of Lafayette, too. He would have all of eastern North Carolina after you if he caught you messing with his only daughter.

Sam watched the Mustang zip down Church Street. We’ll see about that, he thought.

2

Shoot It, Sam!

Sam saw the redheaded girl again at the basketball game against the Northern Nash Knights.

The game started poorly for the visiting Gyroscopes, who couldn’t seem to get their first basket. After they fell behind by 15, coach Henry leaned over and yelled down the bench to Sam. Sam ripped off his warmup suit and sat beside Coach.

Get in there and shoot, said Henry. And tell them to press after every made basket.

Yessir, said Sam.

Sam sprinted to the scorer’s table and squatted, watching the action from mid-court. He saw another missed shot by a Gyroscope, and watched Tall Boy snatch the rebound and fire an outlet pass to start a fast break.

A layup at the Northern Nash end, and the Gyroscopes fell behind by 17. As soon as the ball fell through the net, Coach Henry called a timeout, and both teams huddled up.

OK, don’t worry about the score, said Henry. It’s still early, and we’ve got plenty of time to come back. Keep shooting, and press after every made basket. Sam’s in for Toby.

Jim tossed the ball in and trotted downcourt beside Jeff to set up the offense. The ball swung around the outside until it reached Sam, who buried a jumper over Tall Boy, just like he had done dozens of times while practicing in this very gym. The Lafayette crowd stood and cheered. The Gyroscopes went into their 3-1-1 full-court press, with Sam on the right wing. When a Knight was trapped in the corner, he overthrew a teammate on Sam’s side, and Sam scooped up the loose ball and drove in for a layup.

Another press, another turnover, another bucket for the Gyroscopes.

At halftime, the score was tied. As Sam trotted toward the locker room, he saw some familiar red hair bobbing in a ponytail as one of the Knight cheerleaders took her place in formation.

photo by Ashley Williams, Pexels

Sam grabbed Jeff and pointed to the cheerleader. "Who’s that? he asked.

Jeff looked. Oh her, he said. I’d stay away, if I were you.

Sam was about to protest, but Jeff had already turned away and sprinted into the locker room.

At the beginning of the second half, Sam started and played most of the rest of the game. After he buried a long corner shot, he thought he caught the cheerleader looking his way, but she turned away as he returned her gaze.

The game ended with Sam dropping in a layup over the