Happy Birthday, Rye! Here's What You've Won.

(knock knock)

“Yes?”

“Coach Moore?” Kevin asked.

“Kevin Woodward. What can I do-you-for?” Coach Woodward said awkwardly.

“If you have a minute, Curt’s birthday is a week from Sunday. I’m planning to take him to a Michigan State game.”

“That sounds fun.”

“Yeah, and I wondered if you had any connections. I was kind of hoping I could get him onto the court.” Kevin added a question mark to his statement.

“Honestly, that would be amazing exposure for him. Give me a few days.”

"Yes, sir. I appreciate you.”

Kevin found Curt in the gymnasium practicing free throws a few days later.

“Hey, want to join? I love seeing a good airball.” Curt taunted.

“Sure,” Kevin answered nonchalantly. “Why not?”

Curt tossed him the ball. Kevin dribbled for a second and then fired the ball at the net, making the basket smoothly on his first try. Curt was shocked.

“WHHAAAT!?

“Oh, like basketball is hard?”

Curt’s teammates erupted in “Woots!”

“HA! Why have we not been playing pickup in our spare time?” Curt asked.

“Because you thought I sucked. I told you I played back in Georgia. Don’t get too excited, though. I get violations all the time for walking the ball.”

“Still. Kev…. I had no idea. Very cool.”

“Oh, so you’re impressed?” Kevin continued to bounce the ball in front of him. Curt tried to intercept it, and Kevin managed to defend the ball and score a shot again from closer to the net this time.

“HA HA.” Curt exclaimed.

“Anyway, I came in here to tell you not to make any plans for the Saturday before your birthday.”

“Whyyyy… What do you have planned?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Kevin chuckled.

“Okay. …Cool.”

“Hey, Kevin, why are you not on the team? I had no idea you could play like that.” Ted Tillman asked.

“I can’t,” Kevin said and laughed. “It’s just one basket.”

Don Philips approached Ted and said, “Who knew Curt’s boyfriend could play?”

“Excuse me? I’m right here, man,” said Curt. “I heard that.”

“I’m not trying to be a dick, Curt. Or did you think we were all stupid?” said Don.

Curt paused. He didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t sure if they were being supportive or asshats, but it was starting to feel like supportive was more likely.

“So you’re not on team 'Matt Lourdes?'” Curt asked.

“What?”

“Some of you were standing with Matt at the fair when he had a lot to say.”

“Whatever, Curt. That was last summer. We have your back now,” Ted said.

Curt paused. He wanted to be positive and not confrontational, but he was still mad about none of them supporting him at the fair. Maybe it’s just a process.

“Thanks, guys. I’ve got your back, too.”

Kevin took Curt to the MSU end-of-season game, and instead of taking their seats right away, he walked Curt to a hallway. They met Yolanda, who welcomed them and wished Curt a happy birthday.

“Okay,” said Yolanda. “This is what is happening: The stadium is full of alumni today. You will walk out to the free-throw line when your name is called. When you’re done out there, just come back here. I’ll be waiting for you.”

“Oh wow. Kevin, you’re going to love seeing the crowd from there.” Curt said.

“Oh, I’m not going. This is all for you.”

“Yolanda, he’s gotta go with me.”

“That’s up to him.” She said.

“Tonight, we wish Curt Ryan, a celebrated point guard for Saranac High School in Ionia County, a very happy birthday.”

The crowd applauded loudly, and his name went up on the board. Desire, by Gene Loves Jezebel, played over the sound system.

“That’s you. Time to go.” Yolanda said with a big smile.

Curt grabbed Kevin’s hand and decided not to fight him, so Kevin reluctantly went onto the court with Curt.

“Hello, Curt Ryan! Welcome to Spartan Stadium! Tonight you’re going to throw the first free shot for your birthday. Are you ready? You have two shots. If you make one shot, you’ll win $100. If you make both shots, you get $500, courtesy of Ryland Pork Products of Lansing. Any questions?”

“No, sir. I’m ready,” Curt said.

“And who do you have with you tonight to support you?”

“Kevin Woodward,” Kevin answered as Curt deferred to Kevin to answer.

“We have something for you also, Kevin, but let’s focus on Curt’s job first.”

They handed Kevin the ball to hand to Curt. Kevin’s face was hurting from smiling and seeing Curt so happy. Curt leaned in to say quietly to Kevin,

“I’m going to kiss you so hard for this. I love you.”

Curt lined up his shot from the free throw line, and SWOOSH… got the shot.

He also got the second shot, and the crowd loved it. His school academic stats were posted for the whole stadium to see.

“Well done, Curt Ryan! You have won a total of $600, courtesy of Ryland Pork! Now, Kevin… Are you ready for your challenge?”

“Not really, but let’s give it a whirl,” said Kevin, again speaking into the microphone.

“You’ve got this,” said Curt. ”

“You get one shot at this. It’s Curt’s birthday, so we give him two chances. So the pressure is on, got it?”

“Yup.”

“If you make this one shot, Curt wins season tickets to next year’s games. Hey Curt, will you bring Kevin if he wins them for you? Haha.”

Curt playfully shrugged like he wouldn’t answer. The crowd revved up and started banging on the seats and stomping on the concrete.

“You can also pass and let Curt take the shot for you if you don’t feel like you can do it. That’s fair, right?”

Kevin looked at Curt, who encouraged him to take the shot himself.

“Alright, it’s settled then. Whenever you are ready, Kevin…. Go for it!”

Kevin thought about Curt. He thought about him skipping that rock across the pond when he first came out to him. He thought about Curt's kiss when he was just backing out of the west field. He thought about seeing him on his front porch for the first time. He thought about holding him during the fireworks at the fair. Mostly, he thought about New Year's Eve, when Curt told him that he loved him too. He didn’t hear the crowds anymore. Everything was silent to him, except for a slight ringing in his right ear.

…he fired his shot at the net, and it made it, rebounding off the backboard and surprising everyone because it didn’t look like it would make it.

The crowd went wild, maybe even more than they did for Curt earlier, and Curt ran to him, lifted him up, and hugged him.

“WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!? You did it!” Curt said with more excitement than he had ever seen from him. He didn’t care as much about the tickets as he cared about the crowd going wild for his boyfriend.

“Everything I do. I swear. Everything works out when it’s about you.” Kevin said.

Curt grabbed Kevin’s face and kissed him briefly. He couldn’t help himself, but it was okay because the crowd probably wrote it off as celebratory.

“Well, that’s an exciting way to end the season, everyone! Three for three! Let’s hear it again for Curt and Kevin from Saranac in Ionia County!”

Heading back out to the hallway, Yolanda was waiting.

“Well done, guys. It’s a good thing you went out there, Kevin.”

“I know, right? Just wow.”

Yolanda took the pair up to a box where Coach Moore and many of Curt’s teammates were.

“Enjoy, guys. Let us know if you need anything. Curt and Kevin, congrats on your wins," she said.

They spent the rest of the afternoon with the team and Coach Moore. Matt Lourdes was there but seemed in a good mood and didn’t want to stir up any trouble this time. Curt’s only regret was that he couldn’t get any alone time with Kevin, but that would come later, he figured.

“You know, you really should be on the team, Kevin. You did great out there," said Coach Moore.

“Maybe, but I’m starting here at State in a few weeks. I’m not coming back to Saranac High School this semester.”

“Oh wow. When was that decided?”

“Right before the holidays. It was a good offer, and Dr. Plethe felt strongly that I should take it. Plus, it only took me those few seconds to realize I was completely lost when the fans started drumming."

“Got it. Well, that is a good offer. Congratulations. I’m sorry I can’t recruit you to the team. We will miss you on the newspaper and yearbook staff. You were always very generous to my coaching.”

“It means a lot that you would want to. Thank you, and not at all, sir. You’re a good coach.”

“If I can help in the future, I hope you’ll call on me.”

“Actually… there is one more thing.” Kevin paused to scan his ethics. “Never mind.”

“No, really, what is it?

“Well, this probably crosses the line, but you know how protective I am of Curt.”

“Yeah, well, that’s what best friends are supposed to do sometimes.”

“I suspect Curt is developing some anxiety from years of athletic perfectionism and pressure that he puts on himself. I’m not even saying I’m right, but would it be too much to ask to keep an eye on him at practice? He hasn’t shown any signs of it recently, and I hope that continues, but since I won’t see him every day… I dunno, maybe I’m just being silly.”

“No, I’ve seen it. It’s probably just a personality thing. I’m aware of it. You have my word if it turns into something, I’m trained to see these things. You’re a really good friend. He’s lucky to have you.”

On the ride back to Saranac, Curt could not stop talking about Kevin taking that shot.

“... the crowd, how they roared for you! That was so amazing. I’ve heard crowds roar for the team before, but for one person… Kevin, that was just incredible.”

“Okay, Rye. I appreciate all of that, but today was about you.”

“But you winning the biggest prize for us was the best part!”

“So then you are taking me to the season games?”

“Well, yeah! Why wouldn’t I?”

“I don't know. Maybe my sports fee at MSU next semester will cover my ticket.”

“You get a seat in the student section because they want you to cheer, but I can’t sit with you over there.”

“Oh. I didn’t know that.” Kevin said.

“You’re absolutely the best, Kev. The BEST!”

"And now you have an excuse to spend weekends with me during the season."

"Scored again, Sporto!"