Sexy, professional baseball player, Ryan Tilton has just introduced himself to Nicky Young, a woman coming of age who has had her business plan accepted by the San Francisco Goliaths for a high school cheer team to perform during their games.
Nicky knows there is something different about their exchange, but no ready to admit anything quite yet. She is afraid of new relationships. She’s been raised in a home where addiction, dysfunction, and abandonment are the usual.
Why is there competition among friends?
After they left us, Colleen came over.
“I saw you and Ryan Tilton talking.”
There’d always been a friendly competition between us, but with the acceptance of my business entertainment plan for our cheer team, our relationship had become somewhat strained.
“So?” What’s your point?” I asked.
“So, I saw him kiss your hand,” she said, sidling up to me, “and he spent so much time talking with you. Don’t you think he’s got a crush on you?”
“A crush? Are you saying he’s got a crush on me?” I asked.
“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” she said.
“Oh come on. He’s twenty-four. Didn’t he kiss your hand, too?” I asked.
“No. He. Did. Not.” she said slowly, enunciating her words.
No? That was just for me? Hmm…
“It’s because I’m the lead contact and my name is on everything,” I said. “That’s all.”
“Well, I’ll tell you what. I see that look in my boyfriend’s eyes and I know it’s more than you think, Nicky,” she said. “That look says ‘I wanna play with you.’”
“You’re imagining things,” I said.
But what if?
“He asked me about volunteering at the Veteran’s Hospital in Yountville,” I said. “I told him I’d speak with you guys about it.”
“Well anyway, I’d keep an eye on him,” she said. “There’s fire there for you.”
“No way,” I said. “We’ll see,” she said.
Maybe we will at that.
1. Nicky is desperate to escape her home life. Why wouldn’t she jump at the chance to have a new relationship?
2. Her best friend is challenging her. When and why does that happen between girlfriends? Does it happen with boyfriends? Is it natural that competition develops between friends? Can Nicky handle competition of this sort in a healthy way?
3. How could Nicky reach out in a healthy and age appropriate way to let her know she isn’t trying to steal attention?
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