Page 41 of Full Court Press

We stopped at the concession stand to grab drinks and snacks before heading over to the bleachers. I was never sports-minded, but since being with Khalil, I’d been all in on it. Before, I would only attend just to get an interview with different athletes for my journalism course. Now, I attended for a different reason.

We found seats in the middle bleachers and watched the players line up after the performance ended. I had just gotten comfortable when Keith, Jalen, Lamar, and another one of their heathen friends, Cody, walked up the bleachers until they reached us. I rolled my eyes inwardly, seeing the goofy looks on their faces as they sat behind us.

“What up, y’all?” Keith spoke.

“Hey!” Gennel exclaimed.

“Hey, y’all. Fancy seeing you basketball players at a football game,” Braelyn announced.

Keith smiled. “It’s homecoming. And we support all of our fellow athletes.”

“Hi, Jalen,” Jessica spoke in a sultry voice. I had no idea why she liked him. He always came off as arrogant and entitled. I hated that for her because Jalen never gave her much attention. She’d be talking to him, and his attention would be on everything but her. I’d witnessed it too many times and even told her she should find someone else to like, but she was too in love with his ass to notice his disinterest.

“What up, Ms. Bougie Ass? You can’t speak?” Lamar asked, tugging at one of the braids I had gotten done over the weekend by a student on campus.

I turned my head and gave him a nasty look. “Please do not touch me.”

“Why you gotta act like that? I ain’t ya enemy, shorty.”

I shook my head and put my attention back on the field. “I beg to differ.”

“How so?”

“I don’t give explanations on things that don’t matter. We’re not friends, so there’s no sense in talking to me. Just enjoy the game, and continue to act like I’m not here. Thank you.”

“Damn. Do you always act like a bitch? I don’t see what the homie sees in you. Must be the pussy because your attitude is pure shit.” I could hear the asshole crew chuckling behind me.

I turned to him fully. “No, what’s pure shit is the vagina you keep sliding in and out of every day.” Braelyn, Jess, and Gennel laughed loudly as I grabbed my snacks and stood. I could see the evil smirk on Lamar’s face as he chuckled mirthlessly.

“I bet you won’t say that to her face. All that mouth but run scared every time she flame your ass.”

“Run? Scared?” I chuckled. “I ain’t never ran from a ho, and I damn sure won’t pick today to start.”

“Mar, chill. Lilo told us to stop fucking with his shorty,” Keith reminded him. Lamar’s face twisted as he looked at me.

“That nigga ain’t my daddy. Even if he was, he still wouldn’t be able to tell me what to do. All I did was speak to her, and she giving me attitude like I betrayed her or some shit.”

“As if. I don’t like you or the company you keep. You’re disrespectful and an asshole and been one since I met you. That’s why I don’t care to speak to your ass. Ladies, I’m going to find somewhere else to sit. Meet me after the game,” I told them.

“We’re coming with you,” Braelyn said, standing. As I moved to find another spot to sit on the overcrowded bleachers, I felt a strong hand grab my arm. I looked at Lamar’s hand on me in disgust, then yanked my arm out of his grasp.

He looked at me smugly. “I hope you know you don’t mean shit to him. You’re just something to do until he graduates and goes off to the league. So don’t get too comfortable. He may act as if he hates her, but Nia Armstrong got that nigga’s heart and his baby. That’s a spot you’ll never be able to compete with or compare to.”

We stared at each other for what seemed like forever until Braelyn nudged me.

“Let’s go. Lamar, you’re such a jerk!”

“Damn, bro. You cold as fuck,” Jalen said, chuckling.

He shrugged. “I’m just telling sis what it is.”

Without another word, I walked off, creating a big distance between the asshole crew and me.

“Don’t listen to him, Piper. That nigga just mad he wasn’t the one to get you,” Gennel said.

“Exactly. Forget him, Piper. He sounds like he has a lot of jealousy in his heart,” Braelyn countered.

I scoffed. “Please. I ain’t worried about his ass. Fuck him and the dirty pussy he slid out of.” I may have acted unbothered, but the truth was I was bothered as fuck. I knew it was nothing but my own insecurities that made what the asshole said hit home. I already felt out of Khalil’s league, but I was trying every day not to let his status get to me.