Ariya

6 years ago

Suddenly the bell rang and I gathered my books into my bag. Slinging the bag over my shoulder and walking down the hall to my locker.

17.. 4.. 9

The metal box open with a creak and I grabbed all my stuff. Right as I shut the locker I noticed Khyson standing behind the door.

"Hey." I smiled.

"Hey." He beamed.

"Are you playing tonight?" I asked Khyson. Khyson was on the basketball team and they happened to be playing a home game tonight. With my brothers away let's just say I had a lot of free time.

"Yup, you coming?"

"Always."

"Get here early so I can bask in some of your good luck, okay?" He kissed my forehead before braving his palms on my shoulders.

"Okay." I laughed.

"Khyson!" We both heard one of his friends call.

"Go, I need to get home." I smiled.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, love you." I smiled.

"Love you." He said quickly before running off. I sighed while making my way out of the school. Most days I got ride from Khyson, others I took my bike. But in rare occasions when the weather was nice and the sun was shining I walked. It was quite the walk but it was nice.

My brothers were away at camp for a month so I was pretty much all alone. Don't get me wrong I loved the peace but it definitely got lonely sometimes.

After I got home I jumped in the shower and made myself something small. Usually I'd be at work but I had a day off today.

So as of right now I was enduring in some television and consuming some kraft dinner. A nice little calming, peaceful time for me. I sighed while leaning my head back.

-

I always sat front row at Khyson's games, he would always look for me in the crowd and if they were loosing he'd run up to me with nothing to say. I'd just tell him it was okay and he'd smile.

I pushed the gym doors open while seeing the roaring crowd and an empty court. I made my way through the benches of people and took a seat right at the bottom of the bleachers.

Pulling my phone out. I scrolled through some useless nonsense before feelings a pat on my shoulder. I turned to my right to see Khyson in his shorts and jersey.

Number 5

"Aren't you supposed to be back there?" I giggled while pointing to the doors at the side of the gym.

"Yeah."

We both laughed before he wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

"I can't talk with you for bit?"

"I guess."

"So what's up?"

"Nothing really." I nodded with a serious face.

"Oh! I never asked how it went with renolds last night, you guys kiss?" He teased.

I smiled just before my face fell. James Renolds, just a guy I've been on a couple dates with.

"Not exactly, he went to the restroom and never came back.. so." I shrugged while keeping my eyes on my jeans.

"Fuck, actually?" He placed a hand on my shoulder. I nodded sadly.

"Aw, Ariya I'm sorry. After the game I'll beat the shit out of him.. okay."

"Please don't do that." I chuckled.

"Johnson!" We both heard his coach yell.

He flashed me a quick smile before running off.

"Hey?" I felt a tap on my shoulder before seeing a girl smiling behind me.

"Hey?"

"Are you and Khyson like.. a thing?" She quickly came around and sat beside me. It was no lie that Khyson was attractive and that half of the school drooled over him, girls and guys. If I got a dollar every time someone has asked me if Khyson and I were dating I'd be rich. Although I could count the amount of times I've been asked out on my hand, so.

"No, we're not dating." I shook my head with a sigh.

"Oh! So like I could-"

"I don't care."

"Great!" She smiled.

-

We were losing, there was one minute left in the game and a time out was called. I rested my elbow on my knee and chewed on my thumb nail.

I watched Khyson wipe his forehead before running up to bleachers and bending down in front of me.

"The only way we'll win is with a three pointer, they're gonna ride the clock I-" He shook his head.

"It's fine, it's fine." I calmed him.

"I don't think we'll be able t-"

"You can." I nodded.

He locked out pinkies before brushing his lips over the skin. It was gross but he always did it during his games and I've learned to keep my mouth shut.

He ran back out there before the game resumed.

The numbers on the clock going down, and down and down. I bit my lip in worry.

Twenty seconds.

Khyson was there, with the ball. His feet planted.

The ball left his hands the moment the buzzer went off. The crowd went silent as if we were all waiting to see what was gonna happen.

Suddenly the crowd roared.

He made the shot.

Suddenly everyone stood up and my ears filled with the cheering of the people around me. All of his team members crowded him and I watched as his body disappeared within the people.

I noticed him push away from the people just before the girl who I spoke to earlier walked up to him with a smile.

He spoke a few words before the girl frowned and poked his shoulder. He said something inaudible before storming forward and bumping her shoulder.

"Meet me at the pier in ten minutes okay, lemme go get changed."

"Arent you gonna go out with your teammates?" I asked.

"All they do is get drunk in smith's basement, I think I'll pass-oh! And pick up burgers for us." He smiled before running off.

I laughed to myself before walking away from the crowd.

-

The sky was filled with stars as I walked down the empty pier with the brown paper bag in my left hand.

Placing the food on the wood as I sat down.

The wood of the dock thumped under someone's footsteps, most likely Khyson's. A large body sat beside mine and I smiled.

"Sorry I took so long, this girl kept hounding me."

"Kiara?"

"How'd you know." He smiled while reaching for the bag and pulled out at fry.

"She came up to me before the game and asked me if we were dating." I laughed but I knew he could tell something pained was laying behind it.

"She kept asking me to go out with her."

"You should do it, she's pretty." I gripped the edge of the dock as my feet swung over the water.

"She's not my type."

"Oh, so what is your type?" I chuckled while turning my head to look at him.

"Well.. I want a simple girl, someone who'll sit with me and talk for hours, a smile that-makes me crumble.. in a good way! Maybe someone who I can just be me with, no pressure, no stress just us. And Kiara is not it, I saw her giving some guy a blowjob in the bathroom yesterday." We both laughed softly before looking out into the distance.

I could feel the pit in my stomach, it wasn't me. I didn't-shouldn't care through.

"What about you miss priss?" He teased me and I shrugged with a strong tug at my lips.

"I don't know, maybe just a guy who'll take the time to get to know me I guess. A guy who doesn't care about my family or anything. The same thing I guess, a guy who I can be.. me around." I spoke softly while gazing down at my reflection in the water.

"You start looking for schools yet?" I added.

"Yeah.. you?"

"Yeah, I was looking at some down north."

"I don't think any school is scouting me for basketball anytime soon-so."

"I thought you wanted your own business." I smiled.

"I do, I guess I just thought I could do both."

"I know whatever you choose to do will be the right option."

"You ever think about your family?"

"My brothers?"

"No.. like whoever you're gonna marry, or your kids."

"Sometimes."

"I've always wanted a family, a wife."

"Boy or girl." I challenged.

"I don't care."

"Good answer."

"I think I'd want a son." I bit my lip while crossing my ankles.

"Isn't it like every girls dream to have a daughter?" He joked while leaning his head on my shoulder.

"I guess, but I feel like maybe I could raise a well kept boy."

"You'd be a great mother."

"You'd be a great father." I flashed him a soft smiled.

He stared back at me with feeling, removing his head from my shoulder. The moonlight reflecting off of his brown irises. I glanced down at his lips before he did the same.

I couldn't focus on anything except for him, he leaned in.

He was leaning in.

So I followed.

Just as our lips met.

It wasn't like the kiss we shared in freshman year. It meant something, something more.

His lips felt so soft against mine.

Suddenly my phone began to ring and pulled back abruptly.

I reached into my back pocket.

Incoming call from: Zion

"Lemme take this."

"Okay."