as he leaned on the silver bench positioned on the side of the basketball court.

The Prolific Prep AAU basketball team was in the middle of a brutal practice, a reward for winning their away game, the first game of the season.

Jalen patted his white towel over his sweaty chest, watching the rest of his teammates down cups of water or body armor.

Jordan, Frank and Jack were on his left side while Nimari and Coleman were on his right.

"Y'all see that new girl?" Frank asked in an eager tone.

At once, Nimari and Coleman started to snicker.

Oh, here we fucking go.

"Tell him, Jalen." Coleman laughed.

"Relax on me, bruh." Jalen shook his head.

"You air balled like shit." Nimari chuckled.

"I bet it if I really tried, I could get her." Jalen shrugged.

"You already failed." Jack chimed in.

"I didn't fail, you failed. I got interrupted." Jalen patted his chest.

"So what was that at lunch a couple days ago?" Coleman asked, taking a sip of his water bottle.

Jalen rolled his eyes before glancing at Nimari, "Her trying to act all big and bad. If I applied pressure she would fold. In a heartbeat."

"Bet?" Jack asked, his eyebrows raised.

Jalen gave him a curious look, leaning forward a little.

"I bet that you can't get her by the homecoming dance."

Jalen laughed a little, shaking his head, "You weird bruh."

"That's mad childish." Nimari interjected.

"So what I'm hearing is that you can't do it." Jack shot back.

Jalen scrunched his eyebrows and subtly sat up at the challenge.

He thought that the bet was immature like Nimari said but at the same time...

Jalen Green had never been one to back down in anything.

Not in basketball, not in dares and certainly not in dealing with girls.

"When's the homecoming dance?" Jalen asked.

"Uh.... November 8th." Frank answered, looking down at his phone.

"If I win what do I get?" Jalen leaned back in his seat.

"Bruh, come on." Nimari said.

Jack and Jalen ignored him, more focused on the stare down happening between them.

"If you bag her, you can get a band." Jack responds.

"You don't have a band." Jordan interjected, "Bruh, shut up."

Jack typed something into his phone then showed the boys his phone screen.

It was opened up to Jack's Wells Fargo app.

In his bank account, there was at least over 4,000 dollars shown.

"Oh shit." Jalen laughed, "Bet. You gon' be mad as hell in two months." Jalen reached his hand out.

Jack and Jalen complete an elaborate handshake, both ending with a snap of their fingers.

Nimari rolled his eyes at the exchange before whispering something to Coleman, who held a similar expression of distaste.

"Aye," Jalen called out to him, "You, you," Jalen looked to Coleman, "And you," Jalen glanced at Jordan, "Better not tell her or Sydney. I know that y'all two are friends with Noelani or whatever," Jalen pointed at Coleman and Nimari.

"But y'all better not say a damn word." Jalen stood, wrapping his towel around his neck.

"Aight?" Jalen continued after the three held their silence.

"Aight." Jordan conceded to Jalen easily, slightly bending his head to look at his phone.

Jalen swiveled his head to look at Nimari and Coleman.

When they didn't answer, Jalen raised a eyebrow.

Coleman sighed, glanced at Nimari then turned to Jalen, "Fine. Aight."

"Aight." Nimari muttered, "But this is the stupid shit I've ever heard. You're gonna catch feelings."

"I don't catch feelings." Jalen shrugged.

"Mhmm." Jordan hummed in an unconvincing tone.

Jalen rolled his eyes at his friends' disbelief.

"Aye! Break is over, fellas! Get back out there," Their head coach Joey Fuca yelled as he pointed to the basketball court where the rest of their teammates were lining up on the hard wood floors.

Jalen shot Nimari and Coleman a meaningful look before putting his towel down on the bench and stalking off towards the line up.

As Jalen moved the medicine ball from one side of his abdomen to the other side, he spotted Noelani walking in the gym that him and the team were currently working out in.

She was in a pair of Capri leggings, a matching black sports bra, her hair in a extremely messy bun, a set of boxing gloves over one shoulder and a gym bag over the other.

Noelani didn't look at the team as she headed up the stairs to the second floor of the gym.

"Go on," Frank verbally pushed.

"Coach John, imma be right back." Jalen said, rising from the workout mat.

"Uh uh, she can wait." His conditioning coach responded, his long locs swinging a bit.

"Ten minutes, please." Jalen pleads.

"Ten. And I'm timing you." Coach John tapped his bare wrist to simulate a watch.

With that Jalen was up the stairs.

Noelani had laced up the boxing gloves and was attacking a punching bag that hung from a chain connected to the ceiling.

She was kickboxing, using a number of moves on the slightly swinging bag in front of her.

Jalen walked up and tapped her shoulder.

Her leg delivered a roundhouse kick which would've landed if Jalen hadn't jumped back and caught her by her ankle.

"Why'd you follow me up here?" Noelani asked, her eyebrow raised, "Can I have my calf back?"

Jalen sheepishly released her leg, "I just came up here to say that I think we got off on the wrong foot."

Noelani kicked the orange sand bag, not responding to him.

Jalen subtly rolled his eyes but stepped a little closer, "I'm Jalen."

"I know." Noelani grunted as she punched the bag.

"I've been looking for a kickboxing trainer. To muscle up and everything."

Noelani stopped mid-kick and turned her head to look at him.

"You for real?" She panted.

Jalen lifted his chin just a little, "Yeah. I need a trainer. I'm hoping that could be you."

Noelani circled him, making Jalen feel a little like prey in one of those shows on Animal Planet.

"Skinny but good tone. Yeah. Yeah I think I can train you. Meet me here next Saturday at 10:30?" Noelani stopped in front of Jalen.

"Uh, yeah. Sure." Jalen was a little dumbfounded at how easy it was to get Noelani alone with him.

But then...

Noelani's previous reactions and body language to him replayed in Jalen's head.

Getting this girl might be the hardest thing I've ever done.

What the fuck did I sign up for?

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