"Welcome to Madison Square Garden, boys!" Coach exclaimed.

I glanced around the arena in awe. We'd landed in New York about an hour ago before eating lunch. Coach decided to give us a tour of the Garden before our game tomorrow against Duke. I just soaked the moment in because I was truly grateful for it. I wasn't supposed to be here. A kid from New Orleans surviving Katrina, my mom's death, and abuse from my father.. It was surreal.

"Wow.." Tyrese gasped. "This shit here is wassup!"

"Language.." Coach glared at him.

"My bad coach." He snickered. He turned to me with a smile on his face. "We gotta cut up tomorrow against Duke! Legends made their marks here."

I nodded my head, agreeing with every word he was saying. Legends did make their marks here. This was the gym that Carmelo Anthony played at. All of the all time NBA greats scored 50 points or more right here in this arena. "You right.. The W is most important though."

"That's what I like to hear." Coach interrupted as he rubbed his hands together. "Take a look around and head to the team bus in about thirty minutes. I'm going to go call my wife." He mumbled at the end before leaving out of the gym.

"Coach so pussywhipped." Tyrese snickered.

"Chill. That's his wife, Ty. Of course he's going to be whipped." Bumpy looked at him. Ty just shrugged his shoulders as he looked up at the banners above.

"Take our pic Mack." He looked at our teammate, giving his phone to him. Ty walked behind flailing his arms around our necks. "Look up Khari, say cheese!" I put up two fingers, posing for the picture. "How my hair look?" Ty asked as he ran his hands through his dreads. Mack chuckled as he walked over to show us the picture. "Aw shit! We curte!"

Bumpy looked at him. "No. We handsome."

"Yes!" Ty snapped his fingers. "We handsome!"

"Y'all crazy." Mack said as he sat down. I took the seat beside him playing with the gold chain that my mother had given me. It was the last thing I'd ever received from her, material wise. I slept with it. I never took it off because it always gave me good luck.

"Why you always acting black? Be white for a change." I heard Ty tell Bumpy. I realized that I had drifted off and didn't hear the conversation. Bumpy only laughed at him.

"What's acting black?" Mack asked.

Ty shrugged his shoulders. "Idk, it sounded right. Bumpy defying all the odds though. I mean white men not supposed to know how to jump, but this nigga got hops." Ty shook his head as he placed his hand on Bumpy's shoulders. "I feel like a proud papa."

"How'd you learn how to jump that high?" I looked over at Bumpy.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, most white boys are known for shooting. I can't shoot for shit so I just worked on jumping and dunking." We all erupted in laughter because we knew it was true. He really couldn't shoot to save his life. He had an ugly jumpshot that made him look utterly retarded.

"Man, that's the realest shit you ever said." Ty added.

Bumpy playfully pushed him. "Forget you man."

"Ty, give us a story because your stories be funny as hell. Plus, we in the garden." Mack motioned around. "This is a surreal moment and I really wanna laugh at your stories."

"Yes!" Bumpy agreed. "This is a good moment to do so. And Khari don't know much about your stories." He looked at me motioning how crazy they were. I looked at Ty who was rubbing his chin as if he was deep thought. He motioned for the team to calm down.

"Alright alright." He moved onto the center of the circle. "I remember I was 15 just getting out there trying to find my way. We all think we men at an early age, b. But, I had low self esteem."

"Why?" Mack interrupted.

Ty glared at him. "Don't interrupt me. I was about to tell you if you'd just be patient, son." He shook his head before continuing. "I had low self esteem, at the time, because I came up short in the biggest department." Ty mumbled.

We were all quiet for a minute trying to figure out what he was talking about. It finally clicked in my head on what he had meant and I had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing. Soon it registered with everyone else and they all started clowning him. "I said at the time!" He tried to explain.

"Naw naw naw!!" Mack joked. "It's okay bro. Not all of us can be big boys." He snorted.

"Fuck all y'all." He held up his middle finger. "Anyway! I met this jawn from Brooklyn and she was fine as hell. I ain't think I had a shot until I just grew some balls and approached her one day. She liked me to my surprise so I grew a little confidence." He smirked. "So we kicking it for months and I'm actually kind of feeling her. Mind you, she as older and little more experienced."

"Ok ok." Bumpy said.

"So, one day we chillin at her crib. She twisting my hair and shit, we just kickin it, coolin." He shifted his weight onto his other leg. "After she done twisting my hair, we kissing, touching, feeling.. Like we going really far. All of a sudden, she stop because she quote unquote think I'm not ready." He rolled his eyes. "I'm like baby girl I may be young, but please know I've waited all my life for this moment."

Everyone shared a laugh as I shook my head. "Anxious ass." Mack blurted.

"Fight me bro." Ty looked at Mack.

Bumpy hit his shoulder. "Finish up before Coach come back."

"So she was like ok cool. We get naked and I'm like hell yes, finally. I grab a condom out of my pants pocket, don't ask me why I had one." He continued before anyone could ask. "So I'm all ready with the condom on and I look up, but she ain't looking at me. She looking at Jerry."

"Who the fuck is Jerry?" I asked.

Ty shook his head. "Please don't make me explain who Jerry is." He looked at me with pleading eyes. It finally registered so I just waved it off. I didn't want him explaining that.

"She looking at how small I am and in my mind, I'm like damn she about to change her mind." He groaned. "I convinced her somehow to give me a chance and she did. What she do that for? I had to prove myself and I wasn't going out like no punk." He chuckled. "Long story short, I was in there like baby hair bro." He started dry humping the air. "She was so conflicted by my size and stroke game. I knew she was wondering how a nigga so chicken nugget could have a deadly stroke game."

On the verge of tears, I was holding my stomach as I laughed loudly. Everyone had joined in as he continued dry humping the air. "Moral of the story is size doesn't matter if you got heart!" He said as beat his chest. "We gon be championship! Undersize or not!" Somehow his funny story led to a motivational speech.

"Ok boys let's head to the bus!" Coach yelled.

Adjusting the backpack on my back, I got up following the guys out of the arena. We walked out together onto the Manhattan streets. Everything was so fast. It reminded me of DC, but DC didn't have anything on Manhattan. People were even ruder here. They'll bump you and won't even look your way. As we headed to the bus down the street, I took in my surrounding.

However, I felt a pat on my leg. I stopped, turned around and looked down. It was a black kid with big brown eyes who looked to be no older than 8. He was short, but you could tell that he wasn't too young. "Wassup?"

He held up the ball that was in his hands and a marker. "Can I have your autograph please? You're my favorite player!" He exclaimed. I was a little taken aback because I didn't realize that people would even notice me. After all, I was just a college basketball player. Nonetheless, I took the marker signing my name on the ball and gave it back to him. "Wow.. An autographed ball from Khari Valentine! Thank you!"

He took off to his parents who were standing not too far ahead. I waved to them and they surprisingly waved back before disappearing into the crowd of people. The look on the little boy's face was priceless. It made me feel good inside to know I had made someone's day.

"KV! Let's go!' Bumpy yelled.

I looked back to see the team loading on the bus so I jogged to catch up. He looked at me weirdly before getting on the bus. I treaded behind him, walking down the aisle to my seat in the back. I was seating with Ty who was already putting his bag in the top. "You're gonna be an icon, bro." He said, looking at me.

I took the outside seat while he went inside. Looking at him, I lifted my eyebrow up. "What?"

"I said you're gonna be an icon. I don't know if you're leaving for the draft this year, next year, whenever. But, whenever you go pro, the league is yours. Little boys know you. Like that kid back there. I know you don't do the whole social media thing, but I do. People understand your level of greatness and what you can become. They also believe that you can get in your own way with your quick temper." He looked at me. "I don't want another episode of your first game. Channel that energy positively. Eat these niggas alive on the court. Just know, I believe in you."

I nodded my head, understanding what he was saying. "I got you."

He smiled as we dapped. "Let's win championships my brother."

~

"Hey Khari, are you ready?" I looked into the screen at Malia, nodding my head and reaching over into my bag to grab my Bible. We were back at the hotel from the team dinner. Malia and I were face timing so we could study the Bible together. "Okay, I think you're pretty good with the Book of Genesis. I want to jump to the Book of Proverbs and the theme of this book is the fear of God, meaning submission to the will of God, is the beginning of wisdom."

Grabbing a sticky note, I wrote what she said down. "So, seeking wisdom is the essence and goal of the religious life.." I said, looking at her. She nodded her head, giving a small smile.

"Yes, this is where wisdom is praised for her role in creation." She looked down for a minute before looking back at the screen. "Wisdom is personified as a woman and in the first nine chapters, I believe, it consists of an invitation to receive wisdom." I flipped to the Book of Proverbs to read along with her. "I think this is the most important book."

2 To know wisdom and instruction,

to understand words of insight,

3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,

in righteousness, justice, and equity;

4 to give prudence to the simple,

knowledge and discretion to the youth—

5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning,

and the one who understands obtain guidance,

6 to understand a proverb and a saying,

the words of the wise and their riddles.

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;

fools despise wisdom and instruction.

"Fools despise wisdom and instruction." I repeated. My mom used to tell me that all the time, but I never knew why. I certainly didn't know it came from the Bible. However, I guess I should've known. I laughed lightly to myself causing Malia to look at me with her head cocked to side. I shook my head. "I just thought about something. That's all."

She nodded her head, understanding. "Turn to chapter 3 and start with verse 5, read it aloud please."

I did as she said, turning the pages until it landed on Chapter 3. Clearing my throat, I began to recite the verses before me. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones."

"Ok stop right there. Give me a summary." She looked at me as she took a sip of water.

Shifting on the bed, I ran my hand across my shoulder massaging it gently. "Umm..." I pondered. "I just think he's just telling us that we don't have to do this alone although we feel like we got to. I felt that way for a long time. I can't say I'm trusting him 100% because progress doesn't happen that quickly. However, I'm willing to submit and see how this goes. I want to heal."

"Yeah, I understand. But that's the whole point Khari. You're gaining knowledge and you're becoming wiser. Once you're fully a believer and willing to gain knowledge, you receive benefits. It tells you in the next section what those benefits are. They come in the form of blessings." I nodded.

"Let's pray before your big day tomorrow." She suggested.

"Okay." I took another sticky note, writing down some more notes. Afterwards, I bowed my head. The line was silent causing me to peek to see what she was doing. She only looking back at me, smirking. "What?" I laughed.

"You're leading the prayer." She said in a duh tone.

"Oh.." I looked at her before bowing my head again. My palms got a little sweaty as I cleared my throat. "Okay, well God I'm sure you're surprised to hear from me seeing that we haven't talked that much, but I'm not sure whether you know this or not, I'm really trying. I still got ways to go, but I just wanna thank you for everything. Thank you for my mother, basketball, my friends and Malia. I pray for patience, guidance, and...love. Pure love. I also pray for good health tomorrow. Amen."

I looked up to see her staring back at me. "Pretty good for your first time."

"Thanks, Lia."

She smiled. "You're welcome, Khari." I gathered up my Bible and put it on the stand beside the bed. I was rooming with Mack, but he went to Ty and Bumpy's room. I looked at the time to see that it was just nine o'clock. "How's New York?" She asked as she did some shuffling around.

"It's nice. I've never been here before so just taking it all in." I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm really pumped for the game tomorrow. It's against Duke in Madison Square Garden. I feel like ima have a good game."

"I hope so. You're pretty good, not that good though." She joked.

"Way better than Duane Guerra." I smirked.

She rolled her eyes playfully. "What's with you two? How do you know each other?"

"We met at one of those joints that sell Philly Cheesesteaks. Guess he made the drive from Maryland and that's how we met. I didn't like how he disrespected me so I took that game against him a little personal. It don't help the fact that sports analyst compare us so much."

"Oh okay. Well, I'm not sure what Duane that was.. He's usually not that type of guy. He's really cool and laid back." She tried to reasoned.

"There's no need to make excuses for him." Mack walked back in the room, plopping on the bed in a tired fashion. I scrunched up my eyebrows at him. He mumbled goodnight before going to sleep. I put in my earphones so it wouldn't so loud. Looking back into the screen, Malia had an irritated look on her face. "What?"

"Nothing.. It's just you don't know Duane like I do. I think we've learned how not to judge based on first impressions." She looked at me.

"It's not like I gotta see the kid everyday."

"Well, if we're gonna be in each other's lives as friends or whatever, I need to know that Duane won't cause us to drift apart. I love him and we're trying to work things out. I don't want you two arguing or whatever if we're all around one another." I looked at her like she was crazy. It wasn't because of obvious reasons. It was because she was trying to work things out with him.

I don't know why I was a little disappointed, but I was. Duane was an asshole. But, I guess she could say the same thing about me. "Khari?" She called. I shook off the thoughts, looking back at her.

"I mean, it's whatever." I mumbled. "I care about you so I'll do what I can to be cordial."

She sighed in relief. "Thank God. Thanks so much, Khari!" She squealed.

I gave her a lighthearted smile. "Yeah. But I gotta go. I got shoot around early in the morning so I need some sleep." I said not caring what her reply was. I tuned her out when she said goodnight, ending the FaceTime call. I knew I shouldn't have been mad at her for trying to work things out with the guy she knew and loved. I hadn't shown any romance interest. It was my fault. But, I wanted a shot.

Before I fell asleep, I made a mental note to shoot my shot sooner rather than later.

—————————————

😭