Love Thy Neighbor ~ Part 1

Remember Macho Mazzi?

I was upstairs hanging with Shaka. Mazzi came into the room upset.
Shaka: "What's wrong Mazzi?"
Mazzi: "Dad thinks I'm musical and that I can't play football."
We bother get up and sit by Mazzi.
Y/n: "You don't have to listen to what your dad says."
Shaka: "Yeah. You can prove him wrong! Go out for the team."
Mazzi: "Really?"
Y/n: "Of course."
I say hugging him.
~Time Skip~
The next day I was hanging with Shaka again. He was laying on the bed on his Switch and I was on his back. Mazzi bursts into the room.
Mazzi: "I made the starting lineup!"
I get up.
Y/n: "Great job Mazzi!"
Shaka: "Yeah lil bro."
Y/n: "Hey! We should come to your next game."
Shaka: "Yeah. We need to support you."
Mazzi: "Cool. Um I have to go downstairs. I'm supposed to be 'Carbo-loading'."
He says laughing as he leaves.
Y/n: "Whatever that means."
Shaka: "I hope this whole 'Football' thing doesn't backfire."
Y/n: "Same. If it does, he'll learn his lesson."
Shaka: "If it does it's your fault."
He says picking me up.
Y/n: "Shaka! Put me down!"
I say laughing.
~Time Skip~
We were at Mazzi's game now and they won!
??: "Everybody's talking about you, Macho."
I look at Shaka.
Y/n: "Macho?"
He shrugs.
Mazzi: "Macho?"
??: "That's your new nickname—Macho Mazzi."
Mazzi: "Macho Mazzi? I like that."
Mazzi's band friends start waving at him. He starts walking towards him but a teammate holds him back.
??: "Look, Macho, the band geeks are waving at you."
Mazzi: "Uh, yeah. T-Those are my friends."
??: "You got moves and jokes."
He says making the whole team laugh.
Shaka: "Mazzi only stutters when he's nervous....I'm not sure about this football thing."
Y/n: "Me either."
??: "Come on. Cold root beers on me."
Mazzi starts to follow the team, but he looks back at his friends. Then he slowly walks away with his head down. Shaka grabs my hand.
Shaka: "Come on....let's go home."
~At Home~
Mazzi came into the room looking guilty.
Shaka: "What happened? You look guilty."
Mazzi: "Do not!"
Shaka: "Do too!"
Mazzi: "Do not!"
Shaka: "Do too!"
Mazzi: "Do no-"
Y/n: "STOP!"
They both jump.
Y/n: "Now Mazzi, what happened?"
Mazzi: "I just told mom to get me a root beer without saying please. I said 'NOW'."
Shaka: "For real?"
Y/n: "You're a dead man!"
Shaka: "Only Jesus can help you."
Mazzi: "Now I'm in trouble with the lord?!"
He says laying back on his bed.
Y/n: "Not......necessarily."
Shaka: "I mean..you're alive!"
He sits up on his elbows.
Mazzi: "You're right. I'm gonna keep playing!"
Y/n: "Wait Mazzi that's not what we're-"
I say standing up. He leaves the room before I finish.
Y/n: "Awww man! What did I do?"
I say looking down. Shaka walks over to me. He hugs me.
Shaka: "It's ok. We all make mistakes."
Y/n: "But I-"
He lifts me head and hugs me again.
Shaka: "It's ok. He'll learn his lesson."
~Time Skip~
Mazzi was about to catch the ball but he misses the hike.
Cocoa: "That's all right, baby. Shake it off."
Moz: "Chad's handoff was too hot."
Cocoa: "Shh. I think that's Chad's mom."
Moz: "How do you know?"
Her hat says 'CHAD'S MOM'.
Moz: "Well, Chad's mom needs to teach her son how to hand the ball off."
Chad's mom: "And Mazzi's dad needs to teach his son how to hold on to the ball. Oh, right, that's why they called you Dropsy McKellan."
Moz: "That was one game, Chad's mom."
Chad's mom: "It was the Super Bowl!"
Moz: "So? We won!"
Shaka looks at me.
Shaka: "My dad is socially awkward."
I laugh.
Moz: "Mazzi's doing his thing, right, coach? Better than Chad?"
Coach: "Mazzi's a heck of a player. Got a lot of passion. But he'd be even better if he could channel all of his energy into a more positive direction."
Cocoa: "Uhh, what do you mean?"
He point to Mazzi. He's having a total anger melt down. He throws his helmet on the ground.
Mazzi: "AAAAAAH!!!"
He knocks all of the cups of Gatorade off the table. The assistant coach backs the team away from him.
Moz: "I guess he prefers the red Gatorade."
Shaka pulls me into a hug.
Y/n: "This is all my fault."
Shaka: "No it's not. I convinced him too. How about we try and convince him to quit."
Y/n: "Yeah. It would cover my guilt."
~Time Skip~
Y/n: "Mazzi. You gotta quit! Look at how you're behaving!"
Shaka: "She's right. I know I've always told you to get tough, but I didn't say disrespectful."
Y/n: "I want the old Mazzi back! The one who was caring, and loved music. The one who makes the best cookies and jumps on beds!"
Shaka: "I want my brother back."
Mazzi: "Well that Mazzi was never cool!"
He throws his trumpet in the trash.
Mazzi: "Now leave me alone."
I look at Shaka. We both walk out of the room.
Shaka: "We've gotta tell dad."
When we finished talking to his dad, we convinced him to talk to Mazzi. Plus we had to go to Jade's pageant. Later, Mazzi and Mr. McKellan came downstairs.
Mazzi: "I'm sorry guys. I will do what I did again. It wasn't me."
We go and hug him.
Shaka: "This is the Mazzi we like."
Cocoa: "Come on. Let's get to the pageant."
~Time Skip~
It was after the pageant and Jade won. No makeup, spray tans, or afros, but with her natural beauty. Shaka had already went upstairs.
Maybelle: "Mazzi ain't playing with these cookies, y'all."
Daniel: "Oh, man, you ain't never lie. Do I taste blanched almonds?"
Moz: "My boy can shake—mm—and bake."
Cocoa: "And my girl is the first Black Miss Teen Columbus."
Everyone cheers.
Y/n: "I'm going to check on Shaka."
I walk inside and upstairs. I hear he's on the phone with someone. I think it's Grayson.
Grayson: "So what are you saying bro."
Shaka: "You know what I'm saying."
Grayson: "I do. I just wanted to hear you say it."
Shaka: "Ok. What I'm saying is I think I like Y/n and I don't know how to tell her."
My mouth dropped. He likes me?

Slick's Dojo
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