"Ronnie!" My mom called from downstairs.
"Ronnieeee!"
I ignored my mom knowing that she would probably just call me downstairs to help her work the tv or something. I turned up my music louder and continued rapping Nicki's verse on "Only".
My door swung open, my mom standing there with a annoyed look on her face.
I quickly put my hands on my butt just in case she was going to try anything.
"Veronica Sinclair I called your name about 10 damn times!"
"Sorry mom I couldn't hear you! You know how Minaj gets in my head" I lied.
"Is there something you need?"
"Yes! We have a guest over!" My mom said smiling. " a girl your age, she wants you to come outside."
I rolled my eyes and groaned. "Mom, I'm 18. I don't go outside and play anymore."
"She's our neighbor she just wants to show you around. That's all."
"We haven't even officially been in our new house for 24 whole hours yet. I just want a little me time."
"Outside now." My mom said in her demanding voice. "I don't want to keep her waiting.
"Fine." I threw on my Nike hoodie and opened the door to a brown skin girl with box braids, about 5'6, and wearing a Kobe jersey with some biker shorts.
"Um.. hi" she said looking at me in a shy way. "My mom wanted me to show you around or whatever."
"Ok sure. Why not" I said closing the door behind me.
"And this is the-"
"Hey forget all the supermarkets and stuff" I said. "Do you have any hot spots or places where people just hang out?"
"Oh! I'm glad you asked!!" She said clapping with excitement. The car swerved a little almost hitting another.
I shot her a look letting her know to focus back on the road.
"Hey uh, I never got your name" I said to her
"Natalia." She said. "But everyone calls me tally for short"
"Cute name!"
"Thanks!"
We pulled up to a parking lot in front of a basketball court.
As we got out a big tall guy yelled "Tally!!" And scooped her into a hug.
"My god Gelo! You're sweaty and you smell!" She giggled. "Put me down!!"
He put her down while she smoothed her clothes.
"Who's your friend?"
"Gelo this is Ronnie. Ronnie this is Liangelo."
"Gelo for short." He said shaking my hand.
"Nice to meet you Gelo!" I said smiling. I gotta admit he is pretty cute!
"How are you liking Charlotte?" He said.
"Eh it's okay." I said with a straight face. "Jersey was better."
"Y'all wouldn't be shit without them remixes and dances though." Gelo said smirking
"And here lies Charlotte, This dead city which cannot be revived knowing it's boring as fuck here." I said giving him a fake grin.
"Don't be mad. I fuck with Jersey. Y'all cool." He said trying to cheer me up a little.
As me, Tally, and Gelo were talking more, a ball swung past my face almost hitting me.
There was a group of boys looking my way. One of them shocked, some whispering, and some others. Snickering.
I quickly walked over to them and and glared.
"What the fuck is so god damn funny??" I asked. My eyes narrowed
"What the fuck is so god damn funny??" A boy mocked me in a baby voice.
I quickly tied up my hair into a messy ponytail to let them know I wasn't here to play games. "I guess it's your lucky day. Cause I fight boys."
"Oh really you fight boys??" The one who mocked me said. "Why don't you just leave us alone you treesh?" Another boy said getting closer.
"Yeah. The seafood restaurants are down the street" the boy said. "You got some fishy pussy energy." The boys laughed and one of them shoved me.
Did I really just let him do that?? "Come on guys leave her alone!" Tally said walking up to us.
"Or what?" The boy said shoving us to the ground. The group of boys around us laughed.
"Come on guys cut it out." A deeper voice. "This is why y'all can't pull girls for shit." A really tall guy, lightskin, with curly hair came towards us.
Some of the guys mumbled and the group walked away.
He held out his hand and I grabbed it. "You alright?" He asked. "Yeah, I'm fine." I said looking up at him. "You look so familiar.." I told him.
"Lamelo. Lamelo Ball." He said smiling.
"Now I remember that name. I've seen you on the sports channel a couple of times."
"Cool." He said blankly.
"What about me??" Tally said still on the ground.
"What about you??" Lamelo said raising an eyebrow.
She rolled her eyes as she helped herself up and walked towards Gelo who was shooting some hoops.
"Isn't it past your bedtime?" Lamelo said jokingly "where's ya momma?"
"I'm 18." I said rollin my eyes.
"Oh wow. Fresh outta high school huh?"
"Yup." I said. "How old are you?"
"19." He said. "I'll be 20 in August."
"Sooo how can I repay you?" I said.
"Repay me." He said looking confused. "What do you mean Repay me?"
"Well, I could have got jumped back there if it wasn't for you." I told him. "So what do you want?"
"Well," he said.
"No sex included." I told him. "I'm not hoeing around in these streets."
"I wasn't gonna say that." He said
Dumbass, why would you bring that up. Of course he wouldn't want sex! We just met!
"How abouttt..." he said looking up at the sky thinking. "You be my escort." He said.
"Escort?" I said.
"Yeah, you just follow me around, look pretty, get me the things I need, carry my stuff for me when I'm at my games. All that stuff."
"Can't you just do that yourself?" I asked rolling my eyes. "You're a basketball player, big and strong. Not a crippled person."
"How does $250 and hour sound" he said with a convincing look for me just do it.
"Fine. I'll do it." I said poking him in the chest. Damn he's strong. Nice and fit too. "But don't try anything funny." I said.
I held out my pinky.
"Pinky swear?"
"Pinky swear." He said grinning.
"So is this just for games or in general?"
"It can be both. One more than the other sometimes." He said.
"Okay." I said.
I signaled Tally to come over letting her know I was ready to come home.
"Sooooo what were you and melo over there talking about?" She said in a flirty voice.
"Oh stop. He just asked me to do him a simple favor after he saved me from getting my ass beat."
"And that is?"
"His escort. He wants me to do average things any non lazy person could do."
"Ohhh so you get to be with each other all day huh?" She said smirking.
"Yeah, Yeah, whatever." I said staring out the window.
I thanked her for the ride and opened the door up to my house.
"Thank god! I was starting to get worried *mi hija!" My mom said. *Mi hija is my daughter in Spanish.
I hugged her and sat down eating take out from a Chinese restaurant. "Mom you love speaking Spanish, you're Afro-Latina why don't you embrace your black side?"
"I'm more familiar with my Dominican side. Because your Grandpa died when I was just a teen."
"Oh." I said feeling kinda bad and started to rub her back.
"No no it's okay mi hija." She smiled at me and kissed my head.
After finishing dinner I went upstairs, brushed my teeth, threw on some pjs, and laid across my bed.
Lamelo, Lamelo, Lamelo. Why can't I get this boy out of my head??
Ding! I looked up at my phone. It was a text from Tally.
10:06 pm
Tally💗
Tally: Hey you awake?
Me: Nah I'm sleep. Wassup
Tally: ugh, I didn't know attitude came with the phone. Anyways Melo wants your number. Is it okay if I give it to him?
Me: Sure why not.
10:17 pm
Melo🏀
Melo: Hey, uh I didn't get your name
Me: Veronica Sinclair. Ronnie for short
Melo: oh alright. Save my number as Melo tho
Me: done.
Melo: I have a game tomorrow. Wear something sexy but not too sexy.
Me: really Melo? I said no sexual stuff.
Melo: You're the one making it sexual.
Me: 🙄
Melo: cmonn. You owe me anyways.
Me: fine. Sexy but not too sexy I got it.
Melo: oh and do something with your hair too. That ponytail was a hot ass mess.
Me: Go to sleep Melo🙄
Melo: alr. Gn
