IILICIT AFFAIRS ━━ Lamelo Ball

3.1

As much as I hate to admit it, I dwelled on Lamelo for longer than I liked. You could only imagine how humiliated I was to show up to school the following day, for everyone to shove in my face that Lamelo had been in Lithuania. I was angry, hurt, humiliated, heartbroken. I felt every emotion all at once. Angry that he left. Hurt that he didn't even say a word nor did he attempt to. I wasn't in a good place after sophomore year prom. I used it as fuel. Every emotion he made me feel was burnt in the gym. I worked and worked and worked until I didn't feel them anymore. And to my luck, my hard work got me 7 D1 offers by the end of junior year. I had 10 D1 offers before I committed to Michigan.

A lot of people didn't understand my commitment to Michigan until I withdrew from the draft. Michigan had a good writing program on top of a good women's basketball program. Everyone thought I'd go to UCLA because of family-and I almost did- or to UConn because of their dynasty up there, but I chose Michigan because I wanted to write, and I knew damn well I wasn't going pro.

Maybe I was a little pessimistic, but I wasn't trying to be the Greg Oden of the WNBA. I never really wanted the fame to begin with. I just liked basketball enough to play D1, and I got burnt playing D1. College sports fans are a different breed when it comes to criticisms, and no way in hell was I built for WNBA-level criticisms. Sometimes I hate the fact I was the one who went D1; it probably should have Willa. She had a career-ending ACL tear during the finals game. Oregon withdrew their offer shortly afterward.

Anyway, Michigan.

There, I met my best friend Ayesha Anderson. Ayesha is my right-hand woman, my shooting guard. I could always rely on her to hit a three or a nice mid-range shot. She was always able to find me in an open lane. Not only did we share the same court, we shared the same classes. We both planned on going to sports journalism. Ayesha and I were different in our playstyles, styles, attitude, and yet we had so much in common at the same time. I don't know if I could have survived the pressure of Michigan without her- we kind of suffered together. That's what makes us so... strong. We went through so much together. I recall many nights where I cried in her arms.

Nothing much happened at Michigan, but when basketball wasn't burning me out, I was having one hell of a time. Michigan was like a breath of fresh air, not that Chino Hills was drowning. I had more freedom, I wasn't attached to anyone, really-though occasionally someone would ask me about Lamelo. I was just Winona Rosario at Michigan, starting point guard of the women's basketball team.

I don't really know what to tell you about Michigan. I mean, I went out with Quentin Kessler for a bit. He was a good guy, but he was so hung over another girl I figured it wasn't worth it. Good for him, though. I'm pretty sure they're married and expecting. I was just a regular college kid at Michigan. I partied, studied, all of that.

All the while I stayed up north in Michigan, Lamelo travelled the world. Australia, Lithuania; anywhere but the college scene. I never once saw a glimpse of him, but he was everywhere. I never felt like he was truly gone. Something always reminded me of him.

Around my junior year of college, the year that we won Nattys, was when the stories of Lamelo and Skyla first came out. You know as much as I do; this is my story, not Skyla's. I know and you know that they met through mutual friends. I know and you know that he pursued her for months before she actually agreed to be with him. I know and you know that she wrote her first number one hit about him. But that's all public information. I don't know the ins and outs of their relationship. I don't know the intricate details. I don't know the dynamics or why Lamelo was so willing to cheat on a wonderful girl. I often wonder about their dynamics, though. Was Lamelo as hot and cold with her as he was with me? Did she at all have to chase? Did she ever feel like she had him?

Anyway, by the time Lamelo and Skyla told people they were together, I was unfazed. I was able to steel my heart. Well, that'd be a partial lie. The news didn't leave me unaffected, but I wasn't hurt by it. I was angry, if anything. I also felt this weird pity for Skyla. I assumed she was going through Lamelo's hot or cold, push or pull tendencies. I didn't let it affect me, but it hurt seeing him happy with her after fucking me over. It hurt that whenever the press would release pictures of them, the look in her eyes were those of a love-struck girl. Her countenance showed no trace of hurt, confusion, or anxiety. It was purely love and utter bliss, and to this day, I envy Skyla Morrison for that.

LOVE LETTERS FROM SHAY!
Just to let y'all know... Quentin Kessler's gonna be an important name for another (unpublished) fic

Hint on who it's on? Michigan.