Just Friends

Chapter VI: Cocky or Confident?

                       Mayari Sekani Thompson

Mr. Mancini stops in front of two double doors and takes out his keychain from his pocket.

"So this storage hasn't been cleaned out in maybe a year or so. That's why you guys will be cleaning it out today. Just clean it out that's it, you probably won't finish it today and that's fine. It's 4:25 pm right now i'll be back at 6:25. Any questions?" Mr. Mancini states with his hands behind his back and small smile.

"No"

"Nah"

"Okay i'll be in my classroom if you need me." Mr. Mancini turns around and leaves.

I put my backpack down and my phone in my pocket and start taking the stuff out of the shed one by one.

——————-

"Are you going to help?" I semi yell to that guy.

He stops dribbling the ball and turns around, facing me. "Nah, you seem like you got it handled. I ain't finna get in yo way. I seen how you punched ole boy, I don't want no smoke." He says holding his hand up in surrender.

"I don't just go around punching people. He touched me first so I touched him back." I shrug standing up fixing my clothes. When I look up ole boy staring at me.

"My bad. My bad." He says turning around and dribbling the ball before he throws it in and makes it.

"You play on a team?" I ask getting a tiny bit closer to him. Not too much though.

He gives me a small laugh, shaking his head. "Yeah, Imma give you a hint. You cheer for the team I play on." He says looking back at me.

Damn.

"What's your number?" I ask feeling kind of bad. I don't be paying attention to be honest, I just be there.

"Damn you want my digits already? I feel like a hoe, I don't know you." He says with all seriousness in his tone and face.

I laugh at him. Every nigga I converse with end up being a bit off.

"No, boy. I'm talking about your jersey number." I say walking over to the bench by the hoops.

"Well fuck you too. But it's big number 1 baybeeee." He says turning around and shooting the ball immediately and he makes it into the hoop.

Cocky or confident? I wonder.

"You play before?" He asks me jogging over to me with the ball in his hand.

"For fun, yes. But i'm not good at it." That's an understatement last time I played I had to go to the hospital. I gave MYSELF a concussion and had to get donated blood because I lost too much when I bled from my nose.

"You can shoot it?" I slowly shake my head.

"Come here." He says dribbling the ball and looking at me.

"Only if I get to teach you some cheerleading." I say standing up putting my phone on the bench.

"It's a deal beautiful." I smile a little and walk over to him. We stand directly in the center of the hoop and he starts moving my body into the right stance.

He stands behind me, not directly but close. He positions my hands on the ball better and puts his hands over mine.

"Then you just shoot." He says lowly as we shoot the ball into the hoop easily.

He moves touching my lower back a little as he passes by me to get the ball.

He not slick.

I walk back over to the bench and grab my phone putting it in my back pocket.

"Ain't we make a deal beautiful?" He says standing in front of me. With a fake sad face.

"Do you have detention again?" He nods his head.

"Then i'll show you next time. For now we need to look like we actually did some work." I walk around him and I see his shadow following behind me with a little distance.

"Yeah you right. I'll even help you." He says like it's the worst thing in the world.

"Why thank you. I'm so glad you'll grace me with your help." I say bowing down once I stop walking.

"You funny foreal." He says shaking his head.

———————-

"You guys did pretty good. You can go home, enjoy the rest of your day kids."

"You too Mr. Mancini." I say and Demitri and I start walking to the parking lot.

"You gotta a ride?" He says looking around but there's only one car here. A dark grey challenger.

"Yep I just texted him. That's your car?" I ask pointing to the challenger.

"Yes ma'am. That's my baby right there." He says holding his chest as he dramatically wipes the "tears" from his face.

I roll my eyes with a smile. "It's nice." I say as we get closer to it.

"Preciate you."

We talk for about five more minutes outside his car when Messiah pulls up in front of us.

"That's my ride. Thanks for waiting with me. At the game tomorrow maybe i'll see you." I say pushing myself off his car and walking backwards.

"Mhm. Ain't no maybe you will boo."

"Let's hope you actually do play in the games and not a bench rider cuz you very confident."

"Oh you got jokes? Ight watch lil mama, you won't be able to take yo eyes off me." He says with a confident grin.

"Okay Mr. Number one. Whatever you say." I shrug smiling a little.

I been smiling too much.

I get in the passenger seat of the car. I close the door and put my seat beat on after. Damn. I didn't even get his number.

"Who was that?" Messiah asks starting the car and driving away.

"Some guy I met in detention." I say brushing it off. He really is just some guy named Demitri.

"Oh okay..."

                                 To Be Continued...