The Fall- Robby Keene

Topanga

After the whole 'break up' with Robby, I just needed to be alone. The only place I could think of being alone without being bothered, would be the basketball court. I drove straight there and grabbed the ball out of my trunk since Robby had thrown it in there after our first date. my heart clenched at the thought of the first date, but I shock away the thought and closed the trunk before walking to the court. I started playing around, just shooting the ball or doing some trick shots. it felt nice to let loss a bit and have some peace, but my peace was taken when I was about to shoot the ball. right as the ball left my hand it was intercepted by this brown hair boy; he dribbled around me before running to the 3-point line and shot it. I looked at him confused as the ball made it into the basket, he let out a chuckle and grabbed the ball before looking at me.

??- sorry, I had saw you playing here alone so I figured to come over and bring you some company

Julia- do you do this with everyone who's alone or am I just the "lucky" one?

??- tough crowd, I can see. I'm Xander Stone

that name sounded a little familiar as he checked the ball to me, I caught it right as it came to my mind of how I knew him well of him.

Julia-wait were you in the all-valley tournament just last summer?

Xander- that would be me, how did you know?

Julia- my little brother was the winner of the tournament

Xander- no shit! you're a Diaz? man your brother is a beast on that mat! Imma need a first name to help fit the profile

Julia- it's Julia, but call me Jules

Xander- alright Jules, how does it feel having a 'famous' brother?

I laughed shaking my head as I checked the ball back to him and he did it right back looking at me.

Xander- why are your eyes so red? probably not my place to ask, but I just noticed them

Julia- oh well I just broke up with my boyfriend an hour or two ago so

he nodded clearly not knowing what to say, I didn't want to just stand here in awkward silence, so I just started to play ball. he caught on fast and started trying to get the ball from me, I was able to make a basket and cheer for myself as he scuffs letting out a chuckle as he held the ball.

Xander- you seem to know exactly what you are doing, play before?

Julia- I played a lot of sports, this was one of them. 

Xander- ah so I'm messing with an athlete, what else should I be worried about?

Julia- I know some karate, but that's about it. what about you? you seem to know how to play

Xander- my mom is big on sports, so football and travel basketball were the things she had me doing growing up, but that was till I picked up on karate

Julia- ah okay, that makes loads of sense

he looked at me confused as I chuckled and grabbed the ball from him, we played about 2-3 more rounds of this before we both grew tired and just decided to sit down on the court. I know I said I wanted to be alone but having someone to talk to that isn't my friends or family is nice. we just talked and got to know each other so that we weren't complete strangers.

Xander- wait so you only dated one person?! that's it?! your 17!

Julia- *laughs* back in Riverside, I never had interest in dating anyone. I was more focused on college and getting scholarships to care about boys or anyone for that matter. but of course, that changed when I got here

Xander- and who was this lucky guy?

I looked at my hands trying to conceal any pain I was feeling at this moment while I held a fake smile to hide it.

Julia- Robby Keene, you honestly probably know him either from the tournament or that big school fight that went down.

Xander- honestly, I only really know him from the tournament because he got injured during it. but, now hearing the name again yeah, I do know who that is.

Julia- okay enough about me, what about you? any lucky girls or what not?

Xander- *chuckles* no girls for me, but I was talking to this guy before he went complete ghost because he wasn't ready to come out

Julia- wow, that sucks. have you tried being with anyone else or like talking to anyone?

Xander- wait that's what your focused on? I wasn't expecting that

I laughed some more as I shifted my position, so my leg wasn't falling asleep anymore

Julia- my best friend likes both so hearing this isn't anything new.

Xander- great to hear, so have you experimented?

Julia- *laughs* I'm strictly straight, I only have one person in mind and trust me he has pecks not boobs

we both laughed at that and continued to talk till it got late, I offered him a ride, so he didn't have to walk home. I drove him to his place before we exchanged numbers deciding to hang out soon. I smiled before I drove myself home, once I got there, I walked inside not saying anything to yaya who was on the couch or my mom who was in the kitchen. I just walked straight to my room and shut the door. I put my earbuds in and started listening to music as I caught up on all the classwork/homework I had missed for not being in school that much because of the whole incident. while I was working, my door opened causing me to look at it as my mom entered my room. I paused my music and removed one earbud as I looked at her.

Carmen- just came to check on you, I know all of this has been a lot on you.

I nodded as I fiddled with my pen that was in my hand, she looked around my room and I watched her walk over to my bulletin board that was on my wall. it was filled with photos of me and my friends, my family and I, and even some with me and Robby. she touched one before looking at me, I knew where this was going to go.

Carmen- I heard about Robby's arrest, look Mija. I know you were really close to him and *cuts off*

Julia- that's an understatement.

Carmen- *sighs* I know this is hard on you, but this is for the best Mija. he had a bad recorded and it was going to happen sooner or later, I am sorry that it happened this way.

Julia- going to happen? why did you hate him so much, mami? huh? he did nothing to you or anyone for that matter, all he did was look at for himself and me. if your about to say, he was the reason I am the way I am, your wrong. if anything, he helped me realized things I didn't even know was happening.

Carmen- and what was that?

Julia- that all you ever cared about was Miguel. even before his accident. you treated me like some kind of babysitter, not even as your own daughter. you wonder why I was always with Robby because all you did was yell at me for something Miguel did or jump down my throat about something that has nothing to do with me.

Carmen- *sighs* I'm not getting into this discussion, Mija. try to get some rest, we have Miguel's surgery coming up and I know you have school plus work.

I didn't say anything as I put my earbud back in and played my music, she stood there and looked at me for what felt like ages before she finally left my room shutting my door as she left. I felt myself gripping onto the pen so hard that my knuckles were white. I try to calm myself, but that seemed impossible now a days.