me & tomfoolery

Face Off | Jalen Hurts Short Story

SURPRISE! here's an imagine.

"Neve, did you hear anything I just said?" Gianna asked. Neve had been in her own world, trying to get a handle of the itinerary for the 24 hours. She would be leading her biggest interview yet as a sports reporter. With the NFC Championship tomorrow, she would be on a flight to Philadelphia for the Eagles vs. 49ers game.

"No, I'm sorry I really cannot focus."

"What's wrong?" Gianna took a seat on the plush hotel couch. "I'm so damn nervous. What if I fuck this up?"

Neve was only 24 years old and had been doing fairly well in her career thus far. She has done work for the NFL before, but not to this magnitude. She was honored, excited but scared.

"You're so good at what you do. You need to start thinking that you're that bitch."

Neve and Gianna were expected at the airport in the next two hours for their flight. The LA lights beamed as they road down the drive. Neve had a few reasons to be nervous and one of which was seeing the internet's new favorite heartthrob, quarterback Jalen Hurts. Neve and Jalen go way back. They were friends during undergrad at Alabama, and were connected at the hip until he transferred to Oklahoma.

As the ladies waited to load the plane, their production and media teams moved back and forth to secure their items. Neve held her navy and white Michael Kors Bradford Travel Weekender as she awaited someone to assist her onto the plane. At this time she had been ignoring the buzzing in her pocket. Whatever it was, could wait. Gianna sat first and Neve found her seat soon after.

"Are you going to answer that?" Gianna giggled seeing the noticeably annoyed look on her co-worker's face. "Cause this is annoying." Quickly taking out her phone, Neve checks the number, not recognizing it.

"Hello, its after 10 PM, who's calling at this hour?"

"Took you long enough to answer." That voice, she would never forget it.

"Jalen, how did you get this number?" He laughed, which caused her to huff. "Still the same I see. No 'hi'?"

"Hi Jalen, how did you get this number?" She repeated. "My mother, I didn't know you were still in contact with her. She told me you were coming to town."

Neve had a great relationship with Pamela, they had bonded during the Alabama games, and often at the Hurts family events. They had spoken recently which prompted the exchanging of numbers. Neve should have known that Jalen would eventually have her number. "Yeah, I'm sitting on the plane now."

"You excited about the interview? It's at 10 AM."
"I'm interviewing you?"

"Yeah, I'm looking at the updated email now." Neve unlocked her iPad to search through her email. There it was, she would be interviewing Jalen Hurts.

"I'll see you in the morning Morrison. Text me when you check into your hotel."

Neve's alarm would be going off at 7 AM, but she was already awake. Her mother had called and now she was on the phone with Ms. Pam.

"What time is the interview over?"

Neve laughed at the older woman's impatience, "I have no idea. I just know I need to be there at ten. Your son thinks it starts at ten."

"Oh, I hope you don't mind that I gave him your number."

"It's fine." Neve didn't care, she didn't expect to speak to Jalen past this weekend. They lose contact for a reason before, and if it happened again, so be it. She already found contentment in that. "Are you excited?"

"For?"
"Seeing the family, seeing Huggy?"

Gianna entered the room with her laptop, signaling that she wanted to review before they started the work day. "Hey Ms. Pam, I gotta go but, I'll see you later okay." Neve quickly ended the call, grateful for her friend's entrance.

••••

"You ladies will be set up here. Your crew already set up and you'll be talking to a few players from each team. You'll be starting with Eagles QB Hurts and then a few from the Eagles before the 9ers come in."

Neve sat in her designated chair with her toned and exposed legs crossed. She regretted wearing a skirt as the door to the room opened. In walked the man she loved from a distance, in front of her again.

His smile radiated throughout the room as he walked to greet his dearest old friend. Jalen had been looking forward to seeing the woman he regretted losing touch with. They went from classmates, to friends, to best friends and now were strangers. He blamed himself for the disconnect, being engulfed in his senior year and desperately wanting to be drafted, his focus was only on football.

"Hi Nevey." He opened his arms, expecting her to walk into them. "Hi Huggy." She folded, walking into his arms, wrapping around his torso. "I haven't heard that name in so long."

Neve had been calling him Huggy since he began every game with a handshake and soul snatching bear hug. Once Jalen convinced her that she was his good luck charm, she allowed and endured that hug before every game she was able to make. Neve wouldn't hear the end of it, when she missed one either.

"Are you ready to begin the interview?" Neve avoided his gaze as she sat down. She could see that he was staring at her. "Yeah, let's begin."

Me & An Author's Note:

Surprise surprise! I wanted to add a little something in here that wasn't a rant and would get my creative juices going. Hope you enjoyed 💚