Black Celebrity One-Shots (2000s)

Love & Basketball (pt. 3)

I only slept for four hours, tossing and turning for most of the night.

I woke up early in the morning, feeling restless and anxious. I decided to go for a brisk walk. After putting on some light workout clothes, I headed outside, taking in the crisp, cool air.

The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, and the sky was still dark blue. The sound of my footsteps echoed through the quiet neighborhood as I made my way to the street. As I walked, I tried to clear my mind. I focused on my breathing, trying to calm myself down.

When I arrived at the nearby park, I pulled out my headphones and began to listen to some music as I continued to walk. After a while, my heart rate finally slowed to a comfortable pace, and I stopped to take in the serene atmosphere around me.

The park was almost deserted, with the exception of the occasional jogger, and I could hear a few birds chirping off in the distance. As I stared up at the sky, I realized how beautiful the early morning light was.

I slowly ambled towards a group of benches, hoping to enjoy the solitude and peacefulness that the early morning sun brought. I sat down with a smile, closing my eyes as I let out a deep breath, slowly exhaling the tension in my chest.

The next thing I knew, I was gently nudged by a hand. I opened my eyes, looking to my left to see a handsome older man sitting down across from me. He was tall with broad shoulders, and his dark hair hung long and loose around his face.

"Good morning," he greeted me cheerfully.

I looked around to see if anyone else was there, but it was just he and I. "Um..hi," I answered softly.

He smiled. "You okay? Got something troubling you? I can sense it."

I gave him a shy smile. "Sorry. It's nothing," I replied, not wanting to talk about my personal life with a stranger.

He chuckled. "So, what are you doing here?"

"Just enjoying the early morning," I told him, switching to the next song on my iPod.

He smiled. "Me too."

As we sat quietly in the warm sunlight, I looked at him more closely. He seemed very friendly, and his warm hazel eyes were kind. After a while, I took my headphones off, deciding to give him a little more attention.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, trying to spark a conversation. It felt kinda weird, but I needed some sort of distraction.

"I'm also enjoying my early morning. I'm retired so I try to keep myself occupied in my free time," he replied.

"That must be nice," I replied.

"It is," he said. "I do work part-time at a museum though."

I stared at him curiously. "A museum? Which one?"

"The Hammer. I run the gift shop," he explained.

"Oh. That must be fun," I said with a smile.

He chuckled. "Oh it is. It's so nice to just spark a conversation with the customers."

I giggled, "I bet it is."

He laughed, then looked off into the distance. More people started piling in. "Yeah it is. I actually came here to meditate. I've been visiting this park every morning for years now. It helps me clear my head."

I smiled. "Meditating sounds nice. I should try it sometime."

He nodded. "Yeah, you definitely should."

As we both listened to the birds chirp, I became more relaxed and at ease. I couldn't remember the last time I'd taken the time to sit and observe nature without worrying about anything else. I appreciated the opportunity to just breathe and be in the moment.