City of Champions: Jalen Hurts

14

"Jordan." Reese groaned, leaning back in the chair. "I literally cannot eat anymore. Like, I'm so full."

Reese's older brother shrugged his shoulders, looking over her plate. "Ma did you a fat disservice by telling me what happened to you in Jamaica. Now, I ain't letting it go."

Everyone was back in the states, seeing as there was work to get back to. Reese was still busy with soccer workouts and preparing for her shoe release but now it didn't matter whether or not she was skipping meals. No one was giving that the chance to happen.

Layla was at her house around dinner time almost every night, making sure she was eating. Her parents called all the time and Jordan was taking her out to lunch every other day.

Reese was still in the gym everyday, working her hardest. Now, she just didn't know what would happen if she wasn't skipping any meals.

"Have you talked to Jalen?"

"Yeah. Got a good lift in with him yesterday." He enlightened Reese, watching her straighten her posture. "Asked how you was feeling."

For a reason Reese couldn't explain, she had no reason to want to fight with him. Even while they were together, she'd want to argue but not now. She just wanted to talk to him about whatever he would hear. Whatever they could talk about to make Reese not feel like everything he'd ever said he felt for her was a lie.

"I'm doing fine." Reese's voice faltered as she thought. "I wish he'd just call me. Not even to be together but just to talk to me."

Jordan shrugged, swallowing his food before speaking. "I think he just want you to be happy, Ree. You got a lot of shit going on right now and the way y'all be arguing... Lord, Jesus."

She stifled a laugh, knowing he was joking. There was seriousness in his words whether or not he was joking, and Reese knew as much.

Reese and Jalen argued a lot, the severity of the disagreements ranging from serious to unserious. It wasn't toxic or at least Reese didn't think it was, but as she sat here and thought about it, she was starting to see how their lack of getting along came into play at times.

Despite how they didn't get along, though, there was an attraction that Reese was nowhere near willing to deny.

"What you got goin' this evening?"

Reese repeatedly zipped and unzipped her wallet, absentmindedly squinting out the window. "Layla and I are doing a girls night kind of thing."

"How she doing?" Jordan asked before biting into his food once again.

"She's been... actually, she's been a little weird lately." She sat up, preparing to eat more of her food. "I can't explain it. She's just more gentle and nice. It's... different."

Her brother took note of the small frown decorating Reese's features. "You'on like it?"

"I don't mind it." Reese clarified, peeling a piece of shrimp. "I'm just used to attitudinal Layla."

In all honesty, Reese wasn't disturbed by Layla's recent behavior at all. They both had a couple different things going on but they still tried to hang out as often as they could.

Which they still did a lot of.

When Reese pulled up to Layla's new apartment, the brunette was waiting downstairs with her phone sitting in the palm of her hand. Her lips held an unintentional pout, leading Reese to wonder what was wrong.

"You good?"

Layla looked up at Reese, shaking her head. "Yeah. Just hot."

"That's my fault." Reese wrapped an arm around Layla's shoulders, preparing to crack a joke. "You know I was just thinking of turning the heat down out here?"