me & tomfoolery

Same Coin pt. 7 | Devin Booker Short Story

Sorry to have kept y'all waiting but here's some more of Devin & Laila.

Devin had something to prove. He had spent all night in a sour mood due to seeing his ex in person for the first time in months. She stood across the room with her new boyfriend and the whole time she had her eyes on Devin.

They played this awkward game throughout the event and what made it worse was Laila was also at there. She watched how they avoided each other and even when Devin made eye contact with her, she felt that his attention was elsewhere.

"Either y'all say something to each other or let it go man." Drake snickered as he watched Devin go through the motions. "You got your new girl here and you not paying her no mind."

Laila indulged in conversation with Joel Embiid's fiancé and Tobias Harris' wife. When her father worked in Philly, she had to familiarize herself with the team when she visited.

"Better watch out, James over there with his mouth salivating." Durant joked as he pointed to his former teammate. James Harden adored Laila and they were acquainted with each other, he just could never break past a simple 'hi and bye'.

Devin felt wrong, he wanted to insert himself into whatever Harden and Laila were discussing but, he needed to speak to Kendall. They had unsaid words to hash and it was mostly on his side. She had broken him and then moved on first. He felt as though it wasn't fair. If he didn't get his feelings off his chest, he would never be able to truly be happy.

That was a problem though, because Laila previously asked him if there was something holding him back and what led to him being single but he couldn't fully share. He wouldn't. Now all of those things were bubbling over in real time.

His feet moved faster than his brain and almost in reach, he connected eyes with Laila. She was even more amused when Kendall approached him.

"Devin, hey."

He couldn't help but look past her to see Laila's response. She didn't look pleased l she turned away to listen to whatever was being said by James. A decision was to be made and it was his future vs. his past. Kendall being in front of him did nothing which was oddly the opposite of how he felt thirty minutes ago. It was like just by seeing her, that's all he needed.

Or it could be the fact that the object of his current affection had options and in while he stood there explored them. These were the things going through his mind. They very well could be false.

"Kendall, if you'll excuse me." Not taking a second look at the model, he continued his path and landed behind Laila.

"What's up man?" Devin asked, inserting him in a space between the fellow Guard and the woman he planned to take home tonight. "Booker, what's good man?" Harden sensed nothing ill behind his greeting and shook his hand.

"Mind if I cut in and speak to Laila real quick?"

Laila rose her brow before placing her empty glass down. She hugged everyone in the circle goodbye before leading them out of the venue. She didn't say anything as she approached his car. But by the way she walked to the car, it was either he fixed whatever it was or figure out how to sleep tonight.

As he opened the door for her to get in, he noticed she wouldn't look at him. Sighing, he closed the door and took longer to walk around the car to get in. He drove off into the night, with the destination being his home.

••••

"You not speaking to me?" He asked as she began changing her clothes for bed. Laila wasn't and she didn't feel the need to. She would go to bed and pretend none of it was happening. She wanted to cry because well, she was annoyed and being pregnant didn't help. It also didn't help that she still hadn't told him either.