Beyond the Lesson (TXS)

Promise?

WHISTLE! "Alright hit the showers! Game day is Friday so rest up!" Coach yells only reminding me how pointless this excruciatingly painful practice was for me. "Kingston!" She yells and I run to her.

"Yeah coach?" I say breathless.

"Look I know you can't play this week. But I'm glad you still chose to come to practice. It shows heart and commitment that I hope you're instilling within these underclass kids." She says proudly. "It's just the rules you know that." I nod and she gives a slight smile.

I smile. "Thanks coach." She taps my shoulder that feels like it's going to fall off from all the jump shots we worked on today and goes to her office. I take that as my chance to go to the locker room and shower.

"We've missed you captain." Kai says and I scoff.

"I know you liked being in charge Kai." I say jokingly and she laugh nodding.

"Slick. It's kinda fun watching them squirm reminds me of how I was when u first started. You tore us up when you were only co captain." She says and I shake my head laughing at the memories of me running drills whenever coach or the captain was out for practice. "Seriously though the game and practice haven't been the same without you."

"Yeah but you guys won and you'll win gain Friday. You guys got it." I say and she smiles nodding. "Now get out of here so I can leave." I say and she chuckles and leaves. It's the captains responsibility to make sure everyone is out before I am which is why I'm always the last one. I get out the locker room and head outside to wait for Tyson. I sit on the stairs and look at the empty parking lot. Not even a Mercedes left. She must leave on time now. She just leave with Martin. I shake that very negative thought away before I piss myself off. I stand up when I see Tyson pulling up and I get in the car when I verify it's his car.

"How was a school?" I shrug. "Ok? How was practice?" I shrug again. He sighs. "Talia I know you're upset I kept you from your friends but you wouldn't tell me what's going on and I know if you're going to talk to anyone it would be them. But I'm your brother Talia," I look at him. "Your brother who is worried about you and scared that the next time I see you it won't be cleaning up a wound but it will be burying you because I couldn't protect you from whatever or whoever is hurting you! So talk to me please!" I see tears falling down his face and I wipe them with both of my hands.

"I want to tell you Ty." He sighs knowing where I'm going. "Bu-

"But you can't? How many times are you going to say that?! Is someone threatening you?" I nod and he tilts his head and his eyes widen. "What?"

"That's all I can say. Just know I'll be ok. It's handled." I say and he looks at me confused.

"Tal-

I shake my head. "Leave it alone Ty please." I beg him and he sighs and nods.

"Can you just promised that the next time something like that happens again you'll tell me?"

I sigh and nod. He holds up his pinky pinger and I chuckle. "I promise." I link our pinkies and he nods and starts the car and drives us home. We make it home and for the first time in a while he decided to cancel his last lecture and we stayed up playing UNO and eating pizza as we listen and answer to Jeopardy. It's kinda why I'm so smart now. It's our favorite tv show. "Who is Genghis Khan!" I yell before the person on the tv and Ty. Ding! 'Who is Genhis Khan, Alex." They say and it's right. "Ha! Another point!"

"This is so unfair you're technically still in school to learn this stuff I've been out for years." He complains and I shake my head.

"Stop being a sore loser." I say and he sucks his teeth shoving me. We laugh as we go back and forth shoving each other.

"Yo what happened to your girlfriend?" I look at him with furrowed brows. "Aye don't beat me up. I just can tell despite being suspended you aren't as happy as you were before you got suspended. Did you break up?"

I sigh. "Uh yeah we did."

"Damn sis I'm sorry. Why?"

"Damn nosy." I say and he sucks his teeth. "Nothing really happened, we just couldn't be together. Too many barriers."

He shrugs. "Like what?" Damn!

"Like the fact I have a nosy ass older brother who can't read a room when someone doesn't want to talk about their exes." I say and he rolls his eyes.

"I was just curious man. You seemed happy I'm sorry it didn't work out." I nod. "But look ima head to bed, you should too. You have school."

I nod. "I will. See you tomorrow."

"Good night." He says and heads upstairs. I sigh and pull out my phone. I go to our message thread and just recall the last message.

Me: I just love you so much❤️
Baby💍: and I love you more you make me so happy❤️
Me: the day I ask you to marry me and you say yes will be the day I can actually die in peace
Baby💍: who said I'd say yes?
Me: you telling me you don't want to marry me after showing me your dream wedding board 😂
Baby💍: oh I definitely want to marry you but I want to be the one to ask
Me: never I'll be the first one on one knee baby sorry😉
Baby💍: we'll see about that baby
Me: I'm pulling up to the school see you later❤️
Baby💍: I love you Talia so much
Me: I love you too Verena so so much❤️

I stare at the last time we said I love you and feel tears running down my face. She knew. She knew she was going to break up with me when she saw the car. She knew. I throw my phone on the couch and put my head in my hands as I sob. "God damn it!"