𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐇.

thirty-four.

𝐤𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐞 𝐣. 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐮𝐞𝐥𝐬
𝙼𝙰𝚁𝙲𝙷 || 𝙱𝙰𝚃𝙾𝙽 𝚁𝙾𝚄𝙶𝙴, 𝙻𝙰.
-

         "Can you sit still for one second, my nigga?"

Neno side-eyed me as I moved around in my seats every five seconds as we sat at the final, state championship basketball game. It was the fourth quarter and I was on edge because the game was extremely close and neither our team nor theirs were letting up.

Although Neno turned down the opportunity to play we both still came to the game to see what the outcome would be. So in my car was Neno, Delani, and I who drove two hours away just to be petty and cheer on the other team.

"They need to pass the ball. The fuck is Elliott out there doing?" Neno cursed, looking at his former team with disappointment.

He was still being mature and rooting for his team to win, good for him. But Lani and I made sure that everyone knew we were rooting for the opposing team who I had never even heard of before.

I took a sip of my Gatorade that I had bought from the concession stand, watching as a player from Central High, the opposing school shot a three pointer.

"I know that's right!" Both me and Delani stood up, high fiving each-other and doing our celebratory dance.

Neno side-eyed us once again like he had been doing the entire day, "Ya'll are embarrassing."

"Fuck McKinley." I threw up my middle finger that he automatically smacked down and shook his head at me.

I loved the level of maturity that Neno had. But I was self aware and knew that I might've had some growing up to do but I couldn't support a team that treated him so poorly, framed drugs on him, and nearly ruined his future career and reputation.

I wanted them to fail so that they could realize that they needed Neno. I also just in all honesty wanted them to get their karma. To show that liars and cheaters never prosper.

But Neno was still cheering them on.

"I need that from number twelve, not gonna yie." Lani stuck her tongue out, talking loudly as she pointed out a player from Central.

He was a white boy but one of them spicy, grew up around black people, kinda white boy. He wore the red and black uniform well, very cute. But I could never in a million years see Lani dating somebody white.

"You wanna catch lil' Jack Harlow after the game?" I laughed, looking down at him and seeing the resemblance between the two.

"Nah, I'll find him on MaxPreps later." She shrugged.

The game intensified and as Central began to take an overwhelming lead, all Lani and I were doing was laughing and talking shit. Whereas Neno was stressed and coaching his former team from the stands as if they could hear him from all the way down on the court.

With two minutes left the game was seventy-five to fifty-six, some McKinley fans still yelling and having faith in the boys. The game was sealed now so I sat back, pleased with myself, and finished eating the hotdog that was half eaten which I got during half time.

Some older black man behind us laughed loudly and patted Neno's shoulder which startled him, "See this why they needed you out there. I remember you, number eleven. Fuck them sorry ass boys for real!"