I waited on the side of the school, still sweaty from Dance practice, humming my solo for chorus. i checked the clock on my phone. It's literally been 45 minutes that I've been waiting on this nigga. Wtf. I would leave his ass but i know I wouldn't hear the end of it. 5 more minutes though, and he will be catching public transit, i don't have any time. The side door to the gym opened and i could hear his goofy laugh from down the sidewalk. He finally made it to me. "Bighead, you waited on me!" he said. I rolled my eyes. "Nigga you was supposed to be done with practice like 30 minutes ago, Coach Lawrence be holding yall hostage like shit." I said walking ahead of him. I could hear him laugh behind me. "You know how i am when it comes to ball, i'd stay still midnight if i have to." i scoffed. "Yeah yo ass was gone be walking home at midnight to." I unlocked my car and threw him the keys.
Steven was my best friend. He was really my only friend. It's been just us from diapers. Literally, my mom and his mom grew up together and had their babies the same time. No really, he was like 4 hours older than me, shit was creepy. But it was always just us, and no we've never wanted to be anything more. It's not that story. He was like my brother, and that's what he would always be.
"Why don't you ever drive when i'm in the car?" Steven asked me pulling out of the school parking lot. I leaned my head on the seat belt and ignored him. Not to be an ass, but i didn't feel like talking. I was beat at practice today. Being head captain and trying to teach these newbies all 300 stands before football season was tiring me. I could feel him looking at me and he hit me in the back of the head. "Asia!" I leaned over and pulled him by the ear and the car swerved. "aye aye, ok chill. Dang!" he said. "Stop talking to me i'm sleepy." i frowned. He laughed. "And I'm not? I got that senior project to do and that big basketball game coming up." I opened my eyes. "Oh yea, the scouts from Duke is coming ain't they?"
He nodded. "And Kansas, and Kentucky. That's like the top schools for basketball." he said. I was nervous for him. He had been playing ball his whole life, and he made it his goal after his father died to take it far. He wears his dad's initials on a chain. I knew this was a big moment for him. "You'll do amazing best friend, what they say?" I smiled. He rolled his eyes. "Can't nobody ball, like Steven Hall." he said. It was so lame but it became his motto around the school, they even say it in the local newspapers. And when i say local i mean it, living in South Carolina, if you were gonna make it big, they knew about you.
We lived only 10 minutes from school. Yes i said we. We were neighbors. I know this shit sounds oh so cliche but hey, that's how it is. He pulled in my driveway and got his bookbag from the backseat, then passed me they keys. "Mom cooking today?" he asked. I looked at him like he was stupid. "Now you know.." i said. He laughed and got out the car. "I'll be over for a plate if Ms. Hall aint tripping bout this room i ain't clean. But if i don't come over i'll just see you at church tomorrow." he said. We had youth group meetings every Saturday at 11 in the morning. At first our mom's made us go then we got older and started going on our own. It may not look like it from others perspective but God was a big part of my life and his too.
He walked over the lawn and i almost forgot. "Oh yeah, text me we gotta talk about prom!" i said. He saluted me and walked in the house. I shook my head and walked in my front door. i could smell the food from outside. Oxtails, collard greens and Buttered rice. She was the reason why i was so thick . Yeah i was active but still, this southern cooking didn't help. I had to get all my dance outfits bigger just to fit me. I'm very curvy with a slim waist. but you could sit a wine glass on my ass and i bet 100 that shit wouldn't wobble. Steven says im "stacked like books on a shelf" Cornball. But in my eyes i was a basic looking brownskin, southern, country bumpkin. I had a gap that you could stick a straw between, but it fit me. I was pretty, but i never dated. Never wanted too. I liked making niggas want what they couldn't have. And besides, i was way too focused on other things. I didn't have time to date.
