Elements of Us /// Jimmy Butler

Chapter 40

As always, I don't own anything associated with the Bulls.

"I thought we could talk..." Kelly trailed off.

"Talk?" Allison scoffed, "There's nothing to talk about."

"Please," Kelly begged, "Just for a minute."

"Fine." Allison agreed, crossing her arms and sitting down in one of the chairs in the lobby.

"What happened to your eye?" Kelly questioned, sitting across from her.

"You're only getting a minute," Allison said, "So how about you just say what you came here to say?"

"Right," Kelly breathed, "I'm sorry okay? That whole situation was a mistake. I was mad and I took it out on you, when I shouldn't have. Just...I miss my best friend and I know you miss me too. So...could we just put this behind us?"

"You're sorry?" Allison ridiculed, getting up from her chair, "Good, I'm so glad you're sorry." She said, sarcastically, "I don't need you, Kelly. You might think I do, but I don't. I'm perfectly fine on my own. I don't miss anyone who thinks doing that to someone can just be 'put behind us'." She continued, "Dammit Kelly, we've been friends for almost, what, fifteen years?  It's funny that when it comes down to it, that means nothing." She concluded, beginning to walk off towards the elevator.

"C'mon," Kelly called after her, "quit being dramatic!"

"You're supposed to have my back," Allison called back to her, stepping into the elevator, "I guess you never really have." She shook her head, as the doors closed.

She was done feeling bad for the things she said these days. If lying and being 'nice' was what she was supposed to do, she would let people walk all over her for the rest of her life.

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"Where's Allison?" Doug asked Andy at practice a couple of days later.

"She had to take some time off," Andy nodded, looking down at the practice agenda, "She'll be back in two weeks."

"Two weeks?" Tony questioned, "Seems like a long time."

"What's wrong?" The rookie, Bobby Portis, asked.

"She has some personal things to take care of." Andy said shortly, not wanting to give out any more information, "Anyways, I'll be covering for her these next couple of weeks so I hope you're all as excited as I am."

Most of the players groaned in response.

"Hey!" Andy interjected, "I'm fun too!" He argued, eventually telling the players their warm up.

"Any of you heard from Alli?" Joakim asked on their warm up, to Jimmy, Taj and Derrick.

"Nah," Taj shrugged, "I thought I should just give her space, I haven't talked to her."

"Give space to someone who's goin through somethin?" Derrick questioned.

"Man, I don't know!" Taj exclaimed, "Jimmy?"

"Huh?" Jimmy said, "Uh..." He didn't want to tell them that she'd come over, he wanted to keep that private, for her sake, "I tried to talk to her."

"And?" Joakim pried

"I don't know." Jimmy said, "She didn't tell me much, except that she's 'taking care of it'."

"Taking care of it." Derrick repeated, "What does that mean?"

"I don't know." Joakim replied, "Maybe we should try and help her."

"And how exactly are we gonna do that?" Taj asked.