Loving the Game

* Are You Available? *

"Let's go!" I barked at the team as they slowed down running. They were finally on 15 but we still had 10 more to go. Rakeem gave me a look as if he wished I would tell them to stop. Trey put his hands over his head and stopped and stood at the half court line. "I'm done," he frowned. "No you're not you got 10 more. So move."
"Nigga you ain't my momma trying tell me what to do. I'm done with this cause it's pointless."
"If that's how you feel then the exit is right over there," I pointed out.
"Man D this harsh," a guy named Donny whined.
"He making us do all this cause of a bitch." Trey sighed.
I blew the whistle causing everyone to stop where they were. All of them had their eyes on me as I walked over and stood in front of Trey.
"What the fuck you just say?" I asked.
"You heard me man. You major BSing right now."
Some of Trey's friends agreed with him.
"All I want to know is do you like ole girl or something? If you do I'll lay off on the jokes if that's your old lady," Trey asked crossing his arms.
I wanted to say something but exactly what could I say. She wasn't mine and right now I'm not looking for a commitment to anyone. But I felt some type a way about her that was unexplainable in words.
"Do you?" Trey asked again after I had been taking to long to answer. How can you answer a question you don't even know the answer to? You can't, so you just sit or stand there. Looking lost in a whole nother world.
"I...she..." I began to explain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
• Brianne's POV •

Last night. Last night. I would consider it be the number one most horrible thing that has ever happened to me next to the time I had split my pants in the cafeteria in high school. It was not pretty. I had to wear my red gym shorts for the rest of the day that no where near matched the rest of my attire.
I was surprised when D had come to check up on me. I figured that he wasn't going to talk to me ever again. Wrong!

Brooklyn, Rakeem, and I had decided to have a movie night once he got out of practice out our dorm. Brooklyn set up a few snacks and since it was my turn to pick a movie, I chose for us to watch Shrek. One of my favorite movies ever.
There was a knock on the door.
"I'll get it!" Brooklyn called out to me as she set down a bowl of chips and dip. She opened the door revealing Rakeem. "Yo!" He smiled coming in the door," y'all ready to get popping or what?"
"We just finished," I informed him.
"What we watching?" he s-asked flopping down in the chocolate leather arm chair next to the couch. "Shrek," I answered giggling because I knew they were thinking about how childish I was to pick that. "Oook," he said shrugging his shoulders. Brooklyn and I took a seat on the deep olive green couch that sat directly in front of the flat screen hanging on the wall. I reached for the remote to press play, but my phone began to ring. I looked at the called I.D. and noticed it was Deshawn. I showed the screen to Brooklyn who told me to answer it.

"Hello?" I asked.
"Hey," he answered. His voice sounded groggy as if he just woke up. Boy oh boy what a major turn on.
"What's up?" I asked him. Brooklyn and Rakeem both were hovering over me trying to be nosy and listen to our conversation.
"Nothing chilling at the house. I wanted to know how are you?"
Why did he have to remind me about last night.
"Oh I'm good," I answered quickly.
"Great." He yawned," are you busy right now?"
"Sort of. I'm about to have movie night with my friends." I admitted,"Did you need something?"
"Yea, I um actually wanted to know if you were available Friday night?" I looked at Brooklyn who looked at me then looked up at Rakeem. Keem just shrugged and nodded.
"No," I answered softly. I know it might sound crazy that I said no but I have a logical explanation for it. When I was with Deshawn it pisses Ashleigh off so bad that she embarrasses me. When I get embarrassed people pay me all of their attention. I loathe the idea of over attention, which I would automatically get being around one of the most popular guys on campus. So the best thing for me to do, no matter how badly I wanted to, was to stay in my own little shell.
"No?" He repeated. I could tell he wasn't looking very happy anymore by his tone.
"Um..." I began as Brooklyn slapped me on my thigh. Her eyes spoke 'what the hell are you doing!'.
"I don't know," I finally responded.
"Did I do something?" He wondered.
"No, of course not." I responded quickly.
"Then...what?"
I paused trying to collect the right words to say in order for him to see where I was coming from. It took me so long to respond he had to ask if I was still on the phone.
Brooklyn snatched the phone from my grasp and ran with it to the bathroom. I immediately jumped up and chased her as I heard her say 'I would love to go out with you' in her best impression of me without the Hispanic accent. As I came around the corner she looked at me with a smile and shut the bathroom door. Rakeem came and stood beside me shaking his head. I started banging on the door like a mad person. "Brooklyn, I'm going to open up a can of whoop ass on you when you get out!" I over heard her giggling. "Quit playing Brook," Rakeem called out.
Two minutes later she opened the door. She handed over my phone to me with a grin spread from ear to ear on her face.
"You'll thank me later," she told me.
I reached for her neck to choke her but Rakeem pulled me to his side. All I could do was fuss at her.
I growled at her, " I'm not ever going to talk to you again." We both knew I was lying. The longest I had gone without speaking to her was half a week  and it was a struggle to do that.
I stormed off back towards the so called living room. "Bri..!" She called after me in a baby voice. I wasn't trying to hear it. She knows how much I hate attention and she still went against the grain.

Text from: Deshawn
Time: 7:43 p.m.
Message: I kno tht wasn't u on the phone...do u really want 2 go out to a movie wit me?

I sighed. I really liked Deshawn. Even better now that I was getting to know him, but I didn't want problems everywhere we went together.

Text to: Deshawn
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Message: I would love 2

It was worth the risk though. After all it is senior year like Brooklyn said before. No regrets, right?