Loving the Game

* 2nd Impressions *

Text to: Brianne
Time: 12:34 p.m.
Message: how does a movie sound?

I texted Brianne while in my child nutrition class. I should have been paying attention to Professor Lovan, but I was kind of eager to speak to Bri. I hadn't seen her in a minute because the only class we shared was Poetic Arts. I would hate to say I was catching feelings for her, but I couldn't do that. I wasn't ready to be committed...again. Especially to a good girl with a good heart knowing I wasn't going to do right. Then I had too much besides my love life to be worried about: scouts, the nba, graduation, my family, and much more.

Text from: Brianne
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Message: sure, scary movie?

Text to: Brianne
Time: 1:10 p.m.
Message: anything u want

Text from: Brianne
Time: 1:17 p.m.
Message: scary it is then

Text to: Brianne
Time: 1:23 p.m.
Message: c ya tonight

Text from: Brianne
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Message: can't wait

I couldn't wait either. I kinda wanted to kiss her again. Maybe only because I haven't been affectionate like that with someone since last year with Ash.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You look pretty," Brooklyn complimented me as I put on my pearl earrings in the full body length mirror in our room.
I just stared back at her through the reflection. Even though I said yes I was still upset with her. I've Brooklyn to pull slick things before but none like this when it came to boys. "Bri," she moaned. I pursed my lips and batted my eyes. I never wore make up but I decided to put on a little eyeliner and shadow tonight. Not like it would be noticeable in a dark movie theater anyways. Tonight I decide to wear a pair of ripped and faded jeans with a tribal shawl covering my pink tank and a pair of brown ankle boots.
"You can't stay mad at me forever!" She pouted. "That's what you think," I sighed under my breath making it still noticeable for her to hear. "I still love you sis," she mentioned like that was going to make it better.
"Love ain't nothing but a second hand emotion," I quoted. "Lies," she gasped. I shook my head as there was a knock on the door. "Bye," I grunted as I walked back towards the front of the suite.

I opened the door to reveal Deshawn standing there in a Burberry plaid shirt, dark jeans, and some red timbs. This time he came empty handed.
He smiled once I greeted him.
"You look nice," he mentioned.
"You don't look too bad yourself," I said returning the compliment as we both walked out into the dorm hall towards the elevator.
On the elevator trip down, Deshawn kept looking me up and down.
"Something wrong?" I asked more snappier than planned. He shook his head," I was just thinking..." "About?" I wondered. "How I can't wait to get started on that damn project," he laughed. I smirked at the funny yet frisky comment. Although I won't say it, I couldn't wait either.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Two for 'As the bough breaks' please," Deshawn told the person working at the ticket station. "That will be $16.00" the ticket master said. Deshawn pulled out a twenty and collected his change.
"Popcorn?" He asked. I nodded. How can you enjoy a movie without it? There 4 people ahead of us in line at the concession. I decided to take this time to talk.
"What made you ask me out again?" I thought aloud.
"You." He simply stated.
"What about me?"
"I don't know. It's a lot."
"Explain," I stated.
"How can you explain the unexplainable?" He questioned me, his eyes glistened as he smiled.
"Well can you explain practice the other day," I asked. He raised his eyebrows as if he didn't know what I was talking about.
"Rakeem told me you kind of...stuck up for me in a way." I reminded him.
He nodded,"Yea well, I just don't like people running their mouth on a subject they don't even know the half about." I nodded. I sensed the feeling that he was trying to play the situation down more than it really was. By the way Rakeem explained it, it seemed as if he was a bit upset over the fact about how Trey was talking about me.
"Oh," was all I could say. Calling him a liar wasn't good on a second date. Especially since he wasn't obligated by any means to tell me the truth.
"I didn't want people lying on you around campus either." He shrugged.
"Lying?" I questioned.
"Saying that you were my girl and stuff. I mean we just...we do this." Deshawn said pointing out where we were," it's just a casual dating situation." I masked my feelings behind that comment. I couldn't let him see that that made me feel some type of way.
"Of course, just friends," I added. This exact reason is why I hated catching feelings for people. You see them one way in your life and your not even half of that in theirs.
"A medium popcorn and two drink," he ordered once we reached the counter. "Is that all?" He asked me making sure I didn't want anything else. I nodded. "That's all," I answered lowly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In theater we sat near the top and center. The theater was mostly full but still enough room to be spaced out. Where we sat there was no one to either side of us unless you looked a couple of seats down. Deshawn sat the bowl of popcorn between us for sharing.
"Comfortable?" He asked once we were fully settled. I nodded. I didn't want to to just casual date or be friends with Deshawn. That wasn't apart of my plans. We had a lot in common and I felt even Ray Charles could see that, so why can't he?
Everyone in the theater fell silent as the movie began to roll. Now I wanted to leave. I wanted to go back to the dorm because I wanted things to grow between us as we continued to be around each other but he didn't. I felt like being here was useless now.
"This is good," D whispered referring to one of the scary scenes. I agreed even though I was halfway paying attention to it. My mind was elsewhere now. I think he could tell because a few seconds after that he reached for my hand. I didn't even bother to move it because I secretly wanted him to hold it and the other side of me wanted to hit him with it. Our fingers were now entwined with each other the way that couples do, not friends. Last time I checked I've never held hands like this with Keem.
I jumped a little once something on the screen jumped out at us in the scene where the daughter is looking for her mother. D squeezed my hand in reassurance. I turned to see him giving me a small smile. I flashed a fake one back.

Once the movie was over he helped escort me out the theater and to the parking lot. I remained silent. He opened the door to his grey Camaro like a gentlemen for me.
"Did you get scared?" He asked on the way back to campus.
"No," I replied quickly.
He made that 'why you lyin' face at me," really?"
"Really."
"Then how come you jumped a couple of times?"
"Just because I jumped doesn't mean I was scared I was just surprised," I informed him.
He shook his head,"...that attitude..."
"Excuse me?" I asked with my eyebrow raised.
"You're a feisty one is all I'm saying ma," he answered with a chuckle as he pulled up to the dorm building where I stayed.
"Call it what you want," I sighed.
Once he parked in front of the building he began to tickle me. "You gone keep on," he laughed as he continued to tickle my tummy.
"Stop!" I laughed. I was very ticklish. I couldn't stay upset at him once he was making me laugh like he was now.  I tried to push him off of me, but he wouldn't stop for nothing. "Deshawn," I whined pinching him on the arm. Of course it didn't hurt his toned muscular  body.
"Alright I'm done," he laughed keeping his hands now to his self. I looked at the clock in the car. It was 11:15. At 12:00 the doors to all the dorm building on campus would automatically lock not allowing anyone in. Even if you had a card to get back in, the key would not be able to activate the lock on the double glass doors.
"So this is goodnight huh?" He asked with a sigh.
I nodded,"Yeah."
He placed his left hand on my thigh and leaned over near me. I knew exactly what he was about to do, and I wasn't about to stop him either. He leaned in and planted a nice long soft kiss on my lips. I caressed his face with my hand as he did. After a few more seconds I pulled away. He asked was something wrong and I just shook my head at him. "I just don't think this is what you do when you're just being casual with someone," I mentioned. If Brooklyn were here she would say I was being petty but I really didn't care because that was the truth. I undid my seatbelt and opened the door of the car.
"Goodnight," I said as I closed the door and headed towards the front door of my dormitory. I didn't bother to look back and see his reaction to my statement. I just continued on my path to the elevator.