Loving the Game

* Championship *

• Brianne's POV •

"Aww, Bri look," Brooklyn said nodding her head in Deshawn's direction. He had his car parked in front of our dorm as he stood beside it. His eyes lit up when he saw me. I began to blush.
"Must be nice," Rakeem yearned.
"Maybe if you quit being a man whore, then you can get with bae train," Brooklyn answered sassily.
"Nah, I just think that when I hit your mom up the other night, it had me catching small feelings," Rakeem smirked.
Brooklyn punched Rakeem in the arm.
"Will you two quit! Just childish," I said shaking my head as I wrapped my arms around D's neck.
"Hey ma," he said planting a kiss on my forehead.
"What are you doing here?"
"We got the T-shirts today, so I came to drop it off to ya," Deshawn said handing me a green T-shirt made like a basketball jersey.
"How cute!" Brooklyn gasped.
"Thanks baby," I told him.
"You still coming out tonight for the game right?" D checked," because afterwards I have someone I want you to meet."
"Who?" I asked curiously.
"Don't worry about it. You'll see." D assured me.
"You better come," Rakeem fussed.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world. I mean it is the championships. Both of you guys last time playing on that court, it's too special to miss out on."
"Exactly,"Brooklyn agreed.
Deshawn didn't look too happy anymore once I reminded them it would be their last go.
"We should go though," D said signaling to Rakeem," Coach wants us to have a short practice before game time in a hour so..."
"Yeah we got to bounce," Rakeem said throwing his hand up as he hopped in the passenger seat of Deshawn's car.
"I'll see you later baby," D said kissing me on my forehead before he got behind the wheel and pulled off.

"Y'all are too cute," Brooklyn sighed," I wish someone would come through for me and make me drop all my hoes too."
"Whatever," I said opening the dorm door with my electronic key.
"I'm serious! Don't you think it's kind of surreal that you got to end up with the guy you've liked since freshman year?"
I shrugged as we sat down in two arm chairs in lounge. We had the space all to ourselves for now.  "I never really thought of it that way in a while," I admitted.
"Yeah, but your going to ruin it when you leave," she groaned.
I raised my eyebrow.
"Ya know go back to Georgia and continue to pursue your career. You're going to leave me and Rakeem to die, too."
I let out a smirk," Can I let you in on a secret?"
"Yass bitch," Brooklyn said leaning in closer in her chair.
I giggled," Ok, so I thought long and hard. Really long an hard, and I decided I was going to...stay!"
"You're blowing me?! Don't lie to me Brianne," she said with big eyes.
"I'm serious. I'm going to stay, but you can't tell D yet. I want to surprise him."
" I swear, but what about your folks?"
"I talked about it with my parents. I forgot all about how my mom is originally from the Chicago area anyways so she would be fine coming out here to visit and re-soaking in all those childhood memories. Then my dad said if necessary he could transfer to the ESPN anchor location out here. It's all going to work in my favor."
Brooklyn looked as if she wanted to cry," This is great for me, too. Now we can probably work in the same hospital together. Oh I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you around to spill out my stupid  emotions too."
"I couldn't imagine life without ya either. Your my girl," I said giving her a hug.
"And of course you know that Keem would lose his shit eventually when you left, too. No matter how hard he would try to keep his composure," she added. That was true also. Me and Rakeem's relationship was similar to Ying and yang as well. Even though he was from Georgia and we've known each other since high school, he didn't have any thoughts of going back the way that I had. 
He had fallen in love with the Windy City and there was no taking him away from it....or the girls. After graduation, he was all set to go to work at doing his culinary arts thing. He always wanted to open his own restaurant and be a sous chef. Most people wouldn't expect him to be interested in entering that field based off his looks and personality, but he loved him some food.
"I could never leave you guys behind."
"Leave us behind or Deshawn behind?" Brooklyn asked with a glare.

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         • Deshawn's POV •

It was just now finally dawning on me that this was the last time I was going to put my everyday wardrobe in this little green locker and put on this white, green, and yellow jersey that had a huge number 25 on it along with Harris Jr. on the back. It felt as if slowly but surely what I had loved the most was coming to an end. But the next phase of it was awaiting me as soon as I stepped off this court for the final time. I was ready for the NBA but it was something about playing for the varsity college team that I knew I was going to miss. I closed the door to my locker and sat down on the metal bench in front of it. I could hear the faint cheers of the awaiting crowd that consisted of Brianne, Taj, Brooklyn, NBA scouts, and my two favorite women. My mom and my little sister. Since they were here to see me play, I figured why not let them meet Bri while they're here. It would save me from having to deal with my mom snooping to find out if I had someone special around anyways.
"They lit out there man," Keem said tying his shoe on the bench where I sat. I nodded," Yeah, it's crazy packed."
"You ready?" He asked.
"I suppose," I sighed," it's just...it's crazy realizing this is it."
"The game never ends bro," Keem reminded.
"If you say so man. It just feels like it's over."
"Well it's not for you. You're leaving here to go play some more on the big screen. Fuck your talking bout?"
"It's not going to be the same though is all I'm saying."
"Yeah I get it," Rakeem nodded.
"Can I ask you something?" I asked Keem.
"Yeah," he said sitting down too.
"Do you think that uh Brianne is down for me like that?"
Rakeem chuckled," Most definitely. I'm not just saying that cause she my girl either. I mean you can tell she loves and cares about you cause she would've been left you when she found out about the Ashleigh thing."
"How the hell you know about that?" I asked surprised.
"She's my best friend, like my sister. She tells me everything that bothers her. I don't miss a beat nigga."
I rubbed my chin,"So you think she loves me huh?"
Rakeem nodded," of course. Don't you love her?"
I hesitated cause I didn't really know how to answer that. "I never really...said it," I told him.
"Why not?" He asked looking me upside my head," You would get wayyy more cutty if you did."
I laughed," Nah man. I just, I don't know. It doesn't seem right to say so even if I did feel that way. Just awkward."
Keem shook his head," Nawll nigga. How would you expect someone you love to know that you love them if you don't say so. I mean you can show them but people are sluts for pretty words. Especially females. Trust me I know. I'm a master with words when it comes to the hoes."
"So I've noticed. But I guess you might be right," I said avoiding my real reason of why I couldn't tell Brianne that I loved her. She could leave just like my dad. Hell she even came close to doing so not even  two weeks ago. She could still be plotting on doing so now. But I couldn't hold her from her future. She was certainly not holding me from mine. In fact, Bri was pushing me into my future faster than I had paced myself to do. But I did care for her and hopefully she knew that deep down even if I can't verbally tell her that I do.