LaMelo Ball - By Ari

One

I walked the halls of Chino Hills with my best friend, Nelly, at my side. We both just got through with our advanced biology class, and the homework that Mrs. Baylor hands out in there every day is completely unbelievable. My arms shook with fatigue as I struggled to keep my heavy ass binder in place under my arm, and finally, my muscles accidentally released and my beautiful blue binder, MacBook, and a few other stray papers fell to the floor. Before me or my best friend could react, I saw a chocolate-colored flash drop to my feet, scrambling to pick up the mess. My eyes adjusted first to Nelly and then to the boy who was gathering my stuff on the tiled floor. So far, I could only see the top of his head and a little bit of the side, and all I could say is that his hair was styled trendily with a fade, including messy, caramel-colored curls. I tilted my head in amusement as the boy got up, grinning cheekily with a mouth full of braces.

"Thank you," I blushed immediately as he handed me my things and I glanced up at him, his soft brown eyes melting me to the core.

The boy nodded as if he were saying "you're welcome" and before I could side with Nelly once again, he added, "My name is LaMelo, by the way. LaMelo Ball."

A light bulb of recognition sparked to life in my mind when I heard his name. LaMelo Ball played on the school's varsity basketball team. He's supposedly known world-wide at the moment because people saw his freshman year mixtape on Instagram or something. I have no idea why I didn't recognize him earlier and the fact made me feel stupid. He's probably used to people recognizing him and worshiping him at his feet. I guess I had never really seen him up close before, and that's why he only rung a bell when he said his name.

"I'm Cori," I introduced myself with confidence as I ran my fingers through my wavy locks. I gestured to my best friend who was still standing beside me, books clutched to her chest. "This is Chanelle."

LaMelo smiled again and my stomach fluttered with instant butterflies at his cuteness. Glancing at the clock that hung over classroom door, I suddenly gasped at the time. I was going to be late for sure if I stuck around longer to talk.

"Hey, um, I have to go," I said, giving him a small grin. "But maybe I'll see you around?"

"Fosho. Nice meeting you, Cori. And Chanelle."

I gave one last nod of my head and stepped past him with my best friend, feeling LaMelo's eyes on my back as I made my way down the hall to fourth period with Nelly.

-

"He fine," Chanelle purred as she sunk the basketball gracefully into the hoop from the three-point line. We were the only ones shooting around at Marty's Gym, which is pretty typical because nobody really knows about it. It's a run-down building that was supposed to be a facility for some company but a large, black man named Marty bought it for, like, 200k. The place is ghetto as hell but it's home, since Nelly and I have been hooping there since we were ten. Plus, the court's pretty nice despite the fact that the wood's a little warped in some spots from leaks in the ceiling.

I smirked at Chanelle's statement, since she was talking about the one and only, LaMelo Ball. "Yeah, he's pretty cute," I rebounded the ball and passed it to her as she walked to the free throw line.

"'Pretty cute'? Girl, you trippin.' He fine and I know fine when I see it." Nelly shot the ball again. Swish.

"There's no point in falling for him," I pointed out. "It's too much trouble to be getting into. Plus, he's probably not even into me anyways."

Chanelle retrieved the ball herself and held it at her hip sassily, obviously shocked at what I said a few moments prier. "Cori, you're a dumbass if you didn't see the way that he was lookin' at you, all up and down and whatever. He's clearly into you."

"But he's LaMelo Ball," I emphasized. "He's not only all the talk in Chino Hills but he's world-famous, you know."

"So...you're saying that you can't like him because you think he's better than you? Is it because he's a nice hooper? Yeah, sure, he can make half court shots or whatever, but you've got it all. You can take his ankles any day."

I looked down at my Jordan's and smiled, shaking my head because I knew everything Nelly was saying wasn't true at all. "LaMelo is a way better player than me. But not only me, you too, Chanelle. And if he were to ever, ever make any moves on me of any sort, what would everyone else think? They'd probably dog him because he'd be plain stupid to ever go for a girl like me."

There was a silence between us and my best friend finally scoffed and gave up, still grinning. "I know. But I think you should talk to him more anyways. Put yourself out there! He ain't no better than you, girl, just because he a little superstar and he on TV sometimes."