LaMelo Ball - By Ari

Three

After school on Friday, LaMelo had asked if I wanted to stick around for a little and ball up at the school's gym in the east building. Apparently, the principal now allows him to bring friends to do some light training from three to five in the evening, since he's well-known and all, or so I'm guessing. I instantly agreed and retrieved my basketball bag from the girl's locker room which contained extra basketball shorts, an old bright pink tournament tee, Nike Elite socks, and some old Air Jordan's Nine's that I've probably grown out of by now, but they're my good shooting shoes so I didn't fret when I saw them laid in my bag.

After slipping into my comfortable clothes, I followed LaMelo silently and we traveled across the court yard, through the C building, and into the most eastward building. Melo held open every door we encountered for me and it was the little things that he did that cheered me up the most.

"Welcome to the palace," he said and led me into the empty east gym. I had never been in it since I never go to the east building during my school day for any reason, and it was very nice. Way better than Marty's. I set my bag down on the folded bleachers and reached for a nice, pumped up basketball from the metal rack in a corner. Bouncing it once, the satisfying sound of a perfect Chino Hills basketball made shutters travel up and down my body. I waited for LaMelo to get laced up by shooting around in random places, each shot that I took swishing perfectly into the net. I saw Melo look up a few times and nod his head slightly, basically in approval. I threw up a couple more. Swish, swish, swish.

Watching him stand to his feet, I side-smiled when he ran each of his hands across the bottoms of his basketball shoes, making them more grippy.

"Alright, Stephanie Curry," LaMelo's teasing voice echoed while he put his hand in the air, gesturing to the ball that was in my embrace. "I might have to show you a little fire before you get too big for your britches."

Throwing him the basketball, Melo did many combinations and deep shots that didn't even look humanly possible. My confidence level eventually dropped to an all-time low seeing how amazing he really was and how effortless he made all these things look. Once he sunk in a shot that was barely a step in front of the half court line, I sighed, uncrossed my arms, and took a seat on the ground. I glanced at my worn out Jordan's. I felt like such a joke.

LaMelo approached me with beads of sweat forming in the corners of his forehead and around his collarbone like a necklace. He was barely out of breath and when I didn't say anything, Melo put his hand on my leg and bent down a little, trying to lock eyes with me.

"Hey, what's up? Why aren't you shooting?"

"I think I should go home. My mom is probably worried."

His eyebrows scrunched in concern, and I tried so hard to avoid his chocolate eyes. "But we just got here. And I mean, can't you just call home and say where you are?"

"She doesn't have a phone," I lied.

"Cori."

His change of tone made my gaze snap up to his face, and I was frozen. Wow, LaMelo Ball in all his manly glory. Slightly sweaty, complexion glowing, curls damp from perspiration-

"Cori," he repeated, and I scrunched my eyebrows together. "Stay."

Gee, way to make me feel like a dog. It took me a minute but I eventually nodded my head in hesitance. Melo handed me the basketball he was holding and when I didn't take it, he tucked it at his hip. "What's the matter?"

"This is so embarrassing," my voice was so quiet, I could barely even hear what I was saying.

"How?"

"I'm not near as good as you."

He suddenly laughed, surprising me so much that I gasped under my breath. He really thought that my frustration was funny? I had no idea what to do while Melo just cackled away, his loud giggles echoing over and over again like a broken record. When I scooted a few feet away from him in one giant push with my arms, making his hand leave my leg, his fit of laughter died down and I finally found my regular voice again to ask, "Why are you laughing at me?"

"Because," Melo cleared his throat and swallowed one final snicker. "You're being ridiculous. This isn't a competition."

"I know it's not. I-"

"Then quit acting like a scared little girl because I know that you aren't. This is supposed to be fun, we're supposed to be having fun."

I looked up at him again, and realized how dumb I was being. Why did I have to be so competitive and self-conscious? The hopeful expression on his face and in his eyes made me smile even though I had tried so hard not to, and he held his hand out to help me up from the shiny, wooden floor.

Gripping it, he hoisted me up and we held hands a little longer than we needed to, making a blush creep to my cheeks that I hid by turning around, dribbling the ball he gave me once, and throwing up a shot.

Swish.

-

LiAngelo ended up taking me home along with LaMelo, since my dad ended up working the late shift at his job and my mom didn't have a car to pick me up. I felt embarrassed that he not only had to deal with my pouty ass attitude back at the gym, but he has to take my needy self home, too. I reluctantly hoisted myself into the shiny white car and I saw that Melo decided to sit in the back with me, instead of choosing the passenger seat. God, he was so nice.

Not only did he sit in the backseat, he slid into the middle seat, which was right next to me. Even after sweating, his cologne still smelled heavenly.

"You okay?" LaMelo asked, and I quickly glanced up at him beneath my long eyelashes. "You're quiet again."

"I'm just worn out," I admitted. "That game of Knockout at the end was preeeetty intense."

I tried to ignore the fact that our legs were leaned against each other and he was invading a personal space bubble that I wasn't really aware of until now, so I stared out the window until my neck grew sore from having it in a certain position for a while. I then rested my head on the back of the seat and turned it the opposite direction and accidentally laid it on his shoulder. My eyes widened in surprise and I wanted to lift my head up and try and forget about how many times I've humiliated myself today, but it felt so nice to just relax for a moment and for God's sake, he smelled so good. Before I could react, LaMelo leaned his head on mine for a split second, then planted a shy, quick kiss on the top of my forehead.

THE BUTTERFLIES!

A shit-eating grin erupted onto my lips like a lava spill and I didn't even care if he saw how giddy I was or not. I don't think I had ever had a happier moment in my life!

"Sorry, I don't know why I did that," Melo half-whispered.

"It's okay." I could barely even speak, I was smiling so damn hard.

My heart.