LaMelo Ball - By Ari

Eight

"Melo...what are you doing here?" I questioned as I felt sweat prick at my palms. God, it was like the more I tried to avoid the damn boy, the more he popped up! And at the worst times. I suddenly forgot about what I was doing and watched with widened eyes as LaMelo made his way down the bleachers a little bit before gently hopping down to the wooded floor and walking over to me. I mean, how I could I even be angry that he was here, watching my tryout? Isn't this what I wanted?

Before I could get my thoughts straight, he embraced me in a friendly hug and it was like I flew in a rocket ship down memory lane. I missed him. I missed him yet he was right here in my arms. I inhaled his sweet scent and several visions of us flowed through my head like a small movie.

"LaMelo," I breathed into his soft hoodie.

"Hi, Cori."

Suddenly, I felt like everything around him and I faded and it was just us two, and us two were the only things that mattered. I gripped him tighter as if he might drift off and float away like a balloon. Had he forgiven me? Were we friends again?

I pulled away and LaMelo still had his heavy hands on my shoulders.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. I knew I didn't have a hint of happiness on my face while Melo's smile was as wide as a 90-acre field. Seeing that grin again would usually make me ecstatic but it caused so many mixed emotions.

The tall boy sighed and looked out at the court, watching the girls getting into their assigned groups. "If I'm being honest with you, I don't know. Something told me to come and watch so I did."

I bit my lip. "Well...um..." I had no idea what else to say. "I think I should get back to..."

LaMelo let go of me, allowing me to grab another basketball. "Yeah."

Slowly backing away and getting ready to turn around to make my way to the base line like Coach Gerding's original instructions had told me to in the first place, Melo's voice stopped me in my tracks and I rotated to face him again, being about five feet apart from him.

"Focus is key, little Martin," he reminded me.

I smiled.

-

After the two excruciating hours were over, I wiped the sweat dripping off my eyebrow and grabbed for my dufflebag while Nelly did the same. We had both made the cut for the first day and it was good, but we both knew that it was going to get harder and harder as we progressed. If we thought today was difficult, then we would definitely struggle the next two days.

As Chanelle slid her Jordan's off her feet and stuffed them into her bag, she adjusted her socks. "I saw you grabbing all over Shark Boy," her voice was expressionless so I couldn't tell if she was irritated or completely unbothered by it and was just bringing it up to embarrass me. "What was that all about?"

"I don't know," I mumbled, only because I had nothing else to say.

Poking her bottom lip out in understanding, she rose to her feet and slung her bag over her tired shoulder, catching eye contact with me for a split second and gesturing to the main exit with her head. I could tell she just wanted to go home and I could for sure relate. I was dog-tired and my joints felt as if I had 100-pound weights hung onto my body.

We were just getting out the door when I felt a tap on my shoulder and when I glanced behind me, I felt the now-familiar knotting in my stomach while Chanelle noticed that I had stopped walking, making her turn around and once she saw Melo, I noticed the darkening in her eyes. I prayed that she wouldn't say anything rude.

The happy boy put his arm around me and we began making our way outside once again, Nelly reluctant and me feeling more relaxed than the first time LaMelo had approached me earlier at the tryout.

Chanelle shielded her eyes from the bright sun that engulfed us in warmth by putting her hand halfway over her eyes. "Hey, Cori, do you need a ride-"

"She can come with me," LaMelo cut her off and he then earned a dirty look from my best friend, causing me to elbow her in the side to make her stop being such a bitch to him. I knew that she disliked Melo because of how upset he made me barely over a week ago, but if I wanted him completely back, she was going to have to cut it out.

Nel said her goodbyes and hopped in her mom's car, my eyes following the Toyota as it made its way out of the parking lot and eventually out of sight. LaMelo turned to me.

"You did good today," he said and nudged my shoulder in a friendly way. "You're still not as good as me, though."

I decided to joke with him. "Oh, shut up. My shot is sexy as hell."

"But who averages 40 points in games?"

Rolling my eyes as I noticed LiAngelo's car pull to the curb, I scoffed and began walking to the sleek white vehicle. "Hey, I can take your ankles any day."

Melo gasped and acted offended, making me laugh and shake my head while I opened one of the back doors. I slid into the backseat and LaMelo did the same, putting his arm around me to pull me closer to him. I caught LiAngelo's eyes in the rear view mirror and we winked at each other.

I glanced up at Melo. "So are we friends again?" My tone of voice was quiet because I didn't really want LiAngelo to be in on the conversation.

Giving me a side-smile, the boy put his lips to my ear and I felt goosebumps rise to my skin as he whispered, "You think I'd let you get away from me that easily?"

-

(A/N) YA'LL ARE GONNA LOVE THE NEXT CHAPTER, I CAN GUARANTEE IT YAYAYAYAYA I'M SO EXCITED