Love, Loyalty, & Murder

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

With five seconds left on the game clock, DeSean James sprinted down the court and made it to the hoop just in time to slam dunk the alley-oop pass from the point guard to win the season opener. The monstrous dunk sent the whole arena, which was filled to capacity, into a frenzy. DeSean was, undoubtedly, the superstar of his college basketball team. He was a beast in the clutch, and his dribbling skills and agility were impeccable. All he needed to do was get his weight up and continue to practice hard, and DeSean could possibly become recognized as one of college basketball's elite players. The fact that he chose to play for a small college in South Florida often baffled people. Had he taken his talent to a more high-profile university, he would have had the potential to receive a lot more recognition that would further his dream of going pro.

After nailing the buzzer-beater, he immediately jogged to the locker room while his teammates shook their opponents' hands and celebrated with the fans. He quickly grabbed his athletic gear and slipped out the back exit. His fellow peers and fans who littered the street praised his amazing performance. He nodded in acknowledgment. Despite skipping the mandatory team meet and greet and autograph signing, DeSean appreciated all the praise. The many accolades he received from the fans, opponents, and the local media on a constant basis humbled him. On the court, his movements and expressions were very dynamic, but off the court, DeSean was a quiet and modest young man. The growing notoriety never went to his head, and his ego never got the best of him. DeSean shunned the spotlight and made it his mission to stay far away from it.

Approaching his on-campus dormitory located directly across the street from the arena, DeSean noticed two individuals who appeared out of place amid several residents of the student housing facility that were coming and going. They were both young, Black males wearing baggy, sagging black jeans and black t-shirts. One was posted near the entrance to the dorm building, scrolling through his cell phone. The other was harassing all the female students entering and leaving the building. He was a light-skinned kid with light brown, shoulder-length dreadlocks that hung from underneath a black fitted cap with "407" sewn on the front. As DeSean walked closer, he could tell the dread head was nearing intoxication. The kid was loud, arrogant, and his speech was beginning to slur.

Just as he was about to close the gap between him and the two men, he paused as his heart skipped a beat. Off to the side of the entrance was a red-headed beauty sitting on the bench with her legs seductively crossed. DeSean then continued and watched as the girl's gorgeous long, auburn and naturally wavy hair blew in the light November breeze. Her big, beautiful eyes were uniquely spaced apart, and she had a cute, chubby, round nose. Her perfectly bowed and plump lips threatened an erection to form in his basketball shorts. His heart swelled with love, knowing that her beauty was a rarity. She was simply stunning, and she belonged to him.

"There bruh go…" the dread head stated as he saw DeSean approach. "My nigga was ballin' in that bitch," Latavius addressed DeSean as he began dribbling an imaginary basketball between his legs, followed by a fake jump shot.

"What up, bruh?" DeSean greeted Latavius, nodding before performing a complex handshake.

"That dunk at the end, though..." Donte complimented. "What up, Dee?" DeSean and Donte gave each other dap, followed by an embrace.

"Right! You shoulda stuck your tongue out like MJ back in the day, then gave them bitches the middle finger," Latavius said animatedly while trying to re-enact DeSean's show-stopping dunk.

As Latavius carried on, DeSean stepped to the vixen seated on the bench. He set his athletic bag on the ground, then stood directly in front of the pretty lady. He gazed at her intensely, taking in her exotic features.