Stay in Your Lane | Lonzo Ball

Chapter 5

Izzy-Leigh

Nate was so extra for no reason. It was annoying as hell. He didn't start doing these pop ups until he saw Zo around me because he felt threatened. We broke up almost a year ago. He needs to get over it. Nothing about his current behavior made me want to take him back.

I finished my breakfast and went back to my room to shower before heading out to my classes. I had three to knockout today. Advanced Dynamic and Sypnotic Meterology, Mesometerology and Atmospheric Physics. My brain is usually fried after it's all over. Most of my professors did the lecture format, so I would have pages and pages of notes at the end of the day.

Since my first class ended five minutes early, I waited outside on a bench to take in the fresh air and scenery before heading to my next class that was in the same building. I randomly snapped a picture of me standing my books up on my lap, and resting my free hand chin on top. The natural lighting was going crazy, highlighting my brown eyes and made my skin look flawless.

issa_iz4: scholar selfie 📚✏️❤️

I exited it out once it posted and went to see what was going on in the Snapchat world. I went to my profile and saw Lonzo's name on the Quick Add list.

Zo💙💛🏀 Add | X
zo2
New Contact

I couldn't help but laugh again at his emoji selection as I pressed the add button. He was a mess. The way he's stood up to Nate's disrespectful ass was pretty cool of him too. So far, he's just been chill and funny. Maybe he's really not this egotistical big shot guy I thought he was.

When I looked up from my phone, I noticed a small crowd of people starting to form on the sidewalk by the buildings parking lot. Coincidently, it was Lonzo finding himself surrounded by girls that he toward over holding out stuff for him to sign. Wow, that's crazy. I mean, don't get me wrong he's a damn good ball player and everyone knows he's pretty much gonna go to the league next year, but dang can the boy go to class in peace? Guess not.

I stood up, swinging my bag over my shoulder before heading back in the building for my next class. After finding my seat, I leaned back in my chair playing around on my phone as I waited for my professor to get started.

Zo 💙💛🏀 added you back!
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Once class over, I went to lunch in the cafe with a few of my teammates before heading to the final one of the day. Immediately following that, I took the bus down to the gym for practice that started in forty-five minutes. I always tried to come in early every day to get extra shots up.

Practice was pretty rough. Three hours of nonstop movement, including conditioning when we couldn't get things done how coach wanted. She was in one of those types of moods, but we pushed through. She gave us props for working hard and sent us to the locker room on a positive note.

The current buzz among the team was about the new NCAA rankings that had come out this morning. As of today, we were ranked number five in the country. The boys were holding strong at seven in their ranks. Cracking the top ten in these rankings wasn't an easy feat in itself, but we all had the desire and hunger to be number one.

zo2 commented on your photo

I swiped left on the notification and unlocked my phone.

zo2: the title of that book sounds hard 😂😂 s/o to you weatherwoman 👌🏾

"What you laughing at?" Jordan attempted to peak over my shoulder.

"None of your business," I moved away and stuck my tongue out.

"Probably Lonzo," she said in a sing song voice.

"Ew, stop it," I rolled my eyes, "you doing too much."

"Yeah right. I saw you guys in the cafe this morning. He's cute girl," she raised her eyebrows, "new boo?"

"No, more like a new friend. Way too young for me to booing up."

"True...ain't nothing wrong with being a cougar though," she mimicked claws with her hands.

I laughed so hard that I gave myself a stitch in my side.

"Oh my gosh. Bye Jordan. You're crazy as hell."

I can't with her goofy ass.

We all went to dinner together at the cafe. I didn't hang back to chat long. Anxious to shower and lay in my bed. I did just that when I returned. Feeling a little studious, I did some reading ahead for my classes tomorrow.

Golden State was playing the Utah Jazz on ESPN, so I found myself tuned into that. Watching Steph ball out gave me the sudden urge to wanna go get some shots up. It was damn near ten o'clock, but that didn't matter to me. It's never crowded on the extra mile. My mom used to say that quote to be all the times in regards to not only basketball, but school and life in general.

I changed into shorts, a sleeveless UCLA shirt and slides, carrying my sneakers tied around the strap of my backpack. I decided to walk as a way of getting more exercise in. The distance I estimated it to me would be a mile, roughly ten minutes. I turned on my music and plugged one head phones.

Hey, I was doing just fine before I met you
I drink too much and that's an issue but I'm okay
Hey, you tell your friends it was nice to meet them
But I hope I never see them again

I know it breaks your heart
Moved to the city in a broke down car
And four years, no calls
Now you're looking pretty in a hotel bar
And I can't stop
No, I can't stop

So baby pull me closer in the backseat of your Rover
That I know you can't afford
Bite that tattoo on your shoulder
Pull the sheets right off the corner
Of the mattress that you stole
From your roommate back in Boulder
We ain't ever getting older

One of my favorite songs at the moment. I didn't have a musical preference. I listened to everything.

You look as good as the day I met you
I forget just why I left you, I was insane
Stay and play that Blink-182 song
That we beat to death in Tuscon, okay

I know it breaks your heart
Moved to the city in a broke down car
And four years, no call
Now I'm looking pretty in a hotel bar
And I can't stop
No, I can't stop

So baby pull me closer in the backseat of your Rover
That I know you can't afford
Bite that tattoo on your shoulder
Pull the sheets right off the corner
Of the mattress that you stole
From your roommate back in Boulder
We ain't ever getting older

We ain't ever getting older
We ain't ever getting older

My jam session was paused when I noticed bright lights slowly approaching me from behind. Cars had been passing me this whole time, but at a quicker pace. I hope this isn't a creep. I don't have time.

I tried not to pay any attention to it but failed to do so when a white Mercedes G-Wagon pulled up beside me. I kept my head forward and continued walking, but it just slowed down and rolled at my walking pace.

I stopped in annoyance. The tinted window slowly rolled down.

"Yo, what's your damn problem?!" I snapped.

Once the window was fully rolled down, I realized who it was and eased up.

"Really Zo?"

He smiled and laughed, "you were about to cuss me out?"

"Or come reach in there and punch you in the face if it wasn't you," I said, "you're following me again?"

He laughed, "no. I was headed up to the gym to put some shots up and saw you walking. Where you headed?"

"Gym. To get some shots up. How coincidental?"

"Let me give you a ride."

"No thanks. I'm fine."

"Girl, come on. I thought we were cool now."

"We are, but that doesn't mean I'm incapable of walking to my destination."

I started back walking; he continued to roll beside me.

"Then I'll just role beside you like this to make sure you get there safely."

"Seriously, Zo?"

"Or you can just make this simple and get in."

Knowing that he was probably serious about trailing me, I went ahead and hopped in after he opened the door for me.

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Lonzo

"This is pretty fancy," she looked around once she got inside, "geez. How long have you had this?"

"Since I graduated high school this spring. Dad got it for me as a gift actually," he said, "it's a little much for me but I was grateful."

"Uh yeah. Not every kid gets a Mercedes when they graduate."

I laughed as she continued to look around, "So, you aren't meeting your boyfriend up here are you?"

"Really? That's funny."

"I'm just saying. If homie sees you getting out of my car he's gonna be hatin more than he already is."

She laughed, "he'll get over it. I'm sorry about how he's been acting towards you again today. He's such an freakin' idiot. That's why I'm not with his stupid ass now."

"It's cool. You don't have to apologize for him."

I pulled up at the gym a few minutes later. We hopped out and walked together, using our school ID's at the card entry to unlock the auxiliary gym doors. As we laced up our sneakers, I inquired about the type of workout she does when putting up shots. Surprisingly, it was similar to mine. Her goal was to get up at least five hundred shots doing full court and half court drills with cones along with shooting on the gun. I made the suggestion to combine it all to make one cohesive session that we could to together utilizing time and court space.

We took turns in each drill, rebounding the ball for one another. I paid close attention to her technique. No wonder why she was such a successful shooter. Her fundamentals were damn near perfect and her release was quick. It'd be hard for any defender to block her jump shot.

"What's so funny?" I said, after taking a shot noticing that she was giggling.

"Your shot," she rebounded the ball and passed it back out to me, "it's so weird looking."

I shook my head, swished another shot and smirked at her.

She rolled her eyes, "You're so full of it."

After I finished up, we laid out some cones and worked on baseline drive and step back jumpers. A drill my dad had me doing ever since I was old enough to combine the dribbling and shooting skill together. It only took one time for me to explain my version of it to her. I don't know why I was surprised; the girl is not only a straight hooper but an athlete in general.

"I only have one correction," I said after watching her 12th rep.

"And what is that Coach Ball?" she used the collar of her shirt to wipe her face.

I walked up and stood beside her, "when you do the step back make sure your hips stay square. You'll screw up your shot if you don't. That's why you missed that last one."

"Is this right?"

She mimicked my impression. I walked behind her to check out the form. Damn her ass was looking great. It has huge like no Kardashians, but perfect for her height and size. You definitely knew it was there.

"Hello? I'm gonna fall if I hold it any longer," she said.

"Yeah, my bad," I shook myself out of the wrongful thoughts I was having, "turn slight more outwards."

Since she was already on one leg mimicking the step back position, I readjusted her hips for her.

"Now let it go," I instructed, holding her hips in position as she shot and made it.

"See, I know a lil sum. Good job," I tapped her hips before letting go, "just like that every time. If you use that move in a game and hit the shot, you better give me my props."

"And how would you suggest I do that?" she asked, she goofily batted her eyes, "blow a kiss to the camera?"

"How bout throwing up a 2 or something like that since that's my number?"

"Let me see the ball."

I tossed it to her as she stepped out to the three point line. She ball faked, used her footwork and ball handling skills to get around the cones and hit the step back shot, keeping her hips square. When it went in, she held up a two and mimicked the motion of gun going back in the holster at her hip.

"I like it," I grinned, "now you gotta teach me something I can use so I can have one for you."

"Okay, let's see. Top of the key since you're a point guard."

I followed her up to the spot and watched her demonstrate.

"Alright the defender is on you face guarding right? So, when you get in an isolation situation take two dribbles to the left, pull back, hesitation to get the opponent to sit on your left side then boom two hard dribbles to the free throw line extended and you have wide open pull up floater," she aggressively pressed the ball against stomach, "that floater you use now is trash."

"Oh really?" I scoffed at the insult, "alright Miss Harper."

I replayed what she just demonstrated in my head, and then proceeded to do it full out. Upon nailing the shot, I held up a four, repping her jersey number, and did a quick salute with it.

"Oooh that shit is hard!" I gassed myself, making her laugh.

I ran around in circles with the ball after rebounding it looking goofy as hell.

"Not bad. I like it," she nodded, "let's get the rest of these shots up. It'll be one in the morning before we're done dealing with you."

Running up to her, I popped the back of her thigh and winked, "Aight coach."