nothing less ➸ demar derozan

seven

DeMar

A week had passed and things had began to change a bit; Jimmy had finally started making his moves on Isabella and they had grown close, I was still meeting her up in the morning to get one of her mother's famous breakfast tacos, Jordin and Kyle had started spending a lot of time together, and the only notable difference was that Reggie was back at school.

I had saw him throughout school, he had gotten a pair of glasses and started wearing his headphones more. To be honest, he looked eager - he paid attention in classes, attended his after school probation hours, and even studied in the library during lunch. I also noticed he didn't hang out with the wrong crowd anymore, he was going solo and independent. And he hadn't been smelling like cigarettes for a while and dressed in some classy clothes.

He was a changed man and Isabella could see it. The thought of him becoming a better man despised her, because she couldn't do anything about it. She couldn't start talking to him again, because then she'd be labeled wrong. Imagine dissing your friend and then when they do good, all of a sudden you want to be friends with them again - it's just wrong.

"Where are you going?" Kyle asked and swung his backpack over his shoulder. We were both headed to the library, but I knew he wasn't going there.

"Library," I said while holding my lunch tray in my hands.

"You ditching Isabella?" He rose his eyebrows as he pretended to search for her in the empty space around me.

I sighed, "She's too busy with Jimmy to even notice I'm gone."

That wasn't even entirely false; we had been lowkey growing apart. The only time I would actually talk to her was in the morning which would be brief, and then in any classes that I had with her. But even then in those classes, we wouldn't have the good ass conversations we used to have.

Kyle made a straight-lined face as if he knew himself it were true, "Do you guys even talk outside of school?"

I shrugged, "I go over to her house in the mornings to take her but it's only brief since we don't live far anyway."

He shook his head, "You need to tell her how you feel, DeMar."

I scrunched up my face, "What are you talking about?"

"C'mon, we all know you like her-"

"No, no, no, it isn't even like that!" I protested and opened the doors to the stairs.

He sighed, "Really? You going to her house every morning knowing damn well she has a car and can go on her own."

I shook my head, "I'm being nice."

He let out a scoff, "Whatever, I'll catch you later. Imma go see if I can make up this pre-cal grade."

"Okay," I waved and opened the doors to the library.

My eyes scanned the library tables and noticed Reggie working at one of them. He seemed to sigh at one of the questions as his eyebrows knitted hard together. His earbuds were deep into his ears and he was concentrating hard. He slouched but then jolted up when he realized his answer. There he goes scribbling away.

"Reggie," I said as I walked up to his table. He hadn't noticed me, so I let him write down his last thought before getting his attention.

He looked up at me and took one earbud out, "Oh, um, sup D."

"You mind if I sit here?"

"Nah," he shook his head and motioned me to sit down. His food remained untouched, meaning he had been working efficiently.