Stay in Your Lane | Lonzo Ball

Chapter 31

Lonzo

Her request surprised the hell out of me. Of course, there were more questions circling in my head but I decided to keep them to myself for a moment.

She made room for me to join her. Although we were sharing a full size bed and both being 6'0 and 6'6 respectively, she still managed to create space between us. I respected that and stayed on my side throughout the night, remembering to wake her up again at six o'clock that morning

She was right, being here beside her was much easier. I went to sleep again, knocked out pretty good until my nine o'clock alarm went off. I rolled over, bringing myself face to face with her.

As she continued to sleep, I noticed a small knot that had developed between her eyebrows. The area where her stitches were was slightly swollen. A scratch underneath her chin was in the process of healing, joining her older, faded ones. Battle wounds. All of us athletes had them. For some odd reason, that was making her even more attractive.

"Hey, Iz. Wake up."

I brushed stray hairs that escaped her bun from her face, tucking them behind her ear. She tried to remain asleep, but I continued to gently touch and rock her.

"I don't wanna get up right now," she pulled the covers over her head, "what time is it?"

"9:05," I checked my phone, "what time do you have to go to the trainer?"

"10:00," she groaned, "My face hurts like hell."

"Yeah, you're getting a nice little knot right there," I said, "you're not feeling bad other than that are you?"

She shook her head, "No. I was praying not to have a concussion. I can't miss the game at Washington State on Friday."

"Damn, so y'all will be out of town Thursday when we play Cal here?"

"Yeah, we're gonna miss that one."

"I was hoping to look up and see you in the stands again."

"Yeah right" she smacked her lips against her teeth, "shut up Zo."

"I'm forreal. I like looking up there and seeing yo fine ass cheering for me."

"Correction, I cheer for the team. I'm not your personal cheerleader. You're so full of it," she popped me on my shoulder.

I caught her in the middle of trying to get out the bed and playfully wrestled her back down on her back.

"Zo, move. I don't have time to play with you," she laughed.

Keeping a firm hold around her waist with my arms and a leg draped across hers, I found myself caught up in looking into her eyes, taking in the smell of her sweet scent and the soft feeling of her skin touching mine.

"What was up with last night?" I broke the brief silence.

"What do you mean?"

"Us kissing again."

"I don't know Zo. I was being weird I guess," she shrugged.

"Oh, so that's what you're going with now? Just admit that you like me as much as I like you, Izzy. It's obvious or am I lying?"

She looked taken aback by my response. I wasn't intending to be that direct. It just came out that way. Right as she opened her mouth, my phone rang. As I went to check who was calling me, Izzy quickly got out of bed and went to the bathroom.

I looked at Daina's name flash across my screen. There wasn't an urge to answer it. I let it go to voicemail.

Stepping outside her room, I saw Izzy brushing her teeth across the hall in the bathroom. Deciding that I needed to do the same thing, I walked in and grabbed my toothbrush. I had practice at 12, so it was definitely time to get the day started.