Two Player

4.

D.K
Jacy prepared Deion's favorite for breakfast in hopes it would lift his spirits. When a plate with an bacon and cheese omelette and home fries with bowl of grits was placed in front of him, Deion chuckled at his sister's effort.

"I just wanted your day to start off right." She smiled.

"Should I expect this treatment everyday then?" Deion chuckled.

"Don't overstep." Jacy laughed, nudging him.

They sat together and ate their breakfast. Deion tried to ignore the lump in his throat all morning. He wasn't nervous to start a new school-he was nervous that his sentiments would get the best of him. He was reluctant to start a new school and life. He didn't want to let go of his past, but he knew he had to. It's been a year, and he's still barely coping. He had to do this.

Jacy, as if it was Deion's first day of school, began to cry.

"Jac, don't do all that." Deion grumbled. "I'll be fine."

"I know you will be," She sniffled. "I'm just so proud of you. You're so much stronger than you think."

"Thanks."

"My lil' bug." Jacy coed. She pulled Deion into a big hug, rocking from side to side.

"Jacy, I'm starting senior year not kindergarten." He pushes his sister off of him and straightened out his white Polo.

"Okay, okay. You remember how to get to and from school?" Deion nodded. "iight get out of here then."

With the rolling of his eyes, Deion left his apartment and was welcomed by the warm yet slightly chilly South Village air. He stops for a minute to take in the scenery. This community wasn't too different from his back in Grover Hills. People selling food and accessories on the corners, music playing from cars and every other apartment, and everyone out and about early and hanging on their stoops. The only big difference was South Village contained mostly low-income citizens. Grover Hills was somewhere between middle class and lower class-if that made any sense.

All in all, Deion didn't think his assimilation to South Village would be too difficult.

His walk to the bus stop consisted of numerous girls looking at him. Deion knew he was attractive. The attention he received was nothing new to him, but he just couldn't seem to find a girl that sparked his interest. Half of the girls that gave him attention just wanted to sleep with him. His last encounter with a having a girlfriend resulted in just having sex every other day. He wanted a girl with a story Most importantly, he wanted a girl with depth.

Deion reached the nearest stop for the B89 via Beckles Street. He put on his headphones and scrolled to find his next victim. He finally settled on 808s & Heartbreak.

∞

Deion walked into Beckles High almost perfectly tranquil. The walls carried this dark, spicy mustard color and the floors were white tiled. The kids crowded the hallway. Deion did his usual occasional pushing to get through. His first class was pre-calculus on the second floor.

He made it to the staircase and stood to the side to catch his breath.

"Don't lose yourself, King." Deion whispered to himself. 

D.S
Taking her usual seat in Mrs. Harrison's class, Desire ignored the whispers and glares. They did this everyday. She took out her notebook and pencil, awaiting for class to begin. Mrs. Harrison shot her a smile in between her waiting.

The entrance of Deion King interrupted Desire's Instagram's liking spree. Almost everyone in the class stared at him whilst he sheepishly went towards a vacant seat.

Desire kept her eyes on him. He took his books out of his Vans book bag and sat up straight. Desire couldn't deny the fact that he was eye candy and she couldn't seem to take her eyes off of him. He seemed almost incomprehensible.

Deion cleared his throat, suddenly feeling a bit uncomfortable. He felt all eyes on him and heard every whisper. He looked up and caught a girl across the room staring at him. She had rich chocolate skin and jet black hair that met her shoulders. She didn't look away immediately like most girls do. This girl continued to look at Deion as if she was trying to figure something out. For some reason, Deion found himself staring too.

Desire finally looked away and stared down at her books. She was never good at making friends, but she sure hoped they would gravitate towards each other naturally.

∞

"So you just..stared at him?" Emmanuel asked Desire. They're conversation at lunch consisted of Deion's appearance in Desire's pre-calculus class.

"Yeah," Desire admitted, guiltily. "But he stared back! I don't know. It didn't feel like a mutual attraction thing, it felt as if we were-"

"Looking into each other's souls." Emmanuel joked and snickered. "Cmon, D."

"But I'm serious! Okay, I wouldn't say each other's souls but it felt very perplexing." Desire stated. It began to sound like gibberish to her ears, too. "Forget I said anything." She shook her head and finished off her sandwich.

"He must've been really cute if you're here trying to relate your daydreaming to some scientific connection." Emmanuel laughed, earning a hard glare from his friend. "Love you."

"Fuck off." Desire joked. "But he is really cute. I have two other classes with him. He's quiet- too quiet. It's like he's..irredeemable or something." Desire said, almost to herself.

"Girl, It's his first day in a new school. Do you expect him to be bouncing off the walls?"

"I never said that. That's what I'm trying to say! Just from staring at him, I can tell he isn't altogether."

"Then again, who is?" Emmanuel points out.

"You have a point."

"You're still going to pry, aren't you?" Emmanuel sighed.

"I will not pry. I will simply keep my tabs on that boy." Desire looked over her shoulder, setting her eyes on Deion who sat alone in the corner of the lunchroom. "I'm intrigued.." 

D.K
When Deion returned home, he spotted a note on the fridge.

Took extra shifts at work. Order Dominoes.
-jacy

Deion crumbled up the note and trudged into his room. He fell into his bed, letting out a long sigh. Beckles High wasn't too bad-it was pretty good actually. His demoralizing thoughts took over him like a wave throughout his day. He can't seem to control it, but whenever he's in school they seem to subside. That was when he was in school with his friends and had a distraction. Going through today alone really ate away at him.

His mind went to the girl-Desire- in his pre-calculus class. She was beyond beautiful. From having three classes with her, he could already get a hint of her personality. She was confident, smart and carried herself well. But for some reason, when he looked at her he felt something almost unsettling. He knew she was staring at him, but he felt she was looking beyond his looks. It was like she was trying to figure him out.

'Good luck with that' Deion thought to himself.