Out Of My League

Chapter 2: Suicides

Lonzo

Coach had us on two a-day practices until the season officially started. That meant we had one morning practice and then an evening practice. Due to the players' differing schedules, there were two options for the AM practice, 6 AM or 10 AM. I opted to go to the 10 AM after my first class of the day. I hustled my way over to the gymnasium with my gym bag strapped across my chest.

As I moved quickly through the sea of college students getting to class, I noticed the girl from my 8AM standing with a few other girls in front of the student center. Damn. She was effortlessly gorgeous. No heavy make-up and dressed comfortably in jogging pants, a hoodie, and jays. She was maybe 5'5 or 5'6 with this beautiful copper colored brown skin that popped in the sun. 

She looked up and her dark brown eyes locked with mine. She must've gotten a little skittish because I only caught a quick glimpse of her smile before she put her head down. That smile, I thought to myself. That was certainly something I didn't see earlier in class during our little "debate".

Her friends must've picked up on her shift in body language, so they turned their attention in the direction of where they saw her looking. At me. I was still standing there studying her, deciding if I should go over and speak. I mean, I did have a pretty good excuse. We had a project to work on together.

I took a quick glance at my phone. The clock read 9:50 and I cursed inwardly. Damn. Practice starts in literally 10 minutes. That means players need to be dressed and on the court by 10, not walking through the door by 10. Being late meant suicide drills and suicides were no hoe. Its basically running up and down the bleachers non stop until Coach pities you enough to blow the whistle. 

"Dayum girl! Lonzo Ball looking at you like you a whole ass snack outchea."

She instantly cut her eyes at her friend. She didn't say a word but her body language displayed a bit of agitation. The other girls looked over at me and started laughing, which caused her to smile again.

Yeah, I was going to holla at her real quick. Fuck those suicides. I did a light jog over to my classmate and her 3 friends.

"Hey...Ms. Ross, right?"

Her friends giggled and muttered 'Ms. Ross', mimicking me but I paid them no attention. I was locked in on this girl.

"Ummm...yes." She stated, smiling nervously. Her smile made me smile. Shit was contagious. What was it about her smile?

"Sooooo...this project we've been assigned..."

She shifted her bag onto her other shoulder and shook her head.

"Yeah. About that. Look, I was just going to do mine with my girl De. I'm sure it won't be hard for you to get another partner," she replied.

"Well, I don't really want another partner."

"Ooop," another one of her friends chimed in.

We all kind of chuckled, except for her. She was back to being defensive.

"Are you always this pushy and obnoxious?" she asked, glaring at me.

"Are you always this resistant and standoffish?" I asked as delicately as I could.

There was a brief silence and the space had become a little tense. Her friends took the cue and stepped over to the side.

"Look I was thinking maybe we exchange numbers and discuss when would be a good time to work on our project. Y'know figure out sched---"

She cut me off. "I do school in the mornings and afternoons. I work evenings. The best time for me is the weekends."

"The weekends actually work for me too," I smiled, "so, number?"

I pulled out my phone. 9:57, shit. I unlocked my phone, clicked contacts, and passed it to her. "Here."

"Actually, you could just email me. If you go to the class list, all of our emails---"

I sighed. She was being so resistant. But why though? I was just asking for her number to work on this project. Nothing more.

"How about this. I put my number in your phone. And then, you can decide when you want to reach out to me."

She raised an eyebrow, an I took a step back, "for the project of course."

She pulled her phone out of the pocket of her jogging pants and unlocked it.

"For the project, of course," she replied.

I smiled and entered my number in her phone under the contact, Project Zo 😘 and clicked save.

"I really gotta run though. Practice starts at 10."

She looked down at her phone and smiled again, "try not to be late, Project Zo."

I nodded and started to make my way to the gym. I overheard one of her girlfriends say, "I think Lonzo is checking for you Mo."

I just kept it moving but I cracked a quick smile. I don't know maybe, I was. There was something intriguing about her though. Something that made me react to her as soon as I met her. She was naturally beautiful, confident, an intellectual- somebody I could carry a conversation with. Someone that could challenge my ideas and that didn't agree with everything I said just because of my reputation and clout. She had her own mind and I respected women like that.

My thoughts were interrupted by my phone buzzing in my pocket. I smiled again, thinking it could be Ms. Ross - or Mo as I think I heard her friend say. My smile faded when I actually saw who it was from and read the text.

Denise:
Hey baby. How's your first day? Missin' you already. 🙁

I was about to reply when I got another incoming text from my teammate Aaron.

Holiday:
Boiiiiii. Its 9:59. Nigga them chicken legs gone be finished after them suicides! 

Then another from Isaac.

Zack:
SUICIDESSSSS!🗣😰🏃🏃🏃💀

Fuck my liiiiiiife. 

A/N: Heyyy guys. Vote and comment guys. Constructive criticism is welcomed and encouraged.