—Memories—
"When it's nights like this,
I really wanna be right here
I really wanna take you there"
Atlanta, Georgia
September 9, 2014
5:16 PM
Row after row of neatly lined up books with their spines facing outward. Color coded with dots, fiction section arranged in alphabetical order. Different genre sections set along on low shelves and floor cushions, comfortable leather arm chairs, tables for quiet study.
Planning for their upcoming event for the schools book club program. Desirae, Naomi, Denise as well as others, decided to raise money which went into providing better books for their school, by hosting a poetry slam event for anyone who was interested.
"So, how much more do we need for the book club? Yanno' we done went to everyone around campus." Naomi looked at Desirae worriedly, as they sat inside the school's library.
Desirae pursed her lips to the side, counting out the remaining dollar bills she had in her hands. "Two-hundred and fifteen dollars. Great."
"Great? Des, we're trynna' get up to at least four hundred dollars. We have one week left and we've done all we could think of." Denise chimed in, crossing her arms over her chest.
Naomi glanced over at the clock feeling her frustrations build up. "Afterschool ends soon. We could probably try the basketball players. They're having practice today."
"Girl, they ain't gonna' be interested in no poetry slam event." Denise rolled her eyes which caused Naomi to suck her teeth. "I mean, the more popular kids that come the more it'll draw other people in."
"Right, and poetry slams are lit. We most likely can raise money that way." Desirae curved her lips into a confident smile, gliding her fingers over the ziplock bag that had the remaining moneys in it.
Both Naomi and Denise could tell that she had something coming to mind. "I'll be back." After Desirae placed the ziplock bag inside of her backpack, she zipped it up and tossed it over her left shoulder.
"Where you goin'?"
Before she could answer Naomi's question, she was already out into the empty hallways of North Atlanta High school, heading towards the gym where she knew the varsity basketball players would be.
The whistle came alert to Desirae's ears as she walked inside of the school's gymnasium. Tall teenage boys huddled around in different directions as some sat on the outside, near the bleachers.
"C'mon, Hudson! Stop goofin' around."
Peering her eyes around she noticed Coach Johnson near the far end of the gym, with his whistle dangling around his neck. "Coach!" Desirae immediately threw her hand up and called out to him, hoping to get the bald man's attention.
Coach Johnson scanned his eyes around the gymnasium seeing the shorter teen, quickly pacing towards him.
"Kollins." He said, calling her by her last name.
Once Desirae made it to where he was, she gave him a polite smile. "How you doin' sir?" She questioned
"I'm good. What have you comin' all the way over here? Must've got ya' a lil' boyfriend?" He teased.
