Score: The Catch

Chapter One

Growing up in North Carolina in a city named Rocky Mount didn't give me a lot to work with. I grew up watching everybody around me try to find a way and to have bedtter days. People had bills to pay, but no bills to make, the only thing that they could say or do was pray. I think about this everyday I hit the field to play.

"Down, Set, Hut!" Quan Dickens, the quarterback yelled as I, a now twenty-three year old Brandon Royal followed through with the 4th down Hail Mary pass. Running up 20 yards from where I was at first. "Catch it! Catch it!" People from the stands that supported us and our team screamed. I jumped in the air and snatched the ball. I ran. I ran. I ran. Finally, my cleats hit the end zone where the team's logo rested and the play ended. Now, it's the fourth quarter and the score is twenty-eight to seven, we're winning. With 5 seconds remaining, there ain't no catching up for them.

"Well, unfortunately for the away team, they have just earned another victory," the commentator stated.

"Alright, hit the bus!" Coach Bryant yelled after we left the locker room. We ran to the bus, hype as usual. This is the second to the last game of the season and so far, we only lost twice. I have scouts watching me and everything. I'm on the come up, ya dig!

"I see you, bro!" My best friend, Chris said as we dapped up. We've been bestfriend ever since I could remember. I responded, "you already know, man. I see you out here, too." I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and called Erica, my girlfriend. She answered on what I thought was the last ring, "hello?" I could tell she was in a good mood.

"Guess what, baby? We won!" I said while smiling. She told me congratulations and the conversation went on.

"I love you, too," was my final words before I disconnected the call. We have been together for 6 years and I don't see us stopping anytime soon. That's my baby, I swear. We support each other. She's a swimmer and is majoring in Criminal Law. While I play football and I major in history and minor in English in California.

Jacob, a teammate, got up and stepped on somebody's shoe. That somebody said something, but I don't know who it was. "Man, sit your fat ass down before we tip over." Everybody started laughing, except Jacob.

"Yeah, I'm hungry because your girl ain't fed me yet," he stuck his middle finger up and started laughing. Finally, we got to the college and coach rushed us off the bus. Knowing good and damn well that we tired, he trying to rush. We walked to the locker room, because Coach Harper had to give his speech about how we played tonight. When it was time to leave the locker room, most people headed to the dorms, but a few other folks and me had our own places. Erica and me had an apartment. I hopped in my car, started the engine, and pulled off. Chris followed in his truck.

Today was straight. Classes went by fast, and we won. Halfway home, We stopped at a store to get some gas for Chris. This nigga tank stay on E, I swear. We walked into the store to pay for gas, I saw one of my ex girlfriends. I didn't speak because she always say something stupid. She so dirty and I ain't going for all that. She looked bigger than before and it looked like she aged a million years. It seems like her face sagged. I walked to the cash register, told her I want $30 on pump 5 and stretched my hand out to give it to her. She grabbed my hand and said, "wait, can we go somewhere and talk? I'm about to get off work in 5 minutes and I have something to tell you." Now in my mind, I know she doesn't have anything important to say or anything that concerns me anyway. Chris knew that too, because he asked, "what the hell you gotta say?"

"I don't need no help nigga, what the hell you gotta say?" I asked. When she didn't respond in the next 5 seconds, I just walked out of the store's doors.

When I was standing outside of my car, pumping gas, she walked out of the store and waited on the passenger's side, waiting to get in. "What do you want, man?" I asked, irritated. All she said was, "we need to talk!"

"What do we need to talk about, Tia?"

"US!" she put emphasis into the word. This lil' hoe. "Why you wanna talk about the U.S?" Chris chimed in. I tried to curve her and the conversation as I slid in the driver's seat. She opened the car door and got in. "We gonna talk about this, let's go."

I was kind of curious about what she had to say so I drove to IHOP since she wasn't telling me while I was driving. We pulled up, went in, got a table and I just waited for her to tell me.

"What is wrong with you!? If Erica find this out, that's both of y'all asses," Chris came up to me and warned me.

"Stop being a bitch."

If we get food, bet money she paying. I thought to myself as I was trying to figure out if I was serious about what I was thinking or not.

"Um, I'm about to have a baby and I was wondering-" I cut her sentence off and said, "hell na!" I already knew what was gone come out of her dry mouth next. I ain't taking care of a baby that's not mine.

"No, it's nothing like that. I just want you to take care of him until his father gets home. You know, I want him to have a father figure. I want that father figure to be you, it'll be fine."

"If You get out of my face. Home from where?"

"Prison."

I looked over and saw Erica standing with some other nigga and her best friend, Shay. I jumped out my seat and walked over to where she was. She looked shocked.
"Who the fuck is that?! You ain't nothing but a big hypocrite! you be ready to jump down my throat if you even think I'm talking to another female, yet when you be talking to other niggas, all you say is that nobody was flirting or anything, so you don't expect me to get mad. Erica get the hell out my face," I managed to say all this through gritted teeth, getting angrier with every word.

"I knew it was time for you to bring up old shit to try and make me feel and look bad. I swear, you get on my last nerve! This is Eric, my gay friend," she told me with a straight face. Shay nodded her head to confirm, even though nobody asked her. Right before I could say something,

Tia walked up to me and said, "Brandon, I'll talk to you later, okay? Well, can I get a ride?"

"Uh, no bitch. You won't be talking later," Erica said and Tia walked out the door. Erica looked at me and tried to leave, but I grabbed her. She punched my chest, but I didn't move. She tried to slap me, but Chris and I grabbed her hand at the sand time before she could. I ducked and walked out. Shay got a waitress to get the group seated.

I drove home to my apartment, mad and tired. When I got there, I went in my room, cut my phone off, and went to sleep.