Score: The Catch

Chapter Two

The next morning, I was still mad and tired, but I had to go to this damn class. The phone started ringing on my dresser. It was my mama. I don't think I talked to her in a few days.

"Hey, ma."

She replied, "what you doing? I called you last night, no answer. I called you the other night. No answer. I even called you the night before that, guess what? I didn't get an answer. I guess you was with Erica or didn't want to talk to yo' mama."

"I was just about to get in the shower. I ain't get a call last night and we started fussing in IHOP. It's a long story. I'll tell you when I come over though."

"What?! Oh, I don't wanna hear what happened. You forever fuckin' up boy, I swear. Anyway, tell me how it went when you get home. Love you."

"It ain't even my fault, love you, too. Now, go back to sleep."

"I'm grown, I'm grown. Just call me later."

I love that lady.

15 minutes later, I jumped out of the shower, rushing to dry off and brush my teeth. I wasn't trying to be late. I ran to my room and put on a black t-shirt, black Jeans, white and grey belt, and my black and gold sneakers.

I grabbed my keys and walked out the door and got in the truck. I hope today goes by fast, I thought as I drove down the street.

When I got to school, I got a call from Erica. She stayed with Shay last night. I knew she was gone call and I bet it's to talk about last night or some shit. I picked the phone up and answered, "yeah?"

"We need to talk, Brandon." I knew it, man. She always say that.

"Talk."

"You know how jealous I am! Why would you even be with her? That's your ex."

"I know you the jealous type. I am, too. You know how I am. I ain't have plans on meeting up with her. She just asked can we go get some food and talk. Be real with me, was that nigga gay for real?"

"Mhm, Whatever you say. Yeah, he gay. Problem? But I love you and I don't want you with nobody but me. I'm done with this conversation. Now hurry up give me a kiss," I turned around and saw her. She wrapped her around me and kissed me.

"Nah, I don't gotta problem with that, they cool to me. I love you, too and I get it. But don't try to slap me no more," I said sternly before I put my hand on her chin and gave her another kiss. She just laughed. After 6 years of arguing about almost everything under the sun, we always find a way to get over it.

My first class was history. My professor, Dr. Michael was cool, he just be giving stupid amounts of assignments.

The professor started his class saying, "Slavery has been important and of some significance ever since the beginning of time. It spread like a fad in the Americas. The first 20 African were captured by Dutch traders in the year of 1619. The enslaved were viewed as property and as a result, had an owner, or a master. Yes, there were white slaves, but they were referred to as an indentured servants. The indentured servant would work and pay off their debt of coming to the new world to a certain person for a period of time, usually years.

"Professor, did the slaves know how important they were to these traders?" One girl raised her hand and asked.

Usually, nobody asked questions, we just let him talk. He answered, "Yes, they did. The Europeans knew they needed the slaves and they were heavily dependent on their labor. So in a sense, they tried to appease them. One way they did this was by bringing in women; not only for work, but to be sex partners with the Africans as well. They even paid the slaves in the beginning of slavery. In 1638, a man named Anthony Portuguese sued a white Merchant for wages that he owed. Since there were no set of laws, this happened more than once." We continued the conversation that day, talking about how slavery practically made the states. Dr. Michael assigned us a six page paper on the origins of African enslavement that'll be due in a few days.

Some hours later, my classes were over and I had a game. We had two in one week because one of our games got cancelled a week or two ago. It's raining and I don't even want to play. I'm being scouted so I guess they're gonna be here.

I ran to the football field because my professor held the crowded class up. If I'm late, coach gone try to make me do miles or extra conditioning or something extra.

"Hurry up! I ought to not put you in," Coach Ron yelled. He already starting some shit. I ran to get dressed. In just a couple minutes, I hope I get noticed how I always wanted. I been wanting this ever since I could remember. But, I gotta keep working.

Before I could get my next thought out, it was game time. We had
the ball first. The first play was a shotgun pass and the quarterback moved in. "Hut! Hut! Hut!" Everybody ran they routes, waiting for the ball to come my way. I knew he was gonna throw it to me, i'm the only one open. Well, he should throw it to me.

He launched the ball in the air. I jumped in the air and grabbed the ball. While I was coming down, somebody rammed into my leg, bending it back. I fell to the ground in pain.

"Ahh! Ahh!" Paramedics came rushing at me, but I ain't want to be touched. I got put on a stretcher anyway and put in a ambulance truck. They was taking me to the hospital a few miles from the school.

The next day, I laid in the hospital bed, trying to stay calm. I don't remember last night. No doctors touching me. I don't even remember getting hurt and definitely not ending up at no hospital. I do know that my leg, is broken. I just laid there, quiet as ever.

I turned to my right and saw my mama, my dad and Erica all looking at me. My ma came and told me everything was gonna be okay and then her and my dad went out the room for a minute.

Erica ran over and started crying and saying she was sorry, I asked her what for and she explained everything and said she was sorry because she wasn't there as she let tears pour down her face. Everything made sense. I told her that it was okay and she couldn't do anything, it wasn't her fault. The doctors came and told her that they had to examine a few things and she had to leave so she kissed me and walked out of the room.

After the examinations, the doctors flat out said that it would be hard to recover and that I won't even move the same, let alone play ball the same. I was very close to becoming a paraplegic anger and disbelief brought confusion. Like, what does he mean? This is supposed to make me rich, this football shit. Now, I probably won't even move the same. My mind went blank and I didn't say much.

But I was determined to give my family the world. That means my mom and my girl. No matter what. I was born to hustle, get it off the muscle and that's what I'm going do. I know I'm go'n be down for a few, but this is nothing new. I've face trials and tribulations before. But, I want more. I will get it by any means necessary.