You Don't Know..What you Don't Know

Chapter Twenty-Nine- Late Spring- Freshmen Year

The remainder of the weekend, Jim and I are volunteering at the church. They are hosting a Basketball Tournament with other Greek Churches from across the East Coast. Mom and Dad coach the girl's team for our church. The team is pretty talented even without me.

I put my hair in a ponytail and my Adidas outfit back on. It is going to be a long day of ball. There will be time to change before the dance tonight. I am basically there to be a slave today anyway.

We arrive super early to the Church on Saturday. My parents go to gather the team, give Pep talks and play the first game. I follow my brother to help set up the scoring table. The teams start to file in and the Church Gym is crowded. I spot the team from Baltimore and head over to speak to Ed, the coach and the director from the Center. He is talking with someone behind him and as he steps to the side, my mouth falls to the floor. Torri winks at me. Holy Shit. Talk about no warning again.

I walk slowly over to where he's standing. "I see you found a ride." I say referring to our conversation from last night. I wonder how he played off his whereabouts so well. The Team got in last night from Baltimore. That ass. Here I thought he was drunk flirting with me and he was totally sober.

"You weren't coming to me anytime soon. Ed needed help so I volunteered. What a hardship it is to come all this way on a bus full of girls to see the most beautiful girl in the world?" he winks.

"You here alone?" I am almost afraid to ask. My cousins typically don't play basketball but they could be here none the less.

"Believe it or not, all we need to do this weekend is avoid God and your brother." Torri is full of himself. "You have a prime spot on the stage today. Better for me to stare at you."

"You're Funny..I still can't believe you played me last night. You will be lucky if I talk to you at all." I pout.

"I don't have to talk to you. There are so many ways I can be with you and not talk. And stop putting that lip out, we are in Church, Tia." Torri winks.

"Oh you are so funny..." Jim comes up and shakes Torri's hand before I can scold him. He tells me we need to take our place on the stage. Our girls are the first game against Falls Church. I wave good bye to Torri and set up the scoreboard.  The games went on all day and our girls climb up the bracket. Baltimore's Church climbs the bracket too. I don't come down off the stage much between games because there is so much to do. Torri and I eat lunch together with Jim for about an hour. I don't add much to their conversation. I am content to be near him today.  He is being a real comedian with his winks and stolen glances. At the end of the day of ball, our Church and Baltimore's Church will go to the finals tomorrow.

Torri and I pick back and forth over this until he needs to leave to go the Hotel and change. "You know this will be the first time we hang out without any watchful eyes." I offer as we walk out the door.

"Wrong..the basement. I can't believe you forgot the moment you..." I cover Torri's mouth.

"You my friend are going to get struck with lightening." I let go and laugh.

Jim walks up behind us. "Tia, come on. I want to head home and then to the Club. There is a girl from Falls Church on my Radar. Tor, catch you later, right man?"

"Yeah, I better go catch the bus to the Hotel. Tia..Later." Torri jogs off.

"You should hang out with him tonight. He is not Greek. I don't want him to feel out of place." Jim offers oblivious to my motives.

"Sure, no problem. You are in the clear to go after that girl, big bro." I am secretly smiling. I hate manipulating him in the House of the Lord. This is Torri. It will be such a hardship to spend the night in his company.