Handball High

Handball High Chapter 3

Abner didn't have to many friends that he hung out with outside of school but he had exchanged numbers with several kids from his classes prior to school ending. When it came to actually calling someone to hang out with Abner thought of his friend Juvi. He did not decide on calling Juvi because he was a good handball player. He did so because he liked being around him. Juvi was an easy-going boy with a good sense of humor. He didn't mind Abner's silly antics and he was also outgoing and willing to go out and do stuff. So, Abner poked some numbers into the house phone and the other line rang a few times before a young boy answered.

"Hello"

"Hi, is this Juvi? This is Abner"

"Yeah, this Juvi. Wuz uppers Abner? What you been up too this summer? I saw you the other day riding your bike over by the park. I was leaving a birthday party with my parents. I got yelled at because I reached over to try and honk the horn at you", said Juvi as he chuckled.

"I was probably headed to the park that day," Abner responded. "I've been riding my bike through there a lot, you know, just cruising around seeing who's out there. I was thinking about riding out there today if you want to roll with me."

"Let's do it, I'll ride by your place in about 15 minutes. See you in a while", said Juvi as they both hung up their phones.

Abner didn't mention anything about playing handball to Juvi. He knew Juvi wouldn't necessarily choose to spend a few hours of his day chasing a ball around in the heat of summer but he could be eased into it. None the less Abner was excited and rushed to get his bike and hurried outside to wait for Juvi.

He waited near the carport where his father parked his 71 Chevy caprice lowrider and reminded the younger kids who were outside not to play near the cars. Keeping watch of his father's car was another one of Abner's responsibilities during the day. He was never directly told to keep an eye on it but for some reason whenever there was a new scratch on the car Abner was somehow responsible for it. He had just told the kids playing catch near the carports to play somewhere else when Juvi rolled up on his mountain bike. Juvi had just gotten a new bike as well so they both took turns admiring each other's junior high graduation gifts.

Juvi's bike was a Specialized Rock Hopper which Abner knew to be expensive and most the boys his age was riding them but he also knew his bike was special. His was an older Schwinn but as it stood next to his father's car, he could clearly see his father built it to resemble the Chevy. It was practically the same color metallic gray as the car with just as much chrome. Both the boys checked out each other's bikes and complimented one another on them. They both liked one another's bikes a lot but they each liked their own bikes more. The only doubt Abner had about his bike was that it had to keep up with the mountain bike that was equipped with various gears and would be faster and easier to ride through town. Abner knew he would have to work harder to keep up and his ride would be bumpier at a faster pace but then again, that's how Abner viewed his life. So, he simply straddled his bike looked over at Juvi with a huge smile and said, "Fuck it homie, let's roll".

Juvi laughed as they left the apartment complex and headed towards the park. They rode side by side as Juvi caught Abner up on what some of their other classmates had been up to and they both inquired about girls they knew and who'd they had run into since school ended. It didn't take long for Abner to start with his antics; speeding up ahead of Juvi then slowing to almost a complete stop making Juvi swerve or when he was trailing Juvi he would speed up to bump Juvi's rear tire with his front tire. When they reached a point near a 7-11 store Abner turned directly into Juvi causing him to roll into the parking lot.

"You mess around too much!" shouted Juvi.

"I just want something to drink", replied Abner with a huge smirk on his face.