recognize / b.simmons

46

the last bit of sunlight illuminates amaris face as she speeds down the streets of chicago. she glances down at the speedometer and slows down significantly. there was no need to rush.

she grips the steering wheel tightly as traffic comes to a stop and she sits up straight, her back like a rod. her mind's a mess, but she doesn't care.

amari changes the current song playing to 'yeah i said it' by rihanna and leans back, trying to relax herself.

the light changes and amari speeds off, chewing on the inside of her lip. she doesn't know what she's going to do or say, and a part of her wants to turn around and go home. but a larger part of her wants to stay and see him.

karl just so happened to be in chicago for a game against the bulls tomorrow and invited her over to his hotel, to which she agreed. amari had no idea that he was even in town. but she made a conscious decision to come see him.

she turns down the street his hotel is on and finds a space to park on the sidewalk. she takes a deep breath and gets out to pay the meter and then makes the short walk towards the hotel.

it's crazy that he's so conveniently in chicago. he has the best/worst timing.

with every step, her heart pounds in her chest anxiousky, but mixed with excitement. she pokes the inside of her cheek with her tongue as she reaches the front of the hotel. it's now or never.

a second of hesitation passes before amari latches onto the handle of the door and pulls it open. wiping her sweat slicked palms on her sweats, she glances around the lobby and catches the eye of the lady at the front desk. she quickly flicks her eyes towards the elevators and makes her way over there, walking slowly to waste time.

the button glows blue as she presses it and waits her fate. maybe the doors won't open and she won't have to go! but they do, and she steps in as somebody gets off. her chest pounds as she clicks the '4' button to take her to karls floor. it was room 416.

amari grows anxious as the elevators takes her up. it stops at the second floor and on gets a very tall guy with braids, dressed in silk LV pajama, holding a bucket of ice. definitely on the timberwolves.

amari tries not stare, but it's hard when he's dressed the way he is. he notices as nods at her and finally they reach the fourth floor. they both go to get out, but stop short. "go ahead," he says. amari quickly hurries out, the timberwolves player on her heels.

she waits to hear his footsteps stop and a door open but they never do. amari wonders if he's rooming with karl.

as the numbers on the doors increase, amari grows more and more stressed. shes not even sure why she called him. it was partly to hurt ben and partly a moment of despair. she doesn't even know what we intentions are right now.

she reaches his door and the guy passes her, but not before glancing at whose room she's at and smirking. karl really had all the hoes.

music can be heard throuhgh the door so amari knocks harder than usual. the music stops and karl walks over to the door and opens it, revealing amari in a black nike sweatsuit. "hey, come in," he says, moving out of the way and letting her walk in.

her body tenses as she enters his hotel room. she looks around and smiles to herself at how clean it is. he's always been organized and rarely left a mess anywhere.

she hesitates before taking a seat in the rollie chair at the desk in the room. karl takes a seat across from her on his teammates bed. "stop acting shy," he says, turning her chair using his foot. she puts her hands in the pocket of her hoodie because she doesn't want him to see them shake.