Where Do We Go from Here?

ii.

     With a grin on his face, Rocky suspends his hand mid-air across the metal barrier between us, as if asking for a handshake. 

     "Ha ha funny, San Jose," I scoff. Ever since our first meeting, every time we see each other in the hallways, cafeteria or anywhere in the campus, him and his friends would ask for a handshake.  

     "Oooh have I been demoted to a last name basis? I thought we were better than that," Rocky teases withdrawing his hand. 

     "One more of that, and you'd be demoted to Douche," I answer.

     I am sitting on the front line bleachers of our outdoor basketball court and he is at the player's bench. 

      It is past 6 at night and the sky is bleeding vermilion with scarlet streaks as if setting the mood of what is to come. 

     The Uni's basketball varsity team are the only ones in the gym. Cobi's team has yet to emerge. He texted me saying he is recruiting someone because they need one more. Considering how the bet almost has my dignity on the line, I feel like Cobi isn't taking it as seriously as I want him to. 

    The Uni's basketball varsity team consists of stereotypical jocks, at first glance. From where I am, I see Jean and Austin doing practice shots.  

     Austin is the shortest of the bunch, probably standing at 6 feet flat.  He has deep seated eyes, a high nose bridge, and a terracotta-colored skin. 

    I have talked to Austin once in Jean's party and he is surprisingly shy. Jean told me Austin didn't have a good high school experience just because he is born of Indian immigrant parents. Somehow high school stuck to him and made him reclusive until he met the varsity team. I feel like University life has been good to him since then. But he's friends with that Rocky guy, so who knows where that goes. 

     I see Brooke leaning on left gym fenced wall, flirting with a cheerleader. Brooke is a familiar face for me as he worked closely with the student council for his People of Color Awareness campus campaigns. 

     And you might be thinking, what in the world is my connection to the student council? 

     My brother. My brother is the connection. He is the head of the student body for the whole university. It's like I was born to provide contrast to his being. 

     And on cue, I see him walking towards the other players' bench with Cobi and Cobi's usual basketball friends.

     I start walking towards them, in total confusion. 

     "What are you doing here?" I ask as he puts down his old man bag, as I call it.

     "I don't know, maybe do a science project?" Theo quips as he rolls his light brown and Asian up-turned eyes. He takes off his polo shirt and with his pale skin and non-existent abs now in sight, I almost vomited. Where is the confidence coming from? I mean there shouldn't be any. 

     "This is your recruit, Jacob?" I taunt. 

     "I really didn't have any other choice, Naomi. The other guy isn't free so.. it is what it is," he answers.

     "You didn't have a choice? What am I, a filler?" Theo says taking off his glasses then reaching for his jersey somewhere in his bag.

     Well, obviously.

     "You really think you're something, huh?" I tease.

     Poor soul, he really thought.