Day To Night

1

I was born in Miami on April 10th, 2000 to two hippie parents who never plan to stay in one place for long, but after having me they decided Miami would be the place. I was raised on Fleetwood Mac and Led Zeppelin and grew to a love for Tupac and J. Cole. It wasn't that I didn't love my parent's hippie ways. I just had my own ways. I had a different love language, I had a different passion for life. No matter my passion they pushed me towards and still would today. When I was 11 my parents were in a boat crash that took them both. I moved in with my godfather uncle Malik and I never let my loss hold me back. I started photography when I was 16 and would just photograph Miami and my friends on 35mm film. I started realizing I had something on my hands when I took pictures at Disney with my best friend when Orlando magazine paid me 1k to publish the pictures.

[November 2020]

   "Hey rion you wanna come with me the game?" My uncle Malik asked grabbing his keys. Uncle Malik was the assistant coach for the heat so I was able to get any seat I wanted and to sit with whoever I wanted. "Come on kid it's been almost a full season, Jimmy asked about you!"
   "Alright let me put on a Jersey." I ran upstairs and slipped on my heat jersey and red Jordan 1's." I hadn't been to a game in months cause I had always gone to games with my boyfriend clay and it just felt weird to go or watch a game. But I was starting to miss it and not care about clay.

We got to AmericanAirlines and scanned our ids Uncle Malik went up to his office and I walked to the court to sit courtside and watch the guys shoot frees.
   "YOOOO IS THAT BELT!" bam yelled missing a free running over to me.
   "Hi, bam!" I hugged him resting into the hug.
   "I've missed you kid how you been?"
   "good, I've missed you too."
   "Rion honey I got someone I want you to talk to." Uncle Malik called me over from the door. I hugged bam again and ran over.
   "What is it?"
   "Orion this is Pat Riley the team president." oh shit my brain thought as pat stuck his hand out to shake mine.
   "Hi Orion, we've been looking for a new team photographer and your uncle Malik has been showing me some of your amazing photography and I was wondering if you'd like to take that job?" my jaw dropped and I quickly closed feeling my face turn red.
   "Mr. Riley I would love to!"
   "Great kid we will get you the proper credentials and some paperwork." He shook my hand again and walk away, I waited till he was gone to geek out.
   "THANK YOU SO MUCH!" I yelled hugging uncle Malik.
   "Hey, kid that was all you, you worked hard for that!" I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.
   "I gotta tell bam!" I pulled the door open not looking forward running right into someone falling into them. my eyes met with his beautiful brown eyes and cheeky smile. I watched gleam in his eyes as my necklace dangled over him.
   "Oh god, I'm sorry," I said getting up brushing myself off.
   "Nah my bad I wasn't looking." I couldn't stop looking at his eyes. God, they were perfect.
   "You better not have hurt belt," Jimmy said running over.
   "I'm fine bam, promise." I laughed still keeping my eyes on his.
   "Belt?" he asked confused
   "My name is Orion like Orion's belt."
   "wow that's cool, I'm tyler." Tyler Herro, oh god. I hadn't watched any games in month soaking in heartbreak sorrow, but I knew how he played cause of uncle Malik. That was it.
   "Come on belt I ain't seen you in months, let's play horse!"
   "you'll be seeing a lot more of soon. Riley asked me to be the new team photographer." I tried to hide my excitement trying not to scare Tyler.
   "NO WAY!" bam hugged me pulling me off my feet. "Man her photography skills are sick."
   "Herro come up to the training room." The Athletic trainer poked his head in and called tyler. He waved bye smiling and I couldn't wipe the smile out gave me off my face.
   "You better not."
   "What? not beat your ass in horse."
   "You know what I mean. that boy there is a playa playa." I just shook my head sinking my first shot.
   "I guess I gotta learn the game."