Ja'Kai's dream is to go to the NBA. He had everything to become one except connections. He goes to a public school that doesn't get good recognition due the community it' s in. After meeting Skylar his life changes and his path to the NBA begins.
St...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Thursday July 22, 2021- 4:45am
"You got us out here early as shit" Marquis said and my dad hit him in the head
"Watch you mouth or you gonna be running" Marquis sucked his teeth "I'm just saying we could've stopped to get food"
"I thought we was gonna be late" I told him
"I hungry too not gonna lie" Go added
"And the bus not even here. Can we at least sit in the car damn." Kai added
"Both of y'all got one more time to curse" my dad added and I handed Kai the keys to my car. Go, Marquis and Kai went in the car where SJ followed behind them.
"How Jaz getting there" my dad asked me
"Her momma driving her along with Z" he nodded. I pulled out my phone to text in the team group chat asking them where they were
Within the next 10 minutes all of the players was here and so was the bus
I wasn't getting on the bus. I was going to drive behind them like I normally do.
"Diego ride with Sky" my dad yelled "why"
"So she had someone to ride with, that's not on the team" Go sucked his teeth and got back in the car
I got in and we took off. "Let me play the music"
"No." I took my phone out and started playing Frank Ocean
"You lucky I like Frank Ocean" he said as he put his seat almost all the way back.
We were going from Maryland to North Carolina. "You got a car license"
"Yea why?" He asked and I smiled "cause once we stop half way you're driving"
"No the fuck I'm not. I ain't even wanna get in the car with you." He said and I sucked my teeth "too damn bad"
"What's up with you and Kai"
"What's up with you and Z"
"Me and Z taking it slow you know. Just coolin for right now. Your turn"
"Same as you" I told him and he smirked "sure"
There was a small silence before he asked "what school you go to"
"St Mary's"
"I should've figured you went to a private school. Your parents big ballers" I laughed a little "isn't you dad a big shot lawyer"
"Yea. But he does a lot of free work. You know, he take case for people that can't afford lawyers. He's good at his job he just isn't making money like that. And my mom a doctor but she still paying off student loan. If things were a little different I would've been in the same school as you" he flashed me huge smile
"All our parents like to help people out. Kai's mom was a detective and his dad was a firefighter. Marquis's mom is a nurse. They all kinda grew up together."
"I think that's cool. They all had kids around the same time" I told him "Yea it's cool. They my brothers for real"
"You got any other siblings. I know Kai does, does Marquis have any" I asked him. "I have an older brother, Mario he 20 and a younger sister, Selena she 11. Huncho has 5 siblings and he the youngest. Is it just you and SJ"
"Yea."
"That's cool. I never liked having siblings. Ion know if it's because I'm the middle child but it felt like I was forgotten some time."
"For the most part once SJ got old enough to dribble a ball he put all his attention on him. I had to make him see me again. We really only bond off basketball" I told him
"Same with my dad. He played college football and that's the only thing we bond over. My brother play football and wanna be a damn lawyer. It's like a competition" i nodded in agreement
"But at least you not living in the gardens" he mumbled
"I'm so fucking paranoid out there it's crazy. We know this nigga names Harlem and he cool people but I'm scared someone gonna think we apart of the gang and we not." I turned the music down a little
"Is it that bad?" I asked him which he followed with a sigh
"Yea. Like some days it can be quiet, nothing happening then a big gun fight brake out. Shit Huncho couldn't even have a party without someone shooting it up. Back when we was in the 7th grade we lost our friend Keem. He got shot. Right in the head" he took a deep breath before continuing
"We was playing soccer on the field. That was his favorite sport. And I kicked the ball too hard and it when down the street. He ran to go get it the like 7 shoots went off. We ran and hide but then went looking for him. He was dead on the sidewalk. Ball still in his hand. That's why I wear 19. That was his favorite number." I glanced at him and there was tears in his eyes "I blamed myself forever. If I didn't kick the ball that hard he would still be alive."
"You can't blame yourself Diego. You ain't pull the trigger" I told him. He sighed. "I know. His mom told me the same thing. They still ain't find his killer. Ion even think they was trying. Kai mom tried to work on the case but they wouldn't let her cause of her connection to it"
"Damn. That's crazy"
"I know. What's even crazier is that he wasn't the only friend we lost. 2 other due to the gang fighting. And it be over stupid shit. I need to get out of there for real"
