Stuck on You | All American

Chapter 9

                             Nicki Minaj voice comes blasting through my headphones as I run on the treadmill, even though my legs were begging for me to stop. Since Layla's gifts, my mind has been all over the place — I wasn't expecting anything from her but the helmet alone was too much. The helmet sitting on my dresser felt too weird to look at, so I put it back in the box it came it and tucked it away in my closet back at home. And then those tickets.

The tickets were overwhelming. Layla had given Spencer the same tickets, and she even took him to stand on the field. But after he told me that those VIP field passes was for the team that Dad coaches. He's going to be in town tonight, and I know that none of us were on his mind, and I definitely wasn't expecting a phone call or pop up visit neither.

He's still the only nigga that I woulda signed to
If I ain't sign to Wayne perfectly designed crew
Cause we the big three, don't need a big speech
We made the biggest impact, check the spreadsheet
That's Lil Weezy to Barbie and Drizzy Drake
Niggas gettin' more cheese, kissy face

Billy coming to stand in front of the treadmill has me lowering the speed before stopping it, I pull my headphones off. "Hey, Coach. You need anything?"

"Yeah." He crosses his arms. "I need for you to not overwork yourself. I know you know there's a difference between working out and working it out. Is there something you need to talk about?" I shake my head. "Oh, so you just work out this hard, this long right before all your birthday party?"

"Well, technically, I don't have birthday parties." I counter, referring to this non-party party that's happening. "And I'm fine. Just a quick workout before I get ready."

I step off the treadmill, he sidesteps me and blocks my path when I was about to move on to the next equipment. "Sam, talk to me. You just ow you can talk to me about anything, especially if that anything has you worked up like this."

I didn't even know how to say that my dad was in town so I said it the best way I could, "UCLA's playing Eastern Nevada tonight."

Billy nods his head. "Your pops is in town. Did he, uh, reach out?"

"Funny." I scoff. "This isn't his first time coming to town and not saying anything, and I'm sure it's not his last. He can save his visit, he can save his phone calls because I don't care."

"It's okay to care."

"But I don't."

Care for what? Care that he's not here to witness me do everything I said I would? Care that he's not here to witness me break records people dream about breaking? He's never been to a single football game of mine. Never came to that choir concert I did. Just never been here. So why should I care?

"Look, I haven't spoken to my father in years. It's not like he left me behind or anything, but, um, he decided that I wasn't the son that he wanted." He tells me. "I thought I didn't care then, but I did and when I think that's why ir hurt more because you do care. But it's best to find what you need in people who are there for you, not the ones who let you down. Some wells, they just they run dry, Sam."

Despite everything he said I remain firm on my statement, "I don't care. Layla gave me VIP field passes tickets, I could see him tonight if I wanted and I'm not. Because I don't care."

"Sam—"

"Can I leave now?" I question. "I have to get ready."