Young King

13

An awkward silence passes through us. I rock back and forth on my feels, pressing my lips together.

Nick points behind him to the automatic doors. "So...should we head inside."

"Sounds good." I say.

Meki only nods stiffly, like doing so pained him. In fact, everything about him was stiff. There weren't many lines in his face, but it was obvious he didn't smile often. Those few indications deeper in his brows.

I still couldn't help but stare. He was...something else. Something I didn't know how to describe. Something I wasn't ready to describe.

I push that down and follow Nick into the building. As we walk towards the basketball section, I force my eyes downwards to keep them from wandering towards Meki. Though every few seconds we'd lock eyes. And just like we did at the court, we'd stare for just a moment too long before darting our eyes away.

Nick goes to the nearest Jordan's and begins surveying. Meki and I stand awkwardly behind him, several feet between us.

"Um..." Meki starting uncertainly, looking to me before back to his feet then up at Nick. "So you play basketball with Nick."

I can't help but snort at how forced he sounded. Like he wanted to be anywhere else but here.

He looks slightly pained at it so I recover by saying, "yeah, we've played ball together for a few years."

Meki only nods and it goes silent again. I do the same, unsure if I should leave Meki alone and help Nick or just stand here and wait.

I do neither, instead finding a bench to sit at off to the side and begin scrolling through my phone. A few seconds later I hear a chirpy voice to my right. I look up just in time for a young woman in a worker's uniform giving me a wide smile.

"Can I help you find anything?"

"Oh no, I'm good. Just waiting for my friend. He might actually need some help over there." I point over to the place where Nick stood, studying two pairs of shoes like they would tell him life's meaning.

The girl doesn't falter, only smiles more. "I'll check on him in a minute. I actually wanted to ask-"

Whatever she was about to say was cut off as Meki, the literal brick wall that he was, came between us and sat next to me. And I swear to god, if looks could kill, this could would be dead and buried.

"We're fine." He says with a deeper voice then I'd heard before. Her smile falls and she nods and saunters off towards Nick.

I felt relief in my chest. I had a feeling what she was about to ask for. I'd gained somewhat of a reputation during my years of balling. Most of my videos had a few hundred thousand views, and thousands of likes. After my third national championship title, people started to call me Young King. And that brought on a lot of fans who thought I'd be the next Lebron. Which I didn't mind, but being asked out by every girl in D.C. was a little annoying. Especially when I was dating Andrea. Though I guess I didn't have a reason to be annoyed by it now. Weird.

"How old are you?" Meki asks out of the blue.

I snort again. "How old am I?" I repeat incredulously. "Is that your idea of small talk?"

Meki's uncertain gaze falls as I see a hint of something...sadness maybe? Defeat? I feel a guilty stab in my gut and immediately recover what is obvious an attempt to get along. And I was ruining it.

"I'm eighteen. Graduating this year and next I'll either get drafted or head into college." I answer honestly, trying to save whatever this conversation was.

Meki perks up a little, though his face remains blank.

"And you? Nick mentioned you'd left to go to school or something a few years ago but never said where or why."

Meki seemed to consider his response a second. I could see the wheels turning behind his eyes.

"I'm twenty-two. And yes, I went to go stay with my relatives in Siberia. It's why my English isn't great yet. Haven't used it in a  while."

I wave him off. "No, your English is fine. I was just curious about the name. Meki, it's kind of unusual."

"It's a Serbian name. My mother gave it to me. It's supposed to be a name of great power, but also great empathy. Kindness, patience, and forgiveness. It's all traits a leader should have. She taught me that."

I nod. "She sounds like a good mom."

"She was. The best. I miss her. But I'm glad to be back with my siblings. I think...that she'd be happy I've found my way back to them." He says while looking at Nick who now spoke to three store associates.

"I haven't talked to Mila, but I can tell Nick's glad to have you back. He talked about you a lot." I say.

"He did?" Meki turns to look at me.

I do the same, "yeah. He is."

And for a moment we just...look. For once I'm not seeing something pained in his face, but relief. Happiness even, maybe. I couldn't help but weirdly feel it for him. With him.

That warmth in my chest returns, that pull I felt on the court, bringing me towards him. His eyes looking right into mine as my body screamed for me to break this distance between us. To have every inch of my body against his. And not doing so made me feel starved, depraved, vapid.

It was so intense and I welcoming at the same time. It's so easy to let it wash over me. Both soothing and terrifying me. So much that I couldn't even focus on the fact that he was a man and we were in thr sneaker section of a sports store. But that I wanted him, needed him to hold me, kiss me, love me and if he didn't do all three of those within the next millisecond I would die.

A throat cleared beside us. I turned my head to see Nick standing over us.

"You guys all good?" He asked with concern in his eyes.

I can't do anything but nod, the correct words lost in my mouth. I don't dare look at Meki, scared that whatever I'd felt mere seconds ago would come rushing back. Yet apart of me wanted that to happen. To feel that safety of whatever the hell that feeling is.

"I actually forgot my mom needed me back early to help her with the grocery's. I'll um...see you later." I say and don't wait for a response as I make a b-line out the door and to the nearest bus stop.

Hopefully they didn't see through my lie.