Love and Basketball: Freshmen Year

Freshmen 4

"Room 5," he said under his breath, remembering the room number for his class. He didn't want to have to keep checking his phone, so he memorized the classrooms and buildings. He had it down pack which was a surprise.

He clung to the straps of his bag as he walked down the hall. He saw all the lecture halls that were dark inside. Reaching his classroom, he peeked inside the window and saw it was empty. He looked up and down the hall for any staff, but didn't see anyone. He quickly realized that he was early for class, something he was trying to avoid. Sighing lowly, he found a seat on a bench and used the time for himself.

During the entire week, Shai tried to do something quite ridiculous. And that was calling his parents. He left them voicemails, letting them know what he had going on. In his mind he still thought they didn't know he had left for college. It happened too quickly, so he gave them a pass if they didn't know. They were busy, is what he thought all the time when they didn't answer his call. It wasn't like it was false. They were famous, so they had a lot of events happening at once.

He didn't want to always make that excuse for his parents, but he couldn't help himself. Going to moms contact, he stared at the picture he was using of her. It was the picture he took when they went to his dad's basketball game. For once, Shai was actually smiling in a picture. If he could remember, he was maybe six or seven at the time. He was young and was overall excited to be seeing a basketball game in real life. During that time, he still adored his father.

It was the opposite now. Pressing the call button, Shai listened to the ringing. It rung once. It rung twice. It rung three times. It rung four times. Voicemail instantly. He listened to his mom voice. Even though it was over the phone, hearing her made Shai relax. He loved his mothers voice with all his heart. It was raspy and low-toned. It also had a sense of smoothness to it, especially whenever she sung.

Shai could remember the lullabies she would sing to him when he was a baby. He always wondered why his mother decided to be a model instead of a singer. Yes, she was stunning in the looks department. Brown skin, sharp jawline, almond eyes, a phenomenal smokey eye. Her body was that of supermodels as well, skinny with little bit of thickness. An athletic body some would call it. She worked the runway and even the streets. She strutted everywhere she walked. Turned heads in every room she steps into.

She had men drooling all over her. She was a woman. But, whenever she opened her mouth to sing roses grew in the garden. Birds sung along with her. Chills went down Shai's spine. He listened to her vocals. The low pitches. The high pitches. Even the ones in between. She could be an alto and a soprano. He went into a daze whenever she sung. It was as if he could visualize the lyrics, feel them going through his body and settling in his mind. It made him happy. It soothed him. It made him want to lay in bed and stay there all day with her singing in the back.

That was how his mothers voice made him feel. That was how his mother in general made him feel. If only his mother could see the type of love Shai had for her then she wouldn't stay in a broken relationship. However, she was grown. Shai was grown as well. His mother made a decision and he had to accept it.

He came out his daze once he heard the beep sound. It was time for him to do his voicemail. Actually saying something was the difficult part.

"Uhhh, hey mom," he began. "It's your son, Shai..." he paused, scratching the back of his head.

He continued, "I'm calling because I wanted to say hi. I've been gone for a good week or so now and I wanted to let you know what's been going on. I started my classes today...they seem easy for the most part. I'm actually sitting here waiting for class to start. I came early which isn't a surprise really."