Erase and Rewind (Full Book)

Chapter Twelve: Kite High

Coach Grayson, lovingly known as Coach Devil, was exactly what Malik needed. The tryouts were fierce for a community college, no skill was left untested. The coach saw to each potential player's shooting, ball handling, defense, passing, rebounding, and footwork skill.

Communication was also at the forefront. The final drill had started with three players on offense coming down the court attempting to score against two waiting defenders. Malik who had attempted and made the shot got back to playing defense against the two defense players who in their then reversed position, attempted to score.

Malik's friends back in Egypt would've called him too American. If it wasn't football, it wasn't a sport.

"Fuck me," John said taking off his shirt. "Coach Demon better put us on the team."

Malik snorted. The tryouts had taken the edge off his anger in spite of it being there, lurking in the shadows along with the anticipation of today's talk.

"You won't change your mind?' John said." I could use a wingman?"

John was trying to hook up with a hot redhead who was a year his senior and on the cheerleading squad. Going to a bar and having to chat up another girl was going to be a hard pass no matter how much Malik wanted to help out John.

"I gotta go," Malik said after they'd cleaned up.

John tsked. "I need to tap dat fat ass. Your loss."

He reached the main building and took out his phone then Malik remembered he didn't own a cell and they didn't set a meeting point.

Malik wandered around and caught Jude sitting on the stairs of the main entrance. He was crouched at the far end alone and away from the groups of students, huddled over his sketchbook while his pen was gliding on the page. The hideous overalls which did nothing to his complexion were replaced by the usual ratty Converse and frayed jeans. He was pale but an improvement to the several shades of white he'd gone through in the bathroom.

Before Malik could speak, he saw him stiffen. Getting up in a slight graceful movement, He turned his pinched face to him although avoiding Malik's face and staring at a point on his biceps.

"Hmm," Malik said. "Hey, Jude?"

He shrugged in response.

Malik had been shuffling the names in his mind for the past hours until they could meet, trying to decide which he liked better. Being lied to was not cool.

"Noah suits you." He said and Noah looked up something akin to hope flickered on his face.

"Oh," Noah said. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...you know."

Malik descended to the same level on the stairs looming over Noah.

Yup, Malik thought, I'm definitely cramming your space.

"I actually don't." Malik heard Noah swallow, "You have to let me in, man."

I want to trust you, was what he thought, and chose not to say.

"I'm sorry."

"Come on," Malik said and started down the stairs. "We can work this out over coffee instead of standing here as if we're a flash mob or something."

"What's a flash mob?" Noah huffed beside him.

"Seriously? The thing where a bunch of random people gather and break into a song or dance."

Jude, no, Noah said nothing.

They left the campus and got to the main street.

"He is someone I would like to be." Noah said in a low voice, "I wanted to start over and not carry the world around my shoulder."