Ball Or Nothing

(56.)

Melo

Today my dad forced me to go food shopping with him. Had I said no, I would've got my ass beat. So I just said yeah to avoid an ass whooping that I really don't need. I'm sure he just wanted to ask more questions about Jordan but I really don't feel like talking about it. So I just stay quiet.

The entire time we were out, he didn't say much about her. He didn't say anything about her at all actually. Until we were in the car on the way back home.

"I invited Ms. Deborah over for Christmas." He said.

My eyes widen. "Just Ms. Deborah?"

"I assume she's going to bring Jordan, if Jordan doesn't have a game. In which I assume she doesn't." He shrugs.

I wince. Okay, maybe this can be a good thing...or maybe not. If she finds out I've been communicating with her boyfriend, she is going to kill me. But I really don't care; she was mine first.

Soon as we get back home, I'm headed up to my room. I'm trying to figure out how I feel about Jordan coming over Christmas Day. Will she be upset? I know she won't want to say a word to me so she'll be uncomfortable for sure. I try to decide if I care or not.

See, this is my problem. This is why we can't have nice things.

I race across the hall to Gelo's room, in hopes that he can understand my disposition. After the fallout on Thanksgiving, he and Zo haven't really been able to deal with me.

"Gelo?" I say.

"What?"

"Dad invited Ms. Deborah over for Thanksgiving."

"And?"

"I think Jordan will be coming with her."

He sits up after I say that. "What?"

I purse my lips as he sighs.

"That's a shit show waiting to happen." He mumbles, running his hand down his face.

I look around cautiously. "I don't know how I'll be able to handle myself."

He narrows his eyes at me. "Don't say anything to her. Don't even look at her. You're still very much on her shit list and will be for a very long time. Do not pull on that thread Melo."

"What if I can't help it?" I ask.

"You can help it. You just don't want to." He says.

I hate that they know me so goddamn well.

"But I miss her." I frown.

He rolls his eyes. "Yeah, boohoo! Get over yourself Melo."

"If she's still hurt over that, doesn't it mean she hasn't gotten over me?" I ask hopefully.

There's a trend here, I know there is.

"As far as I'm concerned, she's always going to be hurt over that." He said. "You did some real unforgivable shit Melo, it's not that easy."

"Maybe it is and you're just saying that so I won't do anything stupid." I say.

"At least you know." He rolls his eyes.

Then there's silence.

"How do you feel about the new boyfriend?" I ask out of curiosity. Not that it should bother him in anyway, I just want to hear his thoughts.

"If he's treating her right, there's no problem on this end." He shrugged.

There was so much shade in that one sentence, I don't know how to feel about it.