1 week later-
Liyah-
"Does banding your knee give you any discomfort ?" The therapist asked and I bent my knee constantly and I shook my head
I've been doing physical therapy more often cause I miss being on the Court a lot.
"Are you sure ?" She asked
"Yea yea kind of" I shrugged and she sighed
"I'll take that as a no" she added
I looked off to the side before sighing
"I know you're ready to get back playing but you have to fully record or it could be your ACL next" she frowned and I nodded
After the session my Ma had picked me up
"Can we get foodd ?" I asked
"No Liyah you have to get back to school.. plus that wouldn't be fair for Ary and Jr" she replied
"Ma irs only 9:30"
"I'll get it for y'all after school okay?" She said said and nodded before getting out the car
Our first period had already passed so I went to my second block which was biology
"Aaliyah you're late again" my teacher said and I heald up my late pass before Continuing to my seat
"Yo ass never on time" Kyree chuckled as I sat down
"I had to do physical therapy so I have a valid excusee" I shrugged and he shook his head
"You need therapy therapy." He told me
"What you trynna call me crazy ?" I asked and he threw his hands up in surrender
"Aye you might be a little bit." He replied
"Boy you don't even know me" I said and he smiled before licking over his bottom lip
"Then let me get to know you ?" He asked and I chuckled before shaking my head
"Look, it's not gon happen-
"I'm not even on that I already know what you thinking." He said
"Mhmm but like I said you don't know me Kyree." I said before opening my notebook
"Let me tell you what I do know." He said before turning my way
"Take a guess." I said as I kept my attention on my notes
"You're clueless, you have a hard time choosing between what you want to do and what you need to do. You're a open soul and only trust what you tolerate. You get caught up in the mix a lot but always pull yourself out because you love to be yo own person." He said and I looked over at him
"What makes you think that ?" I asked and he shook his head
"I picked up on yo vibe, I can tell you a good ass person at heart you just stubborn" he said and I mugged him
"I'm not stubborn."
"I'm not stubborn" he mocked and I smacked my teeth
The teacher started teaching the lesson and we all started doing class work.
Not long after the lesson she mentioned a biology project and left us to choose our own partners.
Kyree looked at me and I shook my head causing him to laugh
"Come on, let me give you a ride after school Nd we can go to the store to get what we need and we can finish it at my crib" he offered
I wasn't being stubborn towards kyree at all. I just don't know what his intentions are and I'm not ready for a relationship at all. My trust is very thin after Marcus pulled what he pulled and I honestly just need time.
"Boy, that's how I know you don't know me cause you would know my daddy wouldn't be going for that." I said shaking my head
"Well so what you got to do and at least think about it ight?" He asked and I smiled before shaking my head And the bell rung
"Yes.. no..?" He smiled and I lightly laughed
"Ight kyree don't forget about me" I told him before standing up and he nodded
"Bet, I'll let you know where I'm at." He told me before getting his stuff together.
..........
Once I walked in to the cafeteria it felt weird, almost like everyone was looking at me weird. I continued looking for Ary and Anna and once I found them I noticed everyone whispering and laughing
I felt someone grab my arm and I looked up to see Jr pulling me out by my arm.
Once he brought me out the cafeteria I snatched my arm before looking at him
He sighed before looking at me.
"I know I'm yo brother and you probably don't want to come to me about serious shot like this but ima need for you to be honest for a minute." He said and I furrowed my eyebrows
"Are you pregnant Aaliyah?" He asked and I smacked my teeth
"Would I be drinking if I was pregnant Jr? And why are you asking me this?" I asked
" That girl y'all be bumping heads with I guess she said she saw you throwing up a while back and she brought up the marcus situation and made that the reason he left." He admitted and I shook my head
"Yea ima beat this bitch ass ." I mumbled before walking off and jr grabbed me
"One more suspension and you expelled, calm yo lil ass down" he told me and I started rubbing my head in frustration.
I buried my face in both my hands before I started crying in frustration.
"Man calm down what you crying for?" Jr asked
"Nigga what am I crying for ? I'm 17 I don't want no pregnant ass rumor going around about me I'm sick of this bitch and her shit" I said and he sighed
"You got to learn how to let shit go, you seventeen and still letting rumors get you out of character ?" He asked and I I shook my head
"Have you even talked to Marcus ? How is some shit like that just gonna come up and about ? " he asked
"No I haven't heard or seen him since the incident that happened" I lied and he looked at me
"Well ight, just continue doing you and don't let that shit get to you." He said and I nodded before walking off.
I wasn't going back into that cafeteria, but I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't do something to that bitch. Since freshman year the bitch been trying me like I won't have my daddy drive by.
Sighing I put my airpods before walking into the half empty gym to see Jd and Kyree playing basketball.
I haven't been seeing Jd a lot because he usually be down in Atlanta with with my daddy. He's the two of them have been planning on moving down there so he's rarely here anymore, I definitely miss my big cousin.
"Aye wassup lil cousin" he smiled before tossing the ball to Kyree and giving me a sweaty ass hug
I laughed before pushing him off in disgust and he shook his head
"And before you ask I'm not." I said and he furrowed his eyebrows
"Not what ?" He asked
"Nigga so you mean to tell me everybody but you has been hearing shit?" I asked and he rolled his eyes
"Aaliyah I know you not crazy, you know better." He said and I nodded
"Good to know you not slow, Wassup Kyree" I spoke before signaling for the ball.
"Wesss" he laughed before tossing it to me
I went up for the shot before making a 3 and him and Jr starting clapping
"Yea you finna be cold" kyree said
"Nigga finna? She is cold" Jd corrected
"A littleee" he said and I smacked my teeth
"If you wanna 1 on 1 just say that" I said and he chuckled
"Run it."
..................
I made shot before the bell rung and Kyree shook his head
"Ight ima stop talking shit" he said and I laughed Before grabbing my bag
"Yea nigga you need too, cause you just got to ass whooped" Jd said before grabbing his stuff too
"But ima fuck with y'all later, love you" he told me before hugging me
"Love you too." I said before watching him walk off
Kyree grabbed his stuff before we started walking out the gym
"You ight tho?" He asked and I nodded
"I'm good, just hate being in this school foreal" I said before shaking my head
"Shit I feel you, I wouldn't let it get to you though, you too pretty to be going back and forth with nobody." He said
"Pretty or not, ima do sum to the bitch I don't care." I said and he chuckled
"Man I got you."
"Hmm what you mean ?" I asked
"Nigga nothing bad like that of course, but just know I got you." He said and I shook my head
"Ok kyree" I chuckled
Ary-
"Now that you drinking I can't wait to pour up with you" Kayla said
"Girl hold on-
"No no I'm talking bout summer time ? I'm holding yo throat and pouring a big ass bottle down it." She said and I shook my head
"Never getting drunk again"
"Girl that's only cause it was your birthday and you didn't watch your intake, once you learn how much your body can only take you'll be fine" she said
"Girl what you doing today ?" I asked
"Nothing really, I have a job interview today for Walmart" she told me and I smiled
"That's good, I actually have work tomorrow I've been working less." I said and she nodded
"All for you getting your bag but I loved how you've been giving yourself breaks luv. Don't over work yourself "
"I know." I said before grabbing my bag out of my locker
"Now I have to get ready for this track practice." I sighed
Track was honestly getting tiring, we had been practicing since the beginning of the beginning of the year and we finally have a indoor meet next week.
As we were walking out I saw Shawn talking to his friends and we made eye contact. I didn't wanna interrupt so I kept walking towards the locker room.
He said a little more to them before leaving to catch up with me
"Damn wassup ?" He asked and I looked up at him
"Nothing why ?"
"Was just making sure, you was finna walk straight past me though ?" He chuckled and I shook my head
"I didn't want to interrupt Da'Shawn."
"I didn't want to interrupt Da'Shawnn" he mocked before pulling me into a tight ass hug and I laughed as I struggled to get out out of his group
His strong ass rocked us from side to side and I grabbed his butt causing him to let me go
"Man here you go with that gay shit" he said and I flipped him off
"Watch yo finger" he told me and I did it again before getting in his face
He smiled before he pulled me closer to him by my shirt and kissing my lips.
"Someone is gonna as us dumb ass" I mumbled
"Fuck them" he said before continuing and I laughed
"I have practiceee." I said
"Ight ight well have a good practice and call me when you out" he told me and I nodded before going into the locker room
Aaliyah-
When I walked out to the parking lot Kyree was outside near his car using his phone. He had a nice ass ice white charger.
I pulled out my phone before texting my
Ma.
Me: hey ma I have a biology project with Kayla and her parents are picking us up from school and we're gonna work at her house
I walked over to Kyree and he kept his attention on his phone
"This you ?" I asked
"Nawww I stole it." He said and I mugged him
"Kyree don't-
"See calm yo lil ass down come on." He chuckled and I rolled my eyes before getting on his car
"Aux?" She asked me and I shrugged before taking it from him
.......................
Once we pulled up to his house he had a decent sized house and the inside was nice as hell.
He led me into the living room where I started looking at the pictures that were out
"Okay this is nice" I Complimented
"Appreciated " he said before sitting his bags down also
We sat down in the living room before taking everything out of the bags we had brought in
"So tell me bout you." He started and I looked up
"Huh?"
"You was talm bout I don't know you, so tell me bout you" he smiled and I laughed
"Nothing major bout me, you already know I play basketball I used to work at McDonald's but after I hurt my knee I wasn't getting ready to be running back and forth with them so that's in the past.I really just chill with my family." I shrugged
"That's wassup I never saw you around just heart a lot around school" he said and I rolled my eyes
"Like what ?"
"Nothing major, I used to always hear about you and Marcus, or anything sports wise" he said
"Yea, that's done" I said shaking my head And he gave me a look like he didn't believe me.
"What ?" I laughed
"I went through that toxic stage with my ex. It'll take you a while" he chuckled before opening his book and I shook my head
"Nah I gotta stop putting myself in positions where I keep getting hurt, I deserve better" I shrugged and he nodded
"I feel you stay on top of that mindset" he said before making eye contact with me
"Mhm, so what about you ?" I asked
"What about me ?"
"Tell me about you." I replied
"I just make music and try and stay out the way. It's no secret I be out in the streets but I'm in the process of letting that shit go before it gets too out of hand" he said and I nodded
"You got talent foreal, you should get yourself out there." I said
"I'm trying, My unc set up a collab with Hauncho and since he's know that'll get my name out."
"Hauncho ? Yea the city would go crazy for that" I chuckled and he nodded
"Shit just hard everybody like the same shit." He said and I nodded
"We should throw a kickback or something, why not perform the song instead of just dropping it ?" I asked and he looked up
"That's smart, you down for that for real?" He asked and I nodded
"Of course." I said and he nodded
"I've heard around about you too though" I said before opening up my book
"Mhm what you dun heard Aaliyah" he chuckled
"Wasn't you messing with that white girl on my team ?" I asked and he nodded
"And That's the toxic ex she was weird." He said while shaking his head
"Mhmm." I nodded
"Nah what ?" He asked again
"Just how you let a white girl fuck you up in front of yo homies ?" I asked and he started laughing
"So she be talking shit shit?" He asked and I nodded And he out his hands up in surrender
"How you let a bum nigga run you." Be shot back
"Never Nigga you a bum nigga" I said and he chuckled
"Why do you do that shit though ?" He asked and I shrugged
"Me and Marcus had been talking since freshman year , it was stupid but it was like we had our whole life planned out together. The thought of seeing him with someone else just hurt, we were too young you know ?" I said while sketching out on new poster and he nodded
"You let him take advantage." He said and I shook my head
He went behind me to reach for something and I glitched before realizing he was just reaching for the computer behind me
"You good," he asked before furrowing his eyebrows
"Yea my bad I just got cold." I said and he have me a look before opening the computer
We sat in silence before he spoke again
"He put his hands on you didn't he ?" He asked and I didnt answe for a while
"No You asking a lot." I lied and he tilted his head
"You got too much to offer to be going through shit like that."
"Nobody put they hands on me Kyree I know. I said and he put his hands up in surrender
Kyree was coo, I liked how good he was at not only giving advice but receiving it. A relief from all that toxic shit was needed.
Ary-
After sprinting a 400 I quickly bent over the track fence before I felt everything come up and I started throwing up. Kayla instantly ran over before holding my hair back for me and I sighed
"So you can run the 400 now ?" My coach asked with a attitude before handing me a water bottle
I washed it around my mouth before spitting it back down and bending down
"Hands on your head ain't no air down there."
I rolled my eyes before sitting back up and he pointing for Kayla to leave.
"Wassup with you ?" He asked and I shook my head
"I'm just tired, you just made me run this twice back to back along with warm ups ?" I said
"I'm pushing you-
"You're pushing me to hard ! I barely want to do this and you're pushing me too hard." I said and he shook his head
"Then don't" he said and I looked up
"Then don't do it, but you're one of the strongest in this team and I push my toughest soldiers, you see those people up there ?" He asked before pointing at two women and a man at the top of the bleachers
"They're not here just to be here Ary, they're here for you.. if you got scouts coming out to see you only at your Jr year ? That says something. So I'll give you the choice.. either leave my track or re run that 400 like I know you can" he said before walking off.
I looked down before placing my hands on my hips and walking towards the start line and getting at a ready position
"Set..."
After he blew the whistle I sprinted off before jogging the first straight way and sprinting the 200 full out. Once I finished I placed my hands behind my head before attempting to catch my breath and I felt couch rest his hand on my back
"See what happens when you don't give up ? you just made a new time, you're going places I know it."
...................
Two hours later-
Practice ended about a hour ago and I've just been laying across the bleachers on my back.
I heard someone approaching and I looked up to see Shawn with a blanket wrapped around him and with a bag of Canes Nd two drinks
"Boy what you doing down here ?" I asked
"Nah what you doing down here ?" He asked before sitting beside me.
"I just needed air." I said and we sat in silence for a while
He wrapped the blanket around us both before pulling me closer to him and I rested my head on his shoulder
"Talk to me." He said and I sighed
"My mental is eating my up man." I admitted
"I can tell, that night with that excessive drinking wasn't you at all"
"I felt numb that night which was all I wanted.. I didn't wanna feel it." I said and he nodded
"And then with this track shit it's tiring, I mean I've set my whole plan out around track bye now it's just like I don't know anymore this shit is hard."
"You thought it was gon be easy ?" He asked and I shook my head
"Exactly It's up to you to how you wanna push yoself not to parents or your coach " he said
"But with you mentally, you need to let it out Ary you can keep holding it in or it'll eat you alive.. I watched that happen to moms and right now you're going through the same cycle she went through." He added
"And that is ?"
"Pretending like everything was okay, realizing that she wasn't okay, neglect, excessive drinking and smoking, then lost of interest." He explained and I looked down
"I really just don't know what to do Shawn I feel so lost."
"Just promise me that if you reach that breaking point you'll call on me ight ?" He asked and I didn't reply
"Ight ?" He asked again and I nodded
"Ima need for you to say it Ary." He added
"I promise." I sighed
"Ight, now help me eat all this so I can get you back, yo paps already pissed at me" he chuckled
"Told him practice ran over, he's occupied with other shit anyways it seems like"
"He could be, but I know for a dad what we he's occupied with y'all's safety will never leave his mind." He said and I shook my head before digging theough the bag he had
We both ate and talked until the sun eventually Started to go down and we both walked out to his car.
"Thank you." I told him and he looked at me
"Don't thank me that's me giving you the bare minimum." He said
"But you're always here when I need you.. and I really needed that." I said and he smiled before shaking his head and looking at me
I laughed before gripping his face before kissing over his face and he smacked his teeth before lightly gripping my throat and kissing my lips fully
"You be playing with me." He said after pulling back
"Who me? Not at all." I waved off
"Yes you Aryhel."
"How Da'shawn ?" I asked before shutting his way And he licked over his bottom lip
"When you gon be mine?" He asked
"When you prove that you not gon play around with me." I shrugged
Yea me and Shawn has been talking for a minute now but still, just like hoess Marcus still played Liyah after two years ? Shawn can do it too and I refuse to be put in a even word position.
"What I gotta do to prove that ?" He asked and I looked to the side
"Hmm, when you have a decent conversation with my daddy about how you want things to be, you got me simple. I won't sneak behind his back anymore cause I know that's only making shot worst." I said and he squinted his eyes at me before scratching his head
"Yo paps don't like me Ary.." he said
"He don't like nobody, you'll be ight." I shrugged .
—————-
-aweeee thoughts on kyree ?
-thoughts on Shawn ?
-chileee Marcus ?
-Thoughts in Ary and how she feels ?