march 16th, 2024
9:56 pm
JALEN HATED REPORTERS.
Every time he came into contact with one, he always left with the feeling that they had basically eaten him alive like vultures. Picking at his playing skills, his social media and his personal life until there was nothing left.
Jalen tapped the index and middle fingers from his right hand on the onyx colored plastic table in front of him and let his eyes scan every reporter that was sitting downwind from the stage he was settled upon. He tried to count the amount of times he heard the shutter of a camera as a calming mechanism but it was to no avail.
"Alright," The manager of the Staples Center stood from her chair and brushed off her blazer before directing her next question to Jalen, "Let's get started, shall we?"
He brushed back his curls, still a little wet from the post game shower, before nodding and shifting his gaze once more to the crowd below the stage.
"Jalen," A blonde woman quickly rose from her chair, a tape recorder in her extended arm, "There's been talk that the Lakers shot in the playoffs is next to nothing because of this losing streak. What do you have to say about that?"
Here it comes. Here we go. Here we fucking go.
Jalen resisted the urge to roll his eyes instead choosing to tap his fingers a couple more times before leaning back in his chair, "Well, I think that we still have a fair shot. We've been working just on defense and chemistry and by next month, we'll be ready for the playoffs."
The woman continued to speak, "But there's only a few more weeks left in the regular season. Are you sure that's enough time to turn it around?"
Another reporter, this time a man of East Asian descent with a pen in his hand, raised a dark eyebrow, "But you've hit a personal low in scoring points and some may say that it's connected to your personal life."
Jalen narrowed his eyes at the suggestion, "What does that have to do with the playoffs?"
The man shrugged, "Your emotional state is connected to how well you play, isn't it?"
Jalen had to take a deep breath before choosing his next set of words, trying to remind himself that they were just doing their job, that the verbal assault was just for a paycheck and wasn't personal, "I think that can be said for anyone who plays a sport, not just me."
"So, you agree then?" The first reporter chimed in once more, "That the loss of your girlfriend is contributing to this losing streak?"
Jalen balled his tongue in his cheek, "That's not what I said at all."
"Then why is there a losing streak?" The man countered, "Because the rest of the starters, Porter, Tucker, a couple others, their point averages have remained the same, if not better. The only reasonable explanation is that your personal life is taking a toll on you and thus on the Lakers. Comm-."
The man had stopped speaking abruptly when Jalen shoved his chair back and stood, the screech of the metal against the floor now the only sound in the conference room, "My personal life is none of y'all's fucking business and it shouldn't be part of your questions! I don't know where you get off trying to instigate and shit but enough! This interview is over."
Jalen hopped off of the stage, and forced his way out of the room, roughly pushing aside any reporter who dared to not move out of his way. He stormed down the hall and flung the door open to the locker room, an animalistic like show of anger etched on his skull.
The only person in the locker room was Kevin Porter Jr, who was waiting for his own post game interview. At the sight of Jalen, he straightened his posture and sat up on the bench, "What's your problem?"
But Jalen was too incensed to properly answer, choosing instead to shove his dominant hand into a fist and then into a nearby taupe painted wall. The wall broke easily and created a small sized hole that was just large enough for a hand.
Kevin rose and dropped his phone in quick succession, "Bro! What the fuck are you doing?"
"Fuck." Jalen muttered, shaking his now red and slightly swollen hand, "Fuck. Dumb ass ESPN people got me fucking tight."
Kevin furrowed his eyebrows, silently prompting Jalen to continue explaining.
Jalen rested his throbbing hand against his shirt, "They were talking about how we'll do in the playoffs. Basically said that we're gonna lose because of me."
Kevin licked his bottom lip, remaining silent. Jalen narrowed his eyes at his friend, "You have something to say?"
Kevin took a slow breath before stepping towards Jalen and putting one hand on his left shoulder, "Ion want you to get offended or nothing but-."
"You think the same?" Jalen demanded.
"Well, yeah," Kevin admitted, "You've been on edge ever since you dumped ole girl and you need to get a fucking grip."
Jalen immediately shrugged off Kevin's hand, "I'm good."
"No. You're not." Kevin replied in a forceful tone then gestured to the hole in the wall, "There's mad cameras in here and ain't no way you're not being fined and suspended. You need to talk to h-."
Kevin cut himself off with a sigh, "You don't wanna hear this, I know, I know. But you need to talk to her, if not for yourself then for the team. I wanna win a ring."
Jalen blinked, still cradling his injured hand, "Fine. Fine. I hear you."
Kevin patted his shoulder, scooped his phone off the ground and moved to leave the locker room when Jalen called out to him, "Aye, bruh. I need you to text it for me."
Jalen held up his dominant hand, "I think I broke a few of my fingers."
Kevin shook his head but crossed the room to increase his proximity, "Dumb ass."
TIME SKIP!
11:09 pm
The first thing that Jalen noticed about Noelani was the cotton candy pink colored scrubs she was dressed in and how it melted in with the warm tones of her hair, even when it was pulled back. She was sitting on the porch swing that located left of her front door, a cell phone clearly on her lap.
Jalen paused from where he was sitting in the front seat at her appearance, his stomach dropping like a rollercoaster.
She had been clearly waiting for him.
He wasn't ready for this like he thought he was.
What the fuck was I doing listening to KPJ?
I shouldn't have done this.
If I back out now, I can just go home.
It's been a long day, no one will blame me if I decided to just go home.
Jalen shook the cowardly thoughts away, "Man up. God."
With that final sentence to himself, Jalen slid out of the car and then closed the door with his shoulder blade.
The sound of the car door slamming caught Noelani's attention and the minute they made eye contact, Jalen could feel his heart start to beat a little bit faster.
He paused right before he could step up and onto the porch, still silent as the two ex lovers regarded each other.
Jalen couldn't decide if the mix of emotions swirling inside him, similar to a hurricane, was made mainly of anger or of longing.
Finally after another moment of strained silence, Noelani cleared her throat, "So... You wanted to talk?"
Jalen coughed in response.
"Yeah, let's."
NOTE FROM KY
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