Nicki Minaj voice comes blasting through my headphones as I run on the treadmill, even though my legs were begging for me to stop. Since Layla's gifts, my mind has been all over the place — I wasn't expecting anything from her but the helmet alone was too much. The helmet sitting on my dresser felt too weird to look at, so I put it back in the box it came it and tucked it away in my closet back at home. And then those tickets.
The tickets were overwhelming. Layla had given Spencer the same tickets, and she even took him to stand on the field. But after he told me that those VIP field passes was for the team that Dad coaches. He's going to be in town tonight, and I know that none of us were on his mind, and I definitely wasn't expecting a phone call or pop up visit neither.
He's still the only nigga that I woulda signed to
If I ain't sign to Wayne perfectly designed crew
Cause we the big three, don't need a big speech
We made the biggest impact, check the spreadsheet
That's Lil Weezy to Barbie and Drizzy Drake
Niggas gettin' more cheese, kissy face
Billy coming to stand in front of the treadmill has me lowering the speed before stopping it, I pull my headphones off. "Hey, Coach. You need anything?"
"Yeah." He crosses his arms. "I need for you to not overwork yourself. I know you know there's a difference between working out and working it out. Is there something you need to talk about?" I shake my head. "Oh, so you just work out this hard, this long right before all your birthday party?"
"Well, technically, I don't have birthday parties." I counter, referring to this non-party party that's happening. "And I'm fine. Just a quick workout before I get ready."
I step off the treadmill, he sidesteps me and blocks my path when I was about to move on to the next equipment. "Sam, talk to me. You just ow you can talk to me about anything, especially if that anything has you worked up like this."
I didn't even know how to say that my dad was in town so I said it the best way I could, "UCLA's playing Eastern Nevada tonight."
Billy nods his head. "Your pops is in town. Did he, uh, reach out?"
"Funny." I scoff. "This isn't his first time coming to town and not saying anything, and I'm sure it's not his last. He can save his visit, he can save his phone calls because I don't care."
"It's okay to care."
"But I don't."
Care for what? Care that he's not here to witness me do everything I said I would? Care that he's not here to witness me break records people dream about breaking? He's never been to a single football game of mine. Never came to that choir concert I did. Just never been here. So why should I care?
"Look, I haven't spoken to my father in years. It's not like he left me behind or anything, but, um, he decided that I wasn't the son that he wanted." He tells me. "I thought I didn't care then, but I did and when I think that's why ir hurt more because you do care. But it's best to find what you need in people who are there for you, not the ones who let you down. Some wells, they just they run dry, Sam."
Despite everything he said I remain firm on my statement, "I don't care. Layla gave me VIP field passes tickets, I could see him tonight if I wanted and I'm not. Because I don't care."
"Sam—"
"Can I leave now?" I question. "I have to get ready."
Billy steps to the side and I walk around him, going to get ready for this party that Laura wanted to happen. The "small gathering" was nothing more than a lie, I didn't know more than half these people here. I thought about locking myself in the room until the "small gathering" ended, but being that Mom is coming I know she would disapprove. And Coop and Chris were tagging along today. Heh, Dillon too. Going to need them here since the people I do know, Jordan and Olivia, are acting weird.
My party or not, I always opt for comfort over; decided on a pair of brown sweatpants, a black crop top, and the matching brown sweater, and white high top sneakers. Instead of my go-to hairstyles, sleek back, I left my hair down for tonight; running a flat iron over it a couple times. For accesorios I kept it light, stud earrings, finger rings; I debated back and forth about taking my dad necklace off for today but left it on in the end, tucking it out of plain sight.
Heading downstairs I start to pull my phone out and pretend to be busy, but I spot Spencer standing against the wall. "Hey." I smile as stand beside him. "Do you have any clue who these people are?"
"Other than you, not a clue." Spencer shakes his head, he looks me up and down then says, "Ew. Your stomach showing."
"Ew." I mock his voice. "That's your face."
"You have the same face."
"But mine is cuter."
He laughs, throwing an arm around me and pulling me close to him, and rest his head on top of mine. "I'm happy I got you as my twin, I don't think I'll like my twin if it was anybody else. Happy birthday, Sam."
"You should be happy because you're stuck with me for life." I tell him, poking him in his side. "Happy birthday, Spence."
Spencer may be overprotective and overreact to situations which can annoying, but I couldn't and wouldn't ask for a better brother.
We remain on the wall watching everyone else have enjoy our non-party, as I scan the party my eyes lock with Jordan but only for a brief moment when I break eye contact. "How long are you and Jordan going to keep this up?"
Luckily before I could answer him because the doorbell rings, and when the woman opens the door, Mom, Dillon, Coop, and Chris walk inside. Conversation immediately over as we walk over to greet the only people I truly know. "Please tell me y'all came to take us away from all this?"
Chris smiles, "More like, get through this together."
"Can I see what y'all rooms look like?" Dillon ask, bouncing up and down in his spot.
"Sure, Dee." Spencer towards the stairs. "The fifth bedroom to the right is mine room and Sam's is right across from the bathroom. Go check it out."
Dillon races towards the stairs as Mom raises an eyebrow, "Fifth room on the right?"
"I know." Spencer chuckles, nodding his head. "It definitely takes some getting used to."
"I don't think I want you getting use to that." Mom states.
"Well take our bed at Crenshaw over this place any day." I assure her, wrapping my arms around her.
"Now, that's what I like to hear." Mom places a kiss onto my cheek, she holds the pan of Mac and cheese up. "Where should I put this?"
"Uh," Spencer eyes dart to mine then points to the backyard door and says, "maybe over by the Mac and Cheese truck?"
"Come on!" Mom rolls her eyes
Spencer holds hands up. "Hey, you said "yes" to this, all right?" Mom side eyed him. "We'll eat it."
"Yeah, you better." Mom walks away from us with the pan of Mac and Cheese, heading to the kitchen.
"Your moms go crazy." Chris chuckles. "Happy birthday, Sammie-Sam!"
"Thank you for coming, Chrissy." I smile. "I could definitely need somebody to get through all this with." The moment gets awkward when it goes silent between us, neither Spencer and Chris acknowledging each other. "Chris let's go make our plates." As I walk past Spencer I lower my voice so that only he can hear me and ask, "How long are you and Chris going to keep this up?"
Once we're away from Spencer and Coop, Chris seems way more comfortable and less tense. "Are you ready for these birthday punches? 17 and one for good luck."
"Uh," I hold my hand in his face as he starts readying up. "No, I'm too pretty for birthday punches." He laughs as he lowers his hand as we walk through the house. "But thank you for coming all the way out here."
"Don't think you're special or anything, I was just in the neighborhood."
"Crenshaw and Beverly aren't even in the same neighborhood." I roll my eyes. "Shut up!"
Chris laughs, looking around the house. "Loving large over here, huh? On your rich girl era."
"Please." I scoff. "I'm still living the same way I was back in Crenshaw, I just living in a much richer house but trust I'll choose Crenshaw over this any day."
"Do you like it out here?"
"It has its moments."
He nods his head, I wanted to speak on what happened after I left the cookout between Spencer and him but decided it wasn't the time or place for that. I don't want my best friend and my twin brother fighting, and they're best friends on top of that — we grew up together. I'm sure Spencer would feel the same way if Coop and I were at odds with each other.
"You be having moments with light bright over there?" Chris nudge him head to where Olivia and Jordan are talking. "I hope not because you can do so much better."
"I was." I admit. "But that's over with now. And it's probably for the best, it most likely wasn't going to work out."
"Something had to happen for you to say it's over with now, so tell me."
"To put a very embarrassing story short, I misread things between Jordan and I. Made a move and he walked away which I still very much pissed at but what's that saying "time will heal," or whatever." I shrug. "I don't know but something like that."
"I don't know, Sammie-Sam." Chris shakes his head. "I don't think you misread anything, I think whatever happened was more on Jordan side. Because the way he was staring at you during the cookout and the way he's been staring at you now, lets me know he fumble. And he knows that he fumble."
"His problem." I shrug.
Chris smirks. "Wanna make him jealous right quick?"
"That's childish, no." I take the mature route but sometimes being mature is overrated. "How?" Chris leans in but I hold my hand up to stop him from getting closer. "I know you not trying to kiss me right now."
"Not even in your dreams."
"Ew. It's definitely not in mine and it's certainly won't be happening in yours either."
"Sam, shut up and just play along." Chris leans in but, thankfully, he turns his head to speak in my ear. "He's watching us."
"And now I have to boil my ear later." I mutter as he pulls back, wrapping his arms around my neck and pulling me into a hug. "I see why you're still single. This the big plan? Talking in my ear with your hot breath and giving hugs? Get off me."
"I miss hanging out with you like this, Sammie-Sam." He laughs as he releases me. "Look, I'm not hating on you or Spencer for getting the golden ticket out Crenshaw, make use of this because opportunities like this don't come around like this. Take whatever you can from here, Sam. Not in a theft way though. Just don't forget about us or where you came from."
"Never. I'll be right back at Crenshaw for Senior year. We're going to walk across that stage together."
Chris extends his pinky out towards me, I wrap mine around his and he says, "I'll hold you to that." He crosses his arms. "So, my boy Cameron?"
I rub my neck. "He's definitely my type, looks wise. But he reminds me too much of my ex. I don't like that."
"You know I wouldn't do you like that. Cam's a good guy, he's nothing like that." Chris assures. "I think the two of you would really hit it off, and he'll be totally down to make Jordan jealous. Probably way more convincing than me since everybody knows that we're friends. What do you say? Can I slide him your number? Or you on the hunt for more Beverly boys?"
Definitely not interested in anybody else in Beverly. "Yeah, you can give him my number."
"I told you Cam and Sam had a nice ring to it." Chris grinning ear to ear, I move my hand from my neck but my sweater catches on something. "Hold on, Sam."
"So, I guess family isn't always welcome!" A man suddenly shouts, bringing the fun atmosphere suddenly silent.
"Yo," Spencer says, standing beside the elder man. "Why you kicking him out, Coach?"
"Spencer," Mom hisses. "Stay out of this."
"You don't know our history, son." Billy states.
"You right, I don't know y'all history." Spencer pinches the bridges of his nose. "So, how about you tell me about the history you got with my mom?"
"That was a long time ago." Mom says.
The history between Mom and Billy? What history?
I don't know what Chris was doing with my arm but I start to move away from him. "Wait, Sam." Chris tries to stop me. "Just one second. Your neck—"
"What's going on?" I question, ignoring whatever Chris was trying to do or say. "What is he talking about? What history?"
Silence.
"Mom and Billy use to date back in high school." Spencer tells me. "This whole thing, the recruitment, the little motivation speech to leave was just all an elaborate scheme to get us out of Crenshaw. They lied to us."
Billy words echo in my ears: some wells, run dry.
Billy never cared about what I was going through this morning, especially not after I told him about the tickets. He was trying to make sure that I didn't want to see him, and tried to ensure that I wouldn't go see him. And he didn't want me to go see my dad tonight because he was going to most likely tell me the truth about him and my mom.
"But," I start, my eyes dancing around the crowd. "Why don't nobody else look surprise?" Olivia looks down, guilt written all over her face — like I said Olivia is the easiest person to read, it's a good thing and a bad thing, this is why it's a bad thing. "Oh," I scoff, nodding my head. "So, we're the ones left out the loop."
"Okay." Spencer scoffs. "Dad may have left, but at least he never lied to me like this."
Spencer shakes his head before pushing his out the crowd formed around us, front door slammed shut behind him. Leaving me behind with all the eyes on me now, I could feel the weight of everybody eyes on me. Pitying me. Judging me. And I hate that.
Mom has tears shining in her eyes, she walks towards me but I take a step back and I knew that hurt her. "Just stop." Following Spencer route, I ignore the calls made after me.
This is the last place I want to be and these are the last people I want to be around right now.
Spencer and I were the butt of the joke, but that's our fault because we've been blind to what was in front of us. I've always stated that the length that Billy had went for us was more than what anybody else would, it wasn't normal. Recruiting is from Crenshaw to Beverly to play football, then moving us in your home — even I knew that all that just win a season was a stretch. I knew, it didn't make sense on how he knew where we lived after we turned down his offer.
Mom gets worried when we walk to the store, but she was all too willing to let us move to Beverly with a stranger. Billy and Mom had been playing us, all the facts were in our face the whole time. I got all the puzzle pieces to fit into place, and I feel so stupid for not speaking up when I first realize that all this was too much.
I caught two buses back to Crenshaw and went to the park, it's not like I could have went to Coop house, she's at the party. And it's not like I could have went to Chris house, he's at the party. And I couldn't go to Kia house, I know that if she came to my house after a year of not speaking to me when I tried to keep in contact I would slam the door in her face. But honestly, I just wanted to be alone — I didn't want to have to explain what happened to anybody, just wanted to be left alone.
"Samantha!" Billy voice fills my ears, looking over my shoulder I see him jogging over to me. He slips between the swing I'm sitting on the empty swing to stand in front of me. "You can't just storm out like that for hours and not answer your phone, everybody's worried about you."
Sure. "Is that the truth? Or am I going to find out that's a lie in a couple months from now?"
"Sam." Billy sighs, kneeling down. "I'm sorry, we should have never kept this from you or Spencer, but your mother knew that neither one of you would have never taken this opportunity if you knew our history."
"That doesn't make it right. How did you even find me?"
"Olivia remembered that you started sharing your location a while ago, and you never stopped." He informs. "Why did you come here? Why didn't you go to the stadium to see your dad?"
"I figured that I have enough people lying to me in my life already, makes no sense to go seek out another person to add to the list. And he obviously didn't want to see me, so why would I go see him?"
"The last thing we — the last thing I wanted to do is hurt you, Sam. You don't need your dad's validation to know that you're great, you should proud of who you are and how you turned out, and you did that without him. I proud of you, but you can't always do it on your own. You need a team, a family. And I'm hoping that you choose to be a part of mine, cause I've already chosen you. I might not be your biological father, but that doesn't change how much I care about you. You're like a daughter to me, and it hurts me to see you upset. I've always wanted the best for you and Spencer, even if the way we went about it was wrong."
I nod my head. "Was that a lie? Or. . .?"
Billy laughs as he stands up from the swing, he stands there with opens arms. "You know we have to hug everything out. Come give me a hug so I know that you at least believe me." I tilt my head left and right before standing up and hugging him. "Let's go home."
"Why are y'all smiling? Culver is in dead last place, and they nearly beat us. If y'all play like that against Malibu, they're gonna crush us." Billy shakes his head in disappointment. "Shower up and take your behinds home. Ain't no reason to celebrate."
Silence fills the locker room but it only lasts until Billy leaves the locker room and JJ yells out, "It's a celebration, bitches!"
Tonight game should have been an easy game, but Jordan and Asher has been bickering back and forth to each other for a while now. Jordan would hiss at Asher for not being in the right position when he threw the ball to absolutely nobody and nothing, and Asher would hiss back that Jordan didn't even try to pass him the ball. I didn't know why they were arguing and I didn't care, I cared that they were doing this during a game. It was two seconds left to win the final point, but Jordan was too busy being mad at Asher for whatever reason.
Tension has been high for after Spencer and I non-party birthday party, Layla and Asher, Jordan and Asher. Spencer told me that Billy had also given him an allowance and blew through the money in two days, majority of it going to help Asher fix a car that wasn't even his car. That legendary house party wasn't even his house, we all could have been arrested for trespassing if the police had showed up. He isn't some rich boy who can relay on mommy and daddy money because they have no money, he's basically in the same position as us but just lives in Beverly Hills.
I don't know if I could have helped Asher fix the car, whether I had the money or not. I wouldn't be able to help him knowing all the shenanigans he pulled, the rumors, the memes, the taunting he has done. The tension didn't stop there, I hadn't spoken to Olivia or Jordan since the non-party birthday party. We kind of just tiptoed around each other lately, I either walk to school or Layla picks me up. Hell, I'm still mad at Billy!
While the team was celebrating watching JJ do the muy fuego twenty blazing hot wings challenge in 120 seconds, Spencer and I were bussing tables. "Here are your drinks." I set each drink down on the table in front of everybody. "And your straws."
"And here are your appetizers." Spencer sets the food in the middle of the table. "Do you know what you want to order or do you need more time?"
"A little bit more time." Layla smiles. "Dad, I want to introduce you to Spencer and—"
"Samantha James." Mr. Keating finishes her sentence. "I know exactly who you are. It's not everyday you see a female, a black one at that, breaking down the standards limitations that are set against women. Layla," he places a hand on her shoulder then use his other one to point at me, "your friend is a force to be reckoned with. Trust me, she's not just going to make a mark; she's destined to be a household name. People will know and remember her for years to come."
I smile. "Thank you, sir."
"The both of you." Mr. Keating says, swinging his finger back and forth between Spencer and me. "The both of you are a force. And those colleges going to calling left and right when the times comes. Good luck."
"Hey, can I get some ketchup and a different drink?" Asher ask, holding his cup up. "This tastes a flat."
"Hey," Mr. Keating snaps his fingers. "These are the friends you said are from Crenshaw, right?" Layla nods, he smiles and gestures to the woman sitting next to him. "So is China."
"For real?" Spencer smiles. "Which part?"
"It reminds me of where I grew up at. In Harlem, where everyone is straight up real." Mr. Keating says. "What you see is what you get. You don't find real people anymore."
"I guess I'll get my own ketchup and drink." Asher says before storming away from the table.
"Get a better personality while you're at it." I mutter after him.
"Damn." Spencer chuckles. "Hope he ain't a yelp kind of guy."
"I like y'all." Mr. Keating smiles. "Why don't you two come through this weekend once we get a Venue locked up?"
"Venue?" Spencer ask. "Oh, you a singer?"
"Rapper." China corrects. "My first album is about to drop."
"That's dope. I'll check it out." Spencer says. "And I'll swing by the venue this weekend."
"Me too." I nod. "It was nice talking with you."
On that note I move on to start bussing other tables, throwing the dishes in the bin tucked under my arm. I start to head to the kitchen to drop the bin off with the dishwasher, but Asher sulking stops me. He looks like a sad, lost, and mean little puppy. "I guess you ain't be leaving a tip." I joke, Asher shoots me a fake smile before staring his straw around his cup. "Look, I know you were trying to get to know Layla dad, and Spencer and I kind of imposed—"
"Kind of?" He scoffs. "Y'all took over and made it all about you."
From the looks of it, it wasn't going too well in the first place, but I kept that comment to myself.
"And you thought being an asshole to us was going to impress him? Suddenly asking for ketchup and another drink, when we both know that drink was not flat." I tell him. "I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but I know what works for Spencer and me. We own who we are, we don't pretend to be somebody we're not. That's seems harder than just owning your truth, no need to keep up lies so the truth stays hidden."
Asher looks up from his cup. "What you trying to say?"
"I'm not trying to say anything, I'm saying that if you stop trying to play like you're this rich boy and just be you, you have to keep putting up a front for everybody." I tell him. "For people who don't even care about your well-being as well. Nobody can't make you feel bad about something that you own up to, Layla already proven that she'll stay with you and if your friends don't. . . Then they really weren't friends now, were they?"
Asher nods his head and for the first time since I met him, he smiles at me. "Thanks, Samantha."
I return his smile. "Don't mention it, Asher."
I guess I'm just like Spencer, I probably would have helped him too.