'Cause I do it for the thrill, for the rush
I do it for the pain, for your touch
Will I OD when it's too much?
If I survive, baby, you're the one
You're the one.'
"You sing whilst on a treadmill? Has anyone ever called you an over achiever?"I rolled my eyes at Damon before I slid my headphones to my neck and stopped the treadmill.
"I call it being a triple threat."I muttered as I grabbed my towel and began to wipe my face before I strangely looked at his casual attire.
"You aren't wearing your gym clothes so what are you doing here?"I asked as I continued to dab the towel along my neck and stepped off the treadmill.
"Coach asked me and JR to host a potential top baseball recruit."he explained making me jokingly look around the gym.
"You lost him already?"I joked making him kiss his teeth as I slipped on my wrist brace.
"No' he just got here and where is your boyfriend anyway?"Damon asked as I stuffed his hand into his pocket making me squint at him suspiciously.
"Uh-oh. You are mad at each other. What is the tea this time?"I asked as I wrapped my towel around my neck before crossing my arms.
"He just seems mad at me these days, the usual. What's up with you?"he asked as he gestured towards my wrist making me roll my eyes at my wrist brace.
"I sprained my wrist and so coach banned me from the gymnastics gym for the next 6 weeks. She literally had it padlocked and everything."I replied as I rolled my eyes at Coach Cynthia's measures of getting me to stop going to the gymnastics gym making Damon chuckle.
"Hey baby."JR greeted as he jogged into the gym and pecked my lips a couple of time.
"Hi baby. I need to go take a shower. Enjoy your day hosting."I sarcastically said whilst giggling making him playfully roll his eyes.
As I went to go grab my duffle bag Coach Marcus came out with the kid JR and Damon had to host. When I made my way out I was stopped by that very kid making me look up at him oddly.
"Hey, hey you're Imani James. You are even hotter in person."he flirtatiously muttered as he looked down at me with a smirk making me look up in disbelief before I let out a giggle.
"Uh. Its good to meet you, aren't you like 17?"I sarcastically asked as I shook his hand making him turn my hand to kiss my hand but I quickly pulled my hand away.
"Yeah but being young doesn't mean a thing."
"Not if you want me to have a criminal record over dating a minor."I pointed out as I looked at him with a frown.
"Jail is just a room."he joked making me look up at him with a small frown obviously not impressed.
"Uh, enjoy Bringston."I simply replied before I walked off to my dorm to fetch my toiletry bag so I could go take a shower to scrub off all the sweat.
"Imani!"
I stopped in my tracks and looked behind me to see Kaisa walking towards me with a small smile on her face making me smile at her before giving her a small wave.
"Hi Kai. I haven't seen you in a while. You okay?"I asked as I gave her a small smile and waited for her.
Kai went MIA for a good 2 weeks. I had not seen her during any lectures nor had I seen her around the campus so seeing her right now was a relief.
"I'm good. My uncle flew me back home because he wanted me to spend sometime with the family after the whole bomb threat."She explained making me nod my head.
"I'm sorry I did not reach out. What happened to your wrist?"She suddenly asked as she took my wrist in her hand.
"I sprained it. I'm banned from gymnastics practice for the next few weeks."I replied as I rolled my eyes making her frown.
"You got anything to keep you busy?"she asked as we began to walk together.
"No, not really. I've been gyming and writing some notes from my lectures. Same repetitive routine and I have been counting the days like a prisoner."I mumbled as I rolled my eyes in response.
"Didn't you say that you used to play the piano?"She asked as she gave me a small smile making me laugh and nod.
"Yeah but I only know a few songs and even then I feel like my wrist will be a lot worse."I replied making me nod her head slowly.
"Shower and meet me at the music room."She said with a smirk making me playfully squint my eyes at her before I nodded my head and made my way to the showers.
After I had taken a shower and got dressed I made my way to the music room which and saw Kai cleaning her cello.
"Knock, knock."I announced as I waltzed in with a small smile.
"Hi, Imani. Hold on, I'm just cleaning my cello. I also polished the piano for you."She replied as she pointed towards the piano making me nod my head as I made my way towards the freshly polish piano.
"Wow, thanks."I replied whilst chuckling before I sat on the seat and opened the piano seeing the black and white keys made me think of my piano lesson when I was younger.
"Man. I never thought I would ever touch a piano again." I joked before I began to piano cover of diary by Alicia Keys.
"What? When you said you played a bit I thought you would play Prelude in C Major by Bach."She said whilst giggling making me laugh before I began to play it as well.
"Okay Bach."She sarcastically said whilst giggling making me laugh along with her before shaking my head.
"Did that hurt your wrist?"She asked making me shake my head in response.
"Okay then. Play what ever you want to play and I will come in with my cello."She replied making me look at her with a small smile before I thought for awhile and began to play If I ain't got you by Alicia Keys.
"do you sing too?"she asked in disbelief making me giggle before I shrugged.
"Everyone in my family can sing so let's hope that I can too."I replied and started to play the sing again.
"Some people live for the fortune
Some people live just for the fame
Some people live for the power, yeah
Some people live just to play the game
Some people think
That the physical things
Define what's within
And I've been there before
That life's a bore
So full of the superficial."I sang whilst playing making Kai play the cello as well making the song sound ten times better.
"Damn you got pipes. Have you considered going into music?"Kai asked as she looked up at me in Awe.
"I have never really looked at anything that isn't gymnastics. I had piano lessons because my parents wanted me to find other hobbies. They made me join the chamber choir because everyone in my family can sing."I responded as I gave her a small smile and thought about it.
"What else can you do, Miss James?"Kai asked whilst laughing making me laugh as well.
"That's pretty much it, trust me."I replied as I got up and closed the piano.
"I really enjoyed this session, Kai. Thank you."I said as I walked towards her and gave her a hug which took her by surprise at first but she returned the warm embrace.
"Anytime. This helped my uncle cope with his shoulder injury. Except he played the guitar because he said it was more masculine than a piano."She explained whilst playfully rolling her eyes making me giggle.
"My dad would say the same thing. You want to go grab lunch? Or maybe stroll around campus? I feel like I've known you for such a long time but I know nothing about you."I blurted out as I gave her a small smile.
"Sure. I just need to put my cello back into my room and we can go."She cheerfully replied as she packed up her cello making me smile as I helped her once we were done we made our way to her dorm room which was at the PKZ sorority house.
"I didn't know you were part of the PKZ?"I asked as soon as we entered her dorm.
"Girl I wear baby blue everyday."She laughed making me look at her fit and nod my head.
"Now that you've pointed that out I see it. When though? You just transferred?"I asked making her shrug her shoulders.
"Aqueelah is my cousin."she briefly responded as she placed her cello carefully in a corner.
"Oh?"
"Yeah. Relatives take preference I guess? I don't know I didn't really ask I just needed the scholarship because my uncle his shoulder injury has gotten worse over the years so he no longer works and so I get money to come to college from Aqueelah's parents."She explained making me look at her sympathetically.
"No, please don't pity me. Being in the orchestra has also given me that privilege too I guess but mostly the PKZ. You should join, your mom is the alumni right?"she asked making me nod my head slowly.
"I don't think that would be fair though. I would rather the spot goes to someone who needs the funds."I replied as I shrugged my shoulders making her nod her head.
"Valid but this is a whole different sisterhood and plus you don't have to go through initiation."She replied cheerfully giving me a small smile making me smile back awkwardly.
I felt conflicted at this point everyone wants me to join the PKZ. Everywhere I went I was asked about it and Nate wouldn't stop asking me about it.
"You want to go out or is my dorm room fine?"Kai sheepishly asked giving me a nervous smile.
"We can stay here if you want."I replied making her pat her bed in response which made me sit next to her.
"You said your cousin was Aqueelah right?"I asked as I looked around her dorm room for pictures.
"Yeah."
"I don't see any pictures of you two here?"I asked making her wave me off.
"We aren't close like that."She replied dismissing me making me nod my head slowly as I looked around her room strangely.
"So tell me how you met JR."She asked with a smirk making me laugh before I nodded.
Kai and I sat there for a while we spoke to each other like we were close friends that met years ago and I enjoyed every minute of our conversation. Whilst I was sitting with Kai I felt my phone vibrate a couple of times in my pocket making me reach for it to see notifications from our group chat with Keisha, Nate and Simone.
Simone Hicks 🎾
Mani, girl talk?
"Aw man I have to go."I muttered as I jumped off Kai's bed, Girl talk usually meant that there was a 'group chat emergency ' which also meant that one of the girls needed all of us to be together.
"Is everything okay?"Kai asked as she got up as well making me nod my head.
"Yeah, I just need to go see what's up with the girls."I briefly explained as I held onto the door handle.
"I can come with? I would like to meet your friends."she offered with a small smile making me shake my head.
"No, don't worry about it. I will call you or text you."I replied before I left her dorm room and rushed to the standard area where I saw Nate crying making me frown.
"Aw, Nate."
I rushed to her and sat next to her making her hold me tightly.
"It was her stupid boyfriend Nico."Keisha mumbled in anger before she updated me on what happened.
"He is definitely an ex now. I wish I was there to support you, Nate. I'm sorry."I muttered as I held her tightly.
"Don't worry about it girl. I am over his ass. Consider that relationship over."Nate said whilst taking a tissue from the box of tissues that was laying on the table in front of us and dabbed it on her cheeks.
"Where have you been anyway?"Keisha asked making me shrug my shoulders.
"Coping with my injury."I scoffed as I waved my arm around showing her my wrist.
"When did that happen?"Nate asked as she took my wrist.
"Don't even. This is about you. Let's watch all your favourite movies. Let me go get some snacks?"I offered making her nod her head as I made my way to my dorm and when I got there I saw Kai.
"Kai? Is everything okay?"I asked as I walked up to her.
"My uncle got admitted to hospital."She sobbed as she hugged me tightly making me hold her close.
"Kai, I am so sorry."I muttered as I hugged her closely.
"Come on, let's go inside my dorm."I muttered as I opened my dorm room door and allowed her inside.
"Did they say what happened?"I asked as I hugged her closely.
"No."She simply said before she began to sob harder I heard a knock in my door making me respond with a quick 'come in'.
Nate and Simone walked in but as soon as they saw Kai they walked towards us cautiously.
"What happened?"Simone asked as she looked down at Kai sympathetically.
"Her uncle got admitted to hospital."
"Aw baby."Nate muttered as she gently caressed her back.
"I am sure he will be okay though. Being in hospital means he will be with professionals."Simone replied as she gave Kai a small smile making me nod my head.
"That's true. So you don't need to worry."I replied making Kai nod her head.
"You're right. I just need to calm down."She replied making me shake my head.
"No, take your time. Maybe you need a little something to brighten up your mood. A movie?"I offered making her nod with a small smile.
"Let's go."I responded excitedly before I took her hand and headed out my dorm with everyone.
"Oh, Simone, Nate. This is Kaisa."
A/N: I hope yall enjoyed that.
I am sorry for taking years to update I had writer's block but I guess I am back (and I'm better! I want you bad as ever!) because this chapter seemed confusing but this is a 'putting the pieces of the puzzle together' trope so I hope you enjoy!