So much is going on for the BU fam this week, from an election, a probate, a showcase, and more! They have many moments to celebrate. Even though the BU baseball team lost their conference championship game, Damon and JR still have a lot to look forward to. Decisions about Simone's love life continue to loom over her, but with so much going on, she's her number one priority. She has a lot of stuff to get through before she can make a decision with a clear mind. No pressure though. Only two boys hearts are on the line.
——
TUESDAY
Simone just left her therapy session. She had a lot to get off her chest, from her pledging, to her love life, to the accident and the abrupt ending of her tennis season. She has a lot to wrap her head around. She still has a lot to work though, but today she's feeling refreshed. Therapy is really helping her face her anxieties and fears head on. It's a process, but the journey she's on is becoming more and more clear. She's heading to a team meeting in a few. The accident was just a few days ago, and there hasn't been much discussion amongst the team since then. They're all individually trying to come to terms with how everything went down on Saturday. For Simone, resting has really been her top priority. She's still a little sore from the accident and her big sisters have been taking it easy on her because of it, but the spring '23 probate is this week, and they have to get their routine right for it. After the masquerade ball performance went so well, they decided to add a joint KEK/PKZ performance to probate night. This will be the first time that they've done anything like that on the BU campus. They only have 2 more days to pull it all the way together. They're close to getting it right though.
Tina is still in town. She planned her trip around Simone's next big events and a few client meetings, so she'll be in town for the next week and a half or so. Simone and Tina will be having a quick dinner with Amara later. Simone is looking forward to that. Then she has probate practice until who knows when. She has to get through this team meeting first. Simone heads to the athletic building. Majority of the team has already arrived when she gets there. They wait quietly for the rest of the team. Coach Loni and Coach Hines arrive shortly after. They've come up with an idea that they think will allow the girls to finish their season the right way, an exhibition match.
Coach Loni and Coach Hines have already spoken with the athletic department heads and the school board, and they have approved the match. They are also providing additional insurance funding for the match. Now, all they have to do is get word out to other teams about the match and get players from other schools to sign up. They will host the match next Wednesday. Unfortunately Thea won't be able to play since she sprained her wrist. It's best for her to wait at least 2 weeks for it to heal, then she can play again. She's trying her best not to be down about it. This is her second injury of the season and she didn't even get it playing. Jade won't be able to play either due to her concussion. She's out of commission for a while. The team is going to meet up again on Thursday to go over some final details and assign a few tasks.
Keena is still in town too. She hasn't visited Atlanta since last semester, so she figured that she would stay for a few week and spend time with Damon. Being at home in Chicago can get pretty lonely at times. Not even a year ago, Damon was living at home. Then, when Damon left for school, Xavier was still there along with his caregivers who came in and out. She's been used to having a pretty full house, but now it just her. She hangs with friends and family sometimes, but it's not the same as spending time with her husband and son. If things go well with Damon's Cape Cod scouting this week, then Damon won't have much time to visit home this summer either.
Right now, Damon is out on the field practicing alone. He's doing so in an effort to keep him distracted about his feelings for Simone, and his other recent losses. His season might be over, but he knows that his career isn't, so he's looking to the future. That's helping him stay optimistic. With his Cape Cod fitness test and interview both coming in the next two days, he knows that he has to keep pushing. Keena called him a few times but he didn't answer. After a while, she figured that she would find Damon on the field, so she goes to meet him where he's at. As, she walks onto the field, Damon spots her just as he's posting up on the mound. "Even star pitchers rest, Damon," she says.
"You know I gotta prepare for Cape Cod."
"Nothing is going to change in the next two days. You aren't going to magically become a better or different player by the time you have your interview or fitness test. You probably should be preparing for your interview anyway."
Damon waves Keena off. "Oh, I got that in the bag. Coach is giving me a mock interview tomorrow so I know what to expect."
Keena throws her hands up. "Okay, fine... Since you have everything under control, I guess you don't need me for anything."
Damon drops the ball he was about to throw back into the bucket. "Okay, fine. I'll clean this up and we can go do whatever you wanna do."
"How about we have dinner and invite all of your friends. After everything that happened this weekend, that might be nice."
"I can see what everyone else is doing, but imma tell you right now that Simone won't be there. She has some other stuff to do tonight."
"I guess it'll just be you and me then. Simone's the only one I really like anyway."
Damon gasps. "Ma!"
"Hey, I'm just saying. The rest of them are okay too, but you know that's my girl."
"I know what you're tryna do. I thought you were done meddling in my life."
Keena chuckles. "As your manager, yes... As your mom? NEVER! You, my boy, deserve nothing but the best, so I will always make sure you get it."
A little later, Simone, Tina and Amara are having dinner at Amara's. They prepared herb-roasted spatchcock chicken, roasted vegetables and mashed potatoes for dinner. Simone starts to plate her food while Amara pours her and Tina 2 glasses of red wine. Tina sits down at the table next to Simone. "So how are you feeling about everything with the team? Are you excited for the probate?"
"Actually, the team stuff is going okay. The coaches found a way for us to properly finish out season. We're gonna host an exhibition match next week! As far as I know, some other schools are already interested, so that's cool. And, I'm really excited for the probate. We've been running the steps into the ground. I really feel like they've been running me into the ground, but the finish line is near!"
"Well, I can't wait to see the show."
"Me either," Amara says. "I know how hard you have been working."
"I forgot to ask how Damon was doing? The teams whole loss got overshadowed by the accident. I'm sure he didn't really get a chance to feel his feelings."
"He seems to be doing okay about it. It was a tough loss but from what I can tell, they handled it like a team. Plus, Keena... his mom is here, so I think that's helping keep his spirits up about it."
"And you still deciding between Damon and Orlando or you finally made your choice yet? By the looks of it the other night, it seemed like you did," Tina says in reference to the hug Damon and Simone shared after she got off the tennis team's bus. Simone shoots Tina a look of annoyance. "What? I heard some things through the grapevine. You never tell me anything, so I figured I'd ask."
"He goes by Lando... And, no I have not. Still figuring all that out."
"Take your time. I know everybody always wants to know what decisions you're going to make next, but don't rush for them. Do it at your own pace," Amara says.
"Yeah, you're young so no rush. If you need advice, you can always come talk to me," Tina says. Tina says that to Simone so much that she feels like she's talking to a brick wall at this point. But she's not going to give up. She wants Simone to know that's she's here for her.
"I know you probably won't, but me too," Amara says.
THURSDAY
Simone is sitting in her room going over and checking things off of her to-do list. She's almost done going through her to-do list. Make grocery list. Check. American History reading. Check. Text everyone about the probate. Check. Schedule nail appointment. Check. Check. Check. Check. Everything is checked off of her list for the day. She's done with classes for the day and has her team meeting in an hour so the team can work through the rest of the details for their exhibition match next week. Since Simone has had so much on her plate, she's trying to make sure that she has all her homework done before she heads out. Tonight will definitely be a long one. The rest of her week and her weekend will be full of excitement too.
The PKZ/KEK probate is tonight and Simone's extremely excited to be able to announce herself as an official member of PKZ. She just got pinned last night and after all she's gone through this semester, she's so appreciative of how she's always been able to come out on top. At one point she couldn't even see the finish line, but now the vision is so clear and the destination isn't too far away. She found the sisterhood that she was looking for. All her friends and her family are ready to show up and show out at the probate tonight. She keeps thinking about all the responses she got from them when she sent them the details. She's smiling at her thoughts. Then her mind gets to wandering about everything that comes after. Focus girl. One step at a time. She checks the time. Okay, lemme change so I can head to the gym.
At the gym
Damon just finished his interview with the Cape Cod recruiter. JR had his interview just before Damon. Their fitness tests were yesterday. It went well for both of them. They should receive the news about if they made it to the league sometime soon. In the meantime, they're going to hit some weights. They're doing extra works outs to prepare for Cape Cod. After doing a few sets of tricep kickbacks, they take a break so that JR can go refill his water bottle. Damon goes to exchange his dumbbells for another set so he can do alternating dumbbell curls. When Damon heads back to his bench, Marcus is coming out of his office to find him and JR. JR gets back just in time for Marcus to share some news.
The decision has been made and both of the boys are going to Cape Cod. The received the news a lot quicker than they thought it would, but that doesn't matter. They were both pretty much shoe- ins anyway. "LETS GOOOOO," Damon shouts. He and JR immediately embrace, then JR grabs his phone to call his parents. Damon and Marcus step to the side.
Marcus gives Damon a hug. "I'm proud of you son," he says.
"I wouldn't have made it without you coach. I'm here because of you."
"Nahhh you're here because of you. You put in the hard work. You took the time to grow and adapt. That was all you."
"Yeah but it was you that I had guiding me along the way."
"That's true. We got through the season together. Even though we lost to championship, our journey here isn't over. And, this is just proof that you put in the work. You're getting one step closer to the MLB.... Again." Damon chuckles in response.
JR walks back over. "Aight y'all done being sappy over here? We need to get back to this workout."
"Sappy about what," Simone questions as she approaches JR, Damon and Marcus.
Marcus' watch beeps. He looks down at it and checks the time. "Imma let y'all give her the news. I'll catch up with y'all later," he says as he walks back to his office.
JR's eyes shuffle between Damon and Simone for a second. He's been doing his best not to get between them or be in their way since everything else that's gone wrong when he has. "Actually, I forgot that I need to call Gabby." He walks off very quickly.
Well that was weird, Simone thinks to herself while looking in JR's direction. Then she shifts her attention to Damon. "Okay, what was that all about?"
"Oh, we made it into the Cape Cod league."
"Wow, that's amazing! Congratulations!" She gives Damon a hug. "I'm really proud of you... both of you. I know how hard you worked for it."
"Thanks!"
"Hey Simone, we gotta get to the courts girl," Tootie calls out from a distance.
"Oh yeah, I gotta get to this meeting. But I'll talk to you later."
Later at the PKZ House
After getting everything squared away with the tennis team, Simone is ready to tackle the rest of her day. Excitement oozes out of her as she walks into the PKZ house. The house smells like home cooked food. Prophytes and Neos are swarming around. There are so many voices buzzing around the house, yet there is somehow still a calmness and unity among them all. She's finally made it. Her time has arrived. She walks into the house and says her hellos, then she immediately finds Janelle and Melody.
"Janelle finally got that move down," Melody says as Simone approaches.
"I didn't have a choice. I was not going to bust my ass in front of hundreds of people. We damn near pulled an all nighter to get it done."
Simone rubs Janelle's arm. "I knew you would get it! I'm so proud of you girl! Im proud of US. We finally made it."
"We're probating tonight," Melody shouts. They all join in for a hug. "I can't believe we're actually gonna be out tomorrow!"
"Finally. I can stop hiding everything in my life and get back to being with my boyfriend for real for real," Janelle says.
"I wish I had me a boyfriend," Melody says.
"Well the door is definitely about to open up for you again now that we're going to have so much more time on her hands," Janelle says. "And PKZ letters too!"
"Yeah Melody... The world is your oyster now... Anyways, Janelle I know you got Zaire for the gift exchange. Who did you get again, Mel," Simone questions.
"Lou, what about you?"
"Cam... I feel like they did that on purpose but I'm not mad at it. I knew exactly what to get him."
"Yeah y'all really have that brother sister thing down. Everyone can see that," Melody says.
At the KEK House
The KEK house has the same vibe going as the PKZ house. Alumni, pros and neos are interacting. Everyone is ready for the probate. Cam is glad to have made it through the process. Not only is he looking forward to what brotherhood will bring him next, he's more immediately looking forward to getting a full nights sleep once tonight is over with. He's also looking forward to being able to spend quality time with Keisha again. Between him pledging and her dance schedule, they've barely seen each other in the last six weeks. He definitely feels like their sacrifices have been worth it though. He gained a brotherhood and Keisha's been killing it in dance. Her showcase is next week, so Cam and the rest of the BU fam will finally get to see what they dance majors have put together this semester.
Cam just came from upstairs and he ran into JR and an alum as he hit the bottom of the stairs. "Hey Cam, I was actually just looking for you. I wanted to introduce you to someone," JR says as he points to the KEK alum next. "I know you're trying to figure your music thing out, so I wanted to introduce you to someone that could potentially give you the guidance you need. This is Jason Scott, a producer local to Atlanta. He's done some work with Migos, Keri Hilson, Andre 3000 and Ciara to name a few."
Jason and Cam shake hands, then Jason gives Cam his card. "JR told me you have a pretty nice voice, but you haven't had time to fully explore your options with that. This is a direct line to my assistant. Give him a call when things settle down for you so we can get something on the books and talk about what you might want to do with your future."
Cam looks down at the card then back up at Jason and JR in disbelief. "Wow, I appreciate this so much. I'll make sure to hit you up when I get the chance."
"Aight, I gotta go tend to my family. I look forward to hearing from you, Cam." Jason walks off.
Cam looks over at JR. "Yoooo that was lit! I can't believe you came through for me like that, man. I really appreciate you." They dap up into a hug.
"I'm just looking out for my brother and friend," JR says. "Now that you're officially a part of the fold, you get to reap the benefits of all the connections we have. You put in the work. You deserve it."
Soon, the PKZ girls join the brothers at the KEK for a little socializing and the gift exchanges. Cam sees Simone standing in the entry way. She's holding her gift for him. He brings her gift over to her. "For me," she says excitedly.
"Don't make this a thing," Cam says as they exchange gifts. Simone opens hers first. "I heard from a little phoenix what your line name is." Simone looks down at her custom bright blue tennis bag with her line name, Phemon, in large white letters spanning across it, then back up at Cam. In her amazement, she is unable to fully gather her words. She had no idea that Cam could be so thoughtful, or such a good gift giver. "It fits," he says in regard to her line name being a direct reflection of who Simone is as a person.
"Cam this is really dope, thank you."
Cam opens his bag, then smiles as he pulls his gift out. To his surprise, it's a 12x9 inch painting in a frame." Krenshaw with a 'K' is a great line name. It reminds you not only of where you're from, but where you're going. That image (of Cam as a knight), represents who you are now... A noble, selfless, and courageous knight."
"You remember when we first bumped into each other at the bonfire move-in weekend?"
"Mmhmmm, and I was telling you to keep my business to yourself so I could have a fresh start."
"Well, I would've never thought that my fresh start would include you."
"Awwww, look at us going from decent acquaintances to family, in more ways than one."
Nate is out campaigning. She won't stop until it's all said and done. Being proactive is keeping her nerves at ease. Thea and Keisha are by Nate's side. Tomorrow is the last day to vote for the SGA election. All votes have to be in by 5 pm. The results will be announced next week. While they're out campaigning, Ryan Craig, a reporter for the Bringston paper, stops to get a quick blurb from Nate for the paper. They're going to drop a final segment about the candidates running for election in the paper tomorrow morning, then it'll be up to the voters, who haven't voted yet, to determine who they want to vote for (if they want to vote).
As Ryan and Nate chat about the election. Ryan pulls out a pretty fancy pen. It's very similar to the one that Nate's secret admirer dropped at the masquerade ball. Nate doesn't take notice initially, but her friends do. When Nate and Ryan are done talking they come over to Nate. "Ummm did you notice his pen," Keisha questions.
"Yeah, it looks similar to the one that your secret admirer dropped at the ball," Thea says.
"Everyone has pens. He wouldn't be the first," Nate says.
"Not one as similar or as fancy as that one. Only certain people are into pens like that," Keisha says.
"And, the initials on the pen from the ball say R.C., that could be Ryan Craig," Thea says.
"I don't know guys. This isn't my first time interacting with Ryan. He doesn't seem like the romantic type."
"Only one way to find out," Keisha says.
"Okay... I think we're done here. Plus, we need to go get ready for tonight," Nate says.
Everyone gets ready and gathers in the quad for the probate. Amara and Tina show up together with #1 and celebratory balloons in hand. Simone is #1/the ace of her line. Marcus shows up not too long after. Damon and Keena come together. Any time Keena is in town, she's always looking for an opportunity to explore the HBCU experience since she never went to one herself. Now is the perfect time for that. Plus she'll take any moment to celebrate Simone after how much she has been there for Damon of the last few months. Keisha, Gabby, Nate and Thea arrive together. Keisha has a gift for Cam. Lando arrives on his own with a gift in hand, and goes to stand with the girls.
KEK comes out at 7:12. This represents the month and year they were founded. They were founded on July 10, 1912. They step and announce some of their history then, PKZ comes out around 7:30. This represents the month and day they were founded. They were founded on July 30, 1913. They join in for a coordinated routine, then the PKZ girls do their own steps and announce some of their own history. The boys and girls take turns announcing their numbers, line names, and real names one by one - alternating between one boy then one girl. They go back and forth until they're all done. All the family and friends cheer as they go down both lines.
When they're all done, the newly initiated members of PKZ and KEK disperse to find their families and friends. Cam tries to find his way to Keisha. Simone's first priority is Amara and Tina, but Lando finds her first. He gives her a hug and the gift he got her — the Rosa Parks glasses that remind him of the moment they first met in class. He tells her all about how she helped open up his mind and heart to new perspectives. When she asks what it is that he wants her to see in return he says, "What's right in front of you." He smiles and kisses her cheek as he walks off.
By now, Tina and Amara have already found Simone. They wait patiently for Simone to finish talking to her 'friend.' "And who's that," Tina asks Amara.
"That's Lando."
"Ohhhh that's Lando. He's cute," Tina says. "I can see why Simone might be interested in him. My younger self definitely would be." Amara chuckles at Tina's comment.
Keena and Damon are looking around. Damon is trying to find the #1 balloons he saw Amara and Tina holding earlier. They aren't too far away from Simone, but a lot of balloons are floating around. Meanwhile, Keena has already spotted Simone talking to Lando. Oh, she thinks to herself. That's quite interesting. Just like Damon, Keena's a pretty good reader of energy and can catch a vibe from a mile away. "Isn't that your teammate... Lando over there?" She points in Lando and Simone's direction.
"Yeah, that's Lando," Damon responds.
"Hmmm"
"What now, Ma?"
"Nothing at all."
"They're cool or whatever. It's nothing serious though."
"You would know, huh?" Yes, Damon would definitely know. "Actually, I'm gonna turn in. I'm sure y'all are gonna party or do whatever it is that college kids do after stuff like this. Please give this to Simone for me." She pulls a card out of her purse. Damon didn't even know that Keena got Simone anything, and he surely didn't know what she could've possibly written in or put in the card, but he's going to give it to Simone anyway. He knows that Simone and Keena have a bond. Damon takes the card from her. "Love you. I'll talk to you tomorrow," she says.
"CONGRATULATIONS," Tina and Amara both yell as they approach Simone. They hand Simone her balloons.
"Awww thanks," Simone responds as she takes the balloons and they hug her.
"You did so good tonight," Tina says. "I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like that."
"I'm so proud of you," Amara says. "How are you feeling?"
Simone deeply sighs. "Honestly, I'm feeling a lot... Excitement, gratitude, love, but most of all... tired." They all chuckle.
Amara sees Damon approaching. She's thinking about how Simone hasn't even gotten the chance to talk to all of her other friends yet, and she's sure that it's going to be a long night for Simone anyway. "Okay, let's quit while we're ahead. I see someone is waiting for you, and I'm sure your other friends will be looking for you soon."
Simone and Tina both turn to see Damon. "Mmhmmm, quite the line of suitors you've acquired," Tina says. "I bet the line is gonna get even longer after tonight."
Amara and Tina both chuckle. Amara pulls Tina out of the way. "We'll talk to you tomorrow. Have a fun night, baby girl," she says. They walk off as Damon approaches.
"Well if it isn't the Phemon herself," he says with a bright smile. "My mom wanted me to give you this."
"That's me," she says as Damon hands her the card from Keena and blue and white roses.
"The roses are from me. They're just a preliminary gift though. Your other one hasn't come in yet, but hopefully it will be in by next week."
"Thank you!" Simone smells her roses. "Don't you wanna give me a hint?"
"Nahhh, I think you'll just have to exercise some patience on this one."
"You would know a lot about that, huh?"
"That's not what I was saying, but yeah I can be patient. I can tell when you need to take time to see how you feel about things. This ain't new to me."
"I know you know me and all that good stuff. I just need you to know that I'm taking my time because you're one of my best friends. We've always been good at being friends. I just don't want us to get any of this wrong."
"I know what I want, and I'm pretty sure you do to," he says confidently. "Like I said before... I knew you would need some time. I said I would be okay if you took some time to think about it, and imma stick to that." He steps back to head in the opposite direction. "But, no one waits forever," he shrugs as he walks off. He feels confident in saying that because he's pretty sure she feels the same way about him. She typically knows what she wants. It's just fear that gets in her way. The whole friendship thing isn't as much of a concern to him anymore because he knows that what they have is special. If anything, worrying about the friendship aspect has been more of a hindrance to them than not.
Damon's words leave Simone stunned once again as she watches him walk away. It's been just short of 2 weeks since Damon and Lando both told Simone how they feel about her. Now that the whole pledging thing is over, and the exhibition match is less than a week away, she's going to run out of reasons to avoid saying what needs to be said. Though she hasn't had the most opportunities to think about it, she knows that it's been easy to hide behind her busy schedule. She also knows that she can't allow her fears to keep controlling her ability to make clear and concise decisions when it comes to her love life.
In the midst of her thoughts, Simone's stunned body is jolted in every direction simultaneously as Keisha, Nate, and Gabby excitedly collide with and hug her. "Bitch you did that," Nate shouts.
"You ready to party," Keisha questions.
"You know it! I'm tired as hell though. Hope I don't crash," Simone says.
"Well then we just need to get you an energy drink cause it's gonna be a long night," Gabby says. It was a long night indeed. Simone and her line sisters strolled all night. Everyone partied until they couldn't anymore. Simone slept late into Friday, practiced and prepped for the exhibition match with the team. She spent time with Tina and Amara, and went on overnight cabin trip with her line sisters on Saturday. It was a celebration, but more for relaxation, rest, bonding and fun. Even after such a busy weekend, she's feeling refreshed and ready to take on the new week.
MONDAY
Simone, Nate, Damon, Cam and Keisha are all gathered in the common area. The dance showcase is tomorrow, so Keisha and the rest of the dancers are taking the evening to rest. Tomorrow will be a hectic day for them. Simone is done with practice for the day. Damon and JR have done their own workouts too, so everyone's time is pretty freed up right now. Nate is pacing back and forth. She's anxiously refreshing her phone screen repeatedly. The election results should be dropping any minute now and all she can do is anticipate that. Gabby and JR step out of the elevator and walk over to them. "How long has she been pacing back and forth like this," Gabby questions.
"Long enough for me to have gone to my room, talk to my mom, and come back here.... and y'all know how much my mom can talk," Thea says as she turns the corner into the common area. "She's been in her whole 'things I could've done differently' stage this entire time."
"Well, you did the damn thing, Nate. Now you just gotta relax, wait and see how it goes."
"Thanks, Damon," Nate responds. She takes a deep breath, plops down on the couch and puts her phone down.
"We all know you're gonna win anyway," Simone says. "What we really should be talking about is what we're gonna eat for dinner in celebration. I'm starving."
"Yo ass always thinking bout some food," Damon says.
Simone was just about to say something smart, but she gets interrupted by Nate's phone dinging. Everyone's attention immediately goes to Nate as she checks her phone. "Oh my gosh! Nate you won," Wilinda says as she comes running around the corner. The entire group stands and cheers. Nate reads the notification for herself to make sure it's real. She's overrated with shock.
"You won girl! You are our president," Simone says as the girls join in for a hug.
"Now we can all go eat," Nate says. "I think I'm in the mood for pizza."
"Sounds good to me," Simone says.
"Aight y'all... lets go," Nate says.
The group heads toward the elevator as Lando walks around the corner from the boys side of the dorm. "Hey Nate! Just saw the news. Congrats!"
"Thanks! We are actually about to go get food if you want to tagalong." Nate's excitement must've gotten the best of her because given Simone's current romantic climate, that absolutely made no sense at all. But then again, this is Nate we're talking about here. She loves to make people feel included. Plus, Nate and Lando have American History together and have been around each other more than enough times because of class and Simone, so in a sense they're pretty cool. And, why would Lando pass up an opportunity to be around Simone anyway?
After dinner
After pizza, lots of wings, and fries, the group heads back to their separate living quarters. Simone, Keisha, Nate, and Gabby all head to Simone and Nate's room. It was an interesting night. It's always pretty awkward for Damon and Lando to be in the same place at the same time with Simone, and now it's even more awkward. Damon and Lando have been getting along pretty well, but they have both shared something with her and are expecting her to say something eventually. Being around just one of them is one thing, but being around both at the same time feels like an intense amount of pressure. She tries not to think about it too much, but it's definitely getting to her, and some of her friends can tell.
"Well that was an interesting but fun dinner," Gabby says.
"Not as interesting as our last family dinner at Dr. P's," Keisha says as she sits down on Nate's bed. "The last time Lando had dinner with us, everything went to hell... And yet he's somehow still around."
Simone chuckles. "Now you know that wasn't his fault."
"Yeah, we all know the bad juju was Nico," Nate says. "But, speaking of Lando, you any closer to making your decision yet?"
"Yeah, it's been 2 weeks now. Times-a-tickin," Keisha says.
Simone looks over at Gabby. "If you got something to say too, now is the time."
Gabby throws her hands up. "I don't really need to add much of my 2 cents in. We all know both guys want you, and yes they've been there for you in their own ways. No matter how much you try to avoid it, I know that deep down you already know who you want."
"Damon, duh! So just do it already," Keisha says. "Pick him, choose him, love him."
Simone laughs. "Chile calm down. This ain't Grey's Anatomy."
"Yeah, I been watching way too much of that lately."
"Now I love Damon, but I would be lying if I said that I feel like you and Lando don't have potential," Nate says. "Besides, he and Damon have a lot of similar qualities. Despite that, they do each manage to bring a little something different out of you. I feel like there's only one thing missing from the equation. Too bad you've only had sex with one and not the other. That might really help you figure out who you're most compatible with in that department." Simone's face twinges. Nate can tell that she's not saying something. "Wait, you have only had sex with one and not the other, right?"
"Well, I guess there is something that haven't told y'all..."
Keisha's mouth falls open. "Nooo you didn't."
"Hold on! When? Where? Why the hell you just now saying something," Nate questions.
"Was it.... at the cabin," Keisha questions.
"Now what the hell happened at the cabin? Y'all hoes be keeping me all out the loop." Nate notices Gabby's silence. "And why don't you seem surprised? You quiet as hell."
"Okay, okay... so, it happened last semester when I was still with Jordan. Then, I was trying to work things out with Jordan so I didn't want to say anything about what happened between me and Damon. At first I thought the relationship was failing on my part alone, especially because I cheated and I didn't wanna be seen as the one thing I did wrong. I loved Jordan, and I wanted to fix whatever was going wrong with us. I owed him that. Then, it turned out that Jordan and Layla were getting closer too, so I learned pretty quickly that it wasn't just on me. Then Damon and Thea. It was all a lot."
"I thought you and Damon were acting all weird over a kiss," Nate says. "Whole time, y'all was out here hunching."
"It was just the one time... and a close encounter at the cabin, I guess..."
"So, was it good? I mean, I get the sense that it was. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been about to do it again," Keisha says.
"I bet Gabby knows," Nate says as she looks over at her.
"That's actually the one thing she didn't tell me," Gabby says. "But I get it.... It ain't really none of our business. What I really wanna know is if you still feel like it was a 'mistake?' If so that could really be holding you back."
Simone sighs deeply. "Honestly, I don't think anything that's ever happened between me and Damon has been a mistake or an accident. We've both made decisions. I'm just trying to figure out if we can do it without ultimately hurting each other. I just feel like I haven't always made some of the best decisions when it comes to my love life in general, and I don't like hurting people. That's why I'm being so careful. Two other people's hearts are on the line. I have to make sure I'm doing the right thing."
"Well, no matter what you decide, you won. And, I don't just say that because of the sex. No matter who you choose, I have a feeling that you'll always be able to find happiness, if you haven't already," Nate says.
"At the end of the day, it's about who you feel the most secure with and who you really see a future with. It's not just about the sex or what they do for you. It's about how they make you feel even when they're not trying to make you feel anything. They're just them and you vibe with it. I understand why you're being so considerate of them. But make sure that you're just as considerate of yourself and your happiness too," Gabby says.
"That's how things went with me and Cam. Yes he was always there for me, but there was also something I always felt with him that I never felt with anyone else, and that's just because of who he is. We clicked. No matter how hard I tried not to, my feelings for him never went away. Him genuinely being my friend is just the cherry on top of all that. Deep down, you know who that is for you."
"Now all of y'all are suddenly so wise when it comes to relationships. When did that happen?"
TUESDAY
Nate is walking to her next class when she runs into Ryan. "Hello President Nathaniel Hardin! I'm actually glad I caught you."
"Hello reporter Ryan Craig. How can I help you today?"
"Actually, where are my manners? I should be saying congratulations first. Second, we do a full layout of the newly elected SGA president for the school paper. There will be an informational section with a good amount of pictures. I'm gonna give you my information so that we can schedule a date and time for that." He opens his notepad to write his information down.
"Oouuu I love me a good photo op."
Ryan reaches for his pen but can't find it in any of his pockets. "You would think that as a reporter, I would do better about keeping up with my writing utensils."
Nate sees this as the perfect opportunity to see if Ryan is her secret admirer. "I have one that you can use." She pulls out the pen that R.C. dropped at the ball. Ryan's mouth drops and his eyes widen. "Umm yeah. Why all the secrecy?"
"I didn't say anything because I didn't think you would be interested. I obsess over things like pens and spend the majority of my time behind a computer. Without the swagger that I have with the mask on.... I'm just not in your league."
"Well, my first official act as president is to decree that you're wrong about that. We'll do the whole layout for the paper, then I'll give you another chance to romance me with the mask off. How does that sound?"
Ryan writes his info down, rips it out of the notepad and hands it to Nate. He gives her a smile. "Sounds like a plan."
Damon just got back to his room from getting a deep tissue massage. He's feeling very relaxed and in a really good mood. He's really looking forward to his future. Cape Cod is just around the corner. He can't wait to see what doors will soon open up for him. He knows that this summer is going to be his best thus far. He looks through his wardrobe to find something to wear for the dance showcase tonight. He pulls out a black ribbed long sleeve v-cut top and a pair of black chinos. He's going to wear his black converses with it. He hangs the clothes on his door and hops up on his bed.
Cam comes in a few minutes later. He sees Damon's outfit hanging up. "That's what you wearing tonight?"
"Yep!"
"I guess we gon' be twinning then... except imma look better of course." Cam laughs as he puts his book bag down.
"Doubt it. Anyway.... I know it's a little late but I got you something. It's on the desk." Cam goes to grab the envelope on the desk. "My bad bro. That's actually for Simone. Yours is in the chair."
"This her gift?"
"Yeah..."
"What is it," Cam questions as he grabs the bag out of the chair.
"Day pass for a spa."
"Oh you down bad for real."
"I just figured that with the masquerade ball, tennis and probate, all very physical things... She could probably use the relaxation. I just came from getting a massage myself and I feel amazing. I hope it reminds her to take care of herself."
"That is a good idea. And, all I got for Keisha was roses for tonight. Something like that might be a good idea for her too."
"Can't go wrong with it."
Can finally opens the gift Damon got him. It's a black KEK hoodie with the KEK letters outlined in white. "Okay, this is dope! Preciate it bro."
Simone is in her room studying up on opponents and taking notes. She's gotten so deep into it that she's lost track of time. Nate finally returns to the room from her shower. "Please tell me that you have not been sitting here this entire time not getting ready miss thang?"
Simone looks at the time in the bottom right corner of her laptop. "Shit, I totally spaced... and, I don't even know what I'm going to wear."
"Don't worry about it. I'll figure it out. Just go do all your bathroom stuff. Your outfit will be waiting for you when you get back."
"Thanks Nate! You're the best!"
"Don't I know it!"
When Simone finally gets back to the room she sees the outfit Nate laid out for her on the bed. It's a burnt orange midi spaghetti strap satin dress with silver heels and a matching silver purse. Nate is at her desk finishing up her makeup. "I forgot about this dress."
"Probably because you haven't gotten a chance to wear it yet."
"Yeah, I'm so glad I can finally wear real clothes again. I like to be comfy, but it's also hard to express myself when I can't dress how I want to."
"Yaassss, we can finally get you back out here looking sexy again." Simone starts to moisturize and get dressed.
When Simone and Nate finally arrive at the showcase together they stand in line to enter. Amara and Marcus arrive shortly after them. They come from the side that the people in the line are facing and they're holding hands. "Wait, are they hard launching," Nate questions.
"It's about time, but she ain't said nothing to me. I'm a little offended by that."
"Well I didn't know about either of your little rendezvous with with Damon either, so suck it up."
"Touché Nate, touché."
"But seriously, they probably just haven't had the time to tell you. You have had THE MOST going on recently."
The BU fam all joins together inside for the show. It lasts about one hour and 15 minutes total. Keisha even had her own solo, which surprised everyone because she didn't let anyone know that she was even up for a solo performance. The overall performance was very moving for much of the audience. Some people even cried. At the end, all of Keisha's loved ones gather outside the theater and wait for her to come out. Things between Marcus, Amara and Zeke are a bit awkward, but they remain very cordial for the sake of celebrating Keisha. When Keisha final comes out, everyone cheers for her. Keisha hugs Zeke first.
"I remember when you barely made it into the program, now look at you up there out dancing everyone else," Cam says as he hands Keisha her 2 dozen red and white roses.
"Awww thanks, babe. I mean, I definitely have a lot of work to do, but I'm glad you guys enjoyed the show."
"It was really amazing Keish," Simone says.
"Yeah, we've all seen choreographer Keisha, but this was DIFFERENT. I'm so proud of you," Nate says.
"So this means you pass the class right," Cam questions.
"Pretty much... we still have one more performance for an off campus event in like 2 weeks but other than that, I'm almost done with my first semester of Dance."
THURSDAY
It's the day of the exhibition match. After their American History class, Simone heads out of class pretty quickly. Lando catches up to Simone for a quick check in. "Hey Simone, you good?"
"Yeah just in the zone. Ready to get through this next class."
"I get it. I know you're gonna kill it today."
"Thanks!"
"Oh yeah... Did you ever hear back about that internship? Charlotte won't tell me anything."
Simone chuckles. "That's probably because it's none of your business. But, no not yet but I should be hearing something soon. Probably the next time I talk to Charlotte."
"I'm sure you'll get it. They're probably just working out all the kinks."
JR and Cam are hanging out at the KEK house. One of the brothers just checked the mail and dropped off an envelope with JR. JR has been waiting all week for it to arrive. He rips it open and reads the letter inside. "Yes," he says excitedly. "Pause the video game, bro."
"Hold on. I'm almost done," Cam says. "I'm sure it can wait 30 more... AHH fuck!" He got killed in the game.
"I think this will make you feel better."
"What is it?"
"I know that since you can't play football anymore, you need another way to pay for school, so I submitted your name for a few KEK scholarships.... And, you got accepted for one." JR hands Cam the envelope.
Cam looks at the acceptance letter in disbelief. There is a check inside with the total sum of $64,307.00. "WHAT? Are you serious? This is enough to cover my tuition room and board next year."
"I told you that you would be reaping all the benefits KEK has to offer."
"You know... Almost every day of this entire process, you've shown me how amazing it is to be apart of this brotherhood. You've always been a good friend to me, but you've been an even better brother. I really do appreciate you bro!"
"Imma always look out for you as a friend and brother too!"
"Aight, we should probably head out. The matches are starting soon."
The BU team has been doing extremely well today. All the girls from the other schools are doing equally as good. Simone has been a beast on the court, so majority of the girls from other teams have been no match for her. All her family and friends are there to cheer her on, including her dad, Robert. It was quite the surprise for him to show up, but it served as huge motivation for Simone to show him how far she's come this year. Robert has watched her play online and kept up with her stats, but it's not the same as seeing Simone play in person. She's gotten so much better than when he saw her last in high school.
Simone's friends have been shuffling in and out of the tournament. It's been a pretty long day full of classes, then the matches, and some of them either have work or other stuff to do on top of that. Tina, Robert, Amara, Nate, Thea, Cam, Keisha, Gabby and Damon have been there the majority of the time. Marcus was there in the beginning. JR had to leave not too long ago to tend to a few un3expected KEK duties. Chronicles of a KEK president. Lando arrived a little later than everyone else, but he's stayed for a few matches. They're getting down to the final matches now.
The boys are standing further back at the top of the rows. The seating areas are all pretty full right now. Since Damon and Lando haven't been having much tension the last few weeks, Damon wants to make sure that pattern continues. There have been quite a few times where he has unintentionally impacted Lando's life in a negative way. Though he can't control other people's actions, he can control how he moves in certain situations going forward. Damon can't control what Simone's decision will be, but he can make sure that Lando knows that he wants to remain tension-free so they can continue to work well as teammates.
"So I know you came to watch the match, but I wanted to make sure that the air is all the way clear between us," Damon says. "I appreciate how you stood up for me against Trevor at the game the other week. I never expected that from you."
"I meant what I said. We're a team."
"I'm glad you said that because there have been times that I didn't think you felt that way. That doesn't matter now though. What matters is how we move forward as a team in the future... So, I wanted to let you know something. I know you and Simone have something going on. I haven't gotten the sense that it's serious, so I'm not sure what your expectations are with her. Not that we'd ever be talking about that, but I feel like we should now. How I feel about her is serious, and I told her that. Whatever she decides to do with that information I'm cool with. I personally don't want us to have any issues going forward, so I just wanted to remain transparent."
"Okay, well since we're being transparent... I've expressed feelings for her too. So I guess we'll both just have to wait and see."
As their conversation comes to a close, Simone pulls in another win. Damon and Lando both cheer cheer for her along with the rest of the crowd. Simone runs off of the courts to her cheering teammates and friends, Nate, Gabby and Keisha. She looks around the cheering crowd and makes eye contact with the Damon and Lando standing at the top as they cheer. She smiles in their direction. Now what the hell they got going on up there? She's definitely not about to go find out. "Now I know you're not thinking about boys when you should be basking in your win," Nate says.
"And why can't I do both?"
"Ain't no point in doing all that if you still haven't made your decision, or let them know about your decision," Nate says.
"Nate you're such a buzz kill," Keisha says.
"Let the girl enjoy the fruits of her labor," Gabby says.
"She been enjoying them for quite some time now don't y'all think," Nate questions. "I ain't mad at it. That doesn't change the fact that this big decision has to be made."
Thea comes back over. "Girl," she says excitedly as she looks at Simone. They all shoot eyes over at Thea. "Cortina said she wants to play you in the final match. So, whatever it is that y'all got going on about right now, needs to stop. You gotta get your head in the game or she's gonna eat you alive." And that's exactly what Simone does, attempts to get her head in the game. She has a few minutes to gather herself, so she heads inside for a little peace and quiet. After she's been gone for a few minutes and the crowd waits for the next match, Damon makes his way down to the girls. "Yo, where did she go?"
"Inside. She's bout to play Cortina, so she's tryna get her head in the game," Keisha says. "She has been gone longer than expected though, and she has to get back out here in the next few minutes."
"Okay, I'll go check on her," Damon says. He heads inside and finds Simone pacing back and forth in the gym. "Hey, uhhh feeling the pressure?"
Simone stops pacing and turns to Damon. "Trying not to, but I'm failing."
"Because Cortina is GAC champ? And beating her now is a win for the team that y'all didn't get to have because of the accident?"
"It's so annoying that you're able to do that." She starts pacing again.
"Here's the thing Simone, you gotta let all that go. Playing Cortina isn't about her, or even the rest of your team for that matter."
She stops pacing again and turns to Damon. "Then what is it about?"
"It's about celebrating you! This is YOUR shot. From walk on to top 6, battling panic attacks, getting through bomb threats, finding sisterhood, and surviving car accidents... You defied the odds. You always do. That is who you are. This match against is Cortina is no different."
"So your advice to me is to remember who I am... That's it?"
"That's it. That's what helped me get out of my head for the championship game. Remembering how far I came and all the work I put in is what got me out on that field."
"Okay but y'all still lost despite you being the best and y'all being the team to beat..."
"Yeah, as an ace pitcher, the team heavily depends on me. I'm alone on the mound, but baseball is definitely more of a team sport. We work as a unit to win. It's just you and your one opponent out on the court. You already have the skillset. You getting out there is the hardest part. Once you get on the court, you'll know exactly what to do to win."
Simone takes a deep breath. It's really no different than any other match. I've been at this all year. "You're right. I just gotta get out there. Do what I've always done."
"Exactly, so go get out there then!"
Simone and Cortina battle it out on the court. They remain neck and neck the entire match, but Simone ultimately wins her match against Cortina. After her win, she has a late dinner with Tina and Robert and she ends the remainder of her night in her room. She's resting up for another big day tomorrow.
To be continued
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