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𝙵𝚛𝚒𝚍𝚊𝚢
𝙶𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝙳𝚊𝚢
"Ight now y'all gonna go out there and you're gonna do what y'all do best, win!" Our Basketball Coach started.
"This is game one, but it's the beginning to something bigger, this year is a legacy for everyone. Marquees come up here and talk to your team man." With that Marquees walked up, receiving cheers from the rest of the team.
Rather than be petty or some shit I just clapped.
The Coach decided that Marquee was the better fit for captain, I wasn't upset about it though. My goal was to just be the best.
"Doc bring your ass we're gonna be late!" André groaned, pulling me.
"Be careful I don't wanna crease the posters." I spoke, carefully caring the posters I'd made for Javier.
Once we were in the car André rolled his eyes and chuckled.
"You're embarrassing."
"I prefer the term, supportive." I corrected smartly.
"He's gonna do so well, I'm excited!" I said brightly.
"Yeah, lil dude can ball, I'm sure he'll do fine." André agreed.
The car ride consisted of me over talking, praising Javier for a game he hadn't even played yet.
All week he's been at practice late, when he'd get home he'd shower eat and sleep.
He did tell me that he and Destin were talking again which I was happy about, had they still not have been talking and then having that on his mind would distract him for sure.
Once we arrived at the school my eyes widened, for a high school game this was exceptionally full.
"Damn, this shit dumb packed." André spoke from beside me.
"Grab the posters will ya." I said as I hopped out of the truck.
"Sure, embarrass me instead of you." He joked.
Thankfully we didn't have to wait in line since Javier was able to get us free tickets.
Once we were in we walked carefully to the bleachers and sat, neither team was out and wouldn't be for at least another 15 minutes.
"I haven't been to one of these in a fucking minute." André spoke, "I kinda miss it."
I nodded at his words as I watched more and more people pour in.
"You think he's nervous?" I asked randomly.
"Of course he is, it's his first high school game, for any sport. He's the new kid with a lot to prove and even more eyes on him." He explained.
"Do me a favor, never try and calm anyone down, you suck at it." I spoke, rolling my eyes.
He chuckled, grabbing his phone and slouching.
I quickly snatched it from his hands causing him to sit up, "the fuck!" He questioned.
"Talk to me, or else I'll over think." I demanded.
"Not my job Doc, wrong brother." He replied smartly.
"Yeah well Clare isn't here, so—guess what that means."
"That I don't give a dam—"
"That's right, get to talking buddy." I smiled sarcastically.
He groaned dramatically before falling silent.
"I don't hear you tal—"
"I'm in desperate need of some pussy." He said flatly.
My mouth dropped along with my eyes at his words.
"Could've gone my entire life without knowing that"
"Uh Uh, you said talk and that's what I'm doing." He shrugged.
"Back to Pussy," he started.
"Gushy, wet, fat—"
"Okay okay okay, you win, silence it is." I caved, throwing my hands up in surrender.
Clarence and André were so much alike, but so much different.
"10 more minutes," I spoke, bouncing my leg nervously.
"You ever had a girlfriend?" André asked randomly.
I gave him a flat look before responding, "do you know what gay means?"
"I mean, most gay niggas have a girlfriend before they come out?" He shrugged.
I thought to myself before responding, "well in that case, I guess."
"Though we never did anything so I don't really know if you could count it."
"You ever had a boyfriend," I shot back, a teasing smirk on my face.
"Chill on me Doc, my brother got all the gay between us." He shook his head.
I scoffed before speaking, "that's probably best anyways."
He jerked his neck back in question, "fuck is that suppose to mean?"
"if you were gay, you wouldn't be able to pull any other guys. You just don't have game." I chuckled.
"The hell you know about having game," he spoke, appalled, "if I was into niggas, I could pull anybody I wanted." He said cockily.
"Yeah, and I can pull a girl." I responded sarcastically.
"Sound like a bet to me Doc." He spoke with raised eyebrows.
"You wanna make a bet, you know that means you'll have to hit on a guy right." I laughed.
"I'm secure in my sexuality, plus just getting their number doesn't mean I actually gotta call them." He smirked.
"Okay, well tommorow we'll go out, first person to get the number wins." I spoke, extending my hand.
"bet."André smirked, extending his own.
Right before we could shake a body separated us.
"Hell nah." Clarence spoke, his large figure towering over me.
Again I wore a look of surprise before hugging him tightly.
"I thought! how did you—"
I cut my self off, I had too many questions for my brain to process.
"I keep tabs on my family, I knew y'all would be here." He explained simply.
"and I might be home a lot more, if everything goes to plan." He informed.
My cheeks hurt from smiling so hard but I couldn't help him, I continued to hug into him tightly as well causing him to chuckle.
"Just tell me you aren't getting into more trouble." I spoke.
"I'm not, It's the opposite actually." He responded.
"Now whas' all of this shit y'all talking about a bet." He questioned sitting back so he could see both André and I.
"nothing." I lied, chuckling nervously.
He looked at me suspiciously before cutting his gaze to André.
"Dre?" He questioned with raised eyebrows.
André had a stuck look on his face before speaking, "u-uh, ay look they're coming out now!" He spoke, causing us to both look at the court.
"Oh my god, quick hold these!" I spoke handing them the posters.
"Jay I'm not holding this shit up, I already stand out with this damn camo on." Clare spoke.
"Please..." I sighed.
He groaned before grabbing the poster.
"Better you than me.." André chuckled
"Grab a damn poster," Clare told him.
Unlike he did with me he didn't protest, and instead grab the poster with a smack of his lips.
I smiled triumphantly and stood up raising the poster.
"baby sit the hell down, they gonna introduce him!" Clare whisper yelled as he pulled my wrist.
"and how do you know!" I retorted.
"They introduce the starting five individually" He explained.
"ohhhh." I nodded slowly causing him to chuckle.
He was right and after a minute they introduced the starting line up.
"Clare Clare this is him!" I said excitedly.
"Yeah baby I can see." He chuckled.
"Stand up," I told them.
"Javier Diez "
I cheered loudly with my sign above my head, André and Clare cheered as well but they were much more calm.
"Aight that's enough." I heard from beside me as a arm snaked around my body.
"Chill so he can focus." Clare spoke.
"Does he look nervous to you?" I asked.
"Who wouldn't be, it's okay tho, he'll be aight." He responded.
After Running over their game plan one last time, both teams took their positions on the court.
Javier was nervous, not so much about his own performance, but he felt the pressure.
He was the new kid that came in and got a starting spot, he had a lot to live up to.
He knew Mr.Jay and André were here, but he tried not to spot them, if he knew where they were sitting he'd constantly look in their direction.
What he didn't know is if Destin was here, he hoped, but knowing the situation he couldn't ask for much.
As center Javier took his position, he'd have the job of getting control of the ball first.
At the sound of the whistle the ball was thrown up.
He'd gotten it to his teams side, but that was about it, the entire first quarter of the game was a shut out, his team had 4 points total, and none of which came from him.
He could figure out why he couldn't get in the groove.
Joshua watched one the sidelines in concern, Clarence squinted his eyes in question, and Andrés focus was everywhere but the game.
Little Did Javier know, Destin was in attendance, front row with his parents.
The moment they made eye contact neither could hide the smile.
While Javier was suppose to be focusing on strategy in the huddle, his attention was else where.
Come second quarter, the results weren't much better, Javier shot one three pointer, but that was it.
The score was now 7 to 21.
With low heads and bubbling tempers Javiers team returned to the locker room.
During halftime, they received a chewing out form the coach, Javier and Marquees especially.
"That was pitiful out there!" He spat.
"Get it together, y'all can do this." He continued.
Again they huddled, participating in a team chant before leaving the locker room. The moment Javier came into vision Clare called his name.
During the break he'd made his way down to the floor.
Javiers eyes were wide, he didn't even realize that Clarence had returned.
"Come heh'," Clarence demanded, his tone wasn't angry but more so assertive.
"Coach I didn't know you were here, how did you—"
"I'll tell you later, right now you just need to win this game. You're better than everybody on this damn court, get out of your own head." He chuckled.
Javier nodded, listening intricately to Clarences words.
"You got this." Clarence smiled, extending his hand fro Javier to dap.
"Your right, I gotchu......pops." Javier responded with a chuckle,smiling.
Immediately Clarence felt this warm feeling in his heart, but of course he hid it, what he couldn't hide was his own smile.
As Javier jogged off to meet the rest his team Clarence chuckled to himself before walking back to meet André and Joshua.
"What'd you say?" Joshua questioned.
"I just told him what he already knew," He responded, leaning back and wrapping his arm around Joshua's shoulders again.
"He called me pop, Jay." He spoke , staring into space.
"Really?" Joshua responded with wide eyes.
"Damn," André spoke.
"Guess it's official now huh," Clarence chuckled.
•RUIN 🥀US•