Page 12 of Love & Streetball

I didn’t answer right away. My plans for the day were to be spent on the other side of town, hooping. I’d sent Slim a message, but the shit didn’t go through because her ass still had me blocked. Vani gave me his number and told me to come to the park around one. I hit Jalen up to see what he’d be doing around that time. He replied with, not shit. He’d meet me there.

Mama placed bacon on a plate covered with a paper towel. When I still hadn’t answered her, she paused and glanced over at me.

“You had plans?”

“Something like that,” I said.

“Like what?”

“Hooping.”

‘Hmm. Your dad told me about you being in Love Heights, Kane.”

My jaw ticked. She turned the stove off and set the spatula down. Mama leaned against the counter, crossing her arms across her chest. She gave me a look of concern and irritation.

“It ain’t as bad as y’all think. I went over there to hoop, and look, I’m still alive,” I sarcastically replied, gaining a brow raise from her.

“Don’t get smart, Kane,” she told me, pointing a finger at me. Mama turned around to start fixing our plates.

“Sorry,” I apologized. “You know Jalen lives over there. I’m good, Ma.”

She sighed. “Just be careful, Kane. Your father doesn’t want you over there, but I also understand how much you love that sport. You can’t play with guys from your school?”

I laughed. “No. Their version of streetball is different.”

Mama placed a plate piled with biscuits, eggs, bacon, and grits in front of me.

“Oh, you like to get scraped up and black eyes from elbows,” she muttered with a shake of her head.

“I like to play with people who get down for real in the game,” I said. I popped a whole piece of bacon in my mouth.

“Can you at least take your car this time?”

“Oh, nah,” I snickered, shaking my head. “I can’t do that, Ma.”

“Exactly, so that means you don’t have no business over there. You should be able to go anywhere and feel safe.” She sat beside me with her own plate.

“I can Rideshare.”

“Why, when you have a car in the garage that runs perfectly fine, Kane? That’s ridiculous,” Mama countered. “Just be careful. Keep your location on. Maybe that’ll at least ease your father’s mind and lessen the punishment that is sure to come if you keep taking your butt over there. I just want you safe.”

“I’ll be safe.”

Mama nodded, sipping her coffee. “And Kane?”

“Yes?”

“I still expect you at dinner. Seven-thirty. That doesn’t mean get here at seven-thirty. Get her earlier enough to shower and dress.”

I gritted my teeth, hating that she was cutting into my time like that, but also grateful she was still allowing me to go.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Thanks,” I told the driver, shutting his door. He rolled off, quickly.

My eyes fell on Slim instantly. She was on the side of the court, stretching. I couldn’t keep my eyes from roaming over her frame. She wasn’t as tall as I was, but if I were to guess, I’d say she was about 5’9. The times I’ve seen Slim, she was wearing baggy clothes. Today, she wore a black sports bra showing off her toned stomach with a four pack, and black Reebok ball shorts.

Slim needed a new pair of shoes. The ones on her feet…the same ones she’d been wearing…weren’t gon’ last too much longer. I had a bank card that was attached to my parent’s joint account, but if she wouldn’t accept new shoes from me, then it would just be a waste of money. I didn’t even know her shoe size.