Page 14 of Love & Streetball

“Twelve!” someone screamed from the top of their lungs. “Tweeeelve!”

“What the fuck did I tell you?” My dad hollered, beating a hand against the steering wheel. “You don’t fucking listen, Kane!” It was rare for me to hear him cuss like he was.

The police had hauled all of us to the station. There were no questions asked, just handcuffs being tightened on our wrists. My parents had crossed my mind as soon as I was placed in the backseat with Slim, who didn’t even blink. Her jaw was clenching, but she hadn’t said a word. My jaw was still aching and had bruised.

My dad came and picked me up not long after I’d called my Mama. I’d hoped it would have been her coming to my rescue and keeping this between us, but that would have been too much like right. She would never keep shit like that from him. I didn’t even know if Slim made it home or if she had anyone to call to come get her if her mom wasn’t available. I couldn’t text her because he’d snatched my phone out of my hands, and plus, I was still blocked.

“We didn’t start the fight,” I mumbled.

“You think I care who started it, Kane? You weren’t supposed to be in Love Heights!” he hollered, pulling away from the curb. He didn’t even park in a spot. He had to have been seeing red.

At a red light, he rubbed his temples. “You are grounded. I should make you quit basketball, but you are to go to practice, your games, and home. That’s it.”

‘I’m seventeen and you treat me as if I’m seven!”

“Stop acting like you’re seven!”

I bit down on my back teeth to keep from spazzing. My dad had every right to be upset with me because shit could have gone farther than what it did. Any of those guys could have had a weapon on them.

He sighed. “You’ll be eighteen in two months, Kane, graduating, and then going off to college. Do not fuck your future up by going on that side of town. Do you hear me?”

“Yeah,” I grumbled. “I hear you.”

5

Vani’s uncle came first, but they wouldn’t let me leave with them since he wasn’t my guardian. Mama blew up at me over the phone because now I was costing her hours from work and gas in the car to pick me up from Love Heights PD. Not only was she mad, but I was too. My ball was probably gone. They didn’t even give me a chance to grab it.

In the old Honda Accord, Mama sat straight up, eyes on the road. Her tongue kept rolling along her inner cheek. I ran my hands down my face. Tired and in need of a shower. Just being inside the police department made my skin crawl. It made me feel dirty.

I wanted to go to the park to look for my ball as soon as she went back to work, but I refused to go out at this time of night by myself. I couldn’t text Vani because Mama already let it be known she was taking it from me, and I couldn’t go back to the park for two weeks. School, practice, and my games were the only places I could go.

Mama was hardly mad at me. I didn’t do much to make her mad, but she was right now. She wouldn’t even look in my direction. Mama slammed the car door, knowing it was already raggedy. I slowly slid out of the car and made my way to the front door behind her. I glanced around, hoping to see someone dribbling my ball or having it tucked under their arm. It didn’t have my name on it, but if I saw my ball, I’ll know it was mine.

Mama unlocked the door quickly with irritated motions. The second we stepped inside, she flung her purse onto the couch and spun around to face me. Her lashes fluttered from how fast she blinked. She only did that when she was fighting the urge to yell at me.

“Scottie,” she started, her voice cracking. That tugged at my heartstrings, “…I‘ve told you about being around people you don’t know. People who mean no good.”

“Mama,” I stressed, with my arms stretched, “we were hooping. We never just hoop with people we know.”

“And that’s your problem,” she huffed, pointing in my face. Her fingertip brushed my forehead.

“I was with Vani, Jalen and…and Kane.”

Her head reared back. “Who the hell is Kane?”

I lifted a shoulder and replied, “Some guy. He’s from Heart Heights.”

Mama crossed her arms, sitting on the arm of the couch. “When have you just made new friends, Scottie? You’ve been rolling with just Vani since we moved here.” Her eyes widened slightly, “Is this someone you like? Like…like-like?”

My eyes stretched. “What? No!” I almost shouted. “No,” I said, softer this time.

She shook her head as if almost forgetting why she had to leave work early to get me from the county jail. The sound of me liking a boy piqued her interest. The spark in her eyes diminished.

“Well, I have to get back to work.” She held my phone out to me. “I’m only giving this to you just in case of an emergency. Keep your ass in the house and don’t have anyone in my shit. Not even a damn…Kane.”

I squinted, confused. “Why would Kane be in the house? I don’t even like him like that. He just knows how to ball.”

Mama sucked her teeth loudly. “Mhm. That’s how it starts. You’ve seen Love and Basketball, girl.” She picked her purse back up, dropped the strap over her shoulder, and released a heavy sigh. “Boy knows how to dribble down a court and suddenly you’re interested in being friends,” she muttered.