Page 34 of Love & Streetball

Vani’s eyes shot back up to the rear view mirror. “Since when you care so much ‘bout this nigga? Huh, Slim?”

This was the same nigga who gave me Slim’s number. He was the same nigga that told me she could use an extra friend especially when he wasn’t around. Now the nigga was acing…jealous.

“I’m just stating facts,” she retorted. “You don’t know his parents, but you know my mama and you know how she gon’ act when she smells this shit on me, Vani. Be for real.”

“Yeah, my fault.” Vani hit the blunt once more and went into a coughing fit. “You right.” He asked the blunt and we all piled out of the car.

Niggas on the court watched as we approached the court. These niggas had to be in their early twenties. There weren’t any high school kids on the court.

“Oh yeah, we gon’ whoop these niggas asses,” Jalen muttered, elbowing me. “They don’t know how we used to play together, bro, and Slim be going off…shiiid, they better get ready to be in their feelings. Hopefully they take the L and not want to throw hands. I mean, my fists lethal too.”

“I don’t need to end up at the county jail here. I swear my Pops would unenroll me and put me in homeschool for the rest of the little bit of school year we have left,,” I told him, shaking my head slightly.

“You know I know,” Jalen snorted as we walked side by side. “That nigga don’t like me for shit.”

“He don’t like anybody unless they come from money.” I sighed. “I hate he like that.”

Jalen shrugged. “Fuck that shit. Let’s win this bread, then I need you to tell me what’s up wit’ you and Slim.”

I chuckled and rubbed a hand down my face, trying to hide my smile. I don’t know what Jalen wanted to know. Slim still had me in the friend zone.

We stretched. Very little words were spoken between both teams. Slim jumped up and down, stretching her legs. Her lips were tucked in as she closed her eyes briefly as in prayer.

“Amen,” I mumbled under my breath to whatever she prayed for.

The game started rough. These niggas from Dreamview wasn’t fucking around. Their point guard was a lanky nigga with dreads down his back. He was crossing us up like it wasn’t nothing. First possession, he blew right past Jalen and laid it in easy. Jalen was heated, talking shit under his breath.

It was 10-4 when we took our first timeout. All four of us were out of breath, but Slim managed to get her words out after gulping down water.

“Come on guys. We’re slacking and we practiced, but we’re not getting that shit on the court,” she breathed out, slamming a fist in her palm. “We’re playing too soft.”

“I need to hit the blunt,” Vani smacked. Slim mushed his head.

“That’s your problem now,” she told him, pointing a finger in his face. Vani smacked it down. “Get it together.”

“We not doing shit we practiced,” I pitched in. “We have to get as aggressive as they are.”

“They think we scared.” Jalen said.

“I’m far from a pussy,” Vani huffed out.

“Can’t tell,” Slim said with a smirk. Vani cut his eyes to her.

“Don’t play wit’ me, Slim. You the only one with a pussy on the court.”

Slim shoved Vani. That shit rubbed me wrong hearing him talk about her shit like that, even if it didn’t bother her, but I guess that was their friendship.

“Okay, we need to lock in for real, or this shit is pointless,” Slim announced sternly. “Some of us need to put food on the table and help pay some bills.”

Sweat trickled down my back. I licked my dry lips as I stared at Slim as she continued with her pep talk. These niggas were good…more aggressive than we were, and that was the problem. If we played better defense, we could get up on these niggas.

“I ain’t scared of these niggas, but they big as fuck,” Jalen snorted. “These ain’t high school or college niggas.”

“It don’t matter,” Slim told him, slapping his arm. “Short niggas make the NBA too.”

“We need to shoot,” I added. “If we don’t shoot, we don’t score. Jump.”

Slim nodded, agreeing with me. “We got this,” she whispered.