Page 5 of Love & Streetball

The game started. Slim wiped her shoes with her hands, ready for that action.

In the first two quarters, she ate shit up, but the opponents weren’t making it easy for them. Halftime flew by, and they were back on the court. In the fourth quarter, when Slim fell on the floor from being pushed, that had a lot of folks heated, especially Vani. He was talking cash shit.

The game ended with Slim’s team taking the W. She didn’t even stick around; she already started heading out toward the locker rooms. Our eyes locked, and she squinted at me. Slim didn’t stop, though. She kept pushing it to the back.

The bleachers were emptying. My phone buzzed in my jacket pocket. When I pulled it out and saw my dad calling, I sighed and pushed it back into my pocket. Before getting into the Rideshare, I’d disabled my location, which is why my dad was probably calling now. He’d blow a gasket if he knew what side of town I was on at this time of night, and I hadn’t taken my car. The way he thinks, he probably thought someone had taken me for a ransom. My dad always thought shit was about some money. I wondered how he was when he didn’t have the kind of money he had now.

Jalen took off to chase behind some girl while I waited outside for Slim. It didn’t take long for her to appear, head down with headphones on her ears, and just walking. The way she was moving those long legs, Slim had to have known I was waiting for her. Nobody else around paid her any attention. They were just screaming her name in the gym, and now it was as if Slim didn’t exist to them. Slim’s name was on the tip of my tongue, but Vani beat me to it. That caused Slim to look back.

“Why are you following me? Why are you even here…wearing that…” Slim turned up her small, round nose and pointed at me, “jacket?”

I peered down. “Good game,” I said when I looked back up at her. “How’re you getting home?”

“None of your business,” Slim shot out. “I’m still trying to figure out why you are here.”

My phone continued to vibrate.

“To see you in action. I’m impressed. You held back— a lot,” I told her.

“You good, Slim? Vani quizzed, approaching us with a blunt in his hand, not giving a damn about being on the school campus with it. I took a few steps back, just in case.

“Yeah, I’m good, Vani.” Slim eyed me. “He’s harmless.”

My eyes narrowed, not knowing what Slim meant by that because I was far from a punk.

“Oh, aight. You need me to walk wit’ you?” he asked her, darting his eyes back over to the female he had been talking to. So did Slim’s.

“Vani, your shit gon’ fall off. I’m good, though.”

Vani looked me up and down. “When yo’ game since you up here watching my sis?”

“Tomorrow. Home game,” I replied.

He nodded. “Get home safe, Slim.”

Slim snorted. “Don’t worry about me, Vani.”

“I’ll walk her home,” I spoke up, just as Slim began to stroll away.

“No you won’t,” Slim called out.

“Do that,” Vani said at the same time. “None of that funny shit either. Slim knows how to fight, nigga. I taught her.”

He took off, and I turned to follow Slim, who was now practically jogging.

“Damn, hold up,” I huffed.

“How do you even know I want you to know where I live, Kane?”

A smile tugged at my lips. “You remembered my name.”

Slim rolled her eyes and started walking again. I fell in line beside her.

“What is it with you?” she pressed.

“I can’t like a girl who ball?” I asked with a chortle.

Slim threw her hands up. “There are plenty of girls who ball. You just came from a damn game.”