been where you are,” Eddie said, the other women quickly agreeing with a nod. “The important thing is to never lose sight of each other. You’re going to get a lot of hate. Especially the first few years.”
“Yes,” Kerry agreed. “But you’ll make it through. The only thing that can ever stand in your way is yourself.”
“That and groupies,” Eddie spat.
“Mmmhmm,” Sam cut in with a nod. “And jump offs.”
“Speaking of,” Eddie said, whipping around. “Where’s your friend, though? Mia?”
Sam smacked her lips, rolling her eyes as she crossed her legs. “She ain’t been my friend since she tried to hook up with Kirk.” When the pair went into a lengthy discussion about what a back stabbing heifer Mia was, my mind started to spin, but then I got a kind smile from Kerry.
“Don’t mind the pair,” she said assuring me. “Just remember what I said and you’ll be fine,” she paused, pointing at me. “You. Remember you and that man out there on the court. Everything else? Cake.”
She shook my shoulders, and I couldn’t help smiling. I shared a common ground with these ladies, and maybe having a few allies in this new experience I was in wouldn’t be so bad. I had to laugh at the irony. Griffin Chandler just had to be right all the time.
The game went underway, and the fans were in a frenzy tonight. Our team had some stiff competition and because of that, the scores stayed pretty tight. We’d get a little bit ahead, but then the opposing team would be right back on our heels. Things were tense, and even Eddie let up on poking Sam a little and redirected her jabs to our team.
“Oh, come on!” She’d shout, and every time number nineteen would cringe out there, shaking his head before getting back into the game. Eventually, I started to wonder about that and Kerry let me in on the secret. Number nineteen, Trent Irving, was Eddie’s ex husband. I made sure my laugh had been out of earshot.
As a new player, Griffin didn’t play nearly as much as he did in college as team captain, but the time he was out there, he shined, working up a sweat and hustling like the best of them. The pride swelled on my face, but nothing in compared to the way Kerry looked at a Kendrick. She wasn’t vocal. She didn’t need to be. Anyone with eyes could see the love and appreciation in her gaze. Even more heartwarming, was the way he looked at her, a small smile on his face whenever he had the chance to give her one. I couldn’t help but see Griffin and myself in the pair. I had a strong feeling this business ate more couples up than it left whole. I had a feeling the lady giving me advice took a strong dose from herself, and that left me hopeful for my own future.
I left to get popcorn just before halftime. I know that sounded odd, but I liked watching the shows that performed. They had some great singers sometimes too. Griffin was well aware of when I made my exits, so when I came back I got that handsome grin the moment I made it back to my seat, him seated on the bench in that particular moment of the game. He’d get more playing time. I wasn’t lying before. The world was noticing him and when you had that star power it couldn’t be ignored.
Kerry dipped her hand into my popcorn bucket before I barely had a chance to get myself situated and I giggled. “Did I miss anything?” I asked her.
“They’re making it hard for us,” she said. “But I think we got it.”
Sam nodded, concurring. “Yep. I love my Kirk, but her Kendrick always gets us out of scrapes. Always.”
She didn’t have to tell me that. I’d seen it myself. Watching Kendrick lead this team was something else. He had the respect from his fellow players both on the team and off. As the boys hustled, I saw them in the formation of a play. Kirk passed Kendrick the ball, the point guard dribbling to the set up, getting closer and closer to the hoop, and from above the seconds ticked away toward the end of the second quarter.
“Yes,” Kerry agreed. “But you’ll make it through. The only thing that can ever stand in your way is yourself.”
“That and groupies,” Eddie spat.
“Mmmhmm,” Sam cut in with a nod. “And jump offs.”
“Speaking of,” Eddie said, whipping around. “Where’s your friend, though? Mia?”
Sam smacked her lips, rolling her eyes as she crossed her legs. “She ain’t been my friend since she tried to hook up with Kirk.” When the pair went into a lengthy discussion about what a back stabbing heifer Mia was, my mind started to spin, but then I got a kind smile from Kerry.
“Don’t mind the pair,” she said assuring me. “Just remember what I said and you’ll be fine,” she paused, pointing at me. “You. Remember you and that man out there on the court. Everything else? Cake.”
She shook my shoulders, and I couldn’t help smiling. I shared a common ground with these ladies, and maybe having a few allies in this new experience I was in wouldn’t be so bad. I had to laugh at the irony. Griffin Chandler just had to be right all the time.
The game went underway, and the fans were in a frenzy tonight. Our team had some stiff competition and because of that, the scores stayed pretty tight. We’d get a little bit ahead, but then the opposing team would be right back on our heels. Things were tense, and even Eddie let up on poking Sam a little and redirected her jabs to our team.
“Oh, come on!” She’d shout, and every time number nineteen would cringe out there, shaking his head before getting back into the game. Eventually, I started to wonder about that and Kerry let me in on the secret. Number nineteen, Trent Irving, was Eddie’s ex husband. I made sure my laugh had been out of earshot.
As a new player, Griffin didn’t play nearly as much as he did in college as team captain, but the time he was out there, he shined, working up a sweat and hustling like the best of them. The pride swelled on my face, but nothing in compared to the way Kerry looked at a Kendrick. She wasn’t vocal. She didn’t need to be. Anyone with eyes could see the love and appreciation in her gaze. Even more heartwarming, was the way he looked at her, a small smile on his face whenever he had the chance to give her one. I couldn’t help but see Griffin and myself in the pair. I had a strong feeling this business ate more couples up than it left whole. I had a feeling the lady giving me advice took a strong dose from herself, and that left me hopeful for my own future.
I left to get popcorn just before halftime. I know that sounded odd, but I liked watching the shows that performed. They had some great singers sometimes too. Griffin was well aware of when I made my exits, so when I came back I got that handsome grin the moment I made it back to my seat, him seated on the bench in that particular moment of the game. He’d get more playing time. I wasn’t lying before. The world was noticing him and when you had that star power it couldn’t be ignored.
Kerry dipped her hand into my popcorn bucket before I barely had a chance to get myself situated and I giggled. “Did I miss anything?” I asked her.
“They’re making it hard for us,” she said. “But I think we got it.”
Sam nodded, concurring. “Yep. I love my Kirk, but her Kendrick always gets us out of scrapes. Always.”
She didn’t have to tell me that. I’d seen it myself. Watching Kendrick lead this team was something else. He had the respect from his fellow players both on the team and off. As the boys hustled, I saw them in the formation of a play. Kirk passed Kendrick the ball, the point guard dribbling to the set up, getting closer and closer to the hoop, and from above the seconds ticked away toward the end of the second quarter.
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