Jeremy
I was angry more than usual as of lately.
I couldn't think straight, I was playing like a maniac and I barely spent any time with the boys.
Marcus waited on me in the locker room after a long Monday practice.
"Jeremy, are you doing okay man?"
He rarely calls me Jeremy so I know he's really concerned.
I tied the laces of my sneakers aggressively.
"I'm cool," I replied.
He chuckled at my answer, "Doesn't seem like it, you're on edge. Do you want to talk about it?"
He sighed when he realized I wasn't going to say what was bothering me.
"Maybe you should take some time off. We have one more game until the finals and we don't have a shot if you're not in the right state of mind."
He picked himself up from the bench and headed in the direction of the showers.
He was right. I needed to get my shit together, but thoughts of Marissa were running through my mind almost every second of the day.
Even if I wanted to forget about her, I couldn't.
She was everywhere I went.
If I ever see her with that new punk she's dating who she's supposedly in love with I'll beat him up.
Does he know how much I like her? How long I've waited for a breakthrough in her life?
Only for him to come fucking ruin it.
I kept seeing her on campus more than usual and of course I had a class with her.
I stopped at the food court today to grab something to eat only to see her and Kiara having lunch.
I mentally fought with myself before I walked over to their table.
"Hey."
Kiara turns to me with a big smile, "Hey JD, what's up?"
"Just passing through," I answered while looking directly at Marissa.
She keeps her eyes focused on the burger she's eating.
"Hi Marissa."
"Hi."
"Where's the lucky guy?" I asked.
Since she's so in love how come I never see her with her new man.
Kiara busted out laughing, "Who? What is he talking about?"
Marissa snaps her head in Kiara's direction so fast that she stops laughing and awkwardly clears her throat.
She starts packing her stuff up, "I'm gonna go. See y'all later."
Then it was just Marissa and I.
"You have to go right now," she says.
She was getting mad and I've never seen a more beautiful woman. That's why I live to piss her off.
"I don't wanna go, I miss you," I admitted.
She looks around as if searching for someone, "I've moved on, please leave."
I shook my head, "Bullshit. I've yet to see you with your soulmate. What's going on? I know you're hiding something from me."
She's got to be lying.
You love someone else but you were shaking and squirting like that two days ago when were fucking and looking at me with love in your eyes?
She looked away from my eyes.
"Do you honestly think I can just move on with my life knowing you broke up with me without a proper explanation?"
She opened her mouth to say something but the words didn't come out.
"Did one of my exes say something to you? We can go back to my place and talk about this and then I'll show you just how sorry I am Marissa."
She chewed her lip nervously looking anywhere but at me.
"I can't be seen with you so I'm leaving," she announces as she stood up from the table.
I stood with her and we had a stare down.
"I'm going to find out what the hell is going on with you, you know that right?"
I have eyes and ears everywhere. Someone must have seen something.
"There's nothing else to find out Jeremy," she answered before leaving.
~~
I was eating pizza with my friends in my apartment a couple nights later.
Marissa is still on my brain invading my thoughts. It feels like something deeper is going on there.
"Have you guys ever seen any of my exes talking to Marissa?"
I doubt my exes would do that though. They're all quiet and shy.
"No, I don't think so. Why'd you ask?" Daniel probes.
"She's acting different towards me. Like she found something out."
She's even saying dumb shit like how she's got a new man as if she doesn't know she's mine.
He snickers, "From what I recall, she didn't like you when she first started tutoring you. Who knows, maybe the feelings came back."
I stuck my middle finger up and he laughed out.
~~~
The next day I pulled myself out of bed, ready for the big semi final match today.
We were all in the locker room getting ready.
Marcus storms in looking totally disheveled.
His eyes were heated as he searched the room frantically.
Before I knew it, he was before me slamming his fist in my face.
I could feel my left eye swelling immediately.
I stumbled back into the lockers losing my balance.
Scott, Daniel and the rest of the guys ran towards us putting hands on our chests to block us from each other.
What the hell is going on?
"You think you could fucking get away with that shit?" He yelled.
I knew what he found out before he even finished his sentence.
"Fucking my sister behind my back is an all time low even for you. I stated several times that there was a hands off policy for everyone on the team."
There you have it. Now everyone knows our business.
"What do you have to say for yourself?" He asked.
I opened my mouth to deny it but he shut me down.
He shook his head, "Actually, I don't want to hear a word from you Manning. You're supposed to be my best friend and you betrayed my trust. Then I had to hear it from Kiara of all people. Just stay the fuck away from me and my sister or else imma set you straight."
He shrugged the guys off who were holding him back and walked out of the locker room before coach could even begin to scold us.
Coach was so red with anger I thought I would see steam coming from his ears.
"Get out of here JD. You're not playing the game today," says coach.
I didn't argue I just packed my shit up and left.
I called Marissa immediately.
"Who's..." I didn't allow her to finish.
"Did you tell Kiara about us?"
Her breathing slightly paused, "I didn't tell Kiara anything what are you talking about?"
"Marcus just punched me in my fucking face for sleeping with you and he says Kiara's the one that told him."
I heard her breath hitch.
"What?" She yelled. "I never told anyone I swear. How did she know?"
If you don't know how could I know?
"I have no clue, but your brother just told me to stay away from both of you so it's obvious she doesn't know we're no longer together."
"I don't know why she would tell him that. What would she have to gain?"
"Maybe she's not really your friend. Maybe your brother was right about her being a bitch."
"Oh my God. I can't believe this is happening. My art show is today, I can't do this right now."
I didn't want to worry her either.
"I know, I'm sorry. I was just giving you a heads up so that when Marcus gets to you, you'll already know what's going on."
"I'm sorry about all of this Jeremy," she said.
She must not know how I feel about her.
"There's nothing for you to be sorry about. I don't regret anything that ever happened between us. Truth be told, I would do this again."
The line was quiet for a minute.
" I have to go. Thanks for the flowers."
I had an arrangement that I had set with the florist to send her flowers everyday.
Everyday I would send a different flower with the name and meaning.
"Good luck tonight. I know you're going to win."
"Thanks."
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