The buzzer sounded signaling that the game was over. We won by twenty and I was able to get some rest towards the end of the game. I wrapped a towel around my neck, heading off the court when a reporter stopped me. "Khari, can we do a quick interview?"

I nodded my head. "Sure."

The camera man signaled that he was ready so she turned to me. I leaned down a little so I could hear her. "Another easy win for you guys, do you believe that the team is showing progress?" She put the mic up to me.

I but my lip a little, nodding my head. "Definitely. It was a bit of a struggle at first because I just got here a couple of months ago. I think we got it figured out though."

"You had a solid showing. 25 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and a block. What are you seeing out there that allows you to be successful?"

Shaking my head, I shrugged my shoulders and chuckled a bit. "I'm just playing basketball. My teammates help me more than you know especially Tyrese. He's our point guard and helps us to get our spots. Playing with him makes the game easier."

"Do you think you guys can keep it up?" She peered up at me.

"I'd take us against anybody any day of the week. I believe in those guys in that locker room just as much they believe in me. Our coaching staff prepares us for anything. So, I believe we can finish the season out without a loss. That's just confidence."

"How's the ankle?" She asked.

"Just a little twist. I'll be fine." I said.

She smiled at me, nodding her head. "Congratulations on the win, Khari."

"Thanks Mattie." I said flashing a smile before moving off the court. A couple of little fans were waiting for me so I could give them an autograph. I took my time to sign for everyone who waited before going into the locker room. I went over, slapping hands with Bumpy and Ty.

"Good game." I said.

"That's you Mr. Buckets." Ty joked.

I waved him off, and grabbed my bag. I wanted to shower at home tonight. After games, I just wanted to be alone for some reason. Coach understood that, though. The only person I could tolerate was Malia. I had grown real close to her lately. It scared me, but I liked the feeling.

I dapped the rest of my teammates before heading out. I noticed Danielle, Kaleigh and Randy standing by the wall trapped in their phones. Malia was standing off to the side, going off into her phone. She glanced at me, smiling a bit before returning to the conversation. I wondered who that is.

Walking up to them, Kaleigh looked up. "Khari!" She said, causing everyone else to look up. She gave me a side hug. "Good game out there."

"Yeah, that was light work." Danielle added.

"Thanks shorties." I joked. They both rolled their eyes playfully. I looked at Randy and we did our handshake. "Wassup kid?"

He shook his head. "I'm chillin. Glad y'all made them easy work because I gotta paper to finish tonight." He said, looking at his watch. "It's due like in two hours so I gotta head out." I nodded, understanding and dapped him up. He said his goodbyes then headed out.

"Why did he come if he knew he had a paper to do?" Danielle mumbled, but I heard her.

I leaned over to whisper in her ear. "Why you care so much?" I pulled away, smirking at her. She playfully shoved my arm before rolling her eyes. "Mhmmm." I sung.

"Girl, you just need to get ya boo back." Kaleigh added as she ran her fingers through her locs. "Sick of you being a little drama queen when y'all around each other."

Danielle smacked her lips, throwing up her finger at her. I chuckled, noticing Malia coming towards us out the corner of my eye. She wrapped her arms around my waist, looking up at me. "You did good as always, Ri. You scared me when you twisted your ankle though." She pouted.

Looking down at her, I smiled internally at her concern. "I'll be fine. You good, though?" I asked, referring to her phone conversation.

Her facial expression changed a little, but she nodded her head. "Yeah, I'm good."

I didn't believe her, but I decided not to press the issue. Looking away from her, I noticed Danielle and Kaleigh smirking at us, and giggling. "What?" I asked, confused.

"Who the hell is Ri?" Danielle said as she giggled again. "Giving nicknames I see huh, Malia?" She smirked.

Malia rolled her eyes, detaching herself from me. "I'm hungry." She said.

"I'm sleepy." Danielle faked yawned. "Aren't you sleepy Kaleigh?" Kaleigh nodded her head instantly, giving out her version of a yawn. "We're gonna see you guys later, ok?" Danielle added as they both started giggling and ran out the arena.

"Wow, they must be really sleepy." Malia said seriously.

I looked at her before I started laughing. "Ah, so naive." She looked at me weirdly before shrugging her shoulders. "Have anything you got taste for?" I asked, taking her hand into mine before leading her out.

"Waffle House." She looked up at me.

I nodded my head. "Stop reading my mind."

She giggled a little, unlocking her car doors then slipped the car keys in my hand. I stopped and looked at her. "I don't like to drive anymore since I've learned the art of riding." She stared at me long enough and slightly bit her lip before getting to the car. That sounded really naughty to me.

I shook the thought, placed my bags in the trunk and I got into the car. Taking another quick look at her, I cranked the engine. Before I could pull off, she looked at me like I was crazy. "What?" I asked.

"Put on your seatbelt." She instructed.

"Who wears a seatbelt?" I looked at her, then put the car in drive.

She leaned over, pulling my shirt. "As long as you're with me, you will." I lifted my eyebrow and she did the same, daring me to test her. I couldn't lie like that wasn't sexy because it was. I chuckled lowly, and put on my seatbelt. She sat in her seat with a smirk on her face.

With a smile on mine, I drove out of the parking lot. The drive to Waffle House was quiet, but comfortable. A song came on the radio causing Malia to go ballistic. "This is my song!" She turned it up loudly. After I listened to the beat a little, I noticed that it was Luther Vandross's The Closer I Get To You.

"Sing this with me!" She squealed, looking at me.

I shook my head. "I don't know this song." I lied.

She stale faced me. "Don't lie to me."

"How'd you kn—"

She giggled. "I didn't know. You just told me."

I smacked my lips and focused back on the road. "Put the song on." I answered finally. She squealed again before taking out her phone and hooking it to her radio. I can't believe she about to get me to sing a song with her. Was I going soft? After a few minute, I heard it playing. I cleared my throat causing her to giggle again.

The closer I get to you
The more you make me see
By giving me all you've got
Your love has captured me

Over and over again
I try to tell myself that we
Could never be more than friends
And all the while inside
I knew it was real
The way you make me feel

Lying here next to you
Time just seems to fly
Needing you more and more
Let's give love a try

Sweeter and sweeter love grows
And heaven's there for those
Who fool the tricks of time
With hearts in love will find
True love
In a special way

The closer I get to you
The more you make me see
By giving me what you've got
Your love has captured me

Over and over again
I try to tell myself that we
Could never be more than friends
And all the while inside

"I knew this was real." She sung.

"Got to be real." I cut in.

"The way you make me feeeeeelllll!"

"You know, you know, you knoooww.." I cut in again, simultaneously keeping my eyes on the road.

She reached over to rub my beard. "My baby, my baby, my baby, my loveeeee!" We both sung as I pulled into Waffle House's parking lot.

We both just looked at each other. I leaned in, and pecked her lips continuously. She smiled against my lips, rubbing my face gently. "Let me find out you be singing, Ri." She smirked before kissing me again. "Your lips are so additive." She mumbled as she kissed me again. "I can kiss you all day."

"I don't even like kissing. You're like the only girl I've really just kissed like this." I said honestly.

She rubbed my bottom lip, cocking her head to the side. "I guess I feel special." Just as she said that, her phone begin to ring. I killed the engine, sitting back in the seat. She glanced at her phone and rolled her eyes. I noticed Duane's name pop up. "Hello.. Can we talk later, I'm kinda busy.. Don't worry about that.." I felt her eyes on me, but I just continued looking ahead. "Bye.." She hung up.

"Ready?" I asked, glancing over at her.

She bit her lip, nodding her head. We both got out, and I locked the doors before holding the door for her to go in. "Hello!" The staff greeted us. I waved as Malia said hello back. "Two?" The waitress asked.

"Yes please." Malia answered.

The waitress nodded, leading us to a booth in the corner. We took our seats across from each other. "What kind of drink you guys want?"

"Water." We said in unison.

She smiled at us before going to get our drinks. I tapped my fingers on the table, taking a look around the place. It wasn't busy, but enough people were in here. After a few minutes, she came back with our drinks.

"Ready to order?" She looked at us expectantly.

"Yes, can I have the Chicken Apple Pecan Salad with a T-bone steak, please?" Malia ordered.

"How do you want the steak?" She asked.

"Well done." The waitress nodded as she wrote it down.

She looked at me. "Umm.. Let me get an uhh Texas Bacon Chicken melt, the meal." I said closing the menu. She wrote the order before going over it. Once when we confirmed everything, she took the menus and walked away. I looked everywhere except at Malia. I couldn't understand why I was irritated with her, but I was.

"Khari." She called out. My eyes finally found hers. "You're quiet. What's wrong?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Nothing wrong with me." Her phone rung again and she sighed in irritation. Yet, she still answered the phone. I just tuned out the conversation. It seemed like she felt obligated to answer the phone when he called or something. I wasn't feeling that. She was with me right now. That nigga could wait.

She wasn't getting off the phone fast enough for me. "You're gonna talk to him all damn night or you gonna be here with me?" I said, not even trying to whisper. I could hear him questioning her about who I was and I just chuckled. She looked like she honestly didn't know what to do causing me to shake my head.

"Duane.. I gotta go. I'll talk to you later." She said, finally hanging up. She dropped her phone into her purse and looked at me. "What's your problem?" She asked with attitude in her voice.

"Nothing." I said simply.

She sighed softly. "Duane and I were friends before anything else."

"I hear you." I said, looking at my hands. I didn't really care to have this conversation right now. I just wanted to eat because I'm hungry. Being hungry and arguing wasn't my cup of tea. I tended to get reckless.

"Could you not be so... dry?" She leaned over, grabbing my hand. I pulled away.

"Does he know y'all just friends?" I looked at her. In an instant, she looked away confirming what I already knew. "Thought so."

"Technically, we not anything." She motioned between us. "Really don't need you questioning me." She mumbled.

This what happens when you cut off all your hoes for one person. Now, she owe me some hoes. "You're right. I apologize." I took a sip of my water, tapping my fingers against the table again. The waitress walked towards the table, and I actually took a good look at her. Her face was average, but her body was everything.

She placed our food in front of us, and before she walked away, I gently pulled her back. She smiled nervously at me, briefly glancing at Malia. "Don't worry about her. She's just a friend. What's your name?" I said, smiling at her.

She blushed a little. "Ashley."

"Nice to meet you, Ashley. I'm Khari." I could Malia's burning a hole on the side of my face. I hated playing games, but she brought the petty side out of me. I'm a Scorpio. She must not know that I hate sharing.

"Nice to meet you, too." She smiled.

"Pretty smile for a pretty girl." I winked at her causing her whole face to turn red. "How about you put your number in my phone and we can hang out one day? Sounds good?" Again, she looked at Malia. "I told you we just friends." She nodded her head and I gave her my phone. She put in her digits, giving it back to me. "I'll be sure to call you."

She smiled once more before walking off. I placed my phone back into my pocket and began eating. I looked to see Malia not touching her food. "You should eat that before it gets cold." After she didn't touch it, I shrugged. "Guess it'll be on two different tickets then."

Her phone rung again and I continued to eat. "Hey Danielle...nothing I'm fine..yeah we at Waffle House..nah I'll be back tonight..okay..love you too.." She hung up.

The rest of dinner was silent. I downed my water as the waitress came back to the table. "Separate or same ticket." She looked at us.

"Same." I answered.

She gave me the ticket and I handed her the money with a tip. "Ready?" I asked Malia. She grabbed the keys and walked out the diner. I bit down, grinding my teeth and followed her out. "I'll just walk."

She spun around to look at me. "Get in the car, Khari."

I shook my head, throwing my hoodie over my head. "Nah, I'm good. I know my way back."

"Are you fucking serious?!" She spat. I rolled my eyes, starting to walk away. "Khari, I'm not letting you walk! Stop being an asshole for one minute."

I turned around, irritated with her choice of words. "An asshole?"

She started to say something, but she choked up. The tears begin to fall. "I don't even know why you're worried about Duane when I'm here with you. I've been with you all week. Can't you see this is where I want to be?" She said, wiping her face. "I'm sorry." She said, looking at me.

"I can't tell. Seems like you wanna be at two places at one time. I need you to really choose. Either you all the way in with him or with me. Warning. I don't like sharing." I looked at her.

"You." She shrugged. "It's been you since I met you. I'm just scared as shit." She sighed.

I walked to her, lifting her chin so she could look at me. "I am too."

"You've gotten deeper with me in two or three months compared to Duane in six years. I've kind of given myself to you, twice. I fantasize about how my first time is going to be and I can only see it happening with you. I want you in every way possible, Ri.. It's just.. Duane has been my only boyfriend. Yet, I have never felt the way I feel now with him..ever. And that scares me because that means... I'm truly in love with you. It's like you're not supposed to be here, but you are."

"Now imagine me.. Someone who's never been in a relationship."

She put her head against my chest, sighing softly. "We're both scared, how's that going to work?"

I thought it over a little. "I think it's a good thing. We're taking a risk. Can't grow if you're comfortable."

She was quiet for a moment. "Do you love me?" She asked softly.

"Like a fat kid loves food."

She chuckled against my chest. "Deep."

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