Cole, Bryan and King and I were seated at King's usual sitting spot. It was a table close to the cafeteria door and you could see almost everyone in the cafeteria, except those at the other far end.

"Nah... I think Kim's the hottest of all the cheerleaders," Cole said, using his hands to demonstrate. He had been trying to pull an argument on which cheerleader was the most beautiful, supposedly.

Neither King nor Bryan seemed to be interested in the debate. King's body did get tense at the mention of his sister's name. "C'mon man. Quit it, would you?"

"Why, because it's Kim? Look, I see girls and I know them." There was this annoying morale in Cole's tone.

"Arsehole," Bryan remarked.

"See I told you you'd be a worse person if you stuck your dick at a place-"

"Dude!" Bryan hit the table in anger, cutting Cole off. My plate vibrated and pieces of my macaroni fell off the plate. "What's your problem?"

"How's Ashley by the way?" King asked, barely bothered at all. I doubt he cared if Bryan and Cole fought, really.

Bryan glanced over at Sandra's table. Ashley was taking a spoonful of food in her mouth while laughing at something Chloe said. He sighed, "As you can see." He turned, "it's in a month. We should practice today, King."

"What's happening in a month?" I asked.

Kimberly passed by with her friends and cast me a look. I turned away. Of course, I hadn't heeded her advice of staying away and being a nerd.

It didn't fit well with me. This was much better.

"Some competition we've been invited to," Cole explained, biting off his chicken. "Wanna cheer for us? I'd sure love to see you in that green gown... Your arse on full display-"

"Cole!"

"What, man?" Cole gestured to King. "You've got a problem with me talking to this hot chick?"

I looked down to hide my face and I focused on my lunch instead. "I'm sure she doesn't appreciate it," King came in for me.

"And what's it to you? Is she your girlfriend?" I looked up at Cole who was keenly daring King with his eyes. "Asked her out yet? Or have you, I don't know, kissed her?"

King puffed out but didn't say anything. He glanced at me but soon focused on his hamburger.

I fought the urge to remain quiet. "I think it doesn't mean anything that he's speaking up for me. King's my friend and, yes, I do not appreciate your compliment, Cole."

"Or you're just a prude?" He smirked, not planning on giving up yet.

"No. I just don't appreciate words coming from the mouth of an arsehole."

"Wanna know what else my mouth can do?" When I tried to decipher his statement, he simply shrugged and sucked from his straw. He faced me and snapped his finger. "Miss Emerald the nerdy prude."

"Sir Collins the slovenly pig."

That shut him up. Bryan stuffed a piece of bread in his mouth to keep himself from laughing. "Serves your dumb arse right."

Cole showed Bryan the middle finger but didn't dare say anything, I tell you.

I could feel King's gaze on me but I never looked at him after that. They kept talking about basketball and championships while I ate in silence. For one thing, being around the boys made me feel safe. I never had to bother about Josh Watson or his twin brother.

"I'll round 'em up today," King finally spoke.

***

I decided to let King teach me basketball this Friday. If I found it interesting, I could continue. If I didn't, I wouldn't. I knew, though, that I would choose the latter.

King and his team had just finished their practice. I had sat at a bench with Ashley who was also waiting for Bryan.

"Hey, Ashley," I tried to start up a conversation.

"Hey." She sounded distant even though she was only a few inches away. "What's good?" She ran her hand over her well-combed afro hair. She had similar skin as Bryan and wore a red tank top tucked in denim shorts and a black leather jacket over it.

"Hey, Ash!" Bryan threw the basketball to the ground and walked to his girlfriend. He kissed her on the lip lightly. "Let's go."

"Took you long enough." She stepped away from me and walked out of the large hall that also functioned as the basketball court.

Some practised more but they soon all dispersed leaving only Cole, King and me in the room. I walked down the bench and headed to King. He picked up the ball and took his wet hair back to keep the sweat away.

King was undeniably handsome. "You ready to learn?" He tossed the ball to me and I caught it immediately. "Wow, you've got skills. You'd make an excellent player."

"I only caught a ball," I said and bounced it up and down.

"Throw the ball into the basket," Cole dared. His untamed blonde hair covered his forehead, reminding me of Bihak and that scar on his forehead.

"I haven't done it before." But I did stand opposite the basket, inches away from it. I bounced the ball some more, my ponytail moving from side to side.

King encouraged, "Some people have natural abilities..."

I focused on the basket and tossed the ball. It bounced up and towards the basket. A smile crept up my face as I watched it go. It did get closer. Only, it hit the wall beside the backboard and bounced back to my hand.

"And you're not among those people," Cole snickered. "Let's just hope you don't suck at everything."

"Motherfucker!" King cursed under his breath. I threw the ball to King. "You'll get it. That's why you're here."

"I got this." Cole bounced to King and took the ball then faced his stupid aquamarine eyes at me. "Let me show the chick how it's done."

He played with the ball in his hand and bounced it for some seconds. He moved to the basket with the ball and because he had great height, he easily rolled it off his fingertips right into the basket. "This, sweetheart, is called a lay-up."

He picked up the ball, went a few inches back and let the ball go. It hit the backboard and fell right through the hoop and into the basket. "That's a bank shot. Sharp, isn't it?"

"Cole that's enough."

"Oh shut up, King. Baby's enjoying the show." Cole took off his green jacket and tossed it to the nearest bench. He ran to the basket and jumped midair, simultaneously slamming the ball into the basket. "Now tell me, wasn't that fucking legit?"

This time, I caught the ball. "You're good, Mr Showoff. But those shots were only possible because I wasn't in the game, I tell you."

He folded his arms. "Where you driving out, girl?" He asked in what I thought New York gangster accent.

I walked to the basket and turned my back to it, so I could face Cole and King. "I'm saying, no matter how you throw the ball now, it's not going to get through the basket if I don't want to."

"What makes you believe that, Emery?" King asked with raised eyebrows and a smile, confusion and excitement written all over his face.

"I don't know, maybe I'm an excellent catcher. Want a challenge?"

Cole was determined. "Fuck yeah." I threw the ball in his direction. "Bring it on!" I got as ready as I could. Cole fired a first, simple shot.

He really thought I was joking, wasn't he?

The ball was coming in my direction so I didn't need to move. I kept to Crypta's instructions and kept my eyes focused on the object. When it was inches away, I lunches my hands out and caught it.

"Seriously, Cole?" King snorted. "Is that a throw?"

"Do I look like a child to you?"

"I have a hurt ankle that's why," Cole defended, trying to save what was left of his ego.

"Yeah like a month ago." I threw the ball to King. "Your turn, King."

King stepped closer and jumped up, releasing the ball at what I thought was the highest point of the ground. But I kept my eyes on the ball, and seeing it would hit the ball before coming down, I waited till the ball was at the closest thing to low without getting close to the basket yet.

Once at the desired position, I jumped up and put my hands high up in the air and embraced the brown hard object. I got stable on my feet, bounced the ball and threw it to Cole.

"Emery, how did you-"

"Wait, don't tell me that was both of you's best shots," I dared them.

Yet, it didn't matter how they threw the ball. High and hard, close and high, from the side, I caught them all and threw them to the person whose turn it was.

We carried on that way till they were so played out that their shots felt like mere passes which weren't challenging at all.

"Damn Emery. I gotta give it to you, you've got skills," Cole said tiredly, bending and putting his hands on his knees to support his already fagged body. "What's your secret?"

I caged the ball between my left hand and side and held onto it. My heart was pumping with pride. I wished I could tell them but no, a simple shrug was enough.

***

"Is Rowan gone already?" I asked mum who was seated at an armchair in the living room. Her eyes were closed but when I walked and took off my warmer bag and there it to the sofa, she sensed my presence and looked up.

"No, Emery, he's leaving tomorrow. And a good afternoon to you too."

"Sorry, mum."

She only shook her head and went to the kitchen. "He said something about going to see his girlfriend... Cottage pie?" She stepped out with a disposable plastic bowl and two spoons.

How could I resist that? I helped myself with a spoonful. "Thanks."

"Why do you smell like that?"

I sniffed my cloth. "Sweat, maybe? My friends were teaching me how to play basketball. I'll go have a bath now."

"Okay, honey."

I walked up the stairs but stopped midway. "Mum?"

"Yes?"

"When you said Nora could come to visit us whenever, were you lying?"

"Why do you think I'd be lying?"

"I..." I sighed. "I don't know, sorry. Never mind me." I got to my room and shut the door, pulled off my top and undid the headpiece that held my hair in a ponytail.

There, in my singlet and three-quarter jeans, I lay face on the floor with my legs extended behind me and palms flat against it to support me. Sure I had assumed the right position Crypta had taught me, I began to do pushups.

Skipping practice with Crypta wouldn't make me skip practice for the day.

After almost an hour of trying out different exercises, I had a bath and got down on my bed to do my Chemistry assignment. When I opened my textbook, the form for the class presidency was folded in between two leaves. I brought it out and placed it on the bedside table, using my wristwatch to keep it from flying away.

It was 11:35 p.m. when I came down to the living room and checked the time on the clock. Rowan hadn't come back yet and I was looking forward to getting comfortable on his shoulder while we watched a movie. We've been doing it for two days now.

I prepared cheese sandwiches to pass time and wait for Rowan. I leaned on the worktop staring at the plate and took one and another one a few minutes later...

And another one a few minutes later... Till they were all gone.

I slumped to the bed and flickered through movies. I flickered without even stopping to know if anyone was actually okay, truly. Only Rowan knew which movies were interesting.

Seriously? Rowan would go back to the university tomorrow and he did not want to spend his last day with his sister?

I turned off the TV.

I heard mum's door open. Standing in the corridor, she asked, "Is Rowan back yet?"

I stared at the clock. Midnight. "No."

"That's unlike him. He's always home before eleven." Just like you didn't come back a few days ago, I could feel her say.

I prepared more sandwiches. We waited around on the sofa talking about a lot of things - Nora, dad, Jayden, Quinn, and even Nora's new school which I heard also had junior high school and senior high school.

"How's work?"

Mum mostly worked from home, freelancing. However, she worked during the weekdays at an organization dad had helped her get into. Since Nora moved out, she'd been spending more time with Giada.

Maybe this was her way of getting to see Nora.

"I'm fine, Emerald. You should focus on yourself."

After about one hour and thirty minutes of conversing about random things, I gave up on waiting.

"You know what, I think I know where Rowan is." I headed up to my room.

"You do?" She asked just as I walked into my room and shut the door, now out of her sight.

Of course, I didn't know where he was, but Mehjazgeu unquestionably did.

.

A/N

Howdy readers!

First of, I'm saying a biiiiiiiiiig thank you for 500+ reads.

Next, sorry I'm updating now. I have a habit of being late, don't I?

I found my novel on another site and thought it best to drop this:

NOTE:
This novel is only available on WATTPAD. If you are reading it on another platform, then you may be reading a plagiarized copy.

(If you do happen to see this novel on another site beside Wattpad, please report to me :) Thank you!)

Anyway, I'm trying to meet up with a deadline for... something, and that requires about four updates per week. I've calculated and come up with what I think is the best routine.

So, take note of these days and time intervals:
Monday - 10:00a.m. - 10:30a.m.
Wednesday - 5:30a.m. - 6:00a.m.
Thursday - 5:00p.m. - 5:30p.m.
Saturday - 10:00a.m. - 10:30a.m.

This is just a proposed plan and I may or may not keep to it at certain times. I'll keep modifying it as I write along so that I don't feel forced to update and end up publishing something so... mediocre.

Thanks for sticking around and, hope you've clicked that star!

Have a nice day.