Chapter 22
Chapter
Twenty-Two
Kareem
Ididn’t know how many times I’d called Karina’s phone, but it was enough for her to know I was trying to get in touch with her. I had texted just as many times, and they had gone unanswered just like the phone calls. This scenario felt so familiar. It was high school all over again.
I walked into the kitchen of a home I hadn’t been to in days.
I was happy to be back in Austin but also glad to be done with that tour.
I hadn’t spoken to Karina since I left New York, but Rayla had emailed me, and I’d gotten updates from Ray.
She sent her final product in before she left, and I thought she would at least say goodbye, but she didn’t.
I called Karina for what seemed like the millionth time, but it went unanswered again. Walking around the kitchen, I walked to the refrigerator and opened it. It was fully stocked since my new assistant had made it home before me.
I had been thinking about downsizing from this big house.
It made sense in the early stages of building my company when my entire team lived here with me.
We were doing everything required get it off the ground.
However, now that it was up and running and everyone had gone back to their own homes, this home felt bigger than it already was, and it was always empty. I was here alone.
“Karina… Karina.”
First period had just come to an end, and I’d called Karina’s name, but she didn’t hear me. We usually met after each class so I could walk her to the next one, but she didn’t wait for me today. Granted, I was running behind.
Michelle caught me coming out of Algebra and asked if she could see my notes for the test tomorrow. I must’ve been looking in my bag to get them when Karina walked by, because by the time I looked up, she had already passed.
Being that close to Karina in our high school hallway yet still going unheard made me feel unseen. That was something I’d never been, not with Karina anyway. I walked behind her for so long, calling her name, but she still did not turn around and did not even act as if she had heard me.
It was that way throughout the day. From class to class, I followed Karina from one period to the next. Sometimes, I even walked beside her, and she still didn’t acknowledge me. It was as if I’d disappeared, like I wasn’t even visible anymore.
I had to drag myself to football practice. I suited up and got on the field, but my head wasn’t in the game. I was just going through the motions, which was clear to me and everybody else when I was getting hit repeatedly. My body became very familiar with the cold ground.
“Hey, man, you good? You slacking today.”
My homie Terel shook his head as he picked me up off the ground for the third time.
He was usually the one blocking me from hits, but I was making it hard on him today.
I couldn’t get my head in the game long enough to make smart moves on the field.
Blocking for me any other day may have been easy, but today was different.
My position as a running back did require being hit from time to time, but I had spent more time on the ground today than I did on my feet.
That wasn’t the norm for me. I wasn’t the best player in school, but I was good at what I did.
I had college scouts coming out to watch me play on Friday nights.
“Yeah, man. I’m good.”
“You sure? Because I hope your lack of attention has nothing to do with your little cheerleader over there waving at you?”
Terel nodded in Michelle’s direction, and I wanted to tell him hell nah. She stood on the sideline, twisting her hair and waving in my direction. She’d been extra thirsty since prom, and I didn’t know what I had done to give her any inkling that it would be something between us.
My attention was already occupied. Even if it weren’t, Michelle would never be my type. She had been passed around by almost every dude on my team. The last thing I wanted to do was to be seen with a girl like her.
I didn’t judge her, and I would never shame a girl for doing what she wanted, but Michelle wasn’t my type. I respected her but would never date her. I already knew who I wanted. Her name was Karina Stevens, and I’d always been clear on that.
I waved back absent-mindedly because I didn’t want to be an asshole, and then I searched the crowd for Karina.
She was there, but she hadn’t even glanced my way.
She was in her usual spot, right next to Michelle since they often battled for the role of team captain.
Michelle’s face lit up at the wave, but Karina never even looked my way.
“All right, bring it in, guys. For many of you, this is your last time being on this field. I hope over these last four years, you have given it all you have. You won’t be here as a player next year, but I want you to know this will always be your home.
Whenever you feel like you need a reminder of who you are, come back to this field. ”
After Coach finished his spiel, I ran and got dressed as fast as I could. If I hurried, I could catch Karina before she got on the bus. Karina never rode the bus, but I knew if she wasn’t talking to me, her ass wasn’t planning on riding home with me either.
I thought prom night was perfect. Hell, it was perfect to me. I thought everything was good when I dropped her off at home after, but I must have been mistaken. Karina wasn’t fucking with me anymore.
I got out of practice, but Karina was already gone. I drove to her house and knocked on the door. Her grandpa answered, and I could see the lie forming on his lips before he even let it out.
“I’m sorry, Kareem. Karina’s busy right now, but I will have her give you a call.”
He was a nice old man and didn’t deserve to be in the middle of our mess. That was the reason I wasn’t holding his lie against him.
“Yes, sir,” I replied, and turned around and walked away.
I showed up on Karina’s doorstep every day after school from the Monday after prom until the last day of school. It was now graduation day, and I still hadn’t spoken to her. I took the gift I got her to her house because even if she wouldn’t talk to me, I still wanted her to have it.