Chapter 12
The sun shined brightly over the stage. I was sure the whole city had crowded the streets. Everybody in Brooklyn was hype. We’d brought them their first Super Bowl win in thirty-five years.
“Look at this shit, nigga! Can you believe we fucking did it?” he shouted over the roars from the crowd.
I was surprised to see my guy up and at it. After the week he’d had partying, I was sure he would be sitting in the corner somewhere nursing a hangover, but this fool was still going with a damn drink in his hand.
“Yeah, I can. We worked hard for this!” I replied as I stared out at the crowd.
Confetti was raining down on us like colorful little snowflakes. I’d just completed the victory parade I’d waited my entire life for, and I couldn’t even enjoy it, especially with my mom sitting inside the truck with an attitude the whole time. We’d barely spoken since our blow up back in New York. It’d been three days, and she was so mad she wasn’t even talking to my ass about business. She was sending messages through her assistant. All this shit had me ready for this entire thing to be over. Then I could get off this roller coaster of guilt, grief, and smiling for the press and maybe even chase down the woman I couldn’t stop thinking about.
“KB! You good, bro?” Braelon asked, shaking me from my thoughts.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m cooling. Just… thinking.” I forced a smile.
“Nigga, you probably over there thinking about the girl you left the party with the other night.” He was probing. His nosy ass always knew who everybody was dealing with. “I saw her leave with your security and your entourage at Disney.”
I shook my head, “You ain’t see shit, nig.”
“I did actually! She a cutie, though. What’s up with you and shorty?” He smirked, nudging me again.
I looked around confused. Did he really want to dive into this conversation right now of all places? It must have been the overconsumption of the liquor he’d been drinking for five days straight.
“When I know what’s going on with shawty, I’ll let you know,” I said, dismissing the conversation. Braelon was my boy, and I’d probably chop it up with him later about Phileigh, but not right now. It would be just my luck that someone out there was a lip reader, and all my business would be plastered on Hollywood Tea Room in the morning.
“Alright, nigga. Minding my own business.” He held his hands up in surrender.
“Good!” I focused on the podium where my coach spoke and hyped the crowd.
I was next. I ran my speech back in my head, trying to remember all the endorsement deals I needed to mention. The coach called my name, and I grabbed the Lombardi trophy as I walked to the podium. The crowd chanted MVP as I held the trophy over my head. Their energy was the fuel I needed to push through this speech.
“Brooklyn… It’s good to see y’all!” I began, the microphone amplifying my voice over the loud chants. “This victory isn’t just ours. It belongs to all of you! Every last one of you that supported us along the way.”
The crowd erupted in applause. Some fans waved banners in the air. I glanced over at my teammates. Their faces beamed with joy.
“To my team, we worked hard for this, and we did it! All those early mornings paid off. We all knew we got something special together, and now the world does too.”
I took a moment, letting the cheers wash over me before I continued.
“And to my mom, who’s been by my side since day one, I’m a spoiled, hardheaded ass kid sometimes, but I never get it twisted. I’m grateful for the sacrifices you’ve made for me and Rone. Rest in peace, brother. I wouldn’t be standing here without you, Mom. This victory is yours. Lastly, I thank my brother, Jeronee Barnes. My love of football started with you. I wish you would have gotten the chance to hold one of these. Thank you, bro!”
With that, I stepped back, allowing the crowd’s cheers to send a rush of adrenaline through my body as I joined my teammates in line. The energy was infectious as the rest of the team gave their heartfelt thanks to the crowd.
“So, what’s the plan after this? We hitting the afterparty or what?” Braelon nudged me. I laughed, shaking my head. How this nigga still had the energy to party was beyond me.
“I’m good on the celebrations for a minute.”
“Old ass,” he joked as we both turned our heads toward the team owner.
“Let’s finish this celebration with a chant. When I say ‘Champions,’ you shout back ‘Warhawks!’ Ready?” he said, rallying the crowd for one last hurrah.
“Champions!” the owner shouted.
“Warhawks!” the crowd responded. The energy in the vicinity was crazy as everyone joined in.
“Champions!”
“Warhawks!”
“Champions!”
“Warhawks!”
Music pulsed through the air, and people began to dance. Some kissed their wives and children. Laughter and happiness surrounded me, and all of it made me think about the girl I’d spent less than forty-eight hours with. I couldn’t shake her. I headed off the stage, making my way through the secured area for the team.
“I’m ready to go,” I told Monte so he could bring my car to the exit.
“Got it, KB,” he replied as he left to retrieve the car.
A few minutes later, a soft, familiar voice cut through the crowd’s noise, and I turned to see the face of the woman I once loved.
“Ariel.” I sighed as she approached me, carrying a bouquet of congratulatory balloons.
“Kellon!” She greeted me wearing a nervous smile.
I took her in. Ariel had always been beautiful and dressed in luxury. Nothing had changed there, but I knew her attitude, lack of respect, and empathy for others—all the things that made her ugly inside.
“What you doing here, Ari?” I asked, trying to figure out why she thought approaching me was a good idea. I hadn’t seen her since I’d kicked her out of my house after she spoke badly about my mom and deceased brother.
“I know you didn’t think I was going miss the victory parade,” she replied, stepping closer. “Congratulations! I tried calling, but you?—”
“You’re blocked!” I finished her sentence.
She was blocked from my phone and social accounts the night I’d called it off. Ariel thought love was toxic. She wanted fights, arguments, and me to get so irritated with her that I wanted to put her head through a wall. She wanted a hood nigga. I didn’t have time for that. I had too much to lose.
“I thought maybe we could meet for lunch and talk.”
“I’m not interested, Ari.”
She blinked, taken aback. “This isn’t fair anymore, Kellon. We had an argument. I just want to celebrate with you… You could at least give me a chance to apolog?—”
“We don’t have shit to talk about, Ari, and I don’t want no damn apology.” I fired back. Ariel could really keep any conversation she had for a nigga and those cheap ass balloons. I was good on her and had been for a long time.
“Kellon, don’t do that. I miss you,” she called out to me as I walked away from her.
There used to be a time when her alligator tears would move me, but that time was long gone. I continued my pursuit as Natalie, her best friend, rushed in her direction. Suddenly, it made sense how she’d even gotten into this secured area. Her bestie Natalie was a sports journalist. I glanced at them both as Natalie comforted her friend. I didn’t know why Ari had let her hype her up to get her in here to talk to me. Anything Ari and I had was long gone.
“Are you ready, KB?” Monte shouted from outside a black SUV.
Yep. I didn’t hesitate to walk to the SUV. Relief washed over me as I climbed in without looking back.
“Where to?”
“The airport,” I replied.
“Can’t stop thinking about her, huh?” Monte said, breaking the silence as he pulled away from the curb.
I shook my head at his ass. Monte was always observing some shit. It was what I paid him for but still.
“I don’t know, Monte. I think she the one,” I admitted.
“The one? I ain’t never heard you say some shit like that.” He stared at me through the rear view mirror.
“I know, but she feels different. Shit, I feel different around her.”
“She seems like a nice girl. Your mom likes her,” he replied, and I sighed.
My mom avoiding me was getting to me. She didn’t even want to ride in the same car with my ass. She had Doug driving her around.
“Probably more than she does me right now.” I texted Doug to let me know when my mom had made it home.
“About that… Go easy on your mother. It’s not easy losing a son and having to immediately be strong for the other.”
“I know, Monte. I get it, but at the same time, I don’t. She tries to sweep Jeronee under the rug but doesn’t mind the media highlighting him. I need my mom to be emotionally available for me too.”
“You sure that’s your mom’s problem or some shit you need to talk out in counseling?”
I didn’t say shit back. His question was valid. Was I looking for my mom to be my damn therapist?
“You keep dropping this unsolicited advice, and I’ma have to pay you by the hour,” I joked, and Monte laughed.
“I been around you long enough to offer you a family discount. So you good,” he joked back as I pulled up Phileigh’s background check. The address to her job and her apartment were all there.
“Whatever, OG. Just get me to the landing strip so I can go get my woman.”
“I like the simping shit on you,” he said as we took off down the highway.
Shit, I liked it on me too. I closed the background check and opened up Picsgram, navigating straight to Phileigh’s profile. If she thought I wasn’t coming after her fine ass, she was sadly mistaken.