Chapter 10 #3
“Can’t tell,” Slim said with a smirk. Vani cut his eyes to her.
“Don’t play wit’ me, Slim. You the only one with a pussy on the court.”
Slim shoved Vani. That shit rubbed me wrong hearing him talk about her shit like that, even if it didn’t bother her, but I guess that was their friendship.
“Okay, we need to lock in for real, or this shit is pointless,” Slim announced sternly. “Some of us need to put food on the table and help pay some bills.”
Sweat trickled down my back. I licked my dry lips as I stared at Slim as she continued with her pep talk. These niggas were good…more aggressive than we were, and that was the problem. If we played better defense, we could get up on these niggas.
“I ain’t scared of these niggas, but they big as fuck,” Jalen snorted. “These ain’t high school or college niggas.”
“It don’t matter,” Slim told him, slapping his arm. “Short niggas make the NBA too.”
“We need to shoot,” I added. “If we don’t shoot, we don’t score. Jump.”
Slim nodded, agreeing with me. “We got this,” she whispered.
“I can’t believe we won by a point!” Slim screeched excitedly as we piled back into Vani’s uncle’s car.
“I’m fuckin’ tired,” Vani fussed, getting behind the wheel and started the car.
I split the money into four, but adding my portion to Slim’s. I handed Jalen his. I slapped Vani on his shoulder and reached his out to him. Finally, I handed Slim’s to her.
“That’s my portion, too,” I said when her face frowned up.
“But you deserve yours, Kane. You shot that last jumper. The game winning point,” she whined.
I wanted to say I didn’t need it but felt like they would all feel a way if I did…well except Jalen. My boy knew my heart.
“Keep it, Slim. I did this for you.”
“Awwwwwww!” Jalen sang out, holding his hands to his heart. “You gon’ make me cry, dawg.”
I punched him playfully in the chest.
“Gone on,” I laughed. “It ain’t even like that. Slim really wanted this.”
“I did too, so why you ain’t give it to me?” Vani muttered, driving away from the park.
“Shut up, Vani,” Slim chuckled. She glanced back. “Thanks, Kane. I appreciate it.”
“I appreciate it,” Vani said, mocking Slim’s voice.
“Dawg, you sound salty,” Jalen joked.
Slim’s eyes darted to Vani. “Aye, y’all stop before shit goes left.” I heard the begging in her tone.
“Chill,” I uttered to Jalen.”
Vani was one who could joke, but it was obvious that nigga couldn’t take one. Jalen was hood, but Vani…Vani was as hood as they come.
“Salty? Fuck I gotta be salty for?” spat Vani.
I shook my head slowly, silently telling Jalen to not entertain the shit.
Slim was looking out of the window, probably thinking of the ways she was about to spend that little money.
The niggas today weren’t pressed behind losing, but one day…
if we kept on…I was sure we would run into niggas who were.
“This is so good,” Slim said with a mouthful of food.
When Vani dropped us all off, I took another Rideshare home and then came back after showering, to take Slim out to eat at a steakhouse.
We had steak, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, and a blooming onion.
Slim said she’d never had steak before, and didn’t know when the last time her mama did, but wanted to take her a plate home.
“Sholl is,” I said, agreeing. “This shit hittin’.”
Slim stuffed another mouthful of mashed potatoes in her mouth, not caring how she looked. It’s been a long time since she’s eaten this good besides the times I took her to get food. If she had room left, I’d order her dessert.
I watched Slim slowly sipped her sweet tea.
“When is the next game? I can give you some money back to put up for it.”
I snickered. “Aye, we barely won that game, Slim. Vani…”
“Vani what?” she quizzed, voice laced with attitude. Slim’s nostrils flared as she went into defense mode behind her homeboy.
“We had to work harder on the court ‘cause Vani was slowing us down, Slim. He can at least wait to smoke until after the game,” I said, my fingers drumming the table.
Slim’s shoulders slumped. “Yeah, you right, but telling Vani that would be a waste of time. Vani’s gonna do what Vani wants, Kane.”
I pushed my tray of food to the side and leaned on forward on the table with my elbows on it. “You have anyone to take his place?”
“What?” she squeaked. “No. We need Vani, Kane. What if shit goes wrong at one of the games? We need him to…”
“To what? Shoot a nigga? Vani a hot head, Slim.”
“You don’t think I know that? He’s still my friend,” she rebutted. “Change the subject, Kane.”
I sat back, scratching the side of my face and looking down at my empty plate that once held ribs, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, and a butter roll. My glass of soda had only ice left. I wanted to look anywhere but Slim’s na?ve ass right now.
“We can go,” she said. “I can give my mama the rest of this.”
Normally, I would have stayed long enough for her to get dessert and order her mama a plate, but the vibe was ruined. I was putting money up if Vani was gon’ half play because his ass was floating in the clouds.