Page 63 of High Baller

“Sky, only you know if it’s worth it, but I really do think that Trey will stand by you. You have to just prove to them you’re not leaving.”

“I love you.” I end the call as Trey sits next to me.

“My dad left us for a white woman, and that’s why they don’t like you. She thinks that you—”

“Trey, right now, I don’t care. I don’t know if we would've met if you weren't a basketball player. I might not have even been on the plane that day. All I know is that I was at that club, you were on that plane, and that's it. I don’t see me being white, or you being black, and if they can’t accept that, then I don’t care. But until they can, it’s best I don’t come over here.”

Trey wraps his arm around me. “We can leave now, shorty.”,

I think about it, but I can’t. I need to stay and show them that I’m in for the long haul. “No, if we leave, they win, and I want them to know I’m not leaving you.” I stand up and wait for him to get up so we can walk back to the house.

“Fine, but you're not to go anywhere alone. They're on a mission.” Trey gets up, wraps his hand around my waist, and he pulls me in closer to him. “You’ve taken a lot of shit from them, but you’re a fighter—I know you are.”

“That’s because I am,” I tell him. He has no idea how much fight I have in me. If I can survive my parents, I think I can survive one night with his family.

We walk back to everyone in the house, and Trey pulls a chair out for me.

“Dinner looks lovely, Mrs. King,” I say.

She looks over at Trey, ignoring me, and I take a glass of water. I have no idea why I’m still trying to talk to her, but I’m going to be me, and not this fake quiet girlfriend. So, I turn around and talk to the family that want to talk to me.

“Tracy, Trey said that you have a game this week.”

“Yeah, but I think I might stop playing. I want to focus more on my studies” he tells me as Trey puts some food on my plate for me. “I'd love to be able to go to college.”

“That’s great. You have to study hard—”

“You think he won’t be able to do it?” Madison asks, rudely cutting me off.

“I never said that, and to do anything in life, you have to work hard.” I bite my tongue before I say something I shouldn’t. Trey has told me about her boyfriend, and it’s taking everything in me not to throw that in her face.

“Or you can find a big basketball player, and live off of him.”

That’s it. If she wants to play, we can fucking play. “Or you can date the sister of that basketball player, and fake sign things and sell it for a stupid amount of money.”

“My boyfriend does not do that,” she bites back, and I start laughing as Trey shifts in his chair. “Trey, tell her he doesn’t do that.”

“I can’t. Ma told me not to say anything because you love him and you had to learn by yourself,” Trey tells her as I look at my plate. How much does he think I’m going to eat?

“So, is this your plan?” Mrs. King asks. “Break Trey’s family apart so you can have him all for yourself?” She glares at me, and I can’t help but shake my head.

“If that’s what I wanted, we wouldn’t be sitting here. I wouldn’t be sitting here being accused of everything you can think of. But, look at me, sat here with a smile, eating this lovely meal because I want Trey to be happy,” I say, filling my wine glass.

“They all leave him when they have what they want, and so will you,” she sneers but I don’t even bother to look at her.

“Ma, that’s enough, now. I’m not going to sit here and listen to you talking to Sky like this. She's done nothing for you to make you think she's using me. She’s never spent any of my money, not even told the world about us, so stop!” I feel Trey’s hand on my leg, and without looking at him, I give him a small nod.

“What’s the reason to hide?” Mrs. King asks, but Trey doesn’t answer.

Should I tell Trey about my parents? Would it make this easier for us, or worse?

Chapter 16

Sky

It’s game day, the day I’ve been dreading. Trey wanted me to come with Derek and Ariel, but I told him that I'd make my own way there with Calvin. I was wondering that maybe the press would be there and take a picture of me with them, then ask questions about who I am. Trey got me tickets close to his family, but still far enough for no one to ask questions.

“I’m so excited for our first basketball game,” Calvin says, laughing as he walks with me to our seats.