Emani sat down by Andrew and nudged him playfully. “You taking notes?”
Andrew tapped his finger against his temple. “I’m locked in, E.”
“My boy,” she buzzed.”
The three days of her being Emani Rose Wheaton were so needed. As she sat courtside with her family, she was reminded that good, bad, or indifferent, she would always be E.Rose and there was no label on earth who could take that from her. There was no one who could say any different because she was loved and protected.
The game started and she watched Jahlil command the court, putting up thirty points in the first half. He played like poetry and she loved every second of it. On her feet the majority of the first half, Emani was locked in with him, only sitting down when he briefly sat on the bench. Being his cheerleader came naturally, being his was second nature to her. So much so, she barely heard her name called as she took a seat at the beginning of the half time.
“E.Rose,” came from a raspy, smoke-tinted voice that she knew but it was Andrew’s gasp that gave it away.
“J-jay Lucci,” Andrew stammered. “E, it’s Jay Lucci.”
Emani looked up, finding the neighborhood Azul that looked out for her before she finessed her way into OSU.
“Lucci.” A smile crept over her face as she stood. Julius hugged her then released her.
“I’m surprised your finessing ass ain’t acting brand new with me,” he stated amusingly. “You good?”
Emani nodded. “I am. I’m better.”
“Nah, you need to be good. What you doing tomorrow night?”
“You going to make me pay you back for that pack?” Emani posed and Jay Lucci kissed his teeth.
“Been handled that, wasn’t tripping on it either. I got this songwriter and you got some songs. Don’t tell me about that label shit either, you know where home is,” Jay Lucci stated.
“Lucci, I-”
“Don’t have shit to do but come to the studio and pop your shit,” Jay Lucci finalized. “Enjoy the game. You might be these niggas good luck charm this season.”
Emani smiled and waved as he strolled off, with Charlie giving her a wink as he passed.
“You never said you knew Jay Lucci like that,” Andrew spoke. “Can I go with you?”
“On a school night? Your brother-daddy would lose his shit. When you get your door back, I’ll consider bringing you with me on a weekend session,” Emani stated, sitting back down. “There’s a whole life I lived before you. Maybe one day I’ll tell you about what I had to do to get here.”
“Are you ashamed of it?” Andrew queried, inquisitiveness piercing his thick brows.
Emani shook her head. “No and I never will be. If I don’t teach you anything else, let that stick with you. I own everything I’ve done, good, bad, or indifferent. Forgetting that means you’ve forgotten yourself. I forgot who I was and it was the loneliest, darkest time of my life. I’ll never do it again. Once you’ve learned yourself, don’t you ever forget it. Hear me?”
Andrew smiled, leaning into her. “I hear you and I promise I won’t forget.”
Emani held her pinky out. “Promise, promise.”
“Promise, promise.”
The second half started up and Jahlil’s personal cheering section were back on their feet. This half, Ashton was back from pouting and he was encouraging Sanaa’s sugar rush fueled argument with the ref.
“Are you blind ref?” Sanaa shouted. “He fouled my daddy! Ol’ bi-”
“Sanaaaaaa,” Emani droned, snatching her up and placing her on her lap. “Ol’ what?”
“Biscuit eating sucka!” Sanna shouted as Jahlil stood at the free throw line. “Give me two, Daddy!”
Jahlil took his first shot and winked toward Sanaa who clapped her tiny hands in praise. Jahlil took his second shot and got in position to play defense. Emani took it all in.
“That’s right, Daddy! Now run through those busters!” Sanaa shouted making Andrew snicker.
