Page 47 of Guarding Our Love
Once I finished my shower, I got out and finished getting myself together. I checked my phone, but still nothing from Sloan. I started to text her, but it would have pissed me off even more if she didn’t respond. I needed to shake her off, but the shit was hard. Sloan had infiltrated herself into my mind and soul all over again. I knew my feelings in high school were real for her, even though I messed up, but now they were amplified by ten.
Before leaving the room, I called the valet so my car would be ready when I got downstairs. I already knew it would be groupies and fans waiting in the lobby.
“Have a good game, Coop,” this chick said as I walked through the hotel lobby.
“Thanks.”
I turned around, and shorty was cute, but I kept it pushing.
People called my name, and cameras flashed as I exited the building and walked to my car, which the valet had waiting for me out front. I wasn’t in the right headspace to deal with people. I tipped the attendant and climbed in my car. As soon as my seatbelt was secure, I pulled off. I didn’t want anybody running up to my car because I had that happen before. I needed to get my head in the game, so I put some music on to get me in the zone.
“You slipping, Coop,”I heard someone call out from the side of me.
We were up against the Washington Crusaders, and it was one of their players, Tatum Claxton, who had said that shit.
“Fuck you, nigga.”
He laughed. “Don’t get mad at me because you keep shooting them air balls.”
I jumped in his face.
“The fuck you just say?” I pushed him back, and the whistle blew.
“Foul!” the referee shouted as he made a “T” with his hands.
Coach called me over to the bench and sent Oreo in my place. I cursed at myself and walked to the bench. My teammates looked at me with disappointment in their eyes. It fucked with me, but my head was too far somewhere else to care.
“What’s going on with you?” Coach asked as I sat down.
I picked up my towel and wiped my face before drinking some water. Throughout the entire game, I had been fucking up, and it was all because I couldn’t get Sloan out of my head. Thatwas why I never had a serious relationship because that shit would have someone in the streets looking crazy.
“My bad, Coach.” I tossed the towel over my head to cover my face.
I already knew all the reporters would have a field day with this shit. There would be no point in watching any highlights until our next game at least.
“Your bad? That’s all you have to say is your bad? Look at the fucking score, Coop!”
My nostrils flared as he yelled in my face, but I had to deal with it. I knew it was my fault, and I knew the rest of the team would be on my ass once we hit the locker room.
I didn’t even bother saying anything back because there was no excuse good enough to make up for the loss. I ended up sitting out the rest of the game, and even though they tried their hardest, we lost. As soon as I could, I grabbed my shit and headed to the locker room. Some of the team left me alone, but I had to hear it from some of the others, as well as my coach, again.
“Dawg, what’s going on with you? I ain’t ever seen you play like that,” Julian said when he entered the locker room.
He had to talk to the reporters along with Oreo. I refused, and Coach didn’t want me to anyway. If I did and one of them said something slick, I would have cursed them out.
“Look, I’m just going through something, but I promise I’ll be good by the next game.”
“I ain’t gonna lecture you because that’s not what you need. We have a couple of days off until the next game, so fix whatever it is that needs to be fixed. I’m here if you need me.” Julian patted me on the back and walked away.
I didn’t feel like hanging around, so I picked up my bag and left.
“What happened out there?”my grandfather asked as I took the seat next to his bed.
I let the nurse take a break so that he and I could talk in private.
“Grandpop, it’s Sloan. Everything was good, but then, all of a sudden, she stopped answering my calls and texts. I haven’t heard from her in almost two weeks, and I let it affect the one thing I love more than anything.”
My grandfather looked at me, chuckled, and shook his head.
