Page 34 of Defending the Post
“Alright,” I said as halftime neared.
Standing on the side of the foul line, I watched Donovan make his two shots. He’d been playing dirty the entire game because he knew I was in foul trouble.
We piled into the locker room to refuel and get ready for the second half. I found my seat next to Malcolm and searched for my phone.
Weirdo
You’re playing like shit. Hey, I bet on you.
Weirdo
Trust me, you don’t want me to pay up.
Weirdo
So, you gon’ let Donovan push you around.
Weirdo
Give Chauncy my number because he is playing better.
A smile inched its way onto my face.
“I know yo ass better play better. You heard from Erin, let’s go,” Malcolm said, as he stood over my shoulder reading my messages.
Peering up at him, I snorted at his comment. My game being off had nothing to do with Erin. I’m having an off game. Occasionally, it happens.
Me
Be ready to explain your absence tonight.
I powered my phone down to get myself in a better mood. This was the last game of our five-game road trip, and I’m homesick. I couldn’t care less about this game and wanted it to be over.
In the fourth quarter, I found my jump shot. Donovan couldn’t guard it, earning himself two fouls in the third and one this quarter. We both were playing with borrowed time being in foul trouble. With me having the hot hand, Coach called a play for me.
Our point guard dribbled the ball down the court as we moved into our positions. Rashad set a screen for me to get open, but Donovan broke through. With the shot clock winding down, I drove the ball up the middle, and he slapped my hand trying to defend it.
The ball went in as I hit the ground, and the whistle came behind it.
“Foul on number seven,” the referee said, and I smiled.
We had the lead, and their number one defender fouled out.
“Where were you?” I demanded an answer as I stretched across the bed.
“Marquise, stop playing with me. Especially after the way you played tonight. I had to curse you out to wake you up,” she said.
I dismissed her sentence because she hadn’t answered my question, and I asked twice. Instead of responding, I remained quiet, flipping through the channels and landing on USPN.
“Hellooo, earth to Marquise,” she said.
The only words I was interested in were answers to my question. We sat on the phone for an additional ten minutes, breathing before she hung up. I removed the phone from my ear to see my screensaver.
Weirdo
Do you want to grow up now?
I could’ve broken my phone by how hard I squeezed it.
