A game of love by brea isomee (the beginning after the end read novel .txt) 📖

/> I thought back to the commercials i'd seen on TV lately . It was about a basketball contest . The Nigga with the best jump shot , lay-up , and cross over would get a full scholarship to any college of his choice and then after his first year if his grades and GPA were up he'd get a chance to be drafted . But , i was never good in school . Shit , i barely got through high school . I had about a c average all because i did a cram session before the final tests we had . I knew i could do the basket ball thing , i knew it . But when i picked my college and the first year passed they'd surely see that i wasn't shit when it came to academics .

"and there goes my shot right there ."

A flier blew across the ground and landed right at my feet . It was about the basketball contest . I picked it up and tore it to shreds letting it blow away in the wind . I left my basketball on the court that night and entered the apartment building with my head down . For once in my life i'd realized i didn't have shit but me and my family . That basketball thing wasn't gonna get me anywhere . It was a dream . . . a stupid dream at that . I wouldn't be needing that ball anytime soon .

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*Lisa-

I looked into Marco's face when he entered the apartment , i didn't like what i saw . He didn't look like himself , of course we'd been under stress a lot lately but he'd never gotten this down . I noticed his empty hands as he plopped on the couch " where's your ball?"

He shook his head and his jaws clenched " i don't need that damn ball ."

I was shocked . The basketball was given to him by his mom when he was just a little boy and he'd always held on to it for dear life and plus basketball was . . . IS his dream . Why was he all of a sudden acting like he was .

The commercial about the up coming basketball competition came on the TV and he got up and kicked over the TV shattering the screen . I jumped a little and just stood there . I was scared .

" aaahhh !" he let out a scream and stormed into our bedroom slamming the door behind him . Good thing the babies and Meisha were spending the night at my Mother's house .

I went outside , got his ball off the court and sat it in front of the bedroom door . Maybe he didn't believe in his dream anymore but i still did .

2 days later the babies and Meisha were back and Marco was still walking around in his own little world . He'd go to work , come home and lock his self in the bedroom . He'd shower but he wouldn't eat and he wouldn't spend time with the kids either . It was kind of like i was a single mother when in reality i didn't have the strength to be . I needed Marco like nothing else . And more than that his children needed him .

I decided that i needed Marco happy and for him to be happy he needed to fulfill his dream of being a basketball player . And if that was what he needed to do to become a good father then i'd get him his dream. I still had a video on my phone that i took of him playing basketball one night . I'd just go down to the building where the try-outs were and i'd show them that my baby could play and that he deserved this more than any of them other boys . He needed it too . Without basketball he was slowly slipping away from me and all that he needed to live .

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I waited in line , my feet where killing me . It was a Monday but Meisha took the day off of school and i had her watch the kids . I couldn't take to screaming babies to a try-out and expect to get listened to . I really really felt good inside at what i was about to do . I was helping the man i loved even though we weren't on the best terms .

Someone yelled something but i was too in to my own thoughts to hear it .

"i said next !"

I looked up and realized i was at the front of the line looking face to face with a bald dark skinned man who was looking at me like i was worth less than dirt and like he had something better to do than be in the hood all day . Oh , he looked good and his outfit looked like it was some fancy designer , his jewels were sparkling too so by the way he looked he was from the hood and now looking down on anybody who was here now . He was about to make me sick .

I stepped up pulled my phone out of my pocket clicked on the video of Marco playing basketball and turned the phone toward him so he could see the video but he didn't even look down . He just stared at my face with a bored expression and yelled out " next !"

I rolled my eyes " can you look please ?"

" next !"

The man behind me was trying to step around me but i held up my hand . " uh-un . Listen , i'm really trying to be civil with you but ain't enough time in the damn day . I'm tryna show you a talent unlike anything you've ever seen ." He still looked un moved .

I restarted it so he could see but still he just looked at my face " look , i don't have time to -"

" get your head out your fucking ass and look , dammit !"

His eyes finally shifted to the screen of the phone and he gave me a wide eyed look . " restart it please ."

I did as he asked with a satisfied look on my face . The video was all of 4 minutes which showed Marco doing a few lay-ups , a alley oop ( where Lando had thrown the ball to him and he dunked ) , and ended with him dunking .

When it ended he look up at me and taped the end of his pen on the table like he was thinking " why isn't he here himself ?"

" because , he's basically given up on his dream . We've got 2 newborn children and . . . . it's just hard for him ."

" well , listen , i don't know what to do . I'll be tied up in here all day ."

" maybe your friend ," i nodded to a man who was standing close by " can cover for you ."

He shook his head called the man over and we left . We walked to the apartment since it was only 2 blocks away . When we entered Marco was sitting in the kitchen with his head in his hands and his back toward us , he didn't even look up when we entered .

"Demarco -" i said it lowly into his ear hoping he would look up but he didn't even budge " can you talk to me ."

He let out a irritated sigh and sat up but kept his eyes pointed to the table " i don't have words to speak right now . I'm . . . . . i'm going to see my son ."

He stood up and spun around and was face to face with the man who was doing the try-outs . Damn , i didn't even know his name , i realized . Marco's face went from irritated to confused to shocked and then to joy .

" ex basketball player Troy masson ? "

The man held out his hand and he and Marco shook " man , i saw the video of you playing basketball and i couldn't pass up the opportunity to come talk to you about the competition . And i can't let you pass up the opportunity either . Demarco , is it ? Listen , you've got some skills that can't me taught no matter how much effort is put into it . What i'm gonna do right here right now is offer you a scholarship ."

"i can't , i-"

" man , listen , don't let your dreams go to waist because of anything stupid . I'm paying for your scholarship out of my own money this has nothing to do with the competition . So what i'ma do is i'ma write my number down and i'ma give it to you . Call me ."

He wrote he number down , sat it on the table and left the apartment .

Marco looked at me and a smile so huge covered his face i was proud of myself . He picked me up kissing me a thousand time before finally putting me back down . Then he said words i was glad he still remembered " i love you , Lisa . I love you with all my heart . " then he walked out of the kitchen .

"i love you too ."

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*Marco-

The next day i was walking on cloud nine at work . I gave everybody extra help and an extra smile coated my face even when no one was in the store . My mood had really picked up . All thanks to Lisa . Troy had left his number and i'd made up my mind that i'd call him when i got off work . There of course was still the problem with my academics but im sure me and Troy could work something out . When i saw him i was speechless . He'd taken time out of his day to come see me and that meant something , a huge something .

I sat down on the couch after work staring at the piece of paper in my hands that had Troy's number scribbled on it .

I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed it .

It rang twice and then a recording clicked on " i'm sorry , but the number you have dialed is invalid . Please hang up and try again ."

I shook my head , hung up , read the number closer and dialed it again . I was sure i'd gotten it wrong . " i'm sorry , but the number you have dialed is invaled . Please hang up and try again ."

That son of a bitch ! Everything he said was just talk ? He didn't think i had skills . No , i know i've got skills . But maybe . . . . .I don't know .

I threw my phone against the wall infuriated and jumped up off the couch .

Lisa ran from the babies room into the living room " what happened ."

"it's all your fault !"

I saw red . I put all the blame on Lisa