The PreGame Ritual (Lynstone University Book 1) Read online

  With both of our teams in the Final Four, ESPN wanted to do a joint story about our respective programs. Since Ava was the star player on her team and I was pretty popular on the boy’s team, we got chosen to do the main interview. People who knew us as individuals pretty much knew we were together, but we hadn’t quite gone public with it by choice. The last thing we needed was the whole world in our business while we tried to figure things out for ourselves.

  Well, while Ava tried to figure things out.

  There was no confusion on my end from the first time I laid eyes on her.

  Ava was everything; literally everything I could’ve dreamed about wanting in a girl.

  I loved her.

  And even though I hadn’t actually told her how I felt to that extent, there was certainly no denying it internally. Even watching her now, as she smiled for the cameras and answered the interviewer’s questions, my heart felt full as hell; fuller than it had ever felt before.

  The cameras cut off and the interviewer invited me to the set to join Ava.

  “Alright you two, so I’m gonna ask you guys a couple of questions about the boys versus girls rivalry here at Lynstone. Are you ready?” I turned to Ava, giving her a little wink just to fuck with her, before we both agreed to it. The cameraman signaled a countdown from five to one.

  “Ava. Miles. The people want to know. Who would win in a girls versus boys matchup?”

  Ava laughed, before answering, “We’d give them a run for their money, but I don’t think we have anything to combat their dunks. So the boys would probably win. Unfortunately.” I smiled, shaking my head in agreeance, surprised that she actually admitted the truth.

  “What about you two one-on-one? No dunks allowed.”

  “Oh that’s different! I’d kick his a... butt.”

  The interviewer turned his attention to me and asked, “Miles, is that true?”

  “What can I say? The girl is good. You’ve seen her play. She’s an assassin on the court.” Ava blushed at my little compliment probably more than she even realized. And of course, the cameras picked up everything.

  “Wait a minute, you guys are sure being friendly about this. Is there something we don’t know about?”

  I turned to Ava, giving her a smile and she started giggling as I said, “Ava, is there something the people don’t know about?”

  “I don’t think so, Miles. What do you think?” She was playing right along, making the interviewer raise his eyebrow with skepticism.

  “Nope. Don’t think so. Next question.”

  “So you two aren’t dating?” I looked back at Ava, giving her the eye to take this one. I wasn’t exactly sure how she was gonna answer, but I was down to go along with whatever she came up with.

  “Dating is such a relative term. Isn’t it, Miles?”

  “Very relative, Ava.”

  The interviewer looked between us with a giddy smile before asking the cameraman to cut the shot.

  “This interview has my sweet tooth on fire! Who would’ve thought you two were dating?! I mean, how is it even possible that there’s not a blogger or journalist out there covering you two?”

  Dude was way too excited, but I had no problem blowing his high.

  “That’s because there’s nothing to cover. We aren’t some Lifetime movie or corny romance novel. We’re kickin’ it. And you’re gonna respect that. Got it?” I could see the wheels that had began turning in his head slow down but not completely.

  “Absolutely. But we are certainly using the footage that we already have. And you do understand once this is out, people will speculate right?” In the age of social media and instant access to everyone’s life, I was sure people would do more than just speculate. They’d probably have memes of pictures from the interview with #relationshipgoals or some other bullshit.

  “People can take it how they want to and we’ll handle that accordingly. But we were just having a little fun. I mean, you can only do so many of these things before you’re forced to make them interesting on your own.” The interviewer shook his head, completely understanding my stance.

  “Good answer. Like you’ve been trained. Big bro been giving you some tips?”

  I offered him a smile before I replied, “I can’t confirm or deny that. Now are we all done here?”

  “Yep. Just let the photographer get a few promo shots and we’ll get you two lovebirds out of here.”

  ava.

  It blew up.

  And though we were pretty sure that would happen - had came up with a plan for when it happened -, there was literally no preparing for the whirlwind that came along with the ESPN interview dropping. My phone had literally been ringing off the hook for two days straight from different media outlets asking the obvious question, with the latest coming in the form of a text message from an unknown number.

  Are you and Miles dating?

  Since I didn’t know the number, I really wasn’t obligated to reply. But I did anyway with a simple, Tune in to support the Lynstone Tigers in our semi-finals games this week. :)

  According to Miles’s big brother Bryson, you were supposed to always divert the attention to something else. Give something without giving anything. But as I clicked on the link to an article Miles had sent me earlier in the day, I realized that that particular strategy certainly wasn’t working.

  Can you say Love & Basketball?

  We literally...like literally thought these sorts of things only happened in movies but boy were we wrong. I mean, how cute is Bryson’s little brother? And ya’ll know how much we love Bryson around here. But anyway, these two gave us all the puppy love vibes during their interview for ESPN (linked below).

  The commentary was followed up with a little gallery of pictures that I had scolded Miles about sharing on plenty of occasions.

  “But they’re on Snapchat. People can only see them once, then they’re erased.”

  Yeah right.

  I scrolled through the pictures as if I had never seen them before, and there was no denying how adorable we looked.

  I mean, the one of him kissing my cheek and me all giggly faced was like...sickening cute.

  And the one of us after one of my games with him looking all proud.

  And then the one of his lips against my basketball tattoo that was actually the screensaver on my phone.

  They were mostly private little moments; shit we probably should’ve kept to ourselves but didn’t. And now we were paying the price for it.

  I mean, how was I supposed to focus on the task of a championship when that was now the last thing on people’s mind when they thought of me?

  Now I was just the basketball chick who dated Bryson’s little brother and looked cute doing it.

  Hopefully we were already on the 14th minute of 15.

  ←&→

  “Ma, you’re practically famous now. You do know that right?”

  The disguises Miles and I were wearing while we shared dinner at our favorite little Mexican spot was surely the first clue that something related to fame was happening. That and the fact that the owner gave us access to a private little booth at the very back of the restaurant reserved for special guests.

  “You’re saying that as if I haven’t always been famous. People know me, Miles.” I had surely experienced my share of the spotlight, but being the top story across various blog sites was taking things to a whole new level.

  “No, they think they know you. I know you.”

  I took a bite of the cheesy rice and beans I’d be paying for later before I asked, “So tell me then, what do you know about me?”

  “I know you have a semi-unhealthy addiction to peanut butter, you never match the polish on your nails with the polish on your toes, you talk in your sleep, and your killer crossover stole my heart.” That last little note made me laugh.

  “Stole your heart huh? One little basketball move was all it took?”

  “Well not exactly….” he said, with the most mischievous grin.

>   “Anyway! Did you hear the latest headline about us? How I apparently gave you a tour of campus and much more, convincing you to come here?” There had been so many headlines about Miles and I, but that one certainly took the cake.

  “Hell, I wish that was true. Do I need to clear the air or are you okay?” I could appreciate Miles’s willingness to diffuse the situation, but I knew very well that statements made from those involved hardly ever stopped the speculation. In fact, the media had a way of twisting what the person involved did actually say in a way to fit whatever headline they wanted.

  “I actually thought that one was kind of funny. Let them think what they wanna think. The less we invest in their ideas, the quicker they’re forced to stop talking about us; right?”

  “Yeah. I guess I’m just...I’m tired of doing this low-key shit. I wanna be with my girl all the way, show her off, grab her ass and kiss her in public without having to worry about paparazzi and all that other shit.” I knew exactly what Miles meant, but I also knew it was practically impossible at the moment.

  “Me and you both, Miles. But for now, we have to play this the right way so we don’t get distracted. It’s hard enough already.”

  “No, hard is looking at you with this fake ass stage-worthy brown wig when I’m use to your red. Hard is wanting to be front row at your game but purposely laying low so the media doesn’t get their couple sighting fix. Hard is being forced into strategy in regards to my damn relationship. I just wanna be...normal. I mean, it’s not like people don’t know.”

  I quickly corrected him, “They think they know.”

  “No. They know. And if they don’t, I’m gonna let ‘em know.”

  “Miles, I thought we agreed to lay low at least until after the championship games?”

  “Fuck all that.”

  There was no hiding my attitude as I responded, “Oh, so now you’re just gonna be reckless with it?”

  “What’s so reckless about letting the world know I’m in love with the girl of my dreams who just so happens to be one of the coldest, if not the coldest, women’s basketball player on the planet?” His confession stunned me. I mean, of course we were having fun, and I felt something for him too. But he was actually in love with me? I wore the shock on my face for so long that he continued on, “That’s right, Ava. I am in love with you. And I don’t really care what anyone has to say about it because guess what? This...between you and I...is real. Not the headlines, not the speculation, but this. Right here.” I felt every ounce of passion he was releasing. In fact, it landed so heavily, I had a hard time coming up with a response.

  “Miles, I…”

  “No, Ava. Don’t say anything. Just know that I meant what I said and not a single one of those bloggers is stoppin’ that.”

  miles.

  My heart broke for her.

  Watching the other team jump up and down in celebration while Ava just laid out in the middle of the court felt like a kick to my chest, as if I was the one that lost the game.

  But I guess that’s how this love shit worked.

  When they felt legitimate happiness, so did you. And when they felt legitimate pain, you shared that burden as well.

  I wanted to run out on the court and hold her; ease some of the pain she had to feel from falling short, but I knew that was probably the last thing she wanted from me. It would surely be the photo-op of the century as far as the bloggers were concerned so I was forced to stay in my lane on the sidelines.

  I watched as a teammate went and helped Ava off the court then escorted her to the locker room. I hopped down from the bleachers and followed them, staying a few steps behind until we were completely out of sight.

  “Ava, baby. You okay?”

  She turned to me, her eyes soaked with tears, as she replied, “Do I look okay? What a stupid fuckin’ question.” She kept walking as her team and coaches walked around her, but I pulled her from the crowd.

  “My bad, I just…”

  “No, you can just get the fuck outta my face. How about that?”

  “Ma, I know you’re…”

  “You don’t know shit, Miles! So just stop it, alright? Look, thanks for coming but I gotta go.” She wiped her face before turning and jogging to the locker room.

  I knew it would be awhile before she would come back out, but that was the least of my worries.

  I had to make sure she was okay.

  So I waited.

  And waited.

  And waited, until just about every member of the team and coaching staff had walked out. Every time someone new would come out, I’d always ask about Ava and all they could do was shrug their shoulders as if they had no idea what was going on with her.

  When there seemed to be no one left in the locker room but her, I barged in, not caring about surely breaking some sort of law. I had to walk through a few rows of lockers before I found her sitting on the floor leaned against a locker and staring into space. Her expression was blank as she just stared and stared and stared, not even acknowledging that I was there though I was right in front of her.

  I plopped down next to her and threw my arm over her shoulder, pulling her into my chest. She laid there for a few minutes before she finally said, “This hurts. So bad.”

  “I know, ma. But it’s not the end of the world.”

  “Its the end of my world, Miles. I was right there. We were so close. Maybe if I would’ve just…” I had to cut her off. There was no way in hell I was gonna let her beat herself up about it.

  “No, ma. It doesn’t work like that. No would’ve, could’ve, should’ve’s. You gave it all you had and that’s all you had control of.”

  “That’s what they usually say to losers.”

  It was weird as hell to hear Ava all down on herself when it came to basketball but I quickly reassured her, “Ma, you aren’t a loser by any means. Your team came up short but you balled the hell out; all season long. Hell, all career long. Now it’s time to focus on getting to the next level.” Ava had definitely played her way into the top spot of the draft. If anybody passed up on her because of this loss, they’d be a fool.

  “Yeah, if anybody wants me on the next level. Second place isn’t exactly a resume-builder.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong, ma. Second place is still ahead of a lot of people. Shit, second place still gets a trophy.”

  She shrugged me off. “Yeah, a weak ass second place trophy.”

  “Ava…”

  “What? And what are you doing coming into the girl’s locker room anyway?” She finally looked at me with her bloodshot red eyes. Hopefully the trainer had some Visine on deck to help her out before she had to get in front of the cameras.

  “Had to make sure my girl was straight. Now get up so you can go knock-out your post-game interview then I can get you home and make you feel better.” I helped her off the floor and she dusted off her sweatpants before grabbing her duffle bug.

  “Such an opportunist.”

  “Nah, this was on the agenda win, lose, or draw. I got a big game tomorrow and uhh…. a brotha needs his good luck charm.”

  ava.

  Thank God for make-up.

  I didn’t wear it often, but it was definitely coming in handy today considering my eyes were damn near swollen from crying. Even though Miles did make me feel better, he also spent a good portion of the night wiping my tears that seemed to flow endlessly.

  I was still in disbelief that my college career was completely over but I tried to divert my attention elsewhere by getting hyped for Miles. Even with the game being high-stakes, I convinced myself to go regardless of the nerves I felt about it.

  At least one of us has a chance of coming out on top.

  I sat by myself in the student section though I hardly felt alone with everyone congratulating me on a good season. It was good to hear though it still felt far from the truth.

  But again...I wasn’t here for that.

  This was about Miles.

  He better ball out
.

  I watched him go through warm-ups with a light air to his moves. He seemed totally unfazed by the overflowing crowd, even taking the opportunity to wave at me like he didn’t have more important things to focus on.

  Such a kid.

  In a good way though.

  Where someone like me felt the pressure of the moment, he embraced the energy and used it for his own good.

  Who would’ve thought he’d be the one teaching me stuff?

  All I could do was smile and watch, laughing to myself when he missed a shot then immediately looked at me. I gave him a scolding look and he started laughing as well. It was crazy how we had gotten to the point where we didn’t even need words to communicate.

  I felt him and he felt me, no matter the audience.

  So when one of the sports broadcasters pulled me out of the crowd to ask for an interview, I knew I wasn’t gonna shy away from the pesky questions about Miles and I. It was natural, pure, nothing to be ashamed of. There was no reason to cringe at the ‘boyfriend’ title because that’s exactly who Miles was.

  Even though we hadn’t been together that long, he honestly felt like even more than that. He was my confidant, never shying away from righting my wrong. He gave me energy when I felt like the well was running dry. He gave me life...and love, in a way I had never felt before.

  And let’s not even talk about the sex.

  “Ava, congrats on an outstanding season. I know last night was hard, but we’re glad to see you’ve bounced back already.”

  Not exactly.

  “Doing as best as I can. Losing that game was...tough. But I’m glad to be able to support the boy’s squad tonight.”

  “Is there someone in particular that you’re here to support?”

  So pesky.

  I brightened my smile as I replied, “Of course. We all know that.”

  “So can we officially call you and Miles an item?”

  “As if you guys haven’t convinced everyone of that already,” I said with a laugh. “Miles and I are dating; yes. But tonight isn’t about that. It’s about watching him lead the boy’s team to a championship; right?”