JinXeD🔱 {Book 2}

Chapter Sixteen

|{Harlem Bells}|

"What you mean I gotta get back in the closet?" My alarmed voice echoed across my coach's office. I just know I ain't heard right.

"Only for a while. You're hot right now, and you're only a shoe into the draft, you absolutely cannot afford to ruin your chances over some boy." My agent, Bryan said.

"Be careful what you say next Bryan." Now I'm beginning to see why TJ don't like this man.

"Oh for Christ sake, calm the fuck down, you're not in the ghetto anymore. As woke as you think these people are because they occasionally tweet 'Black Lives Matter' to fulfill all righteousness, they'll drop you like a bad habit soon as they find out you like to play with penis." The man retorted like I won't fire his ass right na.

"How about we all calm down?" Micah, my manager intervened.

Good cos I'm real close to beating this wigga's ass for real. He's good at his job, but he gotta be one of the most irritating human beings I've ever come across.

I just want to play ball, and be happy, is that too much to ask?
The past six weeks has been amazing for both my career and my personal life. I've practically become a household name in my hood now, and I'm about to be in the big leagues. But most importantly, I've got a healthy baby on the way with a man i love with all my heart. Everything was going good— but now this.

"What the hell is he talking about?" I asked Micah. "I'm not getting back in tha closet for nobody. What the fuck Micah?"

Micah took in a deep breath before he spoke, "First things first, you need to calm down. When you do, you'd realize that we're only trying to help you, that's what we're here for. To make sure you reach your full potential. Now Bryan could've worded it better, but he is right, being openly gay in the beginning of your career like this won't serve you. All that is going to do is shut the door in your face before you get a foot in."

"No. I'm not doing it." I said stubbornly. I can just picture TJ's face right now when he hears this bullshit.

"You have the potential to be as big as your idol Lebron, you have all the right tools and talent, and you mean to tell me you're going to throw it all away for nothing? Don't be ridiculous Harlem." Bryan chimed in again.

"Nothing?! The fuck you mea..." I began to go off, but my coach interrupted me, speaking for the first time since this meeting started. "Bryan, please leave my office." He said sternly.

Bryan stood up, huffed dramatically, then stormed out. Good riddance.

My Coach and Micah spent the next half an hour breaking down the plan for me, and helping me understand what they were trying to do.

——

My uncle was leaning against his car next to mine when I got out of practice hours later. I was on the phone with TJ and walking out with Omar when I saw him, and no lie my mood got worse instantly. It was bad enough that I've been carrying the load of that conversation all day, not knowing how to bring it up to TJ, now I gotta deal with Killa too. Damn.

"Baby I'mma call you back." I said and cut the call.

I was high-key scared, because my uncle is unstable and impulsive, and he's capable of anything. Turning to Omar i said, "aight man, I'mma holla at you later." The terror in my voice was clear as day, despite how much I tried to mask it.

Omar looked from me to the man who was waiting patiently, with uncertainty coloring his expression. "That's okay, I can wait." Omar replied, refusing to leave.

"Naw he's good, you can go." Killa told Omar, his eyes were dead shot and scary as shit, his old ass need to stay of that lean.

"I know i can sir, but I want to wait." Omar insisted, standing his ground.

Killa put out his blunt and walked slowly towards Omar, with his hand on his clip and determination in his eyes that scared me shitless. I appreciate what Omar was tryna do, but I ain't about to let him get hurt for me.

"It's cool man, I'll just be a minute." I told my friend, stepping towards my uncle.

"Nah I'm good." Omar said stubbornly, which was a little shocking to me, because I ain't ever seen him this bold before. But that boldness was about to get him hurt, cos next thing we knew both my uncle and his boys drew their weapon on him.

With both of his hands up, Omar said, "With all due respect sir, shooting me is not going to do you any favors. I'm an only child of an army colonel who wouldn't take too kindly to anything happening to his only son." As Omar said this it became evident that his phone was beeping in his right hand. "Any moment now my dad is going to pick up, now what I say to him depends on you sir. Respectfully of course."

There was a moment of silence, deafening silence that scared the shit out of me. Then Killa chuckled and put his gun down, stepping out of the way.

It's like I said before, I don't know where Omar found this boldness, but I'm glad he chose now to find it, cos I really think ma uncle tryna hurt me for real.

We got in my car but right before I drove off Killa asked, "How's your mama? Is she feeling better?'

I have no idea what this man talking about because my mom was fine the last time i saw her. "Yeah she's fine."

"Good," he said menacingly. "Tell her to come see me whenever she need anything else, we always take care of family." With that he walked away.

I really hate that man.

——
{Omniscient}

At 9:15pm Harlem lay on the sofa obsessively checking his watch for the time.
TJ was supposed to be back a hour ago, but he guessed his boyfriend was running late.
He got up and paced around the living room, feeling on edge.

Harlem felt anxious about everything and nothing at the same damn time. Paranoia grasped his throat with a regrettable familiar force. Of course he had an idea what was going on with him, yet he chose to ignore it, because he couldn't possibly get back on them pills. Not only did they make him slow on the court, they made him slow in bed too. He had to get off them... yes he absolutely had to.
TJ would understand.

Thankfully TJ picked this exact moment to come home. To say Harlem was glad to see him would be putting it mildly, he was ecstatic. He practically ran to door and locked his boyfriend's lips in a fierce kiss, hugging and kissing on him like they hadn't seen each other in months.

TJ chuckled, and tried to pull away some. "Heyy slow down, I'm tired. What has you so excited?" He asked, eyeing Harlem suspiciously. The male was a little more hyper than TJ was in the mood for, he just wanted to put his feet up.

Harlem smiled and led his baby to the couch. He rubbed TJ's belly affectionately, enjoying how beautiful he and their baby was. He wasn't exactly showing yet, but the bump could be felt when touched. His little family were the reason Harlem wanted to win so bad. He had no other choice.

The day TJ had told him he was keeping the baby was easily the happiest day of his life, he'd screamed and jumped and danced all over the condo, while TJ merely laughed at his silliness. It was a perfect day.

All Harlem had to do now was explain to his boyfriend how he needs a girlfriend to keep his career from ending before it begins.