Once Upon A Prostitute

CHAPTER 33 - IT'S OKAY!

Luke's POV

"When it comes to negotiations, what's the most important thing that you should keep in mind?"

It was Thursday and we were in a conflict and negotiation class taught by professor Bryan. Professor Bryan was a middle-aged no-nonsense black woman who reminded me of Annalise in 'how to get away without murder'. She could be funny at times, but she could also go really hard on you. You couldn't be in her class and be slacking. She'd chew you out, politely.

"Anyone?" she asked and looked around the room. The class was so quiet that her voice ricocheted upon the walls of the classroom.

A blonde-haired female in the front row began mouthing off the intricacies of effective negotiation. I and Elijah were positioned somewhere in the middle row, lost in the crowd.

"Hey!" Elijah whispered and I looked at him. He was grinning like he won the lottery. "Take a look at this" He slid his phone across the desk to me.

I looked in the phone and saw an email congratulating Elijah on becoming a member of the Unicorns.

"What? You made the cut?" I asked, and he shrugged beaming from ear to ear. I nudged him playfully while he tried to contain his excitement and not roar out loud. Early this month, he had tried out to become part of the college basketball team.

"That's amazing. Proud of you dude" I whispered back. I really was. Most good players got into the college teams straight from highschool through scholarships. But Elijah hadn't been allowed to join his highschool basketball team because his father considered it a distraction to his purpose in life. Elijah's community was notorious for drug dealing and his father believed basketball was a gateway. I'm happy he's finally able to do something he loves so much. He's way better than me at basketball. I consider myself a 7. Elijah's a 10. He would have probably gotten a full-ride athletic scholarship if he had the chance.

"Thanks bro" he beamed. "it's been two weeks since the tryouts. I was beginning to think they were too blind to see all those moves I was pulling."

I ignored his cocky comment because, that was Elijah.

"Imagine the look on your pops face when he sees you playing on TV someday" I said laughing quietly.

Elijah covered his mouth trying to hold in his laughter. "He'd probably have that look like he's shitting in his pants..."

"Elijah Woods" Professor Bryan's voice echoed sharply, causing both our heads to shoot up instantly.

"you seem to have some objections to what Miss Dash is saying. Let's hear it."

Elijah had the dumbest look on his face, but he quickly recovered.

"ughm...well, not an objection per se..." he said leaning back in his seat.. "more like a contribution"

I had to refrain from rubbing the bridge between my eyes. Dude, why do you have to dig yourself further in?

"Okay. Please share with the class" Professor Bryan said with a challenging look that didn't seem to faze Elijah at all.

"ughm...well" he clasped his hands and rubbed them together, as a little of his hood demeanor slipped through. "I mean the way I see it, It's a give and take kinda situation. If you give me something, I give you something, everyone's happy" he ended with his arms raised in a goofy kind of way and chuckles were heard in different parts of the room.