More Than Friends

Rude Awakening

Odell POV -

I re-aggravated the fuck out my injury, trying to wake up Kenya after she passed out. But I wasn't about to leave her on the floor.

A person kept banging. I opened the door, he helped me pick her up.

Comes to find out it was her father. And now we were all sitting in the living room. Me and Kenya on the couch. Him in the chair next to it. And I was five seconds away from slapping his ass.

Not just for the damage he had done to Kenya and her mother. But because he seemed to have only showed up because he saw her on tv during the game.

"I been an LSU fan since I moved to Baton Rouge. Seen you play since freshmen year. Knew you were gonna be a problem." He let out a deep chuckle. His voice was probably the deepest I'd ever heard.

"Forget football. Don't you owe your daughter and explanation about how you abandoned her?" I told him.

"O." Kenya looked at me, like calm down.

"No it ain't no O. This ain't no damn house call. We didn't invite you here nigga. Why are you here is what we want to know?"

He smiled nervously then looked down at his hands. Then back up.

"Well I was watching the game and saw my babygirl and..."

"She's not your babygirl. Only fathers that actually show up for their children can call them that. She been in Baton Rouge four fucking years and you just now show up, cause you seen her on tv?" I said getting angry.

"It wasn't my place to just come here."

"Bullshit." I yelled. "You mean to tell me you knew she was here and didn't show up one time because it wasn't your place? But it's your place now? That you seen her on tv? That you heard about all the great shit she doing and about to do? That she survived with your sorry ass?"

"I wasn't ready to be no father. Or husband man." He got loud defending himself.

"Neither was my mother. She had me at 19. Nine fucking teen. Right as she was about to go to the olympics. She couldn't go. But she had me. She took care of me, even if she wasn't ready. The same way K's mother stepped up to the plate. And even if K's mother wasn't ready, she produced one of the greatest minds of our of time. On a lunch lady's salary. No help from you. So save your fucking excuses. They not welcome here. We don't want them. K show his ass his place is on the other side of the door." I told her.

With tears in her eyes she stood up.

"You let that boy brainwash you against your own father? Not even give me a chance to explain? You letting him control you like some weak woman?" He said in Kenya's face.

"That boy, has been my everything since I knew him. When I got awards and mama couldn't make it because she was in Fayetteville working, he was always, always there to celebrate me. When I ran low on money, he would always help me out. And he didn't have a lot, only what his mother gave him or he saved.

And when my mother died, no one cared for and nursed me back to health more than him. It was only four years I knew him. Four years. But in those four years he did more than you did my entire life.

So he's not brainwashing me. I know who was for me and who wasn't and it wasn't you. I thought your absence fucked up my life, but he made me realize, it only made me better. So thank you. Because of your absence, I'm the woman I am today.

One of the best chemist in the world is personally paying for me to be a Rhodes Scholar to Oxford, England for two years. And I'm going to take that boy. And he's going to train hard and come back to the states in time for next year's combine. And we're going to live a good fucking life. Without you again. Stay gone."

He looked at Kenya then me. Then back at Kenya one more time. Then left out the door. Kenya closed the door and locked it.

Then ran to me and put her arms around my neck holding me, crying. "I love you so much baby." She said.

I rubbed her back. "That's all well and good but when was you gon tell me we was about to get these corporate chemist dollars?"

She sat next to me, wiping her eyes. "I was scared. I didn't know how you would react with your injury."

"Kenya you just do not know." I shook my head. "When I say I love you, I mean that with every fiber in my being. Every single fiber. It doesn't change because I have an injury. I know how hard you worked. I know how bad you wanted it. And I would be less than a man, to hinder you from going after what you want. Even if you didn't take me I would root for you the same."

"That means so much O." She wiped her tearing eyes.

"I'm proud of you." I smiled.

She smiled back.

"Wait till B hear." I laughed.

She chuckled. "Yeah he's gonna lose it."

"Your plan doesn't seem like a bad idea. Go to England. Train. People forget about me, then I show up at the combine next year. Niggas gon lose they shits. Be like- "y'all been sleeping on a nigga, time to wake y'all asses up." I shook my head, smiling thinking about it.

There was silence.

"I'm just waiting on the day for you to switch up. But it never happens." She said.

"Stop doubting me. My love for you is unconditional. It's never gonna change. Ever. I already told you I got this shit on my back and if it ain't going nowhere. Neither are you."

She laughed.

"Now help me back to the bed, because this shit is killing me." I winced in pain.

"Sorry baby I'll get your pain pills." She helped me up.

I guess we were going to be fine after all. And those that doubted me we're going to be in for a rude awakening. More motivated than ever. Leggo. 💪🏿