Odell and Kenya have been best friends throughout college. As graduation approaches and both their lives are set to change, they evaluate whether they should be more than friends.
And this year's Heisman Trophy winner is... Jarvis Landry.
I had been trying to hide ESPN from him, but he just had to see the Heisman ceremony. Jarvis walked to the podium and got his award.
First I want to thank God for giving me the ability to play. I dreamed and prayed about this moment since I was a little kid and to see he made it happen, is just ...whew man. Must thank my mom for all her sacrifices, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her. Gotta thank my teammates, especially Karter our quarterback who got it done. To my team that stepped up when pieces fell. And last but not least...my coach. Thank you for pushing and guiding us. Thank you all.
He held the trophy up and walked off the stage. I turned the tv off.
"Come on so I can give you your bath baby." I moved back the covers.
"I don't feel like it." He put the covers back over him and snatched up the remote, turning the channels.
"Odell." I sat on the edge of the bed and looked at him.
He ignored me, scrolling through the tv.
"I know that stings, but that, that's the nature of people. One day they with you, next day they are not. The fake people are not the ones that count. Who counts is those that you know are there for you."
He continued to ignore me.
"Odell you need a bath, not just so I can clean you, but so you can soak your muscles. It's a very important part of the healing process."
"Kenya just leave me alone. Please. Damn." He said frustrated. "If I don't fucking feel like it, I don't fucking feel like it. Shit."
I just got up and went to the front. I wasn't about to argue. I could understand his frustration. Imagine someone you thought was your bestfriend, virtually forgetting you exist after getting some mild success. Wouldn't you be hurt too?
I couldn't imagine Brandon doing me like that. It would crush me. As I imagine O is crushed. They were like brothers.
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And if you don't expect anyone else to remember you, you do expect your brother to. But adversity shows us our real friends. And for O to have been so popular when he played, it was now virtual silence from everyone.
The only person that showed up for O besides me and his fam, was Brandon. Anything we needed Brandon did. Of course he gave me lip and eyes rolls but he did it.
He'd pick up things from the grocery store for us, run my other errands I couldn't do, because I needed to stay with O. He was just a life-saver.
"K." O called my name.
I sighed and went back to him. I stood at the door with my arms folded, leaning on the door frame.
"I ain't mean to yell at you like that. I'm sorry."
"I'm okay O." I sighed.
"Still, mad or no mad, I don't want to get in the habit of taking my shit out on you. You ain't the problem. If anything you the solution. So forgive me baby."
"We're good."
He shook his head he understood.
"You still want a bath?" I asked.
"Yeah." He sighed.
I went in the bathroom and ran his bath. Then went in the room. Helped him undress, and helped him into the bathroom and tub.
I took a new towel and soap, and gently washed his arms.
"You ever seen Cam Newton's E-60?" I asked him as I was gently washing him.
"Nah." He said tired.
"The other night, you fell asleep with ESPN on. And it was on. So I know my mom and Brandon loves him. I didn't know much about him except he went to the Panthers and played for Auburn. So I decided to watch it. Sit up a sec." He sat up a second, so I could wash his back.
"What was it about?" He asked.
"It talked about how he originally got accepted into the University of Florida. His coach told his dad, he really wasn't star quarterback material. And everybody hailed the quarterback Tim Tebow better than him. Then he got kicked out of Florida and lost his scholarship. Sit back."
He sat back.
"Then he had to go back home. And he was considered a big joke. Then what made him a bigger joke was he had to go to a community college in the middle of no where in Texas. And he talked about how embarrassing it was for him. How he would ask why was here? But he played through all of that. Gave it his all. Got a new scholarship to Auburn. Won the national championship and Heisman. Got drafted and is one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. Tim who everybody thought was better isn't even playing anymore. He couldn't cut it in the NFL."
"Hmm. I didn't know that about Cam." O admitted.
"I said all that to say, it's not how you start baby. It's how you finish. Yeah things like Juice overlooking you hurts. Or missing the draft this year, but if you focus less on being embarrassed and hurt, and more on finishing, your story will end like Cams. Maybe better. I'll give you a moment to soak. Call me when you ready to get out." I kissed his lips and handed him the towel and soap.
"You make me feel so much better babe. Like you just, you just so dope." He kissed me back.
"That's my job until I leave you for my British man." I patted his head.
He let out a chuckle.
"Let me know when you're finished."
I closed the door and let him have some time to himself.
Somebody said this book making them love O in real life. I said don't get too comfortable, he likes his beckies with the split ends. I'll dream anyway. 😂😂😂😂🙄😩😔
