Will You Stay? (Urban)

2

"I'm sorry about your loss, Jaylen. But I need that report by Friday. I can't give you another extension." I nodded and told the teacher I'd get it done.

I never payed any attention in this class and I really didn't know if I was gonna get it done. I exited the door as the bell rang, signalling the end of the day. People rushed out from their classes and the hallway filled with noise. I had practice after school meaning the day wasn't over yet.

Usually I stayed to myself. The niggas up here just do dumb stuff and I couldn't hang with that. I only really talk to my teammates, and we barely exchanged words. We only talked so I could make sure they trusted me; they had to be able to since I was the starting quarterback.

"Wassup, J," I dapped up Jones as he left the locker room. After putting my stuff down and changing, I followed the rest of the boys out to the field.

Coach waddled out in front of us and blew his whistle to stop all chatter. "Regular season just ended and the road to state begins now," he yelled over the wind. We all cheered and hollered. Going to state meant everything, and we usually got pretty crunk every game. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and continued talking. "But how the hell do you expect to make it to state if HALF of first string is FAILING?" Many players cleared their throats with guilt.

"If I call your number, you will not stop running until the end of practice. I don't give a damn if you tired, you shoulda thought about that shit when you slacked off in class. You running till I'm tired now. Numbers 32, 76, 23, 0..." Coach called more numbers, including mine.

"Now take off!" I started, leading the pack. Everybody else was jogging but I went at full speed. It helped clear my mind of everything that was going on. I focused on my feet hitting the ground and the air flowing through my lungs.  A little while passed and I started to feel numb. We must have done about ten miles until coach blew the whistle.

He ended practice by telling us to get our grades up or else. I couldn't do it all by myself, all these courses I was failing. What I needed was a tutor.

Jogging to the locker room I grabbed my duffle bag and books and walked across the school to the library. I didn't have a shirt on and of course girls stared, or tried to act like they weren't. I didn't care because I was bout dripping with sweat, and that attention never phased me anyways. You try running out there. Go ahead, sweat ya' weave out.

Stepping inside the library, the smell caught me off guard. It was moist and smelled of wet paper. The school was pretty old, so I expected it. That was another thing about Monroe, As long as the football team got new jerseys every year, aint shit else would get paid for.

"Young man, where's yo shirt at?" The librarian yelled. I shrugged at her and moved along to the far right wall. There was a list of student tutors available with their numbers posted too.

Five names were listed and there was only one that I didn't recognize, Domonique Williams. I had too much history with the others and decided it was best to be with someone who I didn't know. I pulled out my 6s and dialed the number. Someone else was here and their phone rang. It couldn't have been a coincidence.

I followed the sound to a table in the far left corner of the library. There was a table with at least ten books on it and a girl flipping through the one in her hand. She silenced her phone and went back to working, writing on a slip of paper with a pen.

I set my duffle down and walked up to her, initiating conversation. "You Domonique?" She looked up from her reading to look at me. Her mouth hung wide with no words coming out.

I took the time waiting for her to speak to examine her looks: her skin was a medium brown and freckles splattered her nose, cheeks, and forehead . Her hair was styled in a messy bun that wasn't exactly messy, but wasn't neat either. She wore no makeup except for a clear gloss that coated her plump lips. Her eyebrows were thick and arched, giving her face a dramatic look.