take care. {m.f}

16.

MM: Winter, Tzipora, Markelle, Mackenzie

"It's okay baby girl." Winter hugged me as my tears dripped onto her shoulder. "He's just...unsure right now." She comforted me.

"No! He said he loved me that day...But he doesn't love me anymore!" I cried uncontrollably. "Tzipora...Don't Get shook up over it...He still has feelings for you Zip." She rubbed my back as I shook and cried.

"He hates me now..." I cried. "Tzipora no he doesn't." She grabbed my chin. "He'll come back around. Trust me." She kissed me on the cheek. "Are you sure?" I sniffled.

"Positive."

"..He's just in a tough place right now. He's not thinking straight obviously because he went off on The Coach."

"Mhm." I sniffed. "Thanks.." I smiled.

🖤-markelle

"Don't you think you were...maybe a little too cold?" Ben asked. "I don't know man..I'm just tryna get love out of my life right now..I can't put up with her doubts when I'm just starting my career...I can't risk being happy and then her all of a sudden coming and ending things and stressing me out."

"I know I agree with you but...You were a little cold Kelle..."

"Well better out than in."

"Kelle. Come on...We both know no one else is gonna care for her like you do...and put up with her ups and downs like you.."

"I don't know that."

"Okay well I do. And Tzipora knows too. That's why she's all of a sudden so hurt."

"Whatever...I'm not feeling this. I think I just need time to myself."

🖤the next day

After countless hours of my teammates calling me, I realized that I didn't need to miss practice. And that I was being extra with the things I said to Coach Brown.

I got up, went to practice and stuck it out. However, I told myself that I was not going to apologize to him, because I did mean what I said.

It wasn't fair that I couldn't play, he and I both knew that.

-

"Hi Markelle!" The new trainer said excitedly. "..Sup." I practiced dribbling.

She seemed so happy to be around us, considering she already knew everyone's name and she immediately got to work.

"So, Uh, hows your shoulder?!" She asked, overly-excited. I stopped, looking at her, "Good." I continued to dribble.

"I've been really watching. I've wanted this job for the longest. I love basketball." She said enthusiastically.

"Oh, really, what's your name?" I asked, trying to hide the fact that I sort of didn't want to be talked to at that moment.

"Mackenzie." She Finally sat down. "That's cute." I acted interested, focusing on my jump shot. "Markelle, Shoulders." Coach Brown said as he walked by. He was being a lot more tough on me since the argument but I figured that I really didn't need to say anything if I wanted to get back in.

"...Wanna help me lift some weights?" I asked, knowing she'd be excited. "I've been waiting on someone to help." She followed me enthusiastically to the weight room.

"You're taller in person." She said as she skipped her way through the door as I held it. "How old are you?" I asked, considering how young she acted.

"Eighteen. I'm not a full trainer yet. I can't be until I turn twenty. I'm just on an internship kind of right now." She said.

"Mmm." I made a face. "So what do I need to do?" She asked. "Okay so I just want you to help me pick those up and get them to my shoulders safely so they don't fall and crush my foot or something."

I picked them up a few inches from the ground. "Just put your hands on them and sort of guide them up okay?"

"Okay." She placed her hands on mine. I sat the weights in my shoulders. "You can Uh...sit down or something until I'm through."

"Mkay." She bounced over to a weightlifting bench. "How long do you have to do that?"

"Is your shoulder still hurting?"

"Oh wait, I asked that earlier."

"If your shoulders don't hurt why do you have to do that?"

"Is that really heavy or just a little bit?" She bugged me with questions.

"Slow down." I chuckled. "Sorry." She smiled. "I only have to do this for about five minutes."

"Oh."

A couple minutes passed and I sat the weights down with her fingertips on my hands making sure I didn't drop anything. "...What's wrong?" She asked, following me.

"...Nothing...Why?"

"...I just..You seemed like you'd be more fun and in spirit."

"Oh...."

"Yea....So did I just misjudge or...?"

"Kind Of stressed out to be honest." I went and found Ben. "You ready big bro?"

"Yea. Oh and Mack is riding with us." Ben said. "Alright..." we headed to the car.

-🖤

"Ride the dick like a BMX, no nigga wanna be my ex!" Mackenzie rapped. My eyes widened as Ben chuckled. I was surprised to hear her curse and to actually know the lyrics so well.

Ben pulled up to a gas station. "I'm getting Gatorade you want some Kelle?" Ben got ready to get gas.

"Yea sure. I'll pay you back when you get back."

"So what's stressing you out?" Mackenzie asked, looking at me in the rear view mirror as she turned the music down.

"Well...My...Somewhat girlfriend...We ended things."

"Somewhat girlfriend?" She looked funny. "...she's either yours or she's not." She gave me an awkward chuckle. "You right."

"We hadn't made things official." I restated. "Oh..."

"So...you're usually fun right?"

"Yea I guess so."

"Hmm. We should hang out. I still need someone to show me around." She smiled. I raised my eyebrows. I can't lie, I lost a lot of pride, knowing that she shot her shot with no pressure at all, and it took me forever to finally say something to Zip.

I smirked. "We'll see."

"..As friends of course." She licked her top lip with a smirk. "You didn't come off as a flirty girl at first.."

"I'm not.." she blushed, joking. "You don't come off as a flirty guy." She threw it back at me. "I'm notttt." I smirked

🖤

Markelle is getting a little loose with Mackenzie.... 😏

Anyways! Love you guys. Stay tuned ♥️