In Too Deep (Urban) Book 4 | The Sideline Series

Chapter 22

Victoria

A few weeks after the party, we had taken finals and were out of school. Only now, we were coming from Deonte's graduation and celebrating him for dinner. I swear, I've never seen my brother this happy. I guess he was just excited to be out of high school and finally move on to bigger and better things. I'm happy that he's happy, since he can't seem to keep this smile off of his face. The only sad part is that he's going to be gone by the beginning of July.

BY the time the fourth comes, he'll be off to Indiana to start training for the next college football season. When he told Mama that she immediately began crying, being a big baby like always, but Daddy was beyond excited for him. I guess I'm like Mama, because I really wanted to cry right along with her, but I held myself together.

I can't imagine waking up Saturday morning without seeing him at the table with us, or even seeing all of his football gear sprawled out across the house. It's going to be a change, especially since Theodore and I will be the next ones off to college. 

Speaking of college, I had to choose last week. Mama and Daddy thought I was messing around too much and should choose before my Senior year comes, so I chose a school that was close to home, but still good enough for me to go to. I thought about going to UC Berkeley but that's too far away from home too, so I decided on UCLA. It wasn't one of my first choices but it's still a good school and only a half an hour away from home, plus they gave me a full ride and Mama and Daddy weren't passing that up.

As much money as they have, I don't know why they insist on being so cheap. Deonte and I both got full rides to great schools, so I don't know why they have to be so cheap. Deonte's 'full ride' didn't include his books though but mine did. It includes everything except the clothes on my back since I got one based off of my academics and my ACT score.

For Theodore, he's got offers to some but he's just looking out for UCLA so he could be with me. I know we aren't the best of friends right now but we're working on it. We're not going to let one little incident ruin our goals of going to college together. He got a letter from UCLA saying they'd accept him and possibly give him a half scholarship if he does amazing this upcoming Basketball season, like he has with the others. They said the only set-back was his grades, so I knew Mama was gonna start cracking down on him in our Senior year.

And for E.J., he's just moving up to the fifth grade. Mama and Daddy were so proud of him when he walked across the stage at his promotional ceremony. Of course Mama was crying then, just like at Deonte's graduation along with some of the other parents especially when they called out the star athletes at school, which included him. I remember hearing the principal say:

"And our football team wouldn't have led our school into victory if it weren't for the tireless efforts from Deonte McDonald."

Mama began bawling as soon as the principal said that, even though it was the truth. Deonte's put so much time and effort into football, that he's bound to go Pro one of these days. That's the only reason why he got a full ride. He's just so good at what he does, mainly because of the little leagues he was playing in as a child, the times him and Daddy would stand outside in the pouring rain just to get him the practice, all of the times we'd have to go to the hospital for some injury and all of the time he'd track dirty in the house from his dirty shoes. All of his hard work finally paid off and I'm proud of him.

"Mama I still can't believe you were crying the whole time," Deonte laughed as we looked through the pictures we took on his phone. "All of these pictures got you crying in them."

Mama shook her head and laughed as she stopped the tears from spilling out of her eyes. "Whatever. You know I'm just so proud of you baby. I remember the first time you played football you got hurt and I was ready to stop you then."