BALL

chapter 1.

It could have been no earlier than miday, no later than half past one, the sun was bright and high in a clear perpetual sky and the heat was thick and unbearable. It was beyond human comprehension how anybody tolerated the dry heat on these scorching days, on summer afternoons, such as this one the temperature could rise far beyond figures of 87°f, the kind of heat that made stray dogs suffer, the kind that chased blackbirds to the forests and parks, where they flew low, only under the cool shade of trees and buildings.
The blazing sun ran animals away with ease but somehow, the burning flames of the summer heat didn't scare the ballers off at all.
Parkway court was alive, bursting with the sounds of basketballs pounding relentlessly against heated concrete court, cheering and clapping echoed against the fences and chatter quietly based the beat. The court was always a crowded scene, basketballers darting across the ground, ball in hand, kids clapping as they watched in awe at the older boys and men stunt on the court, old women in the bleachers sat talking, faces sour and stiff, younger women paraded around batting long eyelashes at the skillful players. This was all that could be seen behind the rusted crosses of the wired fence.
The white rays of the sun were exploding over the neighborhood, illuminating, boldly, the constant activity below, boiling the busy bodies at high temperatures, underneath its unforgiving flames. Strangely, the people seemed unaware of the burning heat, they still moved around in their noisy disorganized fashion, bundled up in a crowd, and buried deep in the center of this chaos was Trent Williams, the local MVP.

Trent had the ball illusively bouncing between the floor and his hand. He was clearly dominating the game, as per usual. He dribbled the ball with speed and precision, sharp movements, like a ghost he glided across the court. He was dodging opponents like they were not even there, walking through them like air. spinning around players like a pro. His movements were so smooth with swan like elegance. He had quickly drifted his way towards the hoop, a hollow milkart his father had nailed to the pole, and now he could see it, getting closer. His bold, deep eyes grew wide and bright, a long smile appeared across his face as he closed his eyes and took a giant leap.
His heart began to race, faster and faster as time halted around him. He opened his eyes slowly, flying through the air, looking down at all the amazed spectators feeding off of the attention. The feeling of the energy vibrating from the crowd overwhelmed him and sent a buzzing feeling to his heart. It was as if for a moment he was that NBA superstar he had always dreamed of being, and in this moment he felt like hero. He returned smiled at his adoring fans scanning the area carefully. Then, he took one final look up at the rickety hoop and slammed the ball into it. His powerful biceps tensed as he pummeled it into the opening, his dunk sending shock waves through the rattling old milk case. The decent was quick and heavy as he watched time catch up with reality. The sound of his feet colliding harshly with the floor met sharply with the roar of fans, all running onto the court, almost trampling one another, just to hug him and praise his victory. He secretly enjoyed the fame and absorbed the attention. He looked around at the bright faces screaming his name each one of them elated. Humbled by the intensity of the experience, he scanned every one as they slowly trickled away and the buzz wore off. They were all returning to their seats again, amazed by what they had witnessed.
Then, suddenly, he noticed a face, one he had never seen before. He gazed at it for what seemed too long, almost bewitched by its amazing beauty. She was stood quietly on the other side of the fence, subtly admiring Trent's talent. Her dainty hands gripped loosely through the holes of the cage and her mystical eyes werefixated, longingly on Trent. They akwardly locked stares when he met her gaze, just gazing deeply at one another, both frozen in time. 'Beautiful' he thougut, amongst many other things, she must have been one of the most gorgeous things he had ever played eyes on. She caged magical hazel green eyes behind her fluttering lashes, her majestic stare caught his attention immediately. Long curly hair sat messy pinned to the top of her head in a high bun, the springy tips sun bleached a caramel blonde, a bold contrast against her midnight black roots. The innocent glare to her glowing bronze face pulled at Trent's immaginacion and her flushed rose cheeks so elegantly complimented her look. Slim and medium height, a model like structure indeed, she was perfect to him, with that rare streak of utter confidence he scarcely found in the local girls. Finally, he caught himself, realizing how long he had stared at her and began to feel awkward inside. He feluctantly abandoned her gaze and looked down at his feet, his mind running wild inside. He couldn't help the occasional peep back up at her, curiosity had poisoned his thoughts and wanted to unravel mystery behind her sweet smile. When he readied himself to stare for a second time, she caught his gaze and shot him a cute smirk as if she knew exactly what he was thinking. Embarrassed he looked away again and bounced his ball quietly. So many unanswered questions pestered his struggling mind, the biggest being 'who is she?' He glanced back up as if silently observing her would answer his questions, but when he raised his head to take closer peep and maybe even spark a conversation, she was gone. Just vanished and all was busy again.
He looked around the crowds of people, desperately trying to spot her beauty, it wouldn't have been to hard she looked nothing like the other women he knew and stood so clearly out from the rest.
He searched around and around until he resided to the fact that she was gone. 'Will I see her again' he thought before turning around to return to the game. All he could think about was her, he tried to ignore the picture he had copied onto her mind. Parkway was a really small community, he knew almost every living person that resided around these parts, but her, he had never seen her before. He unwillingly smiled thinking about her looks, her grace, almost lost in the forest of thoughts he had created. He was drowning in deep thoughts of her, that stare just teasing is conscience.
Then a voice interrupted his contemplation,
"Yo Trent" his friend mark shouted giving him a shockingly rough slap across the back,
"Damn, Chuck, what did you hit me so hard for?" Trent said rolling his shoulder to ease the pain,
"I'm sorry princess, did I hurt you?" he laughed through his sarcasm,
"Keep talking and imma beat you till your blackberry looking ass is white" Trent smiled,
"Alright boy I hear you" Chuck took a step back and put his hands up jokingly,
"Where you been anyway, Chuck, I haven't seen you in a while?" Trent had walked over to the bleachers now, silently expecting an answer and pouring water down his throat,
"I've been in Laydon, my grand ma lives there" he said,
"Oh yea I forgot, you got family all over this state" Trent laughed,
"That's right, ain't a corner of this country i don't know" Chuck raised his chin feeling important.
Trent considered Chucks comment, thinking about a valid response. Suddenly it dawned kn him, 'there isn't a person in this state chuck doesn't know, maybe he knows that girl.
"Hey, do you know that pretty girl that was out here before, curly hair, greenish kinda eyes?" Trent asked,
"Hmmmm, what was she wearing?" Chuck looked to the sky deep in thought,
"Black pants, white Nike vest, you know her?" Trent asked eagerly,
"White vest... pretty....... And she was out here?" he looked confused,
"Outside, just a second ago.... She had her hair up in bun, looked kinda messy, it was cute though" Trent responded,
"Messy bun, messy bun, messy ..... Hmmmm" then he smiled and clicked his fingers "you mean Reah Alec, that northside chick" he added,
"I don't know, do I?" Trent rolled his eyes,
"Yea, you looking for Reah, she was stood just over there right?" he pointed at exactly the spot where Trents mystery damsel was stood,
"Yeah!" Trent shouted with unusual excitement,
"She don't live out here?"he asked trying to play it cool,
"Nah, she lives by south beach, out by my uncles law firm" he answered,
"So you know her, you must
See her all the time, when you out by your uncle's" he spoke quickly with eager eyes,
"Well, I don't know really know her like that.... When I first met her I thought she was cute, but I lost interest a long time ago cause she don't really talk to anybody, she thinks she bigger than every body else" he said with a slight laugh,
"Where does she go to school?" Trent asked,
"She wanted for a murder or something? What you investigating her for?" Chuck laughed,
"She just caught my eye, that's all" a smile crept across his mouth as he thought about her,
"Well I don't know where she goes school. How come you have never seen her before though? You know her Dad, you know her dad good.... he is......" before he could finish, he noticed his mothers red car in the distance,
"Oh shoot, mamas coming home from work early, she told me to stay of the court" he whispered ducking down an looking at the exit,
"What?" Trent didn't hear, but before he could get an answer, Chuck had darted half way to the gate,
"WE WILL TALK TOMORROW SEE YA" Chuck shouted back running out of the gate,
"BUT WAIT!!" Trent shouted but Chuck was too far in the distance,
'What's her father's name?" he whispered to himself with the a sigh.

He sat in the bleachers, resting his head on the seat above. Slowly the puzzle to this mystery girl was unfolding, he had a name now, a location, even a window into her family background, but the teasing suspense still lingered in his mind, "I wonder who her dad is?'

Suddenly, breaking through his peaceful daydream, a familiar voice shouted his name from afar.