CHAPTER TWO-MILAN
I strategically snatch the basketball from the guy of the opposite team, I can see his face turning red, mad that Milan Valencia has snatched the ball from him. He knows that when I get the ball, it's always a goal, I never miss. I look across to the stands and see people cheering, I spot my mom and dad on the front row and mom keeps screaming, her mouth moving back and forth as she excitedly gets up.
"You can do it baby!" She says her hands ninety degrees from her mouth. My mom always goes crazy when I get the ball, I once told her to stop doing that or to not come to my games anymore, but she says I'm her only child and promised to change, even though it's evident that it was just cap.
I bounce the ball to the direction of our basket but realize I'm surrounded. What the fuck, I mutter to myself. I see the time and it's a few seconds 'till the game is over and I'm about to break through their lil' circle, soon as I lift a finger to so, the noises start replaying in my head, it is now, either I toss the ball to Troy, one of my teammates or go on with an almost impossible mission. I manage to break through the circle and defend the ball, but everything begins moving in circles. Should've taken my meds, I always make the last goal, but it seems tonight, I won't, losing means lessening our chances of remaining in the league.
"Milan! Over her!" A sweaty, but yet enthusiastic Troy calls out, his hands wide open ready to grab the ball from me. He and I had been friends, classmates and teammates. Since I don't have a choice, I pass the ball to Troy. He bounces the ball for some few seconds and runs with it to the basket, he jumps up high and aims the ball at the basket, just like I've been doing for ages. I flinch scared he might miss his target and the stadium is quiet for a moment as the air is filled with tension and others are closing their eyes, but as though pulled by a magnet, the ball smoothly gets into the net, and as soon as it enters the whistle blows and everyone on our side celebrates and my teammates jump and carry Troy in the air moving up and down.
"Good game, mate." Matthew says to me as he gives me a hand shake, my palm touching his and our thumbs sliding against each other in a pattern and blushing shoulders. Matthew is the team's captain and he hails from New York city and I'm the co-captain even though I hold less authority because I don't take leadership seriously. The team is composed of people from all over the world, including a dude from Africa and India. The other team members also come for the hand shake and then we do the same to the opposite team. This was the hardest team to fight against, we almost lost the game, not on my watch. Troy approaches me, feeling on top of the moon like he's just saved the world. He looks at me, his eyes bright, and an unending smile on his face. He walks up to me.
"You can't always be the man of the match dude." He says giving a one-sided villain style smirk.
"It's about time you realize you ain't the big deal." He adds. Dude, what gives bro.
" You know you only got to be the man of the man coz I made you, right?" I say to him right before I walk away. I just couldn't help but tell him the truth, it's not like it's gonna change or sum. The truth is I've scored a lot of goals for this team more than you can never imagine, and I won't allow a nobody to come at me just coz I gave him a chance.
"The game isn't the only thing I'll be stealing from you dude." He says smiling at me.
"Whatever, man. "I shrug. It's not like it's sum serious, I think to myself. Besides, we just chill here and there, not so serious, but definitely on the same table at school. The lady in a blue descent suit, her hair properly combed and wearing makeup comes to my direction carrying a mic and a small notepad. As soon as she comes to me, the camera men follow suit, she's a journalist. As soon as she approaches me, more journalists join us.
"Hi Milan Valencia, my name is Tierra William, I work for Super Sport TV, so how does it feel to make to the league?"
"Umm…it feels good to be a part something that big, we don't take it for granted you know."
"You've always been the man of the match; how does it feel to have that title snatched from you?"
"It feels normal, I mean not all days are Sundays." I say tryna make a point.
"And I quote "not all days are Sundays…I like that." I look at the time and it's 06:50, I need to go, I'm taking my girl out. I promised her I'd take her out as soon as we make it to the league. But the journalists face doesn't seem like they're letting me go any time sooner.
"You've played like 'the Milan Valencia' of all times, but you seemed to be having troubles during the last minute and we saw you pass the ball to Troy who in turn made the last goal taking your team into the league."
Damn she was paying attention, whatever, that's what journalists are for, they get paid for it.
"You always end the game with the last goal and it's always by you."
Dude, that's the same thing.
"Yeah, as you saw, I wasn't feeling too good, so I had to choose the alternative option and that was the man of the match, Troy." I explain.
"But the audience is used to you being the shooter and you never miss your target, and everyone was literary scared of him missing the target, how did you feel about that decision?"
Everything starts going in circles again, the images are kind of blurry and I can still hear Tierra, but the voice is sounding like she's now far. I try to close my eyes for a split second, but I'm now seeing a double of everything, I close my eyes again and open them as fast as I could because I don't want people to notice.
"Milan, you okay?" she holds my hand.
"Yeah, I am." I say looking around and gently removing her hand from my arm. Right before I leave.
"So, I was saying- "she continues, but I cut her words half way through.
"That's enough." I tell them right before I leave.
"Wait, I ain't do-" but I just ignore her and the others who try to follow me. I just rush to my locker, I dig in and look for my tablets, as soon as I find the bottle, I take out two and put them to my throat, then I take a bottle of water from my locker. My phone starts vibrating in the locker, making it move sideways. The screen immediately goes bright and the words 'mom' pop out on my screen. I swipe it up accepting the call, I put her on loud speaker.
"Hello baby."
"Mom, we talked about this." I tell her, my voice low with a pinch of annoyance.
"Sorry, but I can't help it, congrats for making it to the league." I hear my dad in the background asking my mom to lend her the phone so he can speak to me.
"How's Sasha, never saw her at the game tonight."
"Yeah." I reply, "she had a shoot so she couldn't show up. I'm taking her out tonight."
Saha is my two years girlfriend; I think I and her are just meant to be. Of course we've had some misunderstandings, like we broke up last month and got back together, we're more on and off, but we try to sort them out. She's a model and works with a lot of brands. She's everything a guy would ask for; tall, fit body, golden brown hair which moves side to side with every move. She has these cute blue eyes and perfect button nose like a pocyline doll.
"I hope Sasha is not the one you were thinking of, when you almost lost the game." I am brought back to reality by my father's harsh and authoritative voice. I just feel like hanging up immediately. I hear my mom in the background telling him to be nice.
"Is that how you define a good game?" I hear him say through my phone. I grind my teeth and my jaw hardens, I fold my hands into a fist.
"But we won the game, didn't we?"
"Well, you only won because Troy saved the entire team." He says.
"But I was the one who told him!" I hear my voice getting louder and my blood boiling.
"Which you wouldn't have to if you had taken your drugs." He speaks.
"Man, whatever, we won the game and that's all that matters!" I shout into the phone.
"You will talk to me with respect." He speaks.
"How about you earn it, instead of trying to leave your broken dream through me?" I say, rage rummaging through my head like a group of ghosts trying to take over my body.
"I want you to be the be- "before he could continue his criticism speech, I swipe on my phone and hang up. So, what if the last goal wasn't mine or if I wasn't the man of the match? I still saved my team, didn't I? why do I always gotta be the bad guy when it comes to my career. That's my dad, always, even if I win, he still finds something negative in it. Sometimes I even wonder how he and my mom met, because she's always so sweet and naïve and then there's him; Alejandro Valencia, he works for the intelligence department, whilst my mom; Misha Decruz owns a boutique. That's not my concern right now, Saha must be here by now. I take a quick shower, change into my black hoodie and black skinny jeans ripped at the knee calf plus black air Jordan. I go to my locker, get my phone, car keys and a bouquet I bought for her on my way.
"Don't forget, coach is throwing a party." Louis one of my teammates says.
"Don't worry, I'll try to make it back." I tell him. He looks at the flowers and grins.
"Your girl's?"
"Uh huh." I node.
"All the best, man." He tells me. There's the sound of car tires screeching, everyone's attention shifts to the black four door limo with tinted glasses. The driver comes out a gentleman in his early thirties in a black suit, , I smile at that site as I know Sasha is here. He goes to the back door and opens the door, long smooth legs in red high heels, a well build up model body in a black pencil skirt and red tight fitting body suit, her hair wavy as always being blown by the wind making the scene iconic like the appearance of a movie star on the red carpet. Her lips with her iconic red lipstick which suits her, making her look sexy. Her eyes in shades, which she immediately takes off as soon as she gets out. I try my best to walk past the crowd, but I see a guy's figure, tall and masculine, just an inch shorter, his wavy hair combed upwards, in some denim pants and jacket, he takes her hand and I just look as they hug. Troy, how could he do this to me, we had known each other since we were kids and would train for basketball together. I clench my teeth and try to breath.