I HADN'T BEEN training as much as I should have, I was still trying to give myself a little ease and not adding so much pressure on my sore knee, although it was beginning to show a good measure of promising strength during the past few days. I could do almost all the domestic habits I did before nicely, and I didn't feel any pain when I jogged or run, I walked straight but with just a slight bend but I was ready to get back to practicing hard, just like the players ahead of me.

  Everyone on our basketball floor seemed to be in this perpetual frisson mood we all knew the big game was in less than three weeks, most of us had been practicing and keeping in shape way more productive than others, who seemed alittle too comfortable in their shoes, and living their days like it's holiday time already. We were just done with our laps and taking a mini break to catch our breaths. I stood at the bench taking some water, pretending like I wasn't studying my knee.

  ''I am so sore, I can't wait for this game to be finally over and go back to my old routine and sleeping hours, back to the all~ you~ can~ eat~ bagels and the sodas.'' He dragged dreary.

  He pellucidly spelt out Hag- ridden in his manner of speaking, but the gleam in his light brown eyes was brighter, much more stronger and positive, his entire stance wasn't that bad either, the vibrant golden glow in his eyes that always had fragments of geniality and humor, added another layer of his sharpness which mirrored just how burly he had become.

  I noticed the faraway gaze, he had already began fantasizing his eventual plans, staring ahead of me, swaying he's elbows, with his hands dug deep into his pockets, his neat biceps glistening out, I saw the hazey sentiment clearing, it seemed like he had slapped himself back to the gravel reality in which time of relaxation felt like perpetuity to obtain.

  He now had given himself this flat browned~off expression, sub consciously blurring together, optimism with dismal, I couldn't say mine was any different with all that's been happening lately I'd advise that we both needed a long break of life eventualities, he sighed and his gaze skated back to me.

  ''Can't wait, besides I've been dreading to beat those Hamolton suckers, since last month, can't wait to finally get it out of my system, anyway how have you been coping around with that twisted knee?''

  'Can't wait.'

  'Can't wait.'

  Had got to be in all his sentences. He needed a break I was sure he thought would be unnecessary. It seemed like he wasn't the only one in their head, I finally noticed the hand waving frantically in front of me, trying to get my attention.

  I blinked back to myself, forgetting what he had asked.

  ''What was it you said?'' I asked.

  He narrowed his gaze, suspiciously studying me. ''What's on your mind? Stressing about the game as well?'' He had much concern, however it came out calmer than usual.

  My brows rose, as I took in more water. It was one of the stories making headlines in my mind just not the top story, I balled my cheeks with water, as I set my bottle back on the bench, I emptied my mouth and turned around for a reply, but Tino's attention had waded to the Hispanic tall boy who strolled next to him, Tino's arm was already hooked around that guy's neck, whom registered a free hand into his dyed, sleek primed strawberry blond waves and he grinned at Tino. Dent, he had a deep dimple on his right revealing strange white teeth; they would have been perfect, without the little spaces in between them, it reminded me of childhood, of course Not mine but my mother's.

  As a girl, she had one too many dental problems; cavities, gaps, unorganised lower incisors, broken teeth and finally braces, but all in all I don't think I've ever seen a smile as beautiful as hers, she had dimples too, double, probably where I inherited mine from. He's tight face, had almost generous amounts of everything, except for that crooked thin sliced nose, that hadn't matched with the rest of his features, it felt wrong on his face, for some reason, his thick brows matched his hair, his eyes were neither too small nor too big, just average size, dusty brown.

  ''Sieve Tantamè what's up My man? You playing or did Coleman bench you?'' And they it was that big toothy grin that Tino was always benevolent to display, this guy could be in the most dullest moods but still show you gaiety and treat you like you're in yet another one of his good days, the facade such people pull up. No one would have guessed that behind that cheerful facade was a volatile stoic character who really deserved much more than he got.

  ''As if Coleman would ever bench greatness.'' He shot and they both had a really good laugh at it. My gaze appeared like I had my concentration behind them, right at Coleman but really it was on Sieve Tantamè's face, I hadn't noticed him last time, he looked like a new face to me.

  ''Just practicing. . .I sure as hell would have taken a shot on the team last week.'' He said, and the thing about the way he delivered that last line had me thinking of how disappointed and grimy he was, seemed much more genuine than his first sentence.

  ''Of course with your great shots would have had you as Captain last week.'' And I wondered if we were all passed the ''Introductory'' jokes.

  I guessed we were because Tino had his serious face pulled out. He's eyes were full of sympathy and he's tone was the all one on one type. That phraseology Tino registered made me question just how good Sieve was, Captain? A player better than Branden.

  I knew where I stood with Richards, I was either just a quarter or less than it away from being as good as Branden, and Tino said he was a score higher than Branden, okay he didn't really say that but something in those lines, Sieve was clearly better than Branden and I. Sieve's gaze shifted from Tino's to mine and our eyes met. He's right eye narrowed and he's brows squeezed together on his deep beige skin.

  ''You're familiar. . .I've seen you some where. . .''

  ''Yeah. . . Only in half of your classes.'' Tino said almost too proudly, but they was a little snicker at the end of it.

  ''Really? I don't think I knew that.'' He drawled as if in contemplation or consideration or it could have been realization, I couldn't tell, pausing before he continued to speak. ''Some where else.'' He's eyebrows drifted closer to his eyes, putting more effort in his line of sight, he put he's index finger at the top of his upper lip.

  ''Ohhh right.'' Tino had this knowing look on his face, nodding slightly at me.

  ''He's-" He started.

  ''He's!'' Tino wanted to say.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  ''The New vice.''

  ''Nicole Walker.''

  ''Wait what? No way.'' He backed up to me. ''Really, my girl friend loves that show. It is the one your Daddy directed? Right? Oh at what's he's Name again- Ryan- reds-"

  I was impressed. Really, he must have been the first guy to have not known Dad's Name, it was almost too good too be so true!

  ''Edward.'' I said.

  ''Frenado- Edward! See got it.'' He snapped his fingers.

  ''No. Dude you were way far off.'' A voice behind them said.

  I looked over them to see Federico. I smirked to see him. He looked better, although he's eye did look alittle still sore, a dark purple color had formed around the unlucky eye, but on the plus side he did look alot better, he seemed to be doing just fine. Now that I thought about it I hadn't spoken to Federico all weekend ever since he got mistakenly punched in the face. Up infront of me was him sheepishly squeezing in between Tino and Sieve.

  ''You okay?'' I inclined my head to study him properly. Remembering echoes of his whimpering and that weird grimace he had on, how could I ever forget that, not because it was partially my fault but because it's just too hard to forget.

  ''Tottally.'' Federico waved his hand in a dimissing way. ''Who knew that actually getting a black eye would save me from writing a stupid chem test that I only just spent two days covering up two week old shit.'' He shrugged.

  Tino had this flat bored look on his face, as his too wide smile had just about taken it's shift, once again, should I be counting? He's amiable eyes were, dark, they glittered hostility like the sheen on a piercing sharp sword, the shadowy odd folds, sketched on his face, tending to be hard, which rendered his eyes to be slits by now, his mouth drew a thin line filled with nothing but personal detest; Tino looked like this indifferent person, the way his supple face switched up, I couldn't recognize him, I squinted my eyes to remember that familiar face I thought was one I could only imagine to have, sadly at that moment my mind was all grey, this stone cut was all I had.

  ''So what were you guys talking about?''

  ''Do we really have to say, I reckoned you were only here to pass on greetings to My bud over there. Don't you have some where else to be?'' Tino's voice mirrored his expression, bitter and cold.

  If Federico was hurt by Tino's callous words, he just played dumb and numb, probably immune to it and brushed it off. I almost chuckled at the way he tried to cover it with a dry crispy laugh, as though it was a casual joke, as though blinded by the lies and chuckles, forced to put up with crap, pleasing in the covet of trying to get some sort of acceptance. It was imperceptible, if it was, then not to me, I had learned to pull out such calculated little fanatic acts. Stood in the mirror or infront of a wall alone and convinced myself it was all worth it if I wanted to be everything to my father, be his good son.

  I know these lies we tell ourselves.

  All for something in return, to keep the darkness out and to be accepted.

  It was up until now when I saw a glimpse of what manipulation looked like, naive and stupidity. Glimpse. Of. It. I'll lie to say not me. . .Not my own reflection. Not me infront of my Dad. Echoes of a reply of foreign voice finally brought me back.

  ''I reckon I'm free 'till Coleman says breaks over.'' He said, firmly with more confidence than I anticipated, brimming in one hell of a cocky smirk. Tino narrowed his gaze at his smirk. And we all Now could blatantly sense the tension growing between the two.

  ''Ummm, right. . .'' Sieve scratched the back of his neck. ''I have plans after practice.''

  ''Where off is it to meet a certain someone?'' Tino's gaze briskly shifted to Sieve, as it seemed to fracture a whit.

  ''Don't you mean someones?'' Federico asked, also paying attention to Sieve, tension between the two had some what cleared. And just like that our reflection of pretentious hysterics had resumed. Was it hypocrisy or maybe just the burden to try not to ruin everyone else good moods?

  ''Yeah. Is it Michelle from Math or Big Aliya?'' Tino actually agreed with Federico, how often do you see these two getting along, or agreeing on something based on the same terms, negative one to zero, ever since I got them together they've been sparking like fireworks, always stepping on each others feet, them actually agreeing on something still sounds like a joke.

  But I had to say, that sentence had an odd ring in my head.

  ''Big Aliya?'' I arced my right brow.

  ''Yeah. We just call her that 'cause of her majestic chest.'' Tino winked at me, with a look I remember him give me when he told me to stay away from gorgeous strange Blanca right after telling me they were other girls nearly as hot as she is.

  I shook my head and smirked. For me he gave me this different look; it was gaiety and fervent. Radiate and it was as nice as the blur of knowing someone your whole-- life? I couldn't finish that thought because I hadn't known Tino for my whole life but at times it did feel like that and this felt like one of those times.

  ''Neither.'' Sieve said indifferently bending to tie his shoe. ''It's Blossam.''

  ''Senior Blossam or freshman? Which one are we talking about?'' Federico asked.

  Being too in engaged in these stories was Federico, whether he liked them or not, made me wonder if he envied one for himself.

  ''Which ever one's Bluebird.''

  ''Senior. Hanging out with her?'' Federico arced his thin brow, run his hand into sandy blond hair on his newly high fade cut, when I said he actually didn't look that bad I wasn't playing, he looked steady, like at the edge of falling into recovery. It's either that Branden couldn't EVEN throw a proper punch, or Fedde does recover quicker than he gets up dead.

  ''We're Not JUST hanging out.''

  ''Wait so you're like dating a senior?'' Federico asked incredulously.

  ''Dated a couple.'' Sieve replied nonchalantly.

  ''Nice.'' Federico sang nodding at him swiftly.

  ''I'm meeting her at her place after school.''

  ''Really? I thought her Mom like put in a bad ass security guard that both of you guys can't bribe, like last time?'' Tino asked furrowing his features dancing around with surprise whilst playing with his fingers, in clasping them before folding them to his chest.

  ''Yeah. But he doesn't know me and her parents are out for the whole week till Monday next week, some business openings in Chicago. Don't worry I won't be a damsel in distress like last time her Mom caught us.''

  ''That woman hates you.'' Tino popped his eyes out saying it firmly.

  ''I did dive out of her daughter's window butt naked.'' He justified.

  Which shocked all of us, well nearly all of us.

  ''Whoa. Really?'' My eyes narrowed to slits. Folding my arms.

  Thinking closely about his words, had me working out something in my head, Sieve and his girlfriend. Something close and more intimate; particularly real mutual feelings for each other. Thinking, about an event that made me double think, it was earlier today the only time I ever heard the loudest noise at this school, would be during our lunch break, everybody would be speaking normally, each in their own cliques. Each divided into their own ranks. I sat next to the presumptuous, that comprised of jocks, girls and guys with school high positions, various sport players and Branden Richards.

  I mostly ever avoided him and sat far from him, he'd be on one end I'd be on the other end. He'd usually talk to our team of Basketball players, which included more than half of the guys who seemed to have problems with me. And I sat next to numbers of guys at the top of my fence class whom seemed to like me for obvious reasons really, and I had been sitting with them ever since I started attending this High school, a few girls were always around at times, either friends or girlfriends, and I had to sit and listen to rounds and rounds of stories about school affairs, home affairs, stupid mindless weekends, parties that I would have been a part of if I was here earlier in the year or if I could really stop turning them down.

  Right when I walked in, I noticed the same Damn arrangement with just a few of them traded seats but Branden and he's buddies kept their spot. I instantly noticed a member rarely to be seen registering on his side of our joined tables.

  What did she say it was again?. . . . ah yes, that good old ''brotherly~ sister'' relationship. That brotherly~ sister reference had his hands on either sides of her shoulders. Fondly stroking them up and down. As her head crowned skyward and he inclined his head over to look into her seductive deep green eyes, as she said something to him that made him chuckle, she took his seat.

  I could see the way he looked into those malicious green grassy sea eyes, around her square pretty face, those genuine smiles he waded out.

  'Oh So so very

  honest and sweet.

  Full of sincerity and bliss,'

  As much as I didn't like Branden and seeing him all haughty, however, it gave me enlightened smiles and uplifting moods to see him drop that disparaging scowl look inhabiting his face, it actually made me like seeing him that way for a change, and I glanced once more, what a look, he wasn't even trying to be subtle with his feelings toward her. The look he gave her was almost like his entire world revolved around her gaze, I actually saw a dressing on him that I found elusive to see in alot of others, unadulterated love, which was proving to be just like, searching for water in a desert, scarce but not impossible, he was inlove with her.

  She made me wonder for a second how she didn't see it, how his hard features lit up with her, how they was no more pride or glowering, just day light dancing and boyish acts. I prefigured at some point she had got to, I mean she's known him her whole life.

  The sound of a high pitched noise cut through my thoughts to my ears, deafening my hearing momentarily and I grimaced rolling my gaze to where it was coming from, that was a whistle, the sound of Coleman going stern again, break time was over, it was time to get our heads in the game.