Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 95520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
“Come on, Zah, go,” her dad bellows, pulling me from my thoughts.
I smile with pride as our family rises to their feet to cheer for her. I’m standing with my hair in my hands as I watch on. There’s one girl ahead of her, but Zah is gliding as she stays on her heels.
“Come on, baby,” I yell as she gets right up on the other runner.
Zah runs right by the other girl and leaves everyone in her dust. There’s a clear gap between her and the others. There’s no way they’re catching her now.
My baby glides right across the finish line. I roar with excitement and rush down to the sideline. Zah races over to me and slams into me as she hops on my waist, wrapping her legs around me.
She had been worried all night that she would choke in front of our family. I told her she could do it. I knew she would crush it. When she picked up her hip number and was given eleven, I knew today would be epic.
“You did it, baby. I’m so proud of you,” I croon as I hold her tight.
She cups my face and kisses me. I take the kiss a little further as I move one hand to her ass and grasp her face with the other. Whistles and catcalls ring out.
We’re used to that around campus. It’s not until throats are cleared that I remember where we are and break the kiss. I release Zah to allow her to slide down my front. Taking her hand in mine, I lace our fingers together as we turn to face our family.
Our dads are standing with expressionless faces and their arms across their chests. Our moms are on either side of them with smiles on their faces. I think we’ll be fine with them.
“How long has this been going on?” Mr. Nickels asks.
“Since about two weeks after I arrived,” Zah replies.
“Wait, you were the cheating boyfriend?” Erica says.
“I didn’t cheat.”
“He didn’t cheat,” Zah and I say at the same time.
“It was a misunderstanding. We cleared things up.”
Someone calls Zah’s name. She turns to find her coach waving for her to come over. Great, I’m going to be left to deal with this alone.
“I’ll be back,” she says to me as she grabs my bicep and lifts on her toes, puckering her lips.
I dip my head and peck her lips before she turns and runs off. Watching after her with a smile on my face, I take a deep breath. This isn’t really how we planned to do this. I guess we both got caught up in the moment.
I turn back to our parents and groan. This is the moment of truth. I look to Mr. Nickels and stand up straighter.
“What are your intentions for my baby girl, Coswell?”
“I’m in love with your Zahirah, sir. In a year or two, I plan to propose. I should be settled and in the league by then. We can wait to get married after she graduates. Maybe plan the wedding for the spring or summer of the following year.
“I’ll pay for grad school for both of us. I want to buy a house back home, but I understand we might have to move around for my team depending on where I get signed. I’m in full support of whatever Zah plans to do after school.”
“Sounds like you’ve put a lot of thought into this,” my father says.
My siblings are looking at me in shock, with the exception of Erica and Eddy; those two are scowling at me. I get that Erica is pissed we didn’t tell her sooner. It’s been eight months.
We’ve been home since we’ve been together, but there hasn’t been a moment to come clean. Neither of us has been in Arizona at the same time. Between camps and training with specialty coaches, we’ve been missing each other when going back home.
“Unbelievable,” Erica huffs.
Zahirah
Bentley pulls me into his arms and hugs me tightly as he kisses my lips a few times, then presses his forehead to mine. “I’ll see you after the game,” he murmurs against my lips.
“Have a good one.”
He releases me and waves to everyone else before he takes off. Butterflies fill my belly as I think of later tonight. We plan to hang out and celebrate.
“This is all so weird. Why didn’t you tell me?” Erica asks after Bentley is out of earshot.
I shrug my shoulders and bite my lip. “I don’t know. It just never seemed like the right time.”
“When you called crying to tell me a guy—my brother, who you slept with—cheated on you would have been a great time,” she whisper-yells.
I grab her by the arm and tug her away from her other siblings before they overhear. The last thing I want is for everyone to know I’m having sex with Bentley. Although they might already assume we are.