{Craig is talking to himself} [Craig is texting someone]
Chapter 1 Ready to Start
Here I am, sitting again, looking at these damn composition notebooks. There are so many ideas in my notebooks, uncompleted. All the Tame Impala in the world can't get me in the creative headspace to finish these stories. I just recently graduated college at Key University with a BA in Media Communications. It all seems surreal right now, sitting in my room in this apartment I share with my older sister Keisha Turner. I have no job currently, so I'm essentially freeloading. I do got a job interview in a couple of hrs., but if I'm being frank, I'm not feeling too good about it.
Maybe I'm just not that marketable. But I know one thing that I am right now. Hungry. I hear Keisha in the kitchen, probably getting ready for work.
"Oh, great, she's here, Megan Winston, the bane of my existence and my first crush." She also happens to be my sister's best friend.
Megan grew up in California; she and her dad would always watch Lakers and Sparks games on tv and sometimes in person. These little moments with her dad made her love for basketball grow, and she started playing basketball almost daily. Then her dad got a job in Key City, Georgia. She would have to move from the sunny beaches of California to the other side of America in the suburbs.
She was waiting at the bus stop when my big head sister started talking to her.
"You new?" Keisha says to girl.
"Yeah, I just moved here from California."
"Really! Like Hollywood, California."
"Close enough, Los Angeles."
"Oh, I just thought you were a fan of winners wearing that jersey. My name is Keisha, by the way."
"Hi, and it's because Kobe is just the best."
"He is pretty good."
From this little interaction, she and my sister became fast friends. One day they were playing basketball when her ball popped. So, my sister decided she could have our ball. I mean, we don't use it. So, she was awkwardly waiting for my sister in my living room as Keisha tore up the garage looking for a basketball.
"Uhhh...Hello. Can I... My mom says coming out from the back hallway.
"Hi, ma'am. I'm here with Keisha."
"Oh, okay...KEISHA!!!
"Yeah, mom!"
"Who is this white girl in my living room!"
"Megan! She just moved in three houses down from California!"
"Okay! Megan from California, nice to meet ya, baby."
"N..Nice to meet you too, Mrs. Turner."
"Mhmm," Mom says, walking outside to the garage.
"What's going on in...I paused because I saw an angel. I never knew I could be attracted to a white girl. But, at that moment, I knew.
"Hi you must be Craig."
"I"
"Ughhh, I can't find it. Hey Craig, have you seen the basketball."
"I"
"I... what. Keisha snaps her fingers. What's going on?"
"Is he okay"
"Can you not freak out, my friend, Craig"
"It's in my room."
"Go get it then."
"Yeah, okay..."
I was in a trance as I grabbed the ball from my room. I handed it to my sister, then she spoke to me.
"Hey, you wanna shoot around with us?" I just nodded in agreement; I took that invite and came out with them daily to shoot around. My sister doesn't even like basketball, but with Megan's help, she developed a wicked jump shot. I, of course, followed suit, but I am just generally unathletic. Megan was so friendly to me even when I had a bad day at school, and I could always rely on her to make my day better. It was the first time I ever felt that way about any girl. Then something changed.
It was Valentine's Day; I got her favorite candy, some Twizzlers sweet and sour. A card was attached to it with a letter that I wrote about how I felt about her. It was probably the best piece of writing I have ever written because it came from my heart. She was at the local basketball court down the street from our houses. They turned when they saw me, and she smiled at me. My sister grimaced, of course.
"Hey, Megan...Keis."
"Sup, bro"
"Hey, Craig. What ya got there?"
"I got you a Valentine's Day gift and card.
"Oh my god, I've never gotten one of these before."
"Oh, well, I'm happy to be your first."
"You dweeb, where is my valentine's day card?"
"I will get you later."
"Of course, you will."
"Come here, Craig." She pulled me into a nice, sweaty hug. God, I didn't wash that shirt for a week. Yeah, I know I'm a freak, but I was in love. Something changed after that day, and I went home on cloud nine. I woke up the next day, excited to see if she had read my letter. I met them again after school at the basketball court.
"Hey Megan"
"Oh great, it's Craig."
"What's up, Craig"
"I ah, I wondered if you read my letter?"
"No, I haven't read your letter."
"Oh...Okay, uh, are you gonna read it anytime like soon."
"Craig, it's in the trash." My heart dropped into my chest. I'd never felt anything like the emotion I felt at that moment before I could process what just happened as I stared at her face. The expression on her face was cold and flaccid. Keisha let out a big laugh.
"HAAAAA!!" Oh my god, you should see your face. You look like the one time you didn't get a Nintendo DS for Christmas. Oh, man." Keisha says, laughing, holding her stomach.
"Anything else you wanna know, Craig," Megan says, lifting her left eyebrow at me.
"No. I said.
"Megan doesn't want to play with you anymore, so bye. Keisha says while continuing to laugh some more." I turned around and walked back home with my tail between my legs. I didn't eat that night; I just lay in my bed staring at the ceiling. I wanted to cry. Okay, I did cry. Why did I make it weird for her? Why was being a creepy little brother?
That moment changed everything; Megan started to be downright mean to me. But, despite that, I still supported her and attended every one of her basketball games. She was amazing, always the catalyst for her team, and was simply all-around better than the competition. She was driven on the court as a girl possessed with winning at all costs, quickly becoming the best basketball player in the state, boy or girl.
