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BRANDON PATTED HIS FACE with a white cotton towel as he sat on the cushioned block placed only a couple of centimeters in front of the locker with his name on a plaque.
The other cushioned blocks and lockers were placed in in a circle around the carpeted locker room and it was lit up blue from the neon 'UK' on the ceiling.
On his left was Terrence who was slumped against his locker, exhausted from their practice as well.
The two had just finished putting some extra shots up and practicing their ball handling.
"If this is just practice... This season is going to kill me." Terrence said.
Brandon leaned back onto his own locker, "I feel it. Coach was on one today."
"He was right though. I need to work a bit on screens." Terrence yawned, "Yo, as soon as I get back to my dorm, I'm going the fuck to bed."
In the side pocket of Brandon's gym bag resting in between his feet, his phone began to ring with a phone call.
Brandon took the phone into his hand then let out a tiny sigh before answering, "Hello?"
"Hey, BJ... What are you doing?" Nicole's voice sounded slightly tentative.
"I just got finished with practice." Brandon closed his eyes in slight resignation.
"Oh. Well-."
"You can't keep doing this." Brandon said quickly.
"Doing what?" Nicole replied in the same tone.
"You know what. You can't keep calling." Brandon said in an overly patient tone.
"I just miss you. I didn't know that it would be this hard." Nicole said.
"Yes, you did. That's why you said to end things," Brandon continued to pat his forehead with his towel.
"I... I know. I just wanted to say that I hope you had a good first practice and that... I'm really proud of you. Hope to see you soon."
"Thanks. I appreciate that. Have a good semester." Brandon responded, ignoring the last part of Nicole's sentence."
It wasn't that Brandon didn't miss Nicole.
He did but the only thing that Brandon was truly concerned about at the moment was winning game after game after game this season.
Once Nicole had hung up, Brandon slumped backwards again.
"Who was that?" Terrence raised a brow.
"Nikki. She's been calling on and off since I left California." Brandon mumbled, "I wish she would just stop. Like it was her decision to end things so we could both move forward but now I'm that actually doing that she won't leave me alone. Females are so confusing. Always on some shit."
"Just block her and be done." Terrence shrugged.
"I can't bring myself to do that." Brandon admitted as he stood up and shrugged on a dark gray hoodie.
"If you don't, she's just gonna keep calling. Just give it a clean break if you're not planning on getting back with her." Terrence advised, "You're not getting back with her, right?"
Brandon gave his friend a look as he tugged on the matching pair of joggers over his basketball shorts, "I'm definitely not. Speaking of girlfriends, 'cause you know Kylah is gonna ask if I don't. How's Nyree?"
"She's good. I just talked to her early this morning. She moved into her dorm Monday I think." Terrence said.
"This long distance thing ain't hard?" Brandon asked.
"I mean... We've always been long distance. This might be the closest we've ever lived." Terrence nodded as he pulled on his own Champion joggers, "FaceTime becomes your best friend."
"You driving down there?" Brandon put his gym bag over his left shoulder.
"When I can. My car is shit right now. It's like one oil change and it's probably gonna break completely down." Terrence groaned as the two boys started to walk out of the empty locker room.
"Just take it to Pep Boys or something." Brandon replied in a casual tone.
The basketball team had been allowed to move in a couple of days early so the campus was still empty.
The buildings around them were brick laid and huge, slightly resembling a colonial style of house.
The pristine sidewalks were lined with trees and neatly trimmed rose bushes.
"I don't have the bread for that right now. Unless she comes to me, it's looking slow for seeing her." Terrence replied.
Brandon shook his head as the two turned right to start heading towards the dorm for basketball players.
"Yeah. Being single might be the right decision, at least for right now." Brandon readjusted the bag on his shoulder.
"Speak for yourself." Terrence chuckled.
Brandon simply shook his head again, "All I know is that you and Nyree together better not fuck your head up for the season."
Terrence sucked his teeth, "I'm good. My priorities are straight."
"Yeah, aight, nigga." Brandon replied as the doors to their dorm automatically forced themselves apart.
Terrence snickered but dapped up Brandon as he went on to his room located on the first floor.
Brandon brushed back his hair out of his eyes a bit before heading to the staircase placed on the side of the dorm.
