Page 62 of High Baller

“Tracey, Madison can help you!” his mum yells at him, and gives him that look, the same look she gave Trey when he said no to meeting the women from the church.

I see him open his mouth to say something, but he stops. I lean into Trey as he wraps his arms around me. “I see the wine has started.” He gives my neck a kiss.

“The only way I’m getting through the night,” I tell him as I lean further into him, I can feel his mum watching us. “So, did she tell you to break up with me?”

“She’ll—”

“Yeah, yeah, I know, she'll come around,” I cut him off. I’m hearing the same thing from everyone now. All I can do is just let it be, and resign to the fact that she'll like me when she wants to like me.

I see his mum watching me as her and Madison stand in the kitchen. If they tell me why they hate me, maybe I can see if I can change all that.

Trey wraps his arm around my waist. I’m not sure if he's being extra touchy to show his family that we're together and nothing will change his mind, or he’s trying to make me feel like he wants me there.

I look away from the kitchen and listen to everyone talking about the first game. Derek got Ariel tickets too. They thought that the more people I know, the easier it'd be with his Ma and Madison.

Everyone walks out to the garden, and I stay put for a moment. “I’m just getting a glass of water,” I tell Trey as he stops and looks at me. “I’ll be fine. I don’t think they'll kick me out.” I glance over at them then back to Trey. “Would they?” Right now, I don’t know what they'd do to me.

“No, but if they do, I’ll be leaving with you.” Trey leans down and gives me a kiss. “Just don’t lose it too much.” He gives me a wink, then walks to the garden. He knows me well enough now to know that I’m staying behind to talk to his mum. As everyone’s outside, she might not be too bad with me.

“Mrs. King, would you like any help?” I ask as I pour myself some water.

She gives me a look of annoyance, then turns her back on me, returning to the food. “I’m fine.”

I gnaw on my lip. “I can help set the table.” I stop talking the moment she turns to face me. She looks like she has something to say, and a look that I’m scared of, but I’m not going to show her that.

Mrs. King takes a step closer, and I stand my ground. “You think that you can come into this house, and because you’re sleeping with my son, I’m just going to like you? That’s not the case. Girls like you—”

“White girls?” I question. She’s not saying the word, but I know it’s the reason she doesn’t like me.

“Yes,” she admits. “You come here and take the black man that has made something for himself, made a life worth fighting for, but if he was some broke black man, would you date him?” Her eyes burn into me.

“No matter what I say, it’s not going to change your mind about me,” I reply.

“No, it’s not, and you staying with him is breaking his family in two. Half like you the other does’t, but remember this. I’m his mother, and he'll do as I tell him, so have your fun with him because you won’t be around for much longer.” She nudges into me as she walks past me. “Trey, dinner will be ready soon.”

“Ma, you have to know that I’m staying with Sky,” Trey says, and I feel his hand on my lower back, “and we won’t be staying for dinner. Let’s go, shorty.” He’s not happy, so I know he heard what his mother said to me.

“No, your mother invited us for dinner. We're staying. If you want to leave, you can, Derek can drop me off,” I tell him. I’m not letting her win, I’m not letting them win. I get my emotions in check, then turn round. “Dinner smells lovely, Mrs. King. I bet it’ll taste just as good.” I walk outside to the garden where everyone's looking at me.

Derek goes to say something, but I walk past him. I need a friend right now, not someone who’s going to tell me that I’m going to be okay.

“Sky, you okay?” Calvin asks when he picks up his phone.

I told him to keep his phone on him just incase I needed to talk. He said that I'd be fine, and I was worried about nothing.

I shake my head. “I wish you was here,” I reply, and I wipe the tear away. I’m not going to show Trey’s family they've won tonight. I have no idea what their problem is with Trey dating a white girl, but I’m a little fed up with it now. I walk over and sit on the swing at the back of the garden.

“I’ll drop everything to come over, just say the word.”

“I know, I know you will, but I can’t lose to them—”

“But?” Calvin knows me too well. I need to make it harder for him to read me.

“Is it worth it? Rumor after rumor, hate after hate from his family? Is it worth it.”

“It’s worth it for me,” I hear Trey behind me.

I look up as he stands in front of me., and take a long, deep breath. “Calvin, can I call you back?”