Page 79 of High Baller

Madison is one person I'm really not in the mood to talk to. I haven't spoken to her since that day at breakfast, and I wasn't planning on talking to her anytime soon, either.

“Did you talk to coach?" Derek asks as he walks with me to the living room.

"He said no, but I was thinking of just going. I—"

Derek shakes his head. ”Not happening. If he said no, then it’s no. If he finds out you went, fuck knows how long he'll bench you for." Well, that answers my question on if he'll help me or not.

"Derek—"

"Trey, I know how much this has got to you—you miss her, everyone can see it, but the answer is no,” Derek tells me. “I’ll go back and see if I can talk to her.”

That's the only option I have. I can't really say that Derek isn't trying; he calls her just as much as I do.

I don't say anything to him, but I send Sky another message to tell her that I miss her breakfasts; she made some amazing things. She left her homemade recipe book here, and I got my cook to try and make some of it, but they don't make it the same as Sky.

I hear the front door open, and see Madison walking right into the kitchen.

“Any idea what this is about?" Derek asks me as he gets up and looks over toward my mom and sister.

"No," I reply as I lean back into the couch and close my eyes for a minute. I haven't had a good night's sleep since that night. Part of it is because of Sky, the other part is I try and replay that night in my head over and over again, hoping that I'd remember something. I have absolutely nothing except for waking up to hell breaking loose.

"Trey, I've made you a quick chicken salad, and one for you, Derek." Ma hands us the plates, and we look at them. Derek sits back down, and we both look to the other couch where Ma sits by Madison. "Trey, I have to tell you something. I know that you're going to be mad, but I can't see you like this anymore."

I look at her in confusion, wondering what she talking about. "That night, I told Madison to get the girls in your bed, I knew if Sky saw you she'd end things with you, and—"

"And nothing, Ma,” I snap, anger boiling in my veins. “You did all this to break up Sky and me? I don't think you know what…” I rub my forehead. “Ma, did you really think…?” I stop, wondering how she could be so conniving. "The drugs?"

"I had nothing to do with that,” she says, holding her hands up. “Madison told me that she did it. She knew that was going to be Sky's breaking point, but I promise you, I had nothing to do with that." Ma starts crying while she tells me everything as I stand there and look at her in shock. I listen to every single word she's telling me, every single betrayal…

"You really hated Sky that much?" I ask her. "Or did you just really despise that I was dating a white girl?"

"Trey, I know this is late, but I'm sorry. I saw how much you loved her, but I saw it too late,” she sobs. “I should never have judged her on the color of her skin, I should've seen how much you like her, I should've seen how much you love her, and I'm sorry."

I shake my head in disbelief as I listen to her. This cannot be happening right now; this can’t be the reason Sky left me.

"Trey—"

"Ma, I love you, I'll always love you, but right now, I have nothing to say to you. I’m so fucking mad that I can’t even look at you,” I snarl. I glare at my supposed family. "I want you both to leave.” I storm outside toward my court, and start shooting some hoops. I need to do something, or I'll fucking lose it with them.

I see Derek walking toward me on the court, then he stops and stands under the basket to throw the ball back to me. He stands there in silence, and throws the ball back every time it goes through the hoop.

“They're gone?” I finally ask.

"Yeah, your mom feels horrible about it," Derek tells me, but I already knew that. The fact that my Ma was crying tells me she regrets what she did. She's my Ma, and I’ll forgive her in time, but here and now, I'm so fucking pissed and disappointed in what she did.

"Madison?" I ask, already knowing she won't be saying sorry that easily.

"She didn't say anything, but we both know she wouldn't," he replies, and I continue to throw the ball into the basket. "I'll tell Sky about this. I think she'll at least talk to you now."

"Yeah, she has to answer her phone first.” I bounce the ball as I wonder how I can get a message to her. I don't think Calvin is willing to help me at the moment. "Ariel still coming over for dinner?"

“Yeah." Derek walks over to me. "Hey, I know they fucked this up, but it's also a good sign for you. We have something to tell Sky now. Before, we had no idea what happened—now we do."

He has a point. This has to work now. I can answer the questions I’ve been asking myself since my life was turned upside down by my own blood.

I check my phone for the time, and add the hours for the time difference. Sky wouldn’t be in bed; it’s too early.

Trey - Are you free to talk?