Page 52 of High Baller

She can say anything she wants to Ma, but it won’t make any difference. The moment Madison comes here, no matter what Jade, Sean or Tracy say, Ma will only listen to her because she doesn't like Sky.

***

One week without seeing Sky, and it's been horrible. We've spoken every day. She's traveling to New York tomorrow, but coach wouldn't let me take a day off to go visit her there. Sky was looking at a way to come to LA, but her flight back to England will be sooner, making it very tight for us to see each other.

I lean back on the couch. Derek and Ariel have been around every day this week to keep me company, and I told them I'd be fine, but I’m happy they came as it took my mind away from Sky.

“How’s your mom been with you?” Derek asks, holding out a beer.

I take it as he joins me on the couch to walk a college game. "Well, she hasn't spoken to like she normally does,” I reply. She told me to stop being an idiot and dump Sky. Madison’s still calling her every name she can think of, so I think they're warming up to her. This week, with talking to Sky on the phone, I got to know things about her that I've never learned about any other girl in my life.

She told me how hard it was for her in foster care, but she told me that she doesn’t want pity over it, as it's made her who she is today, and in Sky's words. 'One kick ass woman.' That’s very true; she doesn't take shit from others. The way she stands up to Madison is a surprise, as no one ever says anything to her.

This week, I had to phone her, as there was an old picture of me at a restaurant with a girl, but they said it was this week. I know what the press are like, but Sky doesn't, and I think that's the worst part of this.

Not being together and having to read all the shit they write about me, is what's going to test us. When I spoke to Sky about it, she said that she believes me, and as long as we're honest with each other, then we have nothing to worry about.

She did also tell me that she googled me, and I can't blame her. I thought she would've done it earlier in the relationship. I told her that was my past, and she's my present and future. I know that she read about my previous hook ups, and how they were, but she stayed quiet about them. I told her that nothing like that will be happening again, but the more stories that get out there, the more it's looking bad for me.

"They'll come around. I'm sure Jade’s fighting your case. Have you spoken to Sky today? I mean it's only been a week, and you can already tell that—"

“Yes. I know it’s starting to get hard, but, like you said, it’s only been one week. I can do two weeks no problem,” I tell him, and that’s what I’m going to keep telling myself. Focus on basketball, going to training, come home… Easy. I turn to Derek as he starts laughing.

"The way girls are always grinding up at the club—"

“Don’t finish that sentence, I’m not going to cheat on Sky.” I smile as I think back to the conversation we had the other night. She had me laughing so hard. She was making fun of the fact that these girls are always trying to get me in bed with them. She started making jokes about herself, and why she’s dating me.

“You think—”

"Trey," Ariel cuts Derek off, making us both look at her. "You might want to call Sky. I don't think she's going to like what's she might be reading." Derek takes the phone off her and starts looking through it.

I take the phone off him when I see his eyes widen. “What the fuck? I never slept with these girls.” The picture is from the other night at the club. I remember them dancing in the VIP with us, but the moment they came over to me and started getting a little too close, I moved far, far away from them, but someone got a picture of one of them kissing my cheek.

“I’m on it.” Derek’s got his phone to his ear and walking around the room as I continue to read the article.

I did not have a threesome in the fucking club. How the hell am I meant to talk to shorty about this?

“They aren’t telling me who sold them the story,” Derek explains. “I'll see if they gave their names at the door.” He puts the phone back to his ear.

"If their name is on any list, make sure they don't fucking come back," I tell him as I get off the couch and walk over to him. "What the hell am I meant to tell Sky?"

“Why are you asking me?”

"I need to ask someone. It's been one week, and this is already the second shitty thing they've written. You really think she's going to believe anything I say?"

"Sky said she had your back, and she knew this could happen," Derek tells me. He walks away as he talks on the phone to the door staff, and I check my watch to see what the time is. It's five in the morning in England, so Sky will be fast asleep. I don't want to wake her up as she has to fly out tomorrow, but I don't want her to find out from Calvin either.

I walk away from Derek and Ariel as I hear the ring tone. I lean against the pool table, waiting for Sky to answer.

“Hello,” she says, her voice sleepy.

"Sorry for waking you, shorty," I tell her. Now I have to wait until she wakes up a little before hitting her with the news. "I knew you were sleeping, but I just wanted to talk to you."

“And what would you like to talk about?” she asks, but it really doesn't sound like she's awake. I look over at Derek as he gives me a nod, letting me know he knows who they are, and he'll get it sorted out. “Trey, is everything okay?” I must've been quiet longer than I thought.

“I wanted to talk about some pictures. They’re on the internet… I wanted you to know before someone else showed you.” I wait for her to say something to me, as I don’t know what else to say to her.

"Are they true?" She still sounds a little sleepy but more awake than when I first called her. I'm hoping it's sleepiness that's making her voice sound the way it is because I feel like it's also this news I've called her about.