“I can do this!”
“And I'm here helplessly in love.”
âBlack Eyed Peas, “Don't Phunk With My Heart”
Â
Â
T
wenty-nine.
Thirty.
Thirty-one seconds.
There's my boo-boo,
Mina thought, a huge smile brightening her face as Brian's image rolled across the television screen for a few fleeting seconds. He was handsome in the dark blue Duke uniform, calf muscles flexing as he ran up the court. The camera even captured the glistening of his thick black curls, damp with sweat.
High-definition was the shiggity.
The picture faded into a commercial with big-busted girl-women in tiny tee shirts, and a sly murmur of approval made its way between JZ, Todd, and Greg.
Mina let their crude boob jokes and Jacinta, Kelly, and Lizzie's disapproval of them buzz over her head as she restarted the clock on her countdown to the next appearance of Brian's face on screen.
He'd gotten a lot of playing time, so far. Mina had been rewarded with a camera shot of him every thirty to ninety seconds.
The next best thing to being with Brian was watching him on television. At least that's what Mina told herself. The Duke game popped back on the screen. She stared intently, trying to ignore the snug seating arrangement on the large sectional sofa. Squeezed between JZ and Kelly, she was surrounded by couples to her left and right.
She'd imagined that having a Duke viewing party would be better than watching the game solo.
Color me wrong on that one,
she thought.
Instead of gossiping with her girls about the cute players and catching up on the latest DRB dirt, Kelly and Lizzie were in low-voiced discussions with Todd and Greg. They threw Mina a bone every now and then, responding if she said something to them but otherwise lost in their own conversations. She'd stopped bothering twenty minutes ago.
Even Michael, JZ, and Jacinta, her three aces in the hole as the only noncoupled people in the room besides her, had fallen through.
Michael sat in the easy chair, at the end of the sofa, actually into the game.
And JZ was hogging Jacinta. Anytime Mina tried talking to her, JZ, being silly and rude like a kid trying to get his mother's attention, interrupted.
Not that she's hating it all that much,
Mina thought, sneaking a glance at Jacinta tucked under JZ's wing.
Mina wriggled, making a breath of space on her quarter of the cushion. JZ spoke up and her arm vibrated from his loud voice, because they were sitting so close together.
“Man, this game sorry.” His arm dipped from around the sofa to Cinny's shoulder as he analyzed the game. “Florida State's basketball team ain't no match for Duke. Look how slow their point guard is and the defense not strong enough.”
“FSU balling better than I've seen 'em do before.You gotta give 'em that,” Greg said.
“And Duke not invincible,” Michael said, glad anytime there was actually conversation about the game. He rocked his chair back so the footrest popped up.
JZ scowled. “Sorry-ass Florida State fan.” His eyes, wide, skated toward the door in search of Mina's parents.
Mina laughed. “That's what you get, Big Mouth. But they left ten minutes ago.” She shook her head up at him, nagging in close range. “You didn't notice 'cause you were all up in Cinny's grill.”
JZ palmed her face, pushing it gently out of his own.
“Ay, first of all, I like FSU's
football
team,” Michael corrected, interrupting Mina and JZ's duel. “Now let me hear you talk smack during football season, punk.”
Todd and Greg laughed, co-signing.
JZ joined in. “You know I don't mess with Duke during football season,” he said.
“That's what I thought,” Michael said, snickering.
“Shhh,” Mina said. With some effort, she popped off the sofa, holding her hands up for silence. The camera followed Brian down the court. Clapping, she sang her support. “Go, Brian. Go, Brian. Two points. Two points.”
“Girl, sit down,” JZ said, nudging the back of her thigh with his foot.
She swiped at him, refusing to sit until the camera angle changed to a wide shot of the Duke players running back up the court.
“Are you gonna stand up every time?” JZ scowled. “I'm gon' miss half the game.”
“You said it was a sorry game, anyway,” Jacinta said coyly. Her eyes twinkled at JZ in a flirtatious wink. She put her hand up for some dap and Mina tapped it with her own.
“It is.” JZ sniffed with indignation. “But if y'all gon' make a brother come out and watch basketball, at least let me see the game.”
“We could turn to the Georgetown game,” Mina said with a sly smile.
JZ rolled his eyes. “They're not even playing today.”
“Lucky for you,” Mina said.
JZ bumped hips with her. “Man, whatever.”
“Ow.” Mina smacked his arm. “Stop, boy.”
JZ kept it up, bumping hips, smushing Mina even more between him and Kelly.
“It's not enough room for you and your phat booty, Mi,” JZ said, an innocent grin on his face. “You're practically on Kelly's lap.” He leaned on her, his shoulder pinning her between him, the sofa, and Kelly.
Kelly pushed back, trying to help Mina out, but was no match for JZ's strength.
Mina pushed at JZ's strong arms, finally squeezing her way out. She stood up, giving him the evil eye “You're ignorant.”
She squatted to sit back down and JZ moved quickly to fill the spot, stopping her mid-sit.
“Come on, Jay, stop playing.” She pouted.
“It's too crowded on the sofa,” he said. “Sit on the ottoman.”
“Here, sit on this side,” Jacinta said, making room.
JZ threw his body across Jacinta's lap, his long arms stretched out to take up the tiny space meant for Mina.
“I see I need separate y'all two as usual,” Michael said, shaking his head at their antics. “Come on, Mi, sit with me.” He scooted over, leaving a sliver of space for Mina to squeeze in. She settled in and stuck her tongue out at JZ.
In answer, he spread his legs and arms out in the new open space her absence left, grinning devilishly. “Ahhh, that's better,” he said.
Todd and Greg's exclamation over a play saved Mina from more taunting.
“Oooh, dude, did you see that?” Todd said. He and Greg high-fived. “Jay, watch the replay, dude. The shot was sick.”
“Did you make me miss Brian making a shot?” Mina asked, threatening.
JZ waved her off, his attention on the game.
The noise level went up as he and the guys analyzed the highlight.
“Brian on fire, ain't he?” Michael said.
“Uh-huh. Fifteen points, four assists, eight rebounds,” Mina said.
“Dang, I didn't know you were watching that close!” Michael's head snapped back as he eyed her, surprised. “Got his stats and everything.”
Mina's voice rose and she eyed her girlfriends pointedly. “Shoot, not like I have anybody to talk to.”
But her words and Michael's laughter were lost as the guys' voices grew more animated and the buzzing of the girls' mixed in as they began their own conversations.Within seconds, there were several different conversations going on at once on the sofa, an island of couples.
“Oh sure, now they talk among themselves,” Mina said, rolling her eyes in feigned offense. “Nobody wanted to say a word when I was over there.”
Michael's eyebrow steepled. “Like you wouldn't be all hugged up with Brian if he was here.”
Mina scowled in mock disagreement before smiling wide. “You know I would.”
“Leave 'em alone.You're just stuck with me tonight.”
Mina patted his thigh. “That's swazy too.” She fidgeted until she faced Michael, her hip corked into the crevice of the easy chair, their faces only a foot apart. “You never asked me what I thought about Rob. Scared I didn't like him?”
“Shoot, I figured you would have turned in your report already. But go ahead.” His eyes probed hers, brightening when she gave a thumbs-up.
“I like him. He rolled like he'd been chilling with us forever.” Her voice rose, high-pitched with excitement. “You know I love anybody who can hang tight with the clique. Oh my God, but if he doesn't remind me of you, I don't know who he reminds me of.”
Michael's chest shook as he chuckled under his breath.
“Uh-huh, you know exactly what I mean.” Mina's laughter mixed with the growing noise of the clique. “He was cracking on stuff and people like he'd known us forever. I was tripping off how straightforward he is.”
“Yeah, that's just him though.” Michael nodded toward their rowdy friends. “What did they think?”
“Everybody said he was cool.” Mina leaned in and pressed against Michael's shoulder. “So that means you can stop hiding him and invite him over more often.”
“I don't know about all that,” Michael said with a gentle shoulder nudge. “I told you, he's who I chill with to get away from y'all.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Mina rolled her eyes, then lowered her voice. “Jess thinks he's gay. She called him your boyfriend. But you know that's just Jess, always think she knows people's business.” Mina pretended not to see the disapproval in Michael's knitted brow. She rambled on to fill the awkward pause. “It's official, though. I like him. If I ever need to replace you, I'll give him a call.” She wriggled her shoulder against him to get a laugh, but Michael's return smile was weak.
“When did Jess say all this?” Michael said finally.
Mina's breath streamed in an internal sigh as she gathered her answer. She'd only brought up Jess's side remark because she thought Michael would dismiss it as Jess being her usual Queen Bee-self, their shared dislike for her mutual. She hadn't expected Michael to actually be concerned about the offhand comment. But his eyes, small in his face, were a mix of concern and what Mina was sure was fear. She put as much nonchalance in her voice as she could muster.
“The day he came and introduced himself to me.” Mina waved it off. “Man, forget Jess. I told herâ”
“Was Jay there when she said it?”
“No,” Mina said, understanding. She was relieved when Michael's eyes brightened and the worry knits disappeared from his forehead. She touched his leg, gently. “I know JZ can be a real tail about your design skills. But he's still your boy, Mike. If he'd been there he would have defended you.”
Michael snorted. “I don't need defending.” His eyes wandered to JZ, bouncing between low-talking to Jacinta and loud-talking about the game. “I just know if he'd heard Jessica say that, he'd be like, âMan, Mike, I told you people was gonna start tripping 'cause you designing girls' clothes.'”
Michael's laugh was uneasy.
Mina kept mum about the fact that Jessica claimed not to know about his fashion skills. Instead, she rolled her eyes. “That's 'cause Jay don't know what to say out of his mouth sometimes.”
“And
that's
why I was worried about what he might say when he met Rob,” Michael said. He cocked his head and glanced at Mina. “Rob
is
gay, you know?”
Mina swallowed, nodding vigorously in confirmation even though she had no idea if Rob was gay, straight, or ambidextrous. She hadn't known much of anything about the dude until recently. He definitely had a way about him that was a little on the feminine side. But so did Michael and ... well, Mina had never questioned if Michael was gay and had no plans to assume it.
She felt as if she'd walked into a trap when Michael stared into her eyes as if he were reading her mind, and probed. “You did? How?”
“I ... I mean, I didn't know.” Mina licked her lips, forcing moisture onto her tongue. “I just meant, no I'm not surprised. I ...”
Michael's tongue clucked as he exhaled. “So JZ not the only one who assumes then?”
Mina felt the disappointment radiating off him in thick waves. Her throat clenched with embarrassment, but she spoke low near his ear, defending herself vehemently. “It's not that I assumed. I mean you were the one who asked the question like you assumed I assumed.”
Michael chuckled without humor. He spoke in the same low, intense voice, his lips inches from Mina's ear. “Because I figured everybody would assume it anyway. And that's why I ain't wanna bring Rob around JZ.” His hoarse whisper, meant only for Mina's ears, seemed loud even in the noisy sunroom. “The whole night, I kept thinking Jay was going to tell some stupid homo joke, just to test Rob and see how he reacted.” He shook his head. “You know what's messed up about that?” He paused long enough for Mina to shake her head no. “I don't even know whose side I would have been on.”