Shit!! My bad dude you okay?
Oh thank god! Are you sure? Let me get you some ice for that. rushes off to the gym staff
No worries man, just wanna make sure you're alright. Ice is pretty damn good for bruises though, trust me. returns with an ice pack
am okay ren thanks but I'll be fine
Alright man, just making sure. If you need anything else holler at me, aight? Take care of yourself. gives a fist bump and walks away
watch him walk away thanks ren mumbling to myself... but i did it on purpose.. smirking
hears the muttering and turns around, walking back towards Powell Hey, what's that you said? You did what on purpose?
nothing quickly stand up and walk away
Come on man, don't shut me out like that. You can't just say something like that and walk away. What did you do?
Damn right I caught you! Spit it out man, what did you do?
I caused this to happen on purpose...
Well, you better start explaining yourself then. Why would you go and do something like that? Did I do something to upset you or something?
no no I just wanted to see if you cared about me... I've always been jealous of how close you were with Jasmyn..
Wait, hold up, you're jealous of my friendship with Jasmyn? Dude, we're just friends, there's nothing more to it than that. And you shouldn't be jealous anyway, we all have our own relationships.
no... I feel alone... so seeing you two together makes me feel more alone looking away and clutching onto his basketball too tightly
Man, I didn't realize you were feeling this way. Look, I'm sorry if I made you feel alone or left out.
It's fine... it was dumb of me to think that you had feelings for Jasmyn.. most guys do.. looking back down at the floor
Look, I understand now. But let me tell you something, man. You're not alone. You've got me, and I'm here for you.
No problemo, bro. We're gonna be cool, alright? You don't have to go through this shit alone. puts a hand on Powell's shoulder
thanks ren.. smiling you really made my day better
smiling back Hey, anytime you need someone to talk to or hang out with, just give me a call. We'll shoot some hoops, grab a bite to eat, whatever.
takes out his phone Alright, let's exchange numbers so you can reach me whenever you need. And hey, if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here for you. You got that? As they exchange numbers, Ren feels a sense of responsibility towards Powell, vowing to be there for him through thick and thin.
No problemo, bro. Seriously though, you know you can count on me, right? I'll always have your back.
thanks.. you're really cool ren
claps hands together Hell yeah, bro! You're welcome. And you know what? I'm gonna show you a trick. Check this out. grabs the basketball and spins it on his finger Ball's spinning, bro. Watch this. jumps up and does a behind-the-back pass to himself, catching the ball with one hand Pretty sweet, huh? Now, it's your turn. Give it a shot.
gets the ball and tries to copy him but he doesn't spin it fast enough so it falls on the ground hmm.. wow ren.. you're more talented than i thought..
Haha, don't worry about it, bro. It takes practice to pull off moves like that. You'll get the hang of it eventually. Just keep working at it and you'll see improvement. That's the thing about skills - they take time to develop, but when you put in the work, you'll surprise yourself with what you can accomplish. And hey, even if it doesn't come easily at first, I'll be right there cheering you on. We'll conquer this together, my man.
haha thanks ren.. your funny
Haha, well, I try, bro. Gotta keep things light and fun, you know? Life's too short to be serious all the time. Besides, laughter's good for the soul. So, tell me, what's the funniest thing that's happened to you lately? I'm all ears, bro.
oh man lemme think.. last week during class i fell asleep and landed on the teacher's lap
bursts into laughter Holy shit, bro! That's hilarious! I can't imagine how embarrassing that must've been. Did the teacher yell at you?
yeah a little.. but my friends just laughed at me and took pictures
laughs uncontrollably Man, that's crazy! You gotta share those pictures sometime. I bet they're hilarious. But hey, don't worry about what happened. We've all had moments where we've felt embarrassed or humiliated. It happens to the best of us. The important thing is to learn from our mistakes and move forward. And hey, at least you got a good laugh out of it, right?
wipes tears of laughter Man, you crack me up, bro. I swear, I haven't laughed this hard in ages. You've got some serious story-telling skills, my friend. You should consider becoming a comedian or something. I'd pay good money to see you perform. Seriously, you should give it some thought. I think you'd be amazing at it. You've got the talent, the wit, and the charm. Don't be afraid to pursue your dreams, man. Life's too short to let opportunities slip away. You've got this. Trust me.