Imagi Mark

Sterlin glanced at his watch, its ticking hands taunting him as they hovered over 3:30 PM. Two hours until warm-ups. He leaned against the bleachers in the school gym, his head hanging low as the weight of the upcoming game pressed on him. His entire body buzzed with anticipation and nerves, his usually steady confidence slipping away.

"Dammit, it's still not 5:30," he muttered. "I've got two more hours before I can even start warming up. Not even playing yet—just warming up."

From behind him, a voice filled the air, accompanied by a familiar earthy aroma. "Damn, man. You're real excited to blow a lead again, huh?"

Sterlin's head snapped up, his brow furrowing as he turned to see Leo strolling toward him, his gym bag slung casually over his shoulder. "Fuck you!" Sterlin shot back. "I was the only one who had the guts to take that damn shot."

Leo smirked, clearly achieving his goal of pushing Sterlin out of his self-pity. "Look, you're not crying about the time anymore, are you?"

Sterlin groaned, immediately dropping his head again. "Shit, you just reminded me."

Leo gave him a hearty slap on the back, plopping down beside him. "Lighten up, dude. Besides..." He lifted his bag and flashed a grin. "Coach talked to Ms. Heinemann. I'm back for the finals."

Sterlin's eyes lit up with excitement. "Wait, they're letting you play? What happened to the suspension?"

Leo leaned back, looking smug. "Eh, just two days of in-school suspension. Guess they figured the team couldn't win without me. Good ol' divine intervention telling me to stop bringing weed to school."

Sterlin sighed, his smile fading. "I told you to stop bringing that shit to school, man. You could've missed two games in a row. We need you."

Leo shrugged, chuckling. "Relax. It's handled." Then, as if the thought had only just occurred to him, he tilted his head. "Wait, where's Daniel? He was in school, wasn't he?"

Sterlin frowned, looking equally confused. "Yeah, but I haven't seen him since this morning. Where'd he go?"

Leo snorted. "Nigga, I don't know. Do I look like his dad? Maybe he's off being all righteous or whatever."

Sterlin rolled his eyes. "You know I get anxious about stuff like this."

Leo's face twisted into an exaggerated smirk as a thought hit him. "That and bitches." he said, bursting into laughter.

Sterlin scowled, standing up and glaring at his friend. "You're such an asshole." he muttered.

Leo's laughter grew louder, his head tilting back as he fought to catch his breath. The sheer absurdity of his own joke had him in stitches. Sterlin took advantage of the moment, stepping behind him and locking him in a headlock.

"Hey, chill, chill!" Leo managed through fits of laughter. "Alright, alright, you win! Damn, nigga, I was just joking!"

Before the situation could escalate, the two boys were suddenly yanked apart as if they weighed nothing. Daniel stood behind them, his hands firmly gripping their collars. His towering frame and Southern drawl added to the aura of authority he effortlessly carried.

"Goddammit, y'all are always fighting," Daniel said, shaking his head. "Can't leave you alone for five minutes."

Sterlin smirked. "Now you decide to show up, Captain Save-a-Hoe?"

Leo snickered, but Daniel ignored the jab, his gaze narrowing as he sniffed the air. His expression darkened. "Leo, you still didn't learn your damn lesson, did you?"

Leo grinned, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Geez, man. Be cool. You're blowing my high."

"You're blowing my mind thinking this is the right time for that shit." Daniel shot back, his tone sharp. "Seriously, you need to cut it out."

Leo's face shifted, his usual humor replaced with something darker. He stared at Daniel, his jaw tight. "Don't fucking judge me, Danny. You don't know what I'm dealing with." His voice cracked slightly before he plastered a forced smile on his face. "I can't even be mad, though. You're Sterlin's friend, not mine."

Before either could respond, Leo grabbed his gym bag and stormed out of the gym. The echo of the heavy door slamming shut left the room in silence.

Sterlin looked at Daniel. "He didn't mean it. He's just going through a lot at home."

Daniel sighed, his shoulders slumping. "No, he's right. I don't treat him like a friend. I've known him for a while, but we only ever hang out through you." He paused, his voice softer. "Maybe I'm jealous. You're his best friend, not mine."

Sterlin stepped closer, meeting Daniel's gaze. "Danny, you and Leo are both my best friends. There's no favoritism."

Daniel chuckled lightly, though his expression was tinged with sadness. "I like you, Sterlin. You're a nice guy. Too nice. You lie to make people feel better." He turned and walked toward the gym doors, throwing a smile over his shoulder. "But I'm not mad about it. Keep being you."

"Wait!" Sterlin called after him, but Daniel waved him off and disappeared through the doors.

Daniel wandered through the hallways, his mind racing. He knew where to find Leo. His nose twitched as the faint smell of weed wafted toward him, leading him to the outside basketball court.

Sure enough, Leo was there, sitting with his back against the wall, a half-lit Dutch between his fingers and a basketball near his foot.

"Leo." Daniel called, his voice firm. "Didn't you just get in trouble for this?"

Leo didn't even look up. "If you're here to preach, save it. Go back inside."

Daniel sighed, sliding down the wall to sit beside him. "Shut up, man."

Leo chuckled, finally taking a long drag and exhaling slowly. "So what? You're gonna babysit me now? Go ahead, let me hear it."

Daniel shook his head. "No sermons today. But you've been smoking at school a lot lately. I know it's more than just messing around."

For a moment, Leo said nothing, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "You know how my mom had cancer, right?" he asked, his voice quieter than usual.

Daniel nodded. "Yeah. But she beat it."

Leo laughed bitterly. "Yeah, she beat it. And then she caught COVID. Her body wasn't strong enough to fight it off." His voice broke, and he rubbed at his eyes. "She died yesterday."

Daniel froze, his breath catching in his throat. He instinctively placed a hand on Leo's shoulder. "Leo, man, I'm so sorry."

Leo forced a smile through his tears. "I came here today because I couldn't let you guys down. You're all I've got left. My brothers. You're my family now."

Daniel pulled Leo into a hug, both of them sitting there as the weight of the confession hung between them.

After a few moments, Leo sniffled and stood, grabbing the basketball. "Let's play, Danny. Just for a bit. I need to get out of my head."

Daniel hesitated, but seeing the determination in Leo's eyes, he nodded. "Alright. Quick game to seven."

Leo smirked, tossing him the ball. "Let's go, Southie. Show me what you've got."