| Chapter 24: All-star Slam Dunk Lauralee sat at her desk, trying to find the philosophical meaning of reality and unreality for her midterm. She looked at her notes, when her sight made her writing looked like a blue haze. Groaning, she stretched and rubbed her eyes, and realized she had been at it for 2 hours. “Why the hell do I need this stuff anyway?” She looked at her stuffed animals. “Reality is reality, who the hell ever heard of unreality?” Their sewn faces smiled at her. “Like you’d understand.” She got up, went to get a snack, and put her stereo on that was playing to Backstreet Boys’ “Hey Mr. DJ.” She danced to the kitchen, got a soda, and looked around. She was waiting for her favorite part. “Come on and work your body, work your body!” she sang. She was startled to the phone ringing. Turning down the stereo with the remote, she answered the phone. “Hello, Club Backstreet, how can I help you?” “Huh? Lauralee is that you?” Lauralee laughed. “Sorry Aunt Charlene, I was getting into the song.” “That’s OK, I would like to have my boyfriend on a CD whenever I miss him.” “True, true,” Lauralee sighed. “What’s up?” “Are you busy with anything tonight?” “Nope, just finished my studying. Why?” “I was wondering if you could watch Dominic. I was called into work the night shift, and I can’t find a sitter on short notice.” Lauralee’s aunt was a RN. “Sure, no problem. What time you need me there?” “About 7?” “OK, see ya later.” “Bye.” ~*~ Lauralee drove over to the house and smiled when she thought of her aunt. The baby of the family on her mother’s side, she was more a big sister role than an aunt role. Lauralee told her all of her secrets, and Charlene never told a soul. Lauralee always had to be careful about wearing her new clothes, because Charlene would be calling her in no time asking if she could borrow it and never return it. Charlene was a single parent, and her son Dominic was like the little brother Lauralee never had. Besides her mother and grandmother, her aunt was the only one she had told about Alex. She pulled up to the house and went inside. “Hello?” “Laulau!” A small figure ran up to her and grabbed her waist. “Hey Dommer, what’s shaking?” “Nothing much. Guess what? I rented a video game!” He held up the cartridge proudly. “Lucky guy! Where’s Mommy?” “I’m here,” Charlene came out of the bedroom and gave Lauralee a hug. “Hey honey.” “Hey,” Lauralee took a seat on the table. “How’s midterms going?” “Ugh, last one… Have you ever heard of unreality?” “Hmm, a beautiful house, a Mercedes, and a male waiter with pecs to bounce a quarter off of.” Lauralee laughed. “Exactly!” “I have to get going. You know where everything is,” she gave Dominic and Lauralee a kiss goodbye. ~*~ Lauralee and Dominic watched some TV, when she heard the door open. “Hello hello!” The voice blared through the house like a church bell. “Bianca!” Lauralee gave her a hug. “How are you honey?” “I saw your car outside, thought I would drop in. Hey Dom!” “Bianca! Want to play my video game with me?” “What you got?” “All-star Slam Dunk.” “My two favorite things wrapped into one: video games and b-ball.” “Dom, why don’t you get the video game ready so Bianca and I can chat OK?” Lauralee gave him the video game case. “OK,” he ran into the living room and Bianca and Lauralee sat down at the table. “So how’s school going?” “I actually asked my mom to go and give me money for a GED.” “That bad huh?” “Yeah… You’re so lucky to go to college, Lau.” “But I had to graduate to get there.” “True,” Bianca twirled her auburn hair. Lauralee smiled at Bianca. The girl was the most energetic 16-year-old she had ever met. Everything she did, her brown eyes sparkled. Although school wasn’t her favorite thing in the world, Bianca had other qualities. She was on her basketball team and did some acting, but her mother insisted that she at least keep a C average, which she did, barely. Lauralee sometimes forgot that she was 16, but their friendship was almost like a sisterly thing. “But, I signed up for another play after school at the local theatre.” “Boy, do I miss those days,” Lauralee sat back and looked reminiscent. “They need a piano player.” “No way, I don’t have time to even breathe anymore.” “OK, I asked. So any new college guys in the mix?” Bianca wiggled her eyebrows. “Oh, uh, not really, I have to much to do.” Lauralee folded her wiggling fingers together. Bianca may have been a good friend, but couldn’t keep a secret if her life depended on it. “Shoot, I was hoping I could get hooked up.” “Not for another 2 years baby girl. Besides, what about the guys at Central?” “Ew!” Bianca made a face like she ate a lemon. “I think it’s the cafeteria food that makes them act like pigs!” “Guys! The video game is ready!” Dominic called from the living room. “Let the wizard do her work,” Bianca cracked her knuckles as she grabbed the controller. ~*~ Lauralee sat there as she watched Dominic and Bianca play the game. “No!” Bianca threw her arms up in the air. “Yes!” Dominic threw his fist in the air. “I win again!” “Humph, I suck!” Bianca looked back at Lauralee and winked. She was too good of a video game player to lose, and too good of an actress to fake it. Lauralee smiled and winked back. “Well Dom, that’s your last game,” Lauralee turned off the Nintendo. “15 more minutes?” “No dude, you have school tomorrow.” “OK,” he gave Lauralee and Bianca a kiss goodnight, and went to his room. Bianca muted the TV and turned on the Nintendo. “Ha! Now let’s see who rocks the court!” Lauralee snorted when she heard her cell phone ring. She went to her bag and turned it on. “Hello?” “Hello Baybee!” Alex sounded like he was the Big Bopper. “Hey!” She looked at Bianca who was engrossed in the game. “Hold on a sec.” “Sure.” “I gotta take this, I’ll be right back.” “OK… No, not the foul!” Bianca screamed at the screen as Lauralee went outside. “OK, I’m here.” “Anything wrong?” “No, just someone who doesn’t know. I’m outside. Where are you guys?” “Just got back home for a couple of days. Nick’s over and is abusing my Nintendo.” “Déjà vu.” “Huh?” “My friend Bianca is here doing the same thing.” “I swear, he’s been playing this slam dunk game all day! Come on man, the TV isn’t playing, you are! Stop hitting it!” “All-star Slam Dunk?” “How’d you know?” Lauralee looked at the door and smiled. “Lucky guess.” “She doesn’t know?” “A 16 year old who has a big mouth, Alex.” “Gotcha.” “Why don’t I call you later? Seems like you’re busy, and I don’t want her to get suspicious.” “No problem. Hey, one thing though.” “That is?” “I love you.” “Love you too. Bye.” “Bye.” Lauralee clicked off the cell phone as she opened the door. “Yes! Who da woman! I’m in three-point land!” Lauralee shook her head as she went inside Chapter 25 Contents Chapter 23 |