My Boy Hood

Next few days were fine. On Wednesday Lala came to the school and I was prepared for her singing. Our practice went good, and she decided to stay for basketball practice. It was weird having her there, and some of the guys took notice of her. And it was the fact that they took notice of her that made them think that she was with me. So the locker room was fun.

“Don’t lie, Nickers. She’s got to be more than your ‘childhood friend.’” Gill said, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

Nickers? Really? I continued to tie my shoe, and again I said, “Seriously. We’ve known each other since we were six. Nothing more.”

Gill and a few other guys tried to press the issue. That was until a voice popped up, “Shut up, guys. If Nick says their nothing more than friends then take his word for it.”

I looked over, seeing Jeremy pulling his shoes out of the locker. I heard Sam back him up, “Seriously, Nick’s not the type to be modest about something.”

“Wouldn’t it seem weird to date your friend you’ve known for 10 years anyway?” Blake asked.

That question got the harassing off my back. I finished tying my shoe. I got up, grabbed my water bottle to head out the door. I had enough of the locker room, and I could feel a headache coming on. “Nicky!” Lala smiled, waving.

I waved back, grabbing a basketball from the rack. The thing I loved about Wednesdays was that Coach had meetings with the other facility. So he was gone for over half the practice, so he decided that Wednesday’s practices ended at 6 instead of the usual 6:30. It wasn’t too bad, but the whole time we’d split up into teams and play.

Two hours of playing basketball was quite refreshing, and then it was time to change. “Okay!” Lala exclaimed as we were walking down the street.

“What?”

“I finally convinced Mama to let me stay the night at your house.”

“Sweet.” I said, resting my arms on the back of my head.

“That means I can join your morning session of practicing at school!”

“How did you learn about that?” I asked.

“Summer texted me while you were playing basketball.”

Hm, I didn’t know these two were on such terms. Oh, well, as outgoing as Lala was, I’m not all that surprised. We made it to my house and went inside. “Just think about it,” She started, “This weekend is going to be great! I can’t wait!”

We were in my room and she was chilling on my bed as I spun around my computer chair. It wasn’t even six thirty yet. “Should we call for a pizza?”

` “Sure.”

I pulled out my phone and dialed the nearest pizza place there was. We had to wait a half hour for it to come. When the doorbell ranged we ran downstairs to open the door. I opened the door and I almost had a heart attack, “Blake?”

He blinked when he saw me, “Nick? What are you doing here?”

I felt like smacking him but held back, “I live here you dimwit.”

“What! Wait, I thought you lived in Paradise Acres.”

“That’s where Summer lives.” I sighed, “You’re getting everyone’s houses backwards.”

“Hey, Blake.” Lala said, popping in beside me.

“Hey!” He grinned, “Aw, what the hell? Throwing a party and didn’t invite me?”

I grabbed the pizza from his hand and handed it to Lala, “How much?”

“Ten eighty-three.” He sighed.

I gave him fifteen, “Keep the change… and have fun working.”

“Yeah, yeah, okay.” He said, stepping down the porch steps, “Bye Sarah!”

How did he know her name? Oh well, the smell of the pizza was getting to me. I shut the door after him. We stayed up and ate, and Dad came home late, but I was use to that, so it wasn’t a big deal. We went to bed early that night, and in the morning, we headed to my school.

Practice went well, and Lala left us early to make it to her first class. “Ugh…” I said that afternoon, landing my head on the piano.

I felt Summer pat my back. I sighed, “I’m just really nervous, you know? I mean, I know Lala will mainly be the one in the spotlight… but still…”

She tugged my shirt, a sign she wanted my attention. I sat up and she showed me her phone. It was a picture of a huge stadium, with a piano in the middle of a stage. She pointed at the piano then at herself, adding a small smile. “Are you trying to say that was you on the stage?”

She nodded, and started to type something on her phone: It was my first live performance in from of an audience. I went to a music school before I came here and I was in fifth grade when I first performed. Don’t worry about the audience, just worry about the piano in front of you. It’s scary at first because all you see at first is the crowd, but once you sit down and stare at the piano – the only thing you’re focused on is putting all your effort into playing.

That is when your confidence is born.

Confidence…