STEPS AND HOOPS

Ep 4- Fk my life

He’s here. Isla thought, undoubtedly and excitedly. She could feel every nerve of her body coming alive by just recognising the voice.

She turned around and feigned surprise.

“Hey!”

Jamal gives her a grin, showing off his dimples and her breathe got caught in her throat.

Subtly, Isla clears her throat and motioned towards the grill. “It’s about three minutes from being ready, I could need help with plating it though.”

She looked up and noticed Jamal still staring at her, intensely at that. Isla felt blood rushing up to her face, she tried to deflect by focusing on the grill.

“I think the grills are ready now.”

She heard his voice again, but this time full of amusement.

Isla worked on getting her grills off, setting out the coals and preparing to plate the chicken.

“You’re not looking at me.” He said, while picking a plate and placing two pieces of chicken with a side of burger, just like she’d done.

Isla rolled her eyes and ignored him.

Which really him upset in a way? He thought.

He’d noticed her blue eyes before, last week.

But he’d only noticed that they were actually sky blue, or more like azure blue.

“I case you haven’t noticed, we have a lot if students to dish these out to, if you don’t mind?”

Jamal shrugged and continue helping with serving, they both worked in silence and they soon they were done.

Isla looked around, trying to find Aubrey.

“Looking for someone?” Jamal asked as he handed her a plate of her own.

“Aubrey,” Isla breathe and muttered a thanks.

“She’s setting up the fireworks, the captains are usually in charge of that.”

She c****d her head to the side and stared up at the really tall handsome boy. “Oh really? Why are you here then, and not there?”

She watched as he slowly smiled a crooked smile at her, both dimples lightly showing on his cheeks.

“I’d rather stay here with you, you intrigue me more than any fireworks Ariki.”

Isla could feel her face getting red, thankfully it is almost dark, so she thought. Jamal tilted his head to the side and addressed her amusedly.

“Nice to know I can put some colour on your face.”

If Isla thought her face couldn’t get anymore redder, she was joking, because her face was almost as red as the empty solo cup she was holding.

She scowled at him and brushed past him to grab a drink from the cooler, she could hear him behind her, her heart beating fast.

“Come on, I know a spot that will be perfect to watch the fireworks,” he said and collected her can of beer, handing her his own plate of food to hold. He filled his hands with several cans and two bottles of water.

Then he nodded at her to follow him, Isla followed him like she was entranced, the buzz from her drink earlier still in her head.

Just as they settled in, the fireworks started, and they slowly ate in silence while watching the fireworks. Suddenly, Jamal reached out and used his thumb to wipe the corner of her mouth, putting it into his mouth to lick it.

Isla’s eyes widened and she awkwardly cleared her throat, she hadn’t even realised that sauce had dribbled down her mouth. She sneaked a glance at him and met his gaze, his eyes was shining with mirth.

She cleared her throat again and looked away, looking everywhere but at him. Jamal laughed his breathy laughter again and her stomach clenched.

Realising she really wants him.

Isla stole a look at him and noticed him already looking at her, with hooded eyes. Heat pooled in her stomach, heading southwards, stomach fluttering.

Not wanting to be the first to look away, she held his gaze defiantly.

He smirked at her and leaned closer, looking right into her eyes and whispers, “I feel like really kissing you right now under these fireworks.”

That was all it took for Isla to lose her mind, and a summer of whirlwind romance.

** ** **

“You sure know how to pick them mom,” Isla uttered her first words to her mother from ever since they boarded the plane to this place.

“Daddy’s alimony is enough for you?” She asked with malice dripping from her voice.

Her mother ignored her and parked after driving up the long driveway.

“Look, my marriage with your father failed, I followed my happiness and I know you will be happy here too. You’ll get to play basketball, Noah’s son is also a basketball player, there’s everything here just as back in Auckland.”

Isla rolled her eyes and stared out the tinted windows of the rental car, a man was waiting for them by the fountain where her mother had parked, she guessed that would be the new man.

“Wouldn’t want to keep Noah waiting then.” She muttered and opened the door, stepping out and slamming the car door.

Without as much as a glance to the man standing outside, she stalked towards the large house, no, a mansion.

Isla met a middle age looking woman at the front door, who smiled kindly at her and escorted her in.

“Susanne...” she heard the man call her mother just before she stepped through the doors and into the foyer of his home.

Releasing a breathe she didn’t know she was holding in, Isla looked around subtly while following the woman, who led her into the living room area.

The whole place reeked of money.

“You can look around miss Ariki, while I get your luggage.”

Distractedly, Isla nodded and began wandering around the house. She walked into a hallway with pictures on both sides of the walls, family pictures she observed and moved closer to get a better view of his son, who looked oddly familiar.

He looked about thirteen in the picture, wearing a medal and holding a basketball under his arm. Noah had his arm around his son and they were both grinning at the cameraman, both had identical dimples.

Isla looked around, looking for a picture of the mother but not finding any. Just pictures of the son whose name she’s yet to know, from when he was a boy until his teenage age.

“Mom said he was about my age, why am I not seeing pictures of him being my age? I should know him since I camped here for basketball.” She mumbled to herself as she continued down the hallway, admiring pictures, medals and trophies. Just until….

“Oh God!” She whispered aghast, in disbelief.

“No! What? Jamal???” She stared at a tiny frame, tucked placed in between two trophies, she would’ve missed it if she weren’t looking so closely.

“That is my son, you must have met him. Anne said you were here for the summer basketball programme.”

Isla ignored him, still staring with shock at the picture, his handsome face looked much younger, probably seventeen or so. He had lost the boyish smile that was featured in almost every other picture, instead he had a smirk on, and a basketball balanced on his forefinger in the picture.

Isla felt her stomach drop, blood draining from her face, she gasped softly as her knees buckled under her.

The boy she had given her virginity to last summer, the boy she likes, the boy she couldn’t wait to see in school on her first day, is to be her stepbrother? Talk about the unpleasant surprises!

“f**k my life.”