Chap6: Encounter

"Thanks, thanks, but it was just the first game, so no big deal. And you, what's your name?" I said, playing it cool like I didn't already know.

-POV Cee-Cee

I stood off to the side, watching the scene unfold. Franklin was chatting with a girl, and I could tell he was loving the attention. He had that smile.

I let out a quiet sigh.

It's for things like this that I'm glad I followed him here. You never know what could happen, especially with a lot of people around. I could already tell she was the type to get too close.

-Cee-Cee's POV end

As I finished my conversation with Yvette, we exchanged numbers, and I could feel her excitement. When I finally looked up, I caught sight of my sister watching us from a distance. The way she was looking at me told me everything. I knew exactly what was going through her head. She was thinking I was already losing focus, that I was getting distracted by all this.

I could almost hear her thoughts—"Here we go"

I knew this was just the beginning of me having to prove I wasn't going to lose track of what really mattered.

And of course, I didn't escape her. She kept reminding me about it the whole way back to campus. Every few minutes, I'd hear her voice, sharp and serious, like she was trying to keep me grounded.

"Focus, Franklin. You can't get caught up in this stuff. We've got a whole season ahead."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes a little, but I knew she was right. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that she was overdoing it. It wasn't like I was about to forget the game or my focus. But she didn't let up—every turn, every little pause in conversation, she'd throw in another reminder.

It was kind of annoying, but in a way, I appreciated it. She had my back, even if it felt like a broken record at times.

Anyway, once everyone went their separate ways, I finally got some time to myself in my dorm room. I kicked back, relaxed, and made myself some lasagna—it was the perfect way to unwind after the game. The smell filled the room, and for a moment, everything felt calm, like the chaos of the day had faded away.

Later that night, after I finished eating and was just chilling, my phone buzzed. I glanced at it, and it was a message from Yvette. My curiosity piqued, I opened it.

You know how it goes. We started chatting, and before I knew it, we were flirting a little. She was easy to talk to, and there was definitely some chemistry. But in my head, I already knew—I wasn't looking for anything serious with her. I wasn't trying to make her my girlfriend. I just wanted to enjoy these college years, have fun, and let things play out without any pressure.

Still, I couldn't deny that it felt good to have someone interested, and I figured I might as well enjoy it while it lasted. College was about experiences, after all.

Few weeks have passed...

Now, I've finally got the legend, my agent, Dom Pagnotti. We met about two or three weeks ago, and I can already tell things are about to change. This guy knows his stuff.

-Flashback

Our first meeting. It was after one of our home games, and I met him at this café he had picked out. I walked in and saw him right away. He gave me a nod.

"Franklin," he said, shaking my hand. "No need for an introduction. Everyone knows who you are." He gestured for me to sit down, and we started chatting.

"Look, I've been following your season, and there's no doubt you're one of the top talents in this draft," he said, serious but not in an overbearing way. "But I want to talk about what's next. What you really want. How you want your career to play out."

I looked at him, intrigued but not overwhelmed. "And you think you can take me where? I've got people around me already, you know."

Dom locked eyes with me for a moment before cracking a small smile. "It's not about having more people. It's about having the right people. Making the right moves. You've got what it takes. What I do is give you the platform to take it to the next level. And we'll do it your way."

I sat back, taking it all in. Then I spoke, more confident now. "So, what's next?"

"Next," he leaned forward a little "We get you on everyone's radar. And it starts right here, with me. Shoes, cars, money, the power to protect your family if you sign with me you will have access to all this and even more."

I nodded without hesitation. "I'm ready."

He grinned and I could already feel the shift, like everything had just stepped up a notch. "Welcome to the team, Franklin. We're going to do big things together." He really is like in the game it's fascinating.

-End of flashback

I've grown quite a bit recently I'm up from 6'7 to 6'9 now. It's something that's definitely catching the attention of scouts. I know I'll top out at 6'10 and I can tell it's only helping my stock. I'm projected to go in the top 10 of the 2013 draft. But I know that doesn't mean I can ease up.

For now, I'm just staying locked in, taking it day by day.

With Yvette, things got physical—we slept together, many times, but that was pretty much it. No strings attached, no expectations. In my case, both knew what it was, and it didn't go beyond that.

As for Alanah, we worked on some group projects together, but when she started hinting that she wanted something more between us, I wasn't feeling it. I could tell she was interested, but I just wasn't in, so I kept things friendly but clear. It wasn't my focus, not with everything going on with the team and the season.

Things are going great. We've been winning most of our games, and the season is shaping up nicely. We're sitting at 18 wins for 3 losses one against LSU, St. John's, and the other against the Gators. But now, we're looking ahead to our next challenge: Kentucky, on Wednesday, February 6th. 

The team's been solid, everyone's focused. Every win feels like another step closer to where we want to be. But Kentucky's coming up, and I can feel the tension building. We're not taking anyone lightly, especially after that loss to the Gators two games before and a close game against Georgia after. It's time to lock in again.