The next few months go by pretty fast, school is still boring as always, our team has only won two games all season but at least I'm playing good and received that offer from Alabama, and I got my license, everything is going good so far. That Friday before my birthday my parents surprise me with a car, a 2010 Toyota Camry, it's not a brand new car but I ain't complaining I didn't even get a car back when I was really a junior in high school. I drive to school that day and show it off to Dre and a couple of the other guys I got close to, CJ and Solo. Dre speaks up
"Damn Jay, so where you taking us when we go on break?"
"Maybe I'll take you guys to the bowl game I'm invited to in Vegas for one of my visits"
"Sounds good Jay, you better take us"
"Don't worry I need some people to keep me company, anyways class is about to start let's get inside"
The day goes by pretty fast and at the end of the day I stay at school to get a workout in with Dre.
"Jay what the fuck are we listening to?"
"What?!? You never heard of killswitch engage?"
"Man… look at me"
"You'll get used to it, this music is perfect for working out why you complaining"
"I'm trying to hear some drake or something"
"I got that too just wait with your impatient ass, now spot me for this set"
As we're working out and talking he looks up and stares at someone behind me.
"Jay I think someone's here for you?"
I turn around and see a girl I've never seen before, a short girl around five foot two, her brown hair up in a messy bun, hazel eyes, a stud piercing on her nose, she's wearing a flannel and some jeans with Jordans. She looks at me with a straight face
"You're Jay right?"
"Yeah I am, and you are?"
"Alexa, I write for the school paper"
"Oh nice to meet you Alexa"
"Yeah sure"
Dre looks at me
"Aye imma head out my mom needs me home, I'll see you later"
"Alright bruh"
He really left me alone with this girl that looks like she hates me and she doesn't even know me.
"Anyways… I need to interview you for my final, something about getting out of my element and got stuck with you. Are you cool with it?"
"Yeah I'm ok with that, does it have to be right now?"
"I would like for it to be…"
"Well I know we just barely met but you want to go eat somewhere and interview me"
"Whatever… im pretty hungry anyways"
"Ok cool let me grab my phone real quick"
"So that's your phone playing this music?"
"Yeah why?"
"Hmmm nice"
"Ooook well do you drive?"
"I don't have a car"
"Well then… I guess you'll just have to come to my house with me"
"Why?"
"Well first of all I need to shower and change, second how are you going to get to the place where we're going to eat"
"I guess… well hurry up"
On the drive to my house it's a weird, awkward silence until I break it
"Soooo… where do you want to eat?"
"I don't care"
"Oh we're doing this.. alright"
"You're the one driving you pick"
"I want you to pick"
"Fine… Olive Garden"
"Alright Olive Garden it is"
We finally get to the house and she gets out the car and follows me in
"Where's everyone else?"
"My parents are out and won't be back until tomorrow and my brother is spending the night at my grandparents"
"So you're home alone?"
"Yeah I'm a big boy I can take care of myself"
"I see"
"Yeah well you can wait in the loft area and watch tv upstairs or in my room while I shower"
"I kinda want to see your room… it'll help with my paper"
"Ok I'm alright with that, just follow me"
We head upstairs and I lead her to the room
"Alright, ummm I'll be back you can watch tv or whatever you want"
"Ok"
I walk into the bathroom and just whisper to myself
"This girl is weird as hell but she's also cute as hell, what the fuck"
I finish up my shower and get dressed in the bathroom and walk back to the room to get some shoes when I see her staring at something on the wall
"Everything ok?"
"What are these?"
"Oh… my goals"
"Hmmm a lot of them are checked off already"
"Yeah I still got a few more to go, like sign to a D1 college"
"Hmm impressive, even got education goals"
"Yeah school is important too"
"Hmmmm I thought you were just another dumb jock"
"That's hurtful"
"Just saying.. are you ready?"
"Yeah let's go"
We drive to the Olive Garden and sit down inside. Alexa then starts asking me questions
"Alright let's start off with basic ass questions. How old are you?"
"I turn seventeen this Sunday actually"
"Hmm happy early birthday"
"Thank you"
"How tall are you?"
"Six foot five"
"When did you start playing football?"
"I started playing at nine years old?"
"Hmm and I bet you were a typical prodigy"
I laugh
"Actually I sucked, I was afraid to get hit, it was pretty bad"
"Wait.. really?"
"Yeah, it actually took me a couple seasons to actually start, I was on the bench at first"
"That's something i wasn't expecting. Ummm favorite sport, which is dumb question we all know it's.."
"Baseball"
"What?!?"
I smile at her
"Baseball is my favorite sport"
"I need to know why"
"That was the first sport I've ever played and fell in love with"
Alexa just looks at me with almost a smirk on her face
"What?"
"Not gonna lie Jay… you're surprising me a lot"
"Let me guess, you thought I was those typical dumb jocks and would be giving you the stereotypical answers"
"…. Is it obvious?"
"Yeah it is"
"Well… I'll admit I was wrong about you"
"Well keep asking away"
"Hmmm what career would you pursue outside of professional sports?"
"Criminal justice easily"
"Wait… really?"
"Yeah, either that or be a sheriff"
She looks at me with a raised eyebrow
"That something we have in common"
"Criminal justice?"
"Yeah that's what I want to pursue"
"Oh nice"
"Mhmmm. Favorite food?"
"Pizza, I could eat it every day and not get tired of it"
"Agreed. All these questions are lame and written by the teacher. Disney or dreamworks?"
"Come on now, that's Disney easily"
"Yeah obviously, I mean who doesn't love Disneyland"
"I've only been there once when I was like five"
"You're lying?!?"
"Nope"
"You need to go!"
"I will"
"What's your favorite Disney movie? This is just a personal question"
"Hmmm I'll say the lion king definitely"
"Hmm not a bad choice. Alright now back to the real questions, just a couple more. Where do you see yourself in ten years?"
"Hopefully somewhere nice with a nice house, maybe playing in the pros, just living a comfortable life"
"Hmm not bad. Alright last question, it's kinda weird but if you were to die how would you want people to remember you"
"Never really thought about something like that"
"You don't have to answer that if you don't want to"
"Hmmmmm… I want to be remembered as someone who gave it their all, never gave up, and just kept going"
"Mmmm ok, well that's all the questions"
"I'm glad I could help Alexa"
"I'm glad I did this interview now"
"Why?"
"You kinda opened my eyes, almost like to never judge someone too quickly without getting to know them"
I laugh and smile
"Yeah not the first time I've been judged before someone got to know me"
"I'm sorry.. can we start over?"
"Yeah we can"
"Ok good… now back to that Disneyland thing, you need to go soon"
I laugh
"Maybe during winter break"
"Well… I have an annual pass"
"Oh damn really"
"Yeah soooo I know we just met but maybe we can go, I mean as friends like someone needs to show you around the parks"
"Yeah we can do that, sounds fun"
"Ok good"
We get to know each other better while we eat dinner, having more in common then we realize
"You know Jay… I have to say, I've had fun tonight. It started out as just a assignment but I'm glad we got to know each other"
"Yeah me too, I can tell we're going to be good friends"
"Most definitely. I mean we both like Disney, have some similar tastes in music, food and other things"
"Yeah it's like we were meant to be friends"
"I can see that.. and I don't really like football but I definitely want to go see you play next year"
"After that game you'll get hooked"
"Doubt it"
"Hey you never know"
Soon we finish up and head out and I drop her off at her house
"Bye Jay"
"See you"
"Oh wait… ummm can I get your number, so we can text I mean just as friends"
I laugh and smile at her
"Yeah I got you"
We give each other numbers to each and say goodbye one more time before I head home. That started out as a weird interaction but ended up being the start of a friendship, I wonder how this is going to go.