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Plans

Lila glared at Jane.

“Use your indoor voice, Jane,” Aisha reproached her too late.

“Why would I use my indoor voice if I’m outdoors?” Jane whined.

“Maybe because I can hear you,” Lila heard a masculine voice speak from somewhere near her. She turned to find the guy directly behind her.

He wore a baseball cap and thick-rimmed, black glasses. His clothes consisted of a black-hooded sweatshirt and jeans.

Lila began to blush out of sheer vicarious embarrassment.

Jane started to laugh.

Aisha and Chloe looked uncomfortable, they wasted no time in grabbing their drinks and moving far away from the scene settling in the next set of bleachers, of course Jane followed them leaving Lila to deal with the situation alone, as Jane usually did.

“I’m so sorry,” Lila uttered immediately. “She’s twenty-three and hasn’t developed a sense of propriety yet.”

The guy snickered. "I don't think that's the only issue among you."

Lila was taken aback but considering they were going to be there at least another hour, she tried to calm him down. "All I can do is apologize," she said, looking at the grocery bag, pulling out another tray of organic muffins. "Can I offer you a muffin as a peace offering?"

He pointed to the court. “One of the bare-breasted birds is my brother. He’s home from university for winter-break and he doesn’t need to be sexually harassed by you and your friends- and equally, I don’t need to be insulted.”

Lila placed her hand on her chest, “I just got here, I haven’t done anything.”

He snickered. “I’m sure your friend there is a fair representation of all four of you.” He accused.

Unfortunately, Jane used that time to yell out, “Hey Blondie, I have an egg for your batter!” Jane then said to the girls, “I’d love to tap that sack.”

Lila froze.

The guy snickered again. “Nice.” He started to turn away but stopped to give her some added information. “By the way, the only blond on the court is my little brother and those three,” pointing to her friends, “have been speaking disrespectfully of all the guys on the court since they got here. Just like you, we also have feelings and a desire to be valued. Why don't you stop and think about that for a moment.” He turned right back around and sat back on the bleachers.

Slowly, she walked over to her friends and took a seat next to Chloe resting her head on her friend's shoulder. “Remind me why I thought Jane would be a good addition to our Saturday morning ritual?”

Chloe pat Lila's cheek from that awkward angle. “She was lonely and different back then. When she started sleeping with anything with a stick between his legs, she became someone else, and then when she got a taste of the player lifestyle, her game changed as much as her attitude.”

Lila turned to look at the guy that ripped her a ‘new one’ because of Jane. He was staring at the guys playing on the court looking very upset. Usually, she made crude remarks to her friends about the guys as well, but that guy was right. She wouldn’t like it if guys spoke to her or about her in the same manner.

Lila took a slow and reflective sip of coffee.

Maybe it was time to change the way she saw men.

Truth be told, her medical diagnosis aside, she hadn’t felt the desire to have sex with any guy in months because she hadn’t felt a connection with anyone.

Physical contact alone had long lost its appeal to her.

Instead of watching the guys play, Lila took her cell phone out and began reading e-books. She found one titled, 'The Other Part of Me' that seemed promising. She decided to lose herself in the story instead.

An hour later, the game was over, and the guys started to disperse.

The blond basketball player walked over to "Mr. Grumpy".

Jane grabbed one of the bottled waters and scribbled something on the label with a marker she pulled from her purse.

While Jane and Aisha scattered to trap their birds, Lila turned to Chloe. "Here, I brought a mini-pumpkin pie for Kevin."

Chloe took the pie with apprehension. "Yeah? Why? Is there something wrong with it?"

Lila smiled. "He's nested with my bestie's baby. What's wrong with me bringing him a treat?"

Chloe placed the tiny pie in her purse. "I just hope he doesn't get used to this. It's bad enough he complains about back pain every morning when he wakes up and makes me give him a massage and a foot rub."

Lila nodded. "I'm surprised he doesn't mind that you've kept the Saturday bird watching sessions on your calendar."

Chloe laughed. "That's because I leave at the crack of dawn and he's too tired brewing a whole person to bother waking up." She leaned over to hug Lila goodbye. "On that note, I better go, He should be up now."

Once she left, Lila began cleaning-up after her friends. She was collecting the empty coffee cups, placing them back on the tray when loud voices broke through her concentration.

“Stop embarrassing me, Eric.” The blond basketball player was arguing with his brother. “She’s just trying to be nice.”

“Alex, she’s trying to get to what’s in your pants. That is all.” Eric said sternly. “She probably laced that water with drugs for an easy conquest.”

Jane looked offended, “I would never!”

Eric pointed a finger at her. “Oh yeah, you would.”

"Look, I just want to get to know him and spend some quality time with him.” She looked at the basketball player. “What do you say?”

Alex nodded and smiled. “I’d like that.”

“No way,” Eric interjected. “He’s just about to finish university and really start his life. The last thing I want is for him to wind up knocked-up with a kid to raise just because you wanted a pen dipped in your inkwell.”

“I think that’s enough,” Lila spoke coming to her friend’s defense. She looked at her friend. “Just let it go. You don’t need to beg anyone for a date.”

“It’s not a date she’s looking for.” The brother added.

Alex stared from Lila to his brother. “I’m an adult and I want to get to know,” he looked at the plastic water bottle, “Jane. I’m going out with her.” He said with determination.

“Alex-“

“Not your call, Eric. I'm an adult, I don't need you to sign off on my decisions anymore.”

Eric sighed and put his hands on his hips. “Fine,” he jutted his chin towards Lila, “but she and I will chaperone your date. Consider it a double date!”

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