Hate the Game ( Urban Sports Romance )

The Blind Date

Saturday, January 11th.

"That's the one," Sabrina uttered to herself, with a satisfied smirk, admiring the selfie she'd just taken on the uncomfortable sofa in the hookah lounge. After exiting her camera roll, she clicked the Instagram icon to open the social media app, going directly to the views on her story she'd posted almost half an hour ago of herself seductively exhaling smoke. She loved the way the lights in the lounge gave her cocoa-brown skin a glow and accentuated her high cheekbones.

She smirked mischievously once she saw who she was looking for in her list of viewers before going to scroll her feed.

She had been in the smoky lounge for an hour and was over it, but her best friend Chantelle was meeting someone and she successfully convinced Sabrina to come keep her company just in case the date didn't show or go as planned.

"Brina, I think that's him," Chantelle nudged her friend's arm lightly, causing Sabrina to look up from her iPhone screen.

Quickly glancing in the direction her friend was discreetly pointing, Sabrina asked, "He said he plays basketball, right?" This man was nowhere near the height of 6'4 her bestie bragged about.

"He do look a lil short, huh?" Chantelle snickered, already knowing why her friend asked that question. "I don't think he saw me yet. He just text askin if I'm here." she locked her phone quickly, "Should we dip before he see me?"

Sabrina shrugged, and released a slight laugh, "You could give it a chance and see what comes of it," she began, "but on the other hand, he already lying about his height, so who knows what he'll lie about next."

Chantelle sucked her teeth, "I hate to waste the night. I got waxed and shit, ready to throw my coochie on a NBA player." she paused breifly, "How about we just go to dinner and feel him out. If we need to, we'll have an 'emergency' and leave." She smiled, air quoting emergency.

"Whatever you wanna do, I got you."

Chantelle nodded, unlocked her phone, and text the man back. Moments later, he walked over so she stood up to greet him.

Sabrina had to fight her laughter when she saw that her friend was damn near taller than the man and Chantelle stood 5'8 wearing sneakers. She was sure the man was barely the same height as herself, who was only 5'7.

Men lie unprovoked, she scoffed to herself.

"Bri, this is Josh. Josh this is my best friend Bri." Chantelle introduced the two using the name Sabrina used for strangers. Bri could be short for multiple names. Sabrina had taken up names like Bridget, Britney, and Briana when meeting new people.

She smiled and quietly waved.

"So what y'all gettin into, tonight?" He asked as he took the seat next to Sabrina, causing her to scoot over a little.

"We were thinkin' we'd go to dinner," Chantelle informed him.

"Oh, coo." He rubbed his hands together, "a nigga starvin."

Less than an hour later, the three were seated at a lavish restaurant located on the rooftop of a Hollywood hotel. The ladies loved the venue because of the great food as well as the amazing panoramic view of the city.

"I'm going to start with the calamari," Chantelle informed the man who was taking their order, "and then shrimp spaghetti, please."

"And for you," the waiter turned to Sabrina.

"I'll have the chicken piccata, thank you." She told him without looking at him or the menu. She was too busy on her phone typing away returning some work emails.

"Someone's been here before," Josh snickered. "I'll have a burger, medium well please."

The waiter nodded, "Would you like another beer, sir?"

Josh hesitated, then decided. "Uh, yeah sure." he shrugged. "One more won't hurt."

Once the waiter left, the three sat at the table in awkward silence. Sabrina locked her phone and decided to break the ice, "So Josh, how did you meet my friend?"

"We met on tinder." He laughed.

Sabrina's eyebrows raised and she tossed out a forced smile to stop her resting bitch face."Oh,"  she unlocked her phone and went straight to Chantelle's text thread, "interesting," she said as she text her friend.

🙄 tinder?

"Yeah, I barely be on there, but I lucked up." he grinned.

Chantelle chuckled, twirling her finger around a strand of hair coming from her strawberry blonde wig, "So what part of LA are you from?

"I live in south central right now, but I'm from Inglewood," he explained. "I live with my baby mama, but we not together. I needed somewhere to stay when my PO visits."

"What's that mean?" Sabrina asked with wide eyes, genuinely confused.

"My probation officer. "

Sabrina could see the embarrassment all over her friend's face and immediately text her.

Chan, wtf?!?

Chantelle cleared her throat, "Excuse me a second. I need to go to the ladies' room." She stood from the table and rushed off.

Seconds later Sabrina received a text back.

I know. Don't judge me.
It's just dinner then I'll block him.

He's a FELON?!?

Still seated at the table, Sabrina shook her head. Thankfully their waiter came with the calamari. He placed another beer in front of Josh and then sat a drink in front of Sabrina, and one where Chantelle was previously seated.

Sabrina looked up at him in confusion, "I think these are at the wrong table. We hadn't decided on our drinks yet." She pointed at the drinks he's just placed.

"Compliments of the gentlemen seated over there." The staff motioned over to the other end of the rooftop restaurant.

Sabrina looked over but wasn't sure which table he was referring to then she noticed a table where 4 men were seated.

"Take me over there, please?" She requested, standing from the table, leaving Chantelle's date behind without thinking twice.

The waiter led her over and she approached the table. The men's eyes were already locked in on her hourglass frame as she strutted over.

"Which one of you sissy's sent the drink?" She demanded.