Page 65 of Set me Free

"That’s what I like to hear," I muttered.

Martin smirked. "Get ready for a wild ride, kid. The next few weeks are gonna be intense."

When the draftlottery came out two weeks later, I was excited but also nervous to see which teams had won the lottery for the top five. The Clippers, Sacramento, Phoenix, Detroit, and Houston were all in the mix.

"With your athleticism and leadership, you’d be a great fit for any of these teams," Martin told me during our second meeting. "Now, it’s just about solidifying your spot at the combine."

I nodded, knowing I had work to do.

The combine wasn’t just about athleticism—it was about showcasing your personality, your discipline, and your ability to handle pressure. And I planned on showing out.

The combine was a damn whirlwind. From the moment I stepped into the facility, it was constant movement. Drills, sprints, weightlifting, interviews, press conferences— everything designed to see what we were really made of. By the end of the day, I was exhausted but feeling good.

I had just finished icing my knee when I pulled out my phone and dialed Serenity’s number.

She picked up after a couple rings, her voice soft, warm.

"Hey, Langston."

I let out a breath, my body instantly relaxing just from hearing her voice.

"Hey, Beautiful. You good?"

"Yeah. Just got out of class. What about you?"

"Tired as hell, but I did my thing today."

She smiled through the phone. "I already knew you would."

I leaned back in my chair, running a hand over my face. "So… yesterday the lottery results posted. Three of the top five teams are on the West Coast."

She was quiet for a second.

"And?"

I swallowed, my voice low. "And I know how much your education means to you. I know you ended things with Iman because of long distance. And I would never ask you to change your plans for me."

She was silent again, but this time I could hear the understanding in her pause.

"Creed, you are not Iman."

I sat up slightly, my grip tightening on the phone. "What that mean?"

"It means," she said, her voice firm, "that this is not my last relationship. You are not my last boyfriend. Things are different with us. I love you, and I love you enough to figure it out. Wherever you land, I’ll spend all my breaks with you, and I’ll be with you for the entirety of the summer. We’ll figure the rest out as we go."

I blinked, my chest tightening. "You really mean that?"

"Creed, I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t."

I let out a slow, deep exhale, the weight I hadn’t even realized I was carrying lifting off my shoulders.

"Damn, SB. I love you," I murmured.

She laughed softly. "I love you too. Now stop stressing."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "You always gotta have the last word, huh?"

"You already knew that," she teased. And just like that, the tension eased.

---