Rebound: A 2nd Chance

Jasmine smiled as she turned back to look at the boys "You guys are gonna love this. Ain't nobody do it better than Habib."

She then pushed the doors to the corner store open as she walked in. She smiled at waved at the man behind the cash register "Yo Habib! How you doin bro."

The man turned to Jasmine and smiled "Ay Jasmine! What you doin here? Ain't you supposed to be training right now?"

He then turned his attention to Jason and the boys as they walked in to the store "And who the hell are these guys?"

The man looked to be in his early thirties or late twenties. His skin was dark brown and he had a short beard that looked good with the snapback that he was wearing.

Jasmine pointed at them "These some new friends I met today. They came all the way out from California.

I thought I would do em a solid and show em where they can get some of the best grub in New York so I took em here."

She then turned around and looked at the boys "This here is Habib. His parents own this place and he's been helpin em run it since as far back as I could remember."

Habib shook his head as he smiled "I was still in middle school when you came in here for the first time with your Ma.

I can still remember your lopsided haircut and your big ass overbite like it was yesterday hahaha." Jasmine blushed a bit.

"Shut up Habib. Or should I tell my friends about how you wouldn't stop listening to JuiceWorld after you got dumped for the first time."

Habib put his hands up "Woah take it easy Jasmine! I was joking, hehe, just some fun and games. Welcome to New York boys. Hope you enjoy your time here.

You said you guys were hungry right Jasmine? So what can I get you?" She smiled "You already know Habib. Chop Cheese, get us like eight of them bad boys."

She turned back around to the boys "You guys are eaters right? Or are you some skinny type treeshes?"

Jason shrugged his shoulders "I don't know what a treesh is but me and 3D can eat. As long as you put some food in front of us we'll pack it away."

Jasmine laughed "That's what I like to hear. You heard the boy Habib. Get us eight fresh ones. And don't skip out none."

Habib flipped her off "Hahaha real funny Jasmine. You know I ain't ever skip out on nothin." He then turned to Jason and the rest of the boys.

"You guys met her at the Nike Center didn't ya?" Jason and the other boys all nodded their heads. Habib laughed "Ha! I knew it.

Jasmine only be steppin around two different places. The Bodega and the Nike Center. What sport you guys play?"

Rudy raised his head up and puffed up his chest "Consider yourself lucky Habib. You're looking at some of the best middle school basketball players out of California."

3D added "Correction. These guys are some of the best middle school basketball players out of California. I'm the best Center in the country."

Danilo scoffed "You haven't even played a second of high school basketball. I'm sure you would get your ass handed to you."

3D didn't even bother to shift his sight to Danilo as he responded "I could hold my own against anybody. I don't give a damn if they're in high school or in college."

Habib looked at the boys and asked "You guys are the best basketball player out of California? That's funny, you don't look like the guys from Golden Oaks."

Rudy and 3D had their faces darken as soon as they heard Habib mention Golden Oaks. Jason simply responded.

"Golden Oaks might have won the state tournament but that doesn't meant that they're the best team in California."

Habib cracked a small smile as he turned his attention to Jason "Oh? And why's that little man? Last I checked winning the state tournament means that your the best team in that state."

Jason shook his head "They might be the best team in California, and they might not be. All I know is that I can't say that a team is better than mine if we haven't played.

You could be a high school player, college player, or even a pro. Hell, even if MJ and LeBron somehow combined their powers into a single person I still wouldn't say that they were better than me before we even played.

Unless we go toe to toe, mano a mano, head to head, I ain't ever gone put someone above me." What Jason said could be taken to be very conceited.

But one thing that Jason had learned ever since coming back to the past is that if he wanted to be a star player then he had to change his mentality.

The old mentality that he had formed in his past life wouldn't work for him now because that was the mentality that he had formed back when he was a role player.

To be a star player a specific type of mentality and self belief was necessary. And to be a leader as a star player required a level of swagger and charisma.

Habib chuckled after hearing Jason's explanation "I like your moxie kid. You talkin a little crazy and most people would probably cut your ass. But I like it.

Tell you what. Since you a hooper here in New York for the first time I'll make things interesting for you. See that trash can right by the bathroom door?

If you can shoot this ball of paper straight into there then consider your food on the house." He then offered the crumpled up ball of paper to Jason.

Jason turned his head to look at the trash can. The trash can was a small one. It didn't have a lid and the opening was the size of a grown man making a circle with both his hands.

The trash can looked to be about fifteen feet away from where Jason was standing. He turned back to Habib "Eight seems kinda low. You wanna make that 10?"

Habib started hugging his sides as he laughed loudly. He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye as his laughter began to die down.

"Hahaha! You drive one hell of a bargain. Alright kid, you got me. If you can make that shot then I'll give you guys the-"

Jason grabbed the crumpled up ball of paper out of his hand. He bounced it up and down a few times before throwing it right over his shoulder. He didn't even take a look at the trash can.

The crumpled up ball of paper flew through the air before falling straight into the trash can. Habib and Jasmine were both stunned as their jaws dropped.

They were still staring at the trash can when Jason's voice pulled their attention back to him "So how long's the food gonna take?"

- - -

A few minutes later Jasmine and the boys were walking out of the corner store with some brown paper bags in their arms.

Jasmine turned around and looked at Jason as though he were a monster "How the hell did you do that?! You weren't even peepin when you tossed the paper."

Jason had just unwrapped his sandwich and taken a big bite out of it "Hmmm the ground beef was perfectly seasoned.

The onions are perfectly grilled. Just the right amount of cheese. The bread is toasted to perfection. This thing is too good."

"Hello? Yo Jason you there?" She reached out with her arm but just as she was about to grab Jason's shoulder Kyle grabbed her by the wrist and stopped her.

She looked at Kyle "What?" Kyle let go of her wrist and then waved his finger at her before swallowed the food that was in his mouth.

"Don't bother him. He likes to analyze the first bite whenever he eats something good." Jasmine scrunched up her face as she looked at Kyle questioningly "What?"

Kyle then pointed to Jason "He's having a moment right now. I know it's weird but just let him do his thing."

Jasmine took another look at Jason. He was eating the sandwich but he looked spaced out. His eyes were set in front of him but he was clearly looking past everything.

Jasmine sighed "First he does some bad ass shit like back in the Bodega now he goes around and acts like a damn goofy. Is he always like this?"

All of the boys nodded their heads in unison. Kyle laughed "Jaya is definitely..... special. He doesn't really act his age.

But one thing that anyone will tell you is that when it comes to basketball Jaya is no joke. Speaking of basketball.

Habib was talking about the guys from Golden Oaks as if he's ever seen them. What's the story behind that."

Jasmine took her sandwich out of the brown paper bag and unwrapped it. She took a bite and swallowed before answering Kyle's question.

"Oh. That's because he has seen em. They was here at the Bodega just yesterday." Kyle and the rest of the boys were all shocked when Jasmine said that.

Rudy asked "Why were the guys from Golden Oaks here?" Jasmine took another bite out of her sandwich.

She pulled out a napkin and wiped her mouth "My brother goes to Central Park. They had practice against each other yesterday. My brother took em here after they were done."