“I wanna join the basketball team!” I stopped short with my brown hair flopping in front of my body, because of the fact I was running so fast. I held my hands at my hips proudly. Basketball was my passion, it's what I was good at, and no one was going to stop me.
“What?” The only girl in the gymnasium questioned looking around the room. The high school boys basketball team had just ended its practice for the day. They had packed up their gear and put all the equipment away. “This is a boys team…” She began.
“I wanna play basketball and there’s no girls team at this school,” I stated. For a girl, I was always on the taller side, but not a giant. I fit right around five foot eight. My legs were defined and for the most part I was on the muscular side. Personality wise I was overly energetic and flashy. I just couldn’t help how much exploding energy I had inside of me.
“Hmm…” I could tell she did not know what to say right away. She couldn’t just say yes to me like that. After a few seconds of her analyzing me and my body type, she told me, “You do have some potential, but you’re definitely lacking in some areas. Still, I don’t think you are allowed to join this team, so I really can’t let you.”
“But you’re the coach right? You can make your own decision. There’s no girls team, so take it or lose it suckers!” I stuck out my tongue with a smile. Boy, I was making a good impression on the team from the start. Kidding.
As the high school girl across from me picked up her clipboard, I feared that I as being rejected. It had happened before, but when I can to this new school I was really hoping to be a part of an actual basketball team finally.
A tall boy with coffee-colored hair who held a basketball in his hand, moved towards me. He looked down at me with a cocky look on his face and cold eyes. “You look weak,” He muttered to me with some sort of laugh under his breath.
I darted my eyes at him, “What did you say?”
“You. Look. Weak.” He repeated mocking me and what I stood for.
He remained completely calm and still for as much glaring I was giving him, “If I am weak, how about we race to the end of the court and back? If I win we have to have a one on one.”
“And what if I win?” He asked, basically agreeing to quick request.
I laughed, “That won’t happen.” I was confident in my abilities, especially as a runner, so I thought I’d have a little fun with this.
The rest of the basketball team’s members were confused, but didn’t dare to stop us. The boy and I lined up at the wall next to one of the two basketball courts. The coach followed us into the middle of the room with her whistle between her teeth. Instantly, everybody started watching us, instead of going home. Did they want to see him beat me? Or did they think it would be funny to watch me cream him? I wasn’t really sure. I was happy to have an audience though.
“Ready?” The coach asked giving into our dumb bet as if this kind of thing happened a lot. We both nodded and bent down to touch the floor in order to take off at full speed. She blew her whistle and the boy blasted off of the wall and towards the other side of the gym. Meanwhile, I didn’t make a move.
“Oh no,” I stood up straight and turned to the boys of the basketball team, “Don’t you just hate awkward take offs? I can never get them right. Sometimes I go too early and then other times, like this I’m way too late.” I relaxed my muscles, “Looks I lost this one, huh?”
The boy didn’t notice that I wasn’t running, until he tapped the opposite wall and turned back. He slowed his pace right away. I waited not moving a muscle. He passed three-fourths of the court. He passed half court. Clearly, people wanted his to go faster, just so this could be over with. And then when he passed the foul line on his return, out of nowhere I smirked and I started sprinting.
When I actually sprint, I can reach the distance to the opposite wall in about five seconds, max. Quickly, I lunged and tapped the wall without slowing my pace a millisecond. At the last possible moment and darted passed the boy. Even though I was running at such a great speed, I was able to control my feet and avoid crashing into the wall. I turned lightly and looked back at everyone. “So,” I undoubtedly had a huge smile on my face, “How about that one on one?”
The boy was sweating in the terror of being caught in the gust of wind following me. Another boy on the team with darker brown hair stepped towards me. He was maybe an inch taller than me, but probably not. “Who are you?” He asked.
“My name’s Jade Green,” I said confidently, but I had no reason to go around bragging. “Can we please play now?” I asked really wanting to play basketball with somebody. “Pass me a ball!” I demanded in the general direction of the male group. A boy threw a ball meaning to pass it the boy I raced. I tried not be offended and rushed in front to grab the ball. “Thanks…” I said sarcastically.
After that our one on one game could begin. I looked up at the boy, “You know my name right? What’s yours then?”
“Kevin. Now let’s get this over with.”
“Aw,” I laughed, “Who’s bitter that I beat them in a race?”
He rolled his eyes at me, “Just start.” I nodded and our game began, hardly. He beat me flat out before the game could even get started.
“Wait,” I looked to the coach, “Can I please try again? We can play to fifteen instead of ten. Please? Pretty please?” I desperately wanted to keep trying.
“Rosa,” The boys complained, “Practice was supposed to end twenty minutes ago!”
She nodded and blew her whistle, “We’re done. Go home! Practice starts at two-thirty after school tomorrow.”
The team was glad to leave. I was sighing in the disappointment of everyone, mostly myself. I played terrible, and I had no business acting proud of myself. Still, I knew I wasn’t bad at basketball. This boy was just really good, I’d admit that. I wasn’t discouraged in the slightest. I was going to play basketball one way or another, even if it meant shooting by myself.
Rosa made her way over to me before I left in sadness and shame. Believe it or not, she actually look impressed with me. “Sorry,” I muttered.
“Picking a fight when trying to get people to accept you, probably wasn’t the best choice you’ve made in your life.” I awkwardly laughed with lack of anything better to do. Rosa looked up at me seriously, “Practice starts at two-thirty tomorrow, don’t be late.”
“Huh?” My eyes opened wide.
“Being on a boys team, that doesn’t bother you?”
I shook my head, “No way! Thank you so much! It doesn’t bother you to coach them and that’s gotta be much harder than playing with them. Thanks again! You won’t regret it, I promise! Your name, it’s Rosa right?” I asked in a long slue of words.
“Yeah, that’s it.”
“Thanks for letting me on the team, it means a lot to me,” I said wholeheartedly as I left the gymnasium with my head held high.
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