For The Love Of The Game (Book 1)

Chapter 28: Schedule

I was excited about it all, if I was not going to lie to my self, as I felt like every thing was in fact going to go great now that it was that I did in fact know my team mates. I knew that I was not the best with names, due to the fact that I was not used to meeting all too many new people, what so ever, so it was in fact going to take me a while to get used to all of these kids names.
I breathed in quite a bit heavily to my self, all at once, as Xavier was making to do sprints across the court and back, which was wearing me out quite a bit right now, if I was in fact not going to lie to my self either. I knew that he had told me that I was going to be the point guard, and that I was going to be the leader of the team. So it did in fact make sense as to just why he wanted me to have some stamina, to be able to last through out the game, and to run back and forth down the court, all at the exact same time too.
How ever, I did not expect it to be as bad as it was right now, if I was not going to lie to my self either. I did my best to just try to keep my self as calm as I felt like I possibly could in the mean time, all at once. I simply blinked my eyes a few times, all at once, as I did in fact get my mind, and I did in fact get my focus off of all of the rest of those other thoughts that I had in fact been thinking on long before now.
Much to my surprise, as I had felt like it would be worse at a ghetto school, for the fact that people would bully me, it seemed like it was not all that bad. The other school wasn't that bad what so ever, either, as it seemed like kids had in fact grown up quite a bit since middle school, none the less. I was in fact glad for that, as I knew that I did in fact get angry quite a bit easily, all at the exact same time too.
These kids seemed to be cool how ever, as I felt like, even if this was not going to be a good year for us what so ever, at the very least, we would in fact have a good time. I knew that I had 3 more years of all of this, after wards, so it was not panicking me all too much for us to not succeed this year, all at the exact same time too. This just seemed like more or less, the season to get this all started, all at the exact same time too, never the less.
No one at the school was clearly taking the sport of basketball all too seriously what so ever, as I knew for a fact that we would not stand a single chance what so ever, in this division, either. Especially with the 5 star athlete kid at the other school, all at the exact same time as well, as I knew that we had to wait til we were gone. This was just the season it felt like, to get the school to take us seriously, all at the exact same time too.
Hell, what was I really talking about right now? The kids that I was playing with right now, were not seeming to take this all too seriously, what so ever, at all. It seemed like they were all just messing around, and they were just shooting the ball, or trying to do some cool dribble moves. It seemed like Xavier did not seem to care about them at all, as it seemed like his focus was purely on me right now.
Though I suppose that I could not blame him for it what so ever, either, as I knew that after all, that he was in fact doing this for me, all at the exact same time as well. I knew that he wanted me to succeed, as I was sure that he could care less about the other kids that were in fact on the team. I kind of felt a little bit bad about that, if I was not going to lie to my self either, as I was not all too sure as to just how it was that we were going to have very good team chemistry, if that was how it was that it was going to be, never the less.
I did my best to try to keep my self as calm as I felt like I possibly could, all at once, as in the end, I then began to start to get to the edge of the court, as I finished off my last lap, all at the exact same time as well, never the less. As soon as it was that I got to the end of it, all at once, I felt like I just wanted to collapse on the ground right now. I was in fact about to do as such a thing like that, all at once.
That was of course until I began to start to hear some one say my name right beside me, none the less. I half expected it to be Xavier, if I was in fact not going to lie to my self either, as I kind of just did my best to try to keep my self as calm as I felt like I possibly could, for the mean time. I wanted him to know that I needed a break right now, as I felt like I had been going at this none stop, ever since it was that we had in fact started this all, none the less.
I lifted my head up, as I was about to squint my eyes over to the person that it was that had in fact began to start to speak to me, all at the exact same time too. That was of course, until I began to start to notice that it was just my friend Brandon, all at the exact same time too, none the less. I kind of just did my best to try to keep my self as calm as I felt like I possibly could, all at once, as I then did in fact nod to him , all at once. It was clear to him right now, that I was in fact paying my full attention as to just what ever it was that he even had to say to me in the very first place any ways, none the less.
As he then did in fact see me do as such a thing like that, all at the exact same time too, that was when he then did in fact go right on ahead, and he did in fact begin to start to speak to me all of the sudden, all at once. I breathed in quite a bit of a soft sigh to my self, all at the exact same time as well, once again. I then in the end, did in fact begin to start to listen as to just what it was that my friend even had to say to me, all at the exact same time as well.
"Looks like your dad or what ever, seems to be wanting to push you a little bit extra hard..." He said to me, all at the exact same time too, as he kind of just rolled his eyes at me, as soon as it was that he had in fact said as to just what it was that he had said to me. I was a little bit lost as to just what it was that he had meant by the fact that he had called him my dad.
We looked nothing alike, what so ever, as I was not all too sure as to just what that was about. Perhaps he was mocking me or some thing, as I was in fact about to get a little bit upset with him, before I then did my best to try to hold in my calm, all at the exact same time as well. I knew that there was nothing to get upset about, as I was sure that he had simply just noticed that Xavier was a little bit of a father figure in my life, none the less.
It was true of course, as I knew that there was no denying that what so ever, even if it was that I felt like I might want to, all at the exact same time too, none the less. I kind of just let out a bit of a gentle, and a little bit of a soft sigh to my self, all at once, as I did in fact do my best to try to keep my self as calm as I felt like I possibly could, all at the exact same time too. I had to admit, I was in fact quite a bit grateful for the fact that Xavier had in fact come in to my life. He had in fact helped me quite a bit, as he was the closest thing to a dad I felt like I could possibly have had, never the less.
I breathed in quite a bit of another bit of a soft sigh to my self, once again, as I then began to start to just sit down for just a few moments on the near by bleachers, all at the exact same time too, as I hoped that Xavier did not notice me doing as such a thing like that, as I was sure that he would not be all too thrilled to see me doing as such a thing like that, never the less. I did my best to try to keep my self as calm as I felt like I possibly could either way, as I did in fact do my best to try to get my mind, and to try to get my focus off of all of that other stuff.
I grabbed a near by water bottle, all at the exact same time as well, and I quickly began to open it, as I chugged the whole thing down in merely a second or so, none the less. I did my best to try to keep my self as calm as I felt like I possibly could, all at once, as I did in fact wipe off all of the sweat that I had on me right now, all at the exact same time too. I felt worn out, as I hoped that this was over soon, though I had a little bit of some fear that it would not be, all at the exact same time too, none the less.
I kind of just shook my head a little bit to my self, all at once, as I knew that I should have been ready for this. I knew that it was going to be hard, as I knew that Xavier had in fact warned me that he was going to be testing me to my highest limits, all at the exact same time too, as I knew that he was in fact being for real with just what it was that he had said. This was nothing, I was quite sure of, as I was sure that he was simply just trying to boost my stamina for what it was that was about to come, all at the exact same time too.
I could not complain about it, and I knew it, all at the exact same time as well, never the less. I knew that this was how it was going to have to be, all at the exact same time as well, if it was that I did in fact want to be a famous athlete, all at the exact same time as well, as I knew that things were not going to just be all easy for me, all at the exact same time as well.
I kind of just shook my head a bit to my self, as I then began to start to look over to Brandon, all at the exact same time as well, as I noticed that he was throwing some lay ups, all at the exact same time too. Not only that, but he was missing them, as I saw one go by as an air ball, as he began to start to chase after it. I rolled my eyes, as I knew that this was in fact about to be a rough season ahead of us, all at the exact same time too.
I did my best to just try to keep my self as calm as I felt like I possibly could for the mean time, all at once, as in the end, I did in fact begin to start to shake my head a little bit to my self, all at the exact same time too. I did my best to try to act as calm as I felt like I possibly could do, all at once, as I then began to start to speak back up to my friend, all at the exact same time as well, as a little bit of a late response as to just what it was that he had said to me about a minute or so ago.
Brandon kind of blinked his eyes a few times, all at once, as it was that I had in fact noticed. How ever, in the end, he did in fact turn his head over to me, all at the exact same time as well, never the less. He then did in fact begin to start to go right on ahead, and he began to start to nod to me all of the sudden, all at once. It was clear to me that he was in fact letting me know that he was in fact paying attention as to just what it was that I even had to say to him, all at the exact same time as well.
I did in fact begin to start to feel quite a bit better, if I was not going to lie to my self either, as soon as it was that I had in fact noticed as such a thing like that, all at the exact same time too. I kind of just did my best to try to keep my self as calm as I felt like I possibly could, all at once, as I let out a bit of a soft sigh to my self, all of the sudden. I then in the end, did in fact begin to start to speak to him, all at the exact same time as well. I knew that he was in fact, of course, beginning to start to listen as to just what it was that I even had to say to him, all at the exact same time too, once again.
"Yeah... Talk about it... I feel like I am about to fall down right now..." I said to him, all at the exact same time as well, now that it was that I had in fact regained my breath, none the less. I felt like my eyes were a little bit woozy right now, if I was not going to lie to my self right now. I saw red all around me, which was normally how it was that I usually was when ever it was that I was in fact angry, all at the exact same time too, never the less.
I kind of just did my best to try to keep my self as calm as I felt like I was about to explode, even though I knew that I was not angry what so ever. I saw stars all around me, as I then began to start to remember, that jhst what it was that I had in fact just said, all at the exact same time too, that I really felt like I was done for. I knew that I could not handle any more, and if Xavier came over to me, and told me to do some more, than I was going to have to stand up for my self in those regards, all at the exact same time too.
I kind of just began to start to breath in quite a bit of a heavy sigh to my self, all at the exact same time as well, as in the end, I did in fact eventually go right on ahead, and I did in fact begin to start to lift my self up, all at the exact same time too. I knew that I was done running for this practice, all at the exact same time as well, so I felt like at the very least, I could in fact practice what it was that I had been practicing for the last few months. That was of course the fact that I knew that I was in fact practicing to shoot the basketball, all at the exact same time too.
I did my best to try to keep my self as calm as I felt like I possibly could do, all at once, as in the end, I did in fact begin  to start to head over to a basketball, all at the exact same time too. I did my best to try to keep my self as calm as I felt like I possibly could, all at once, once again. I then all of the sudden began to start to pick it up, and I shot it from just in side the 3 point line, all at the exact same time too.
As I was so used to being bad at shooting, I expected it to be a fat brick, if not even an air ball, all at the exact same time as well. How ever, I was in fact quite a bit surprised to see that it was in fact not the case what so ever, all at the exact same time too, none the less, at that. In stead, I went straight in, nothing but net, as it did not even hit the rim what so ever, all at the exact same time as well.
I was in fact quite a bit surprised as to just what it was that I had in fact just done, all at the exact same time too, as I was still not used to that kind of stuff happening to me, none the less. I did my best to try to keep my self as calm as I felt like I possibly could, all at the exact same time too, all at once, none the less. I breathed in quite a bit heavily to my self, all at once, as in the end, I did in fact begin to start to go on over, and I began to start to head on over to where it was that the basket ball was even at, all at the exact same time too, never the less.
As soon as it was that I had in fact began to start to do as such a thing like that, all at once, that was when I then all of the sudden did in fact begin to start to to hear another person begin to start to say my name, all at the exact same time too. This time, I was a bit more awake, to notice that the person that had in fact said my name, all at the exact same time as well, none the less, at that, was not Xavier. I breathed in quite a bit of a heavy sigh of relief all of the sudden, as I then began to start to turn my head over to just who it was that it could even be, all at the exact same time too.
I blinked my eyes a few times, all at once, as I did in fact notice that it was the twins. I tilted my head a bit, all at the exact same time too, as I was a little bit lost as to just what it was that they wanted with me and Brandon. I really did not like the smile that I saw on Austin's face right now, all at the exact same time as well, as it seemed like he was about to do some thing to the both of us, none the less.
I did my best to try to keep my self as calm as I felt like I possibly could, as I knew that I could see Xavier staring at me from not all too far away, with his eyes squinted. I knew that they would not dare do as such a thing with the coach watching us. I then did in fact begin to start to go on ahead, and I did in fact begin to start to nod to them, all at the exact same time as well. I let them know at the very least, that I was in fact paying attention to just what ever it was that they felt like they even had to say to me, all at the exact same time as well, never the less.
As soon as it was that they had in fact seen me do as such a thing like that, all at the exact same time too, that was when the other twin, Peter, did in fact begin to start to continue to speak to me, all at once. I breathed in a little bit of a soft sigh to my self, all at once, as I then began to start to keep my self as calm as I felt like I possibly could, in the mean time. I then did in fact begin to start to go right on ahead, and I began to start to listen as to just it was that the twin even had to say to me in the very first place any ways.
"Nice shot man! You want to go 2 on 2 against us? We're kind of bored..." He said to me, all at the exact same time as well, as I was in fact kind of a little bit relieved that he had not said any thing else. It was in stead a little bit of a compliment, which did in fact surprise me quite a bit, all at the exact same time as well, never the less. I blinked my eyes a few times, all at once, as I did my best to try to keep my self as calm as I felt like I possibly could in the mean time, all at the exact same time too, never the less.
I looked over to Brandon, all at once, as I saw that he was simply looking at the twins with quite a bit of a blank look on his face. I was fairly certain that he did not like the twins that much, based off of the way that things had in fact gone so far, all at the exact same time as well, never the less. I kind of just did my best to try to keep my self as calm as I felt like I possibly could, all at once, as in the end, I did in fact begin to start to see Brandon nod as a bit of response to me, all at the exact same time too.
I was a little bit surprised, as well as the fact that I also kind of wished that he had said no to it, all at the exact same time as well. It made a bit of some sense to me now, as to just why it was that he had said that he was a good leader. It was clear to me that he was absolute trash at basketball, all at the exact same time too, as I felt like this was going to be a 1 on 2 against Juniors that were way taller than I was, all at the exact same time as well.
I kind of just did my best to try to keep my self as calm as I felt like I possibly could, all at the exact same time too, as I did in fact get my mind, and I did in fact get my focus off of all of the rest of those other thoughts that I had in fact been thinking on long before now, never the less. I did in fact begin to start to breath in quite a bit heavily to my self, once again, as I did in fact begin to start to turn my head over to the twins, all at the exact same time too, none the less.
I felt like I was about to get steam rolled against them, as I felt like even if it was that Brandon was in fact going to get open, all at the exact same time too, that he was going to air ball his shot, all at the exact same time too. It meant that I was going to have to do this all by my self, all at the exact same time too. I was a little bit afraid about that, as I had to at least hope that Brandon could play defense against them, as he was about their height, never the less.
I did my best to try to keep my self as calm as I felt like I possibly could, all at the exact same time too, as I then did in fact begin to start to go right on ahead, and I began to start to nod to both of the twins, all at the exact same time too, never the less. It was clear to me that I was in fact letting the both of them know that I was in fact about to go right on ahead, and I was in fact about to speak to them all of the sudden.
As soon as it was that the twins had in fact both seen me do as such a thing like that, all at the exact same time as well, that was when I then luckily enough for me, began to see them both nod back to me all of the sudden. I did my best to try to keep my self as calm as I felt like I possibly could, once again, as I now knew that the both of them were in fact paying attention as to just what it was that I was even about to say to the both of them, all of the sudden, never the less.
I kind of just blinked my eyes a few times, all at once, as I was not all too sure as to just what it was that I should say at first. How ever, when it did in fact come to my head, as to the general idea of just what it was that I should in fact say to them, none the less, that was when I then did in fact begin to start to speak to the both of them all of the sudden, all at once. I knew that of course, that they still were in fact beginning to start to listen as to just what it was that I even had to say to them in the very first place any ways, never the less.
"Well sure... I guess we can shoot to get the ball first, and then make it take it to 5?" I said as calm as I felt like I possibly could, all at once, trying to not act like too much of a pussy on just what it was that I had in fact said, all at the exact same time too. I felt like the best way out of this was for me, was for me to catch a little bit of a hot hand, and to go on ahead and make 5 straight buckets, all at the exact same time too, never the less.
I did not even want to think on just what it was that would happen once it was that they got the ball, never the less, as I felt like I would simply just have to steal the ball from them, if it was that they did, none the less. I kind of just did my best to try to keep my self as calm as I felt like I possibly could, once again, as those thoughts did in fact come to my head. I just kind of did in fact begin to start to shake my head a little bit, all at the exact same time too, never the less.
In the end, I did in fact see that the both of the twins did in fact nod, as it was clear that they were not thinking too much in to it, such as I was, as to just what it was that I had even said to them, luckily enough for me. I breathed in quite a bit of a soft sigh of some relief to my self, all at once, as I then did in fact take the basketball that I had in fact made a shot on earlier, none the less, at that. I then began to start to head over to the center of the 3 point line, all at the exact same time too.
Once it was that I had in fact got to that point, never the less, that was when I did in fact begin to start to get ready to take the first shot, all at the exact same time too, as I just had to hope that this did in fact go in, all at the exact same time too, as I felt like if it did not, than I felt like we might not get the ball a single time through out this match, all at the exact same time as well, never the less.
I closed my eyes for just a few seconds, as I did my best to just try to keep my self as calm, and as cool as I felt like I possibly could, all at once. I then in the end, began to start to move in to the spot, to go on ahead and get ready to shoot the ball, never the less, at that. Just as it was that I had in fact began to start to get ready to speak, all at the exact same time as well, how ever, that was when I then all of the sudden did in fact begin to start to hear the loud whistle from Xavier, come from the middle of the gym, all at once.
It was clear that he wanted us all to go and join him over to that spot, all at the exact same time too. I was quite a bit relieved to know that it was in fact the case, all at the exact same time too, as I felt like, I was about to embarrass my self against the twins in that match, none the less. That for sure would in fact be a terrible start to this all, all at the exact same time too, as I knew that I would instantly lose all my respect as the team captain, if I was to get skunked in that match, never the less.
I kind of just shook my head a little bit to my self, all at once, as I then did in fact begin to start to follow the others over to just where it was that the middle of the court was even at, all at the exact same time too, never the less, at that. Just as it was that I had in fact got close to it, I saw that Xavier did in fact have his eyes squinted over towards me, for some odd reason or another, never the less, at that. I was a little bit confused as to just what that was about, as I then did in fact begin to start to tilt my head a little bit over towards him, all at the exact same time as well, never the less.
It was as if I had in fact done some thing wrong, and I was in fact fairly certain that I had in fact not done any thing wrong what so ever, all at the exact same time too. I did my best to try to calm my self down all at once, once again, as in the end, I did in fact begin to start to see Xavier begin to start to shake his head over towards all of the kids that were in the middle of the court right now. It was clear that I was not the only one that was in fact a little bit lost as to just what it was tha was even going on right now.
I breathed in quite a bit of a heavy sigh to my self, all at once, as eventually, in the end, I did in fact begin to start to hesr him begin to speak to all of us, all at the exact same time as well, never the less. I breathed in another bit of a soft sigh to my self, all at once, as I still was not all too sure as to just what it was that was even going on right now, all at the exact same time too, never the less, at that. How ever, in the end, I did in fact begin to start to listen as to just what it was that he even had to say to us all, all at the exact same time as well, never the less.
"Alright... Practice is over... Tomorrow, we will get to see the schedule..."