A Different Descendant: Freshman Year 1

Chapter 5

As my thoughts wandered into the past, I didn't notice when a tear drop fell from my eyes onto my cheek. I cleaned it off, composed myself, and headed for my first class.
Freya sat next to me in class. She sometimes sent me notes in a piece of paper asking me questions about things that happened with me since she moved away. Some I answered honestly, some I did not answer at all.
     After school, it was time for my first basketball practice.
When I got to the locker room, I was told coach wanted to see me in his office.
    His office was well arranged. Behind his chair, there was a lot of basketball related stuff. Tactics, pictures of players and so on.
     "Good, you're finally here. Catch," he said tossing me two nylons.
     "The grey one is for practice. There are two in that. The blue is for games.”
    I caught them and watched them with hopeful eyes.
    “Now to the real deal, what position do you excel in?" He asked.
Without hesitation, I answered;
      "All except defense. I'm not bad on defense, but I excel in other positions more than I do on defense," I said.
He stared at me for a while with a playful stern gaze.
   He sighed. "That's what many say. But in the end--"
     "I'm different," I said confidently, cutting him off.
    He stared at me again. I looked him in the eye to let him know I was dead serious.
     "Alright then, go change."
     I left his office and changed into my training outfit. As I changed, coach came out of his office to give us a small talk.
     "Alright listen up. Last season wasn't exactly the best season ever. I didn’t cry or anything of course---”, he began
    “Of course you didn’t,” someone next to me said. Those who heard laughed a bit.
“----But this season is going to be different. I can feel it. Alright, today will be some light training. And we have to test out our new member here. Tomorrow, we determine who will make first line. And let me inform you, you don't make first line, you can forget about the team. Any questions?”
     "Coach, I have a question,” a tall guy said with his hand raised. He was the one that served as a referee for my game against Jackson yesterday.
     "What is it Daniel?" Coach groaned.
      "You said if we don't make first line, we should forget about the team. What about the subs?" Daniel asked with a hint of laughter on his face.
      "Shut up Daniel!” Coach fired back as the whole locker room burst into laughter.
     "Ha-ha. Laugh your hearts out. You won't be laughing when you don't make the team. Now, asses on the court!” he yelled, blowing his whistle really hard.
     With the sound of his whistle, everyone ran out to the court.
Coach made us run ten laps round the court. After that, he started to test me. Naturally, many students would come to watch the basketball team practice.
      Coach tried me on defense. A student in his high school senior year, Rico and I were to stop the other members from scoring. Rico was to let me do most of the work as coach wanted to assess me.
     After my defense assessment, coach gave me my rating. On a scale of one to ten, he gave my defending skills a 6 to 7.
     Next, he tested me as a power forward (my forte). I was up against two defenders, both in their senior high school year. I dribbled past both of them when necessary and made my shots. I never missed a single one.
Coach gave me a nine. As a shooting guard, I was given an eight as well. As a center and small forward, I was given a seven and eight. Practice went extraordinarily well for me.
     On my way home after school, I ran into someone. He was a member of the basketball team, a small forward.
      "Henry," he called out.
     I turned around to see who it was.
     "Hey, I'm Tanji. I'm a small forward on the team. I’m a sophomore," he said as he offered me a handshake.
   "Nice to meet you,” I replied.
     "I wanted to tell you that you're a very good player yesterday and today at practice, but I didn't get the chance.”
     "Oh. Thank you,” I replied.
     "Sure thing. No one in a while has been able to stand up to Jackson the way you did. You just might be the one to put an end to his reign of anarchy once and for all," said Tanji with a smile on his face.
Just then something popped into my mind.
      "Hey, two questions-," I began.
     "I thought freshmen weren't allowed on the team until me. How did you get in? You obviously joined the team last year," I asked 
   "Oh, see coach and my dad are pretty good friends. He knows I play basketball and all, so connections and all that and boom, I'm on the team," he said with a nervous laugh.
     "I see. What kind of test should I expect from coach tomorrow?" I asked.
     He paused and his facial expression changed from laid back to dead serious. "Just expect the unexpected. Coach has interesting ways of doing things".
    ‘Ohh?’
     "But don't sweat it. With your skill level, coach won't let an asset like you slip through his fingers," he said smiling again.
     "Oh. Thank you.”
"Alright, don't let me keep you waiting. Bye.”
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