Forever and A Day | one tree hill

twenty-three.

With the first playoff game around the corner, Valentina decided to spend some extra time in the gym. She'd shot over a hundred free throws, even more layups, and now she was shooting three-pointers. She had made so many to the point that she was backing up and was nearly knocking down shots from the Ravens logo.

Valentina shoots another three and watches as it falls through the net. The ball doesn't hit the ground and is instead rebounded by Peyton.

"You need to go home," Peyton says as she passes Valentina the ball. Valentina catches it and shoots the ball, watching it fall through the net and into Peyton's hands.

"Can't," Valentina answers, "I have to hit a hundred threes from this spot."

Peyton's brow raises as she looks at where Valentina is shooting, "You need to make a hundred threes from the logo? You don't even shoot from there in the games."

"I know, but if I can shoot from here, then my shot at the three-point line will be easier," Valentina answers, "I can't let my team down. I need to win a state championship if I want to be UCONN-worthy."

"UCONN," Peyton states, "Right, the University of Connecticut."

Valentina laughs, "Yes, UCONN."

"That's kind of far," Peyton says as she moves the ball between her hands.

"I never said I was going to UCONN. I just want to be UCONN worthy," Valentina responds, "UNC is also still an option. So is Tennessee. And Duke, but Nathan wants to go there, and I want to be as far away from Nathan as possible."

Peyton laughs as she walks to center court, bounce passing the ball to Valentina, "Well then I guess we should get you UCONN worthy."

"We?" Val asks quirking an eyebrow.

"We," Peyton says as she takes off her jacket, tossing it to the side. She claps her hands together before getting into a defensive stance, "Show me what you've got, Scott. Warning I only played basketball for a year when I was five."

Valentina laughs as she dribbles the basketball, "I'll take it easy on you."

"Thank you," Peyton says with a smile. Valentina dribbles the ball, getting closer to Peyton. She reaches out and tries to take the ball from Valentina, but she crosses over to her left hand. Valentina smiles and shakes her head at Peyton.

"Don't reach," Valentina tells her.

"Reach?" Peyton asks.

"When you try to take the ball, but you hit my hand or my arm, then they'll call a foul," Valentina explains.

"But I didn't hit your hand," Peyton responds.

"Yeah, but you didn't hit the ball either," Valentina says as she dribbles the ball between her legs, "Kind of embarrassing."

"Shut up," Peyton says with a laugh, "If I wanted the ball, I could get it."

"Yeah?" Valentina says with a smirk as she stands up straight and bounces the ball right in front of Peyton, "Come get it, baby."

Peyton looked at the ball and knew she could easily take it from Valentina at the moment, but she knew the other girl probably had some trick up her sleeve, so Peyton was going to use a trick of her own.

"Is it hot in here?" Peyton asks as she looks around.

"Not really," Valentina responds as she looks at Peyton.

The blonde shakes her head and reaches up, fanning herself, "I am so hot."

"Yes, you are," Valentina says with a smile.