Hope

Chapter 17

» Thursday night

After three hours of playing basketball, i bought dinner from Eve's restaurant and walk home from there.

While walking home, with music playing in my ears; negative thoughts still filled my mind.

I walk into the house, immediately greeted by Max, he is telling me that he wants to try out boxing which I have no idea where that came from but it's probably from UFC.

"Alex! Xandra brought dinner!" Max shouts when I put the food on the dining table.

"You look pale, nervous?" Shane walks in, "no." I answered, almost too quickly.

"You will do fine."

"I might lose my chances of going to three universities, I won't have any future." I point out.

"We can offer you a job as our manager," Max says with a simple shrug. I shot a glare at him, "it's gonna be great!" Max smiles innocently at me.

After dinner, I went back to my room, showered and all.

Jace Collins🏀; the boys came by today, and said u are training v hard ; is everything ok tho

Me; fine, tad nervous

Jace Collins🏀 is calling you...

"Hello," I put my phone to my ear.

"Hey.."

"You sound sick? Everything okay? When are you discharging?" Jace chuckles lightly, "I am okay, Anderson. I am just a little tired, I am discharging next week." Jace replies to my question.

"Aaron say you're having some troubles today, you didn't tell what it is. Can you tell me?"

I kept my mouth shut, "Blake."

As it continues to be quiet, he called me by my full name.

"I, actually.. have been thinking a lot. Ever since the violence things have been happening, I do remember things when I was young-- it's honestly torturing me." I clear my throat and try very hard not to cry.

"I am having really bad thoughts, especially with so much stress for tomorrow-- I honestly think that I would die. Even if I don't, I want to kill myself. I really thought from the past few years I have gotten better, but I am just avoiding it. I am just as sad as I was years ago--"

"Blake, please don't do anything." Jace warns me.

"It's just stress, you're just overthinking everything. You're gonna be fine, Anderson. Right now, don't think about anything and just go straight to sleep."

"Jace--"

"I will stay on the phone with you till you fall asleep, now we just stay in silence."

» »

"What university?" I look at Aaron.

"Florida." He points with his chin as we warm up on the court. "And Michigan." He adds.

"You?" He raise his right brow at me, "those two, plus Ohio." I told him and stretch my arms.

"Woah, we might be going to the same school then." Aaron and I high five each other, Cameron then came to join us.

"You know.. Stanford University is here too." Realm tells us.

"Good luck to you, brother." Cameron pat his back, "I already have a place set for me in University of Florida." Cameron says.

"Hey, we might be going there." Aaron points to us both.

"Well, that's too bad for Anderson then. Jace is going to Stanford." Realm stretch out his long legs.

"Anyway! You don't seem to be stressed anymore, everything okay?" Cameron put his hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I nodded slightly and look at the time.

Game time.

»

"The game has been good so far, with our home team leading 26 to 17. With a massive dunk that Realm has been practicing over the years finally made its appearance on court! Realm scores 5 points, with assists from Aaron. And we also have our home girl, Blake who leads the team 13 points with assists from Aaron and Cameron! Blake is doing very well in the game and time is up, it's time to go back into the game!"

**

"Oh, looks like we're given overtime as the score are now tied, 45 to 45." Our speaker, Ben Renner watches the math intensely.

Out of nowhere, the ball is passed to me.

"Oh! Blake Anderson got the ball!" Ben stood up in shock, everyone is watching in anticipation. With my last spurt of energy, I did a lay up, crossing over two people. The ball hits the backboard, and it went into the hoop.

"And she scores!" Ben shouts, jumping in the air with excitement.

"The opponent's ball now.. Passed down to the half-court, interjected by Cameron, runs up the court and pass it to Blake who score a three pointer! Splash!" Ben raise his hands up.

"Now everybody, 49 - 45 and with only ten seconds on the clock.. Will there be hope?" Ben say, and we watch our opponent intensely.

The opponent pass the ball down to half court, he then made a half/court shot that went in.

"49-48!"

"5!" The crowd started counting down, I pass the ball to Aaron.

"Aaron releases the ball from behind the half-court line, and Realm dunks it in!" Ben screams into the microphone, the whistle then was blown.

"Jace Collins is here to see the team!" The whole crowd was celebrating loudly I hear what Ben was saying.

But I saw Jace, he's in the wheelchair; a smile on his face, smiling at me.

As I start walking across the court towards him, a video appeared on the big screen in the gym.

"People say that Blake Anderson, she's a nice girl, yes. Her attitude, the way she showcase herself is awesome."

"What is this?" I keep a wide smile on my face.

"But everyone knows that she's a violent person, nobody likes her. I bet the boys around her can't tolerate her shit. A childhood trauma? Oh dear lord, what was it again? Violence, am I right?!"

My smile slowly faded, and immediately feel like I am very small in this huge room.. Filled with people and family.

"Look at this video, look how badly she have hit me! What shitty childhood trauma did you have huh? You're such a attention seeking fuck." Diana spats at me in the video.

"Hey! If you got guts to do that in the video, come face me! Come at me, you bitch!" I scream at Diana, out of frustration.

"Xandra!" Shane comes down from the seats but only to be pull back by the security guard.

"Come face me! Why do it in a video, you fuck?! You fucking coward!" Cameron and Realm begin pulling me back, trying to calm me down.

"Jace Collins, you fucking told her! I told you everything and you went to tell her? What kind of person are you?! I am your best friend!" Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.

"Anderson, Anderson, please calm down." Aaron got us into the locker room.

"Blake, we all know what happened. We are for you, you gotta calm down." Cameron put his arm around my shoulder.

"Is your voice hoarse from all the screaming? I will get water." Realm can't be in situations like this, because he can't handle it.

I took in a deep breath and look up to the ceiling, "I, I will trash her."