Different.

Chapter 7

Noah, Pandra, and Kaleb run forward to the center line.

Pandra grabs one ball and walks backwards to the middle of our side of the court.

Noah grabs two balls and starts to run back with Pandra. He tosses a ball to Erra and he catches it.

Kaleb grabs two balls as well and tosses one at me.

We each dodge a couple of balls as the other team lets loose their balls.

Once the balls on their side were almost all gone, I nod my head to my group.

Five balls go soaring across the room toward the other team.

Ezra gives out a girl-like shriek as Erra hits him with her's. He goes and sits down on the bench next to the court.

Micky rolls out of the way as Kaleb's shot goes sailing past him.

Noah's ball hit's Israel in the face.

Israel looked around like he had no idea what was going on.

Raven pushes Israel toward the benches after she is hit by Pandra's.

Wyatt jumps over the ball that I send his way and throws a ball of his own. It hits Erra right in the stomach.

She walks to the bench, but immediately stands back up as Kaleb catches a ball thrown by Raven.

I walk over to Kaleb's side. "Nice shot. Get another ball and throw it at Micky, if you miss I'll throw you another one."

"Thanks." he says.

Micky throws a ball and I manage to duck just in time for it to hit the wall behind me. I grab the ball and walk a little farther from Kaleb.

Kaleb throws his ball at Micky and misses.

I am now across the room, so I run a little toward him before throwing him my ball.

When he throws this ball, it hits Micky's left calf.

Micky doesn't make a move to get off the court, so the Coach yells out, "Micky, you're hit."

Micky doesn't argue and moves off the court.

Now it is just Wyatt. He throws a ball and gets Erra out.

I throw a return ball at him and he catches it. I'm out. I go sit down and watch Ezra get up and move back onto the court. That doesn't last long.

Ezra is hit by three balls from all the players on my side.

Wyatt wipes out Noah next. Pandra throws a ball at him and he catches it. Pandra walks to the benches as Mickey walks onto the court. He throws a ball at Kaleb and he catches it. Mickey walks back to the benches. I run onto the court and try to grab a ball.

As I turn to the back wall I hear the sound of a ball hitting skin, then skin hitting the floor. I turn around to see Kaleb picking himself up from the ground in front of me and move toward the benches. He had taken a ball for me. I smile at him as I dive out of the way of Wyatt's shot.

I look at Wyatt and we just stand there staring at each other for a second before he stoops down and grabs a ball.

I see a ball in front of me and another to my right.

Wyatt throws his shot at me.

I roll forward and grab the ball in front of me. I stop and send it flying through the empty air between Wyatt and I.

He does a cartwheel and grabs another ball and sends it flying.

While he was doing his flip, I rolled to the side to grab the other ball. I send mine to him at the same time he sends his to me.

The balls met in the middle of the court and drop.

"Three point line!" Coach Genzer yells out. This changes the boundaries of the game. Instead of not passing the half court line, you can't pass the three point line on the opposite side of the basketball court.

Wyatt starts to run towards me and picks up another ball as he goes. I do a back-flip and pick up another ball.

I dive over his ball and roll on my landing. After standing back up, I run after him, causing him to retreat back to his three point line. I throw the ball and it hit it's target right in the face.

Cheers erupt from my team as they all come over and hug me. Both of our teams shake hands.

"I didn't know you could play like that." Wyatt states as he hugs me.

"We beat your ass Wyatt. See, even though they are gay, they can still play a good game of dodge-ball."

"I guess you're right, fags definitely know how to throw around balls." he smiles at his cruel little joke.

I scowl.

"Can't believe you actually beat Wyatt." Coach Genzer is now shaking my hand in a good game gesture.

"Thanks Genzer for picking me to be a team captain." I wink at him.

"No problem," he winks back at me. "I knew I should pick you to have any kind of chance for him to lose his ego." he laughs and walks over to pat Wyatt on the shoulder.

"Nice try Coach Genzer, but I don't have an ego."

"Whatever you say Wyatt." Coach Genzer gives Wyatt one more pat on the shoulder before walking away.

"You fought hard babe, but not hard enough."

Wyatt starts to chuckle, "I guess I'm gonna have to pick different people for my team. Hey what happened to that veggie eater Danielle?"

"I don't know, let me ask Pandra real quick." I walk Wyatt over to Pandra. "Pandra, you know Wyatt right? Wyatt, this is Pandra."

Wyatt holds out his hand. "It's okay, I don't mind that you're lesbian, lesbians are hot."

"Do you know where Danielle has been?" I ask her, ignoring Wyatt's comment.

"She got sick yesterday." she replies, obviously ignoring Wyatt's comment as well.

"On the second day? Man that sucks." Wyatt states. "Pandra, is it? You should come hang out with us and our friends someday."

"No thanks, I don't really like some of your friends and I don't like people."

"Whatever. Let's go Dakota."

"I'll see you tomorrow." I wave to Pandra as I allow Wyatt to lead me away from her.

"So are we still gonna hang out after school?" Raven asks me as she walks up to Wyatt and I.

"I don't know man, I'd be making the conscious choice to be hanging out with a loser." I smile at her, referring to the game I had just won.

She sticks her tongue out at me in a mocking fashion.

I stick mine out back. "Yeah, we are definitely going to be hanging out today."

"Where do you live? I'll come pick you up."

I give her my address right before the bell rings.

The rest of the day passes quickly. I ride the bus with Wyatt and get off at my stop. 

I walk in my house to see my father sitting at the table.

"I'v got a surprise for you Dakota."