The Girl Next Door

~15~

                    "Got me wondering, I'm wondering what's on your mind..."

Robyn Fenty

"Ball!" I shout, running to the three-point line.

I'm wide open, but this Britteny girl chooses to drive to the hoop and get the ball ripped away from her by Zen.

I huff and start running down the opposite end of the court, hoping to catch up to Zen's long leg having ass.

She goes for an easy lay-up and the whistle blows, signaling the end of the practice.

A collection of groans comes from everybody as we know what the coach is going to make us do next. Suicides...

"Alright ladies, gather in," the coach says, softly.

Automatically, I become nervous. Ever since we started practicing, the only thing she's been doing was yelling. And now, she's quiet?

We gather around her as she instructs, everyone a panting and sweating mess.

Just as she's about to speak, the volleyball girls walk behind us, chattering. A couple of the basketball girls heads, including mine, turn around so we can check out the girls. Almost all of the girls are giving me looks, some flirtatious and some friendly.

"Pay attention," the coach says, causing our heads to turn back around to face her.

"Ok, ladies. Listen up. We are a team right?"

We all nod, slowly.

"I mean, and I didn't recruit only one person to play for me, right?" She asks, her voice slightly rising. 

A murmur of "right"s come in response.

"So that means that if a teammate is wide open, what do we do? What is the smart thing to do?"

No one says anything because we're afraid it might be the wrong answer. Mentally, I am laughing because it's about time that Britteny gets chewed out for the disrespect she's been giving me ever since I came back from my injury.

"Griner! What is the smart thing to do, since you're such a bad ass?!" The coach yells at Britteny.

"Pass the ball," Britteny responds quietly, clearing her throat.

"Right? You see Fenty wide open and you go for the hoop? That's a "maybe" two points, against a free three. Come on, you can't be that stupid. And since you wanna be stupid and cost the team, the team is going to run. Line up at the baseline."

A collection of scoffs, groans and muttering comes from the team. I am among them, considering that it's Friday, I'm tired, and I want to go home.

"I didn't ask for all that bullshit, line up!" The coach says.

As I jog to the baseline, Britteny breezes past me, purposely bumping into me.

Letting my emotions get the best of me, I trip her, making her tall, heavy body crash to the floor.

Scattered laughter comes from the team as I continue jogging, leaving her be. But almost immediately, she's up and all in my face.

"What, you think you big now or some shit? That's what you think?" She says, shoving me.

I take a step back, mentally surprised. I can feel the urge to damage her gnawing at me, but I will myself not to.

"Move tha fuck out mah way," I say, trying to push past her. She pushes me again, staring me into the ground.