Against the World

15

Soooo I totally forgot to add the transfer player. So were just gonna say it's the kids first practice lol. You'll find out more and stuff during this chapter. It's kinda a no brainer 😂 Can't have Duke without him! Lololol

"Hey Do you wanna come today? The new kid is actually practicing."

"I guess." He said shrugging.

"I've heard he's really good."

"Yeah what's his name again?"

"Kyrie he's really nice I showed him around the other day but Coach has let him watch the last two practices to see what it's like."

"Oh ok. He better not be better than you though."

"I don't know a lot of people are better than me but that doesn't matter because I'm gonna stay and play with you next year and we'll both be the best next year."

"Yeah." He said smiling.

"Well we have to get going so I'm not late." I said. "shoot I'm already late! I um just go along with what I say ok?"

"Ok?" He said and we got in the car and drove over.

"I'm so sorry coach." I said walking in. "I was helping Donovan..."

"Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you got him to come." He said and i smiled.

"I'll run after..."

"Naw it's ok. Just don't be late again." He said giving me a stern look and I nodded. "Anyways, let's all get back to practice, Paul go in for Jayson." I walked onto the court and they explained the play. I understood right away and I ran it just how he told me to. "Good job Paul." He said and i nodded at him. We ran it a few more times. He crossed his arms and looked at the court. "Kyrie, Paul, switch." He said and we looked at each other confused. I ran the play and coach nodded. "Yeah that works better because that sets Kyrie up for the three in the corner." He said. But I'm the best three point shooter, I'm best from the corner.

"Ok." I said nodding. He'll make a play for me later besides I already have one. We didn't really do anything much because we had a game the next day. I know we didn't do much but the problem was I did less than much. I thought I was supposed to be good. Well that's what everyone tells me at least. Coach has never told me I'm the best in the nation. What if all my friends just tell me that and I'm just blind that the rest of the team is better than me? I sighed and tried to shake all the thought out of my head. "Do I'm gonna stay a while longer to shoot around is that ok?"

"Yeah, can I stay?"

"Sure." I said smiling. I grabbed a ball and dribbled a little while. It was something about the way that the ball bounced off my fingers that always calmed me. I shot a three and swished it.

"You want me to keep track."

"Actually yeah if you don't mind." I said and he nodded. I stood there deciding where to start from. The corner. I shot three after three. I swished three after three. I made three after three. I banked in three after three. I rimmed in three after three. I bounced in three after three. I missed three after three. I shot the ball and it air balled. I grumbled to myself and walked over to pick it up. I shot a mid-range fade away and made it. I walked to one side of the court and ran to the other side and acted like I got the ball passed to me even though I was dribbling it and I shot it and made it. I nodded to myself. "I ain't Kyrie and Kyrie ain't me. I'm not point guard and he isn't small forward." I whispered. "This play is mine, they'll see sooner or later. Next game is mine. This season is mine. This team is mine. The championship is mine this year. Just you wait." I whispered and I swished another three. "What am I?" I asked Donovan and he pulled out his phone and I laughed.

"43%"

"That's all?"

"Yeah?" I nodded. I had to get better. I had to be the best player on this team. I'm not gonna let some transfer student come in and take my spot. I shot around for hours. I air balled my fifth shot in a row, and I don't even know how many I've missed in a row. I slammed the ball on the ground. "I wish he would have never came." I snapped to myself and I hit my head softly on the ball.

"Hey Paul?" Donovan said and I jumped forgetting he was there. "I know you think your doing bad but your up to a 47%" I nodded and walked over and sat beside him.

"I'm sorry for keeping you here this long."

"It's fine I love to watch you play." He said and I kissed him softly.

"Can I talk to you?"

"Of course. You can't tell me anything."

"Has everyone been lying to me. Coach has never told me I'm the best, Kyrie just came in today and took my spot practically. Are all of my friends just saying that to make me feel better? Am I just blind to the fact the whole team is better than me."

"I don't know what your friends tell you. But as your boyfriend and as the person you can always trust, you are the best player on the team. Don't let one day bring you down Paul, he was probably just trying it out to see how Kyrie played. He won't take your role and if he does he's crazy." I laughed.

"Thank you I needed to hear that."

"Of course." He said.

"Now you wanna go?"

"Sure." He said. "I'm kinda hungry." I nodded. We walked out and it was pitch dark outside.

"What time is it?"

"I'm two thirty."

"Shit." I mumbled and we both laughed. "Well I guess we can eat at the house then?"