The Girl On The Boys Basketball Team | J.J.K.

ii

LEAH;
When we landed we were greeted by my Mother and dads' side of the family. I smiled, I finally got to see my cousins and distant relatives after all these years.

"Leah," my grandma rushed over to me before engulfing me in her arms.

"Hello gram," I said softly. She lifted her head up and looked at me with tears prickling the corners of her eyes.

"You look just like her" she whispered and caressed my cheek, "You have her smile and her lips, as well as her nose and a combination of... their eye colors"

I felt my own eyes watering at her words, and told myself to forget about the last part. Everyone and anyone who knew my mother always told me that I looked like her.

It never fails to make me emotional. I've only seen her in pictures but I never really remembered her.

Only bits and pieces mainly, but I knew I loved her a lot and that's all that mattered.

Grandma straightened out my glasses as we both chuckled. She let me go as I hugged everyone else and then we were off.

They took us to our new home as my cousins asked me a lot of things about my life in America.

It was hard trying not to answer in English but my dad taught me Korean as I grew up so it went well.

Now...

I'm standing in front of a large white house, just staring at it. It was pretty big for just the two of us and there were others on the block that looked exactly like it but in different colors and shapes... if that makes sense.

I mean I get it, my dad's a doctor, a very smart doctor. So that meant he has a lot of money, but I was fine with just living in an apartment.

I stood there, with my eyes fixed on the big house that was in front of me. I imagined that if I stared at it long enough it would disappear and we'd have no other choice but to move back to the states.

If only it were that simple.

As if I was seeing the house start to dissipate, my concentration was broken off by people laughing.

I turned my head to the side to see my dad and his brothers messing around.

I scoffed, and they think I'm the child.

Dad looked happy about moving, but yet here I am, wishing this was nothing but a bad dream. I sighed and looked back at the house.

It wasn't bad looking, dad told me there was a basketball court in the backyard and he knew that I was going to take advantage of it.

I just brushed his words off, I wasn't in the mood to play basketball anymore. I told him this right before we started packing up our whole house, he just nodded in response.

I bit the insides of my cheek as I continued to stare at the house.

"The longer you stare at the house isn't going to make it disappear Leah," My dad joked as I rolled my eyes and heard him coming closer.

"I can try," I muttered before my dad and my dear grandma were on either side of me, looking at the house ahead of us.

"Leave her alone Joon, she just needs time to cope. You did ruin her future after all" My grandma put her head on my shoulder and wrapped her arm around me as I silently agreed with her.

"I did not ruin her future mom, Seoul has more options to offer when it comes to education," My dad said as I scoffed.

"Does it though?" I asked with sarcasm laced in my voice, my grandma chuckled. My uncle/ best friend taught me well, sarcasm is his specialty along with playing ball.

My dad frowned, he hated being in the wrong but I always put him in his place.

"Okay fine, do you want me to apologize and grovel on my knees for your forgiveness?" My dad asked with sarcasm in his voice as well, but I chose to ignore it.

I smirked, "That would be nice"

He chuckled and pulled me closer with his arm and left it there so it was overlapping my grandma's.

"Not happening kid," He said as I sighed.

"It was worth a try," I whispered as he pinched my side. I winced in pain as grandma pinched him back even harder.

"Leave my baby alone," She hissed as he chuckled and put his hands up in surrender, he finally gave up on arguing with her on that matter.

Namjoon, my dad, was the youngest of the family. But that changed when I was born.

Grandma turned to me and grabbed my hands, "Go inside and pick a room dear, your dad and uncles will start unloading the stuff"

I nodded as she let go and left with my dad to the moving truck. I turned so I was facing the house and thought I saw a figure standing at the neighbors' window.

I blinked and it was gone.

Hmm, weird. Maybe I'm just tired. The time difference is affecting me dramatically.

———

We finally finished unloading the furniture in the living room as we dropped to the floor.

"Who's idea was it to move again?" My dad asked with a groan as I rolled my eyes.

"Uh, yours," I said as everyone started to laugh.

"That's the last of it," My cousin announced as he set down a box that was labeled 'stuff', I immediately noticed that it was mine. A few posters were sticking out and one was beginning to unravel.

He completely unraveled it and I smiled lightly when I saw my favorite basketball player. I knew he also saw my medals and awards.

"Woah, Leah, you got an award for scoring a thousand points last year?" He asked as I nodded, that was a night that I will never forget.

I could see grandma and dad exchange glances. They always had that telepathic bond.

"That's so cool, are you aiming for another thousand this school year?" he asked before raveling the poster back up. My smile slowly faltered.

Basketball always held a special place in my heart, it helped me and I found genuine love while playing and talking about it.

"Uh... no, probably not," I whisper as he frowns. He was about to say something until grandma loudly interfered.

"I'm hungry," Grandma spoke up, almost robotically.

"Me too!" Dad exclaimed louder than normal as I rolled my eyes, I was too tired to care.

"Chinese?" Dad asked as I smiled.

"Yes," I immediately answered as he chuckled.

He got up and hauled grandma up as well, "You coming?" Dad asked as I shook my head.

"I'll stay," I said as they nodded.

"We'll be back in a while," Grandma said as she grabbed her purse and followed my dad out, along with my other relatives.

The door shut as I stayed in the same spot, closing my eyes.

I wanted to take a nap but I figured that this would be a good time to get my room set.

I opened my eyes and stood up then walked up the stairs. I entered my room and turned on the light.

My bed was set and made, my desk was assembled, my tv sat on its table but still needed to be wired and my shelves needed to be nailed in.

The walls were light grey and the edges were white along with the ceiling. I sat on my bed that was in the middle against the wall.

I picked up the box closest to me labeled 'CLOTHES' and started to unpack.