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

iv

LEAH;
There was a knock at my door as I continued to flip through the NCAA magazine from last year, ignoring dad. I knew he wanted to talk to me about school and basketball but I didn't want to.

Dad opens the door and peeks his head in, "Whatcha' doin' bud?"

He walks in and sits on the side of my bed, comfortingly squeezing my leg.

"Nothing much," I answer while skimming through the magazine.

Dad sighs and pats my leg before getting up, "Leah, let's go for a drive".

I sigh in return, I was wearing leggings and a basketball hoodie. I just put on some shoes and followed him.

———

I sat in front of dad in a booth at a small cafe as he drank coffee and ate a pie. I just ordered water, I wanted to act indifferent.

We both sat in silence while he ate his dessert, which happened to be our favorite pie. He knew how petty I was when I was mad so he didn't question anything.

"Now that I think of it... Cannibalism holds the potential to solve both hunger and overpopulation problems" Dad said while setting his fork down.

I narrowed my eyes, "Why are you thinking about this right now?!"

He laughed, "I'm kidding. But if you think about it, it's true" he said while wiping his mouth with a napkin.

I smiled and drank my water.

He called over a waitress, "Thank you, it was delicious"

I looked down at his plate to see that he wasn't even halfway done with the pie. I reached over the table to grab the plate.

"Actually, you know what? I'm going to finish this off..." I spoke while the waitress quickly picked up the plate.

"No, no" my dad said while the waitress gave me an apologetic look and began to walk away with the plate.

I sat back in my seat, "Are you serious?" I asked, "I know you're strict about diet during the season, but this is just rude"

"Hey, you piss where I eat, you don't eat" Dad said as I looked at him like he was crazy.

Why was he saying weird things all of a sudden?

"Oh, but you do? What, does this mean you're eating my piss?" I asked while playing with my empty straw wrapper, "Well, that's disgusting"

"What a charming young lady you turned out to be. I guess I raised you right" Dad said with a big smile.

I smile and shrug, "Yeah, that's what they say"

It goes silent again before dad sighs and speaks up again, "I don't suppose basketball is on your to-do list this year, right?"

I sigh, here it goes, "Correct. Basketball is one big fat 'no'. I'm not playing again... Ever"

Dad raises his eyebrows in mock surprise, "Oh, you're gonna piss off the sport that you enjoy and trained so hard for, only to kiss it goodbye?"

I shrug again, continuing to play with the straw wrapper, "I guess".

Dad grabs the wrapper from my hands as I look up at him,

"What the-"

"Nonhyeon-dong is the school that your mother played for. She was a major part of the basketball scene when she went there. Ever since your mother graduated, ND hasn't won a national championship, that's at least twenty years" Dad ranted as I listened with my head down, "Now, if you apply yourself, you could help the school win one. It could get you out there"