Sneakers over heels #Wattys2021

Chapter twelve

"Alright girls, gather up." Coach Harlot's voice booms in the chattering locker room of the summer league game stadium. She had just entered the room after having a talk with some officials.

We stand in line on either side and she stands at the front with her hands behind her back like a drill sergeant ready for war.

"Are you ready to win this match?" She asks loudly. The same question she asks before every match. And we reply the same.

"Yes, Coach!"

We were facing against the basketball team of West Ridge High school. They're a strong opponent. But we surely are stronger.

"Win this match and let us advance to the next." And with that Coach finishes her speech, claps her hands together and leaves the room.

I tie the lace of my shoes and stretch my legs to break a few knuckles. I am in top shape today. I had woken earlier than usual and did a good morning workout to keep myself steady all day. Today's a special day.

"Nervous?" Señora asks as she comes to stand beside me, her hand on my shoulder. I turn to look up at her and her eyes widen for a second followed by her chuckling. "Forget I even asked that. Your eyes tell me you're more than ready to kick ass on the court."

I really am ready.

I want to get on court fast and start the game. Every part of my body tensed and it would relieve only if I get a ball in hand and shoot. I tighten my ponytail and as always kiss my charm cap, taking deep breaths.

"It's time girls. Let's do our best out there." Señora, our Captain says aloud raising our spirits and so we leave the locker room, heading towards the packed stadium court.

I am going to be playing from the start of the match as a regular. I wasn't going to be a substitute. None of the teammates were against it. They had actually been glad it was me who was going to be on the court from the starting minute.

Tori wasn't with us in the locker room. She wasn't walking with us, besides Cassy towards the court. Tori had said she'd be in the audience with her brother and support us from there. It makes me mad somehow. She's still a member of the Hawkettes. She can't just walk out and be one of the audiences.

As we enter the court and walk to our bench, I look around and search through the crowd for a familiar ginger head. It wasn't hard to spot since the person I'm trying to find had her hands outstretched and shouting at the top of her voice with an embarrassed brother beside her. I walk up to where Tori is seated and she stops her shouting to give me a smile.

"What are you doing sitting here?" I ask her cutting to the point and she looks taken aback. "You are part of the team. Being injured doesn't mean you're out. You should be on the bench, cheering us on to lift our team spirit. To motivate us to keep moving forward and playing harder. Why are you with the audience Tori?" She doesn't reply since she's at a loss for words. James opens his mouth to say something but then stops when my gaze shifts to him. I turn to walk back to where the other girls are. Senora and Cassy have their eyes on us. "We'll be waiting." And with that, I walk off.

We take off our jackets and enter the court awaiting the blow of the whistle to start our fifth summer league match.

Forty-five minutes later we're in the final quarter of the match. We are leading with a single-digit difference. 75 - 74. The opponent kids were bloody strong in their defense and it took everything in us to make the shots. I had been running all over the court, aiding the girls, and even got six three-point shots through the basket. It wasn't much, but I had helped the team out. Both teams had wasted their timeouts and so the game goes on without a break. In-between the coach had substituted Nora and so in the final quarter, it's me, Senora, Cassy, Reem, and Nora.

"Nora! Pass pass pass!" Cassy shouts to the substituted Power forward who was dribbling the ball trying to run past two blockers. She passes the ball to where Cassy is standing open and it reaches her. Dribbling the ball she makes a run to the hoop and I follow behind. The captain of the opposing team was a strong offensive player and she was standing by the basket, guarding it from letting any ball shoot through it. I had a feeling Cassy wouldn't be able to run past her and so I speed up and stand in position behind the opposing captain. She hadn't given me a look since I was just a girl running without a ball in hand. Her fullest attention was on Cassy.

Inside the three-point line, Cassy and the buffed-up captain of the rival team has a showdown. And just as I had predicted the ball is stolen.

Not if I can help it.

Just as the ball was stolen from Cassy, I hit the ball from the back with a side touch and the ball goes back to Cassy who had already managed to run past a smug rival captain who now looked at the disappeared ball in shock.

Yes!

Cassy quickly does a dunk, slamming the ball through the basket with super force.

"Knew you'd come to the rescue, Judy." Cassy claps my back and grins down at me before running off to prepare for an attack from the opponents.

I'm always ready to steal a ball and help score points, Cassy.

The girls of West Ridge scores a few more points and so do we. We're 84-81. A score that could be easily taken over unless we pull ahead. The clock keeps ticking and tension rises all across the stadium. The audience stops shouting respective names and concentrates on the game. A chestnut head almost falls off the sidelines with the way she was leaning forward. The guy next to her kept grabbing onto her so she wouldn't butt heads with the man in front for a better view. He looks my way and for a moment our meets. He rolls his eyes at his sister's idiocy, a smirk brewing up making my knees go weak for some unknown reason.

Ava never changes.

The smile that creeps up on my face brings confused looks on my teammates. After all, it was a deciding time for the game and here I was smiling.

The ball doesn't drop through the basket. The defense is strong on either side. And with the buzzer almost going off somehow the ball reaches me. There's no way I could pass the ball now to Senora. I always tried to get her to score the buzzer point. Frantically I look around to pass to anyone but everyone had an opponent man- locking them.

Shit.

"Judy Shoot!"

A familiar voice. A voice I'd been mad at, coming from not the audience but from behind me. From the bench where the rest of the Hawkettes are. I smile. I grin displaying a full set of my teeth. I don't care if people think I'm a lunatic.

She came back. That's all that matters.

And so I flick my wrist back, arching my body to a perfect position, and then shoot the ball with a direct hit towards the awaiting basket. A tall girl almost a giantess, jumps to catch the ball but Cassy, blocks her and so the ball makes it to the basket. With a wonderful swish, it drops through and the buzzer goes out.

87-81. The Hawkettes win.

Ignoring my teammates' cheers and my best friend's barbaric screams from the sideline, I whirl around and find Tori seated on the bench, waving at me with a wide grin. And then I join my girls to celebrate yet another victory.