For Hating Me You Sure Are Possessive

21: Just a Player

It was third quarter and I hadn’t been put in the game. Not once. I glanced over towards Coach Matthers but he didn’t even glance to me. He was focused on the scoreboard. We were down by twelve and moral was starting to sink as the girls began to slack. Just put me in! I tried to will the head coach as though it’d help. I can help I know I can! I watched painstakingly as the other team stole the ball and made a beeline for their basket on the opposite end of the court. She made it in and I winced.

Why had he brought me here if I wasn’t going to get to play?! I wondered and shot another look towards him, but this time he was too busy talking to the girl on the bench beside him giving her pointers. I sat back and sighed. Well they knew best. I decided and cheered on my teammates. No reason to be sore about it. Fourth quarter ended and the girls jogged back up to our huddle as the coach started to give some pointers and try to boost morale.

The players were changed out and Macy ended up sitting next to me panting hard. “Good job out there.” I told her after a moment of indecision. “You’re keeping up really well. Especially since your tag is so tall. She’s hard to cover but you’re doing great.”

Macy turned her head slowly towards me, her eyes seething poison. “Why don’t you shut the fuck up? You’re not supposed to even be here.”

I looked at her for a moment then turned my eyes back towards the game. I had been being sincere but that didn’t matter to her. I was nothing.

“Kara!” I perked up at my name and leaned forward towards the head coach. “You’re in for Mary.”

I nodded and jogged to the booth, told them and kneeled waiting for the ref to wave me in. A girl from the other team kneeled beside me waiting for her turn as well. She looked at me and scoffed. “Throwing in everyone just so they all get playing time I see.”

I ignored her remark and jogged in to place when the ref motioned and Mary shuffled off the court looking at me like I was death incarnate.

I shrugged and the game was put back into action. Within seconds I fell into step with my tag, watching her moves along with everyone else as I scanned and watched the ball being dribbled. Time slowed and I lunged, tipping the ball out of the girls hand as I bolted past. In under a second the ball was under my control and I’d moved over half court line. The girls darted after me full speed expecting a layup from me but I had already rested just outside the top right of the three pointer arch and shot. The ball floated through the air and swished in the net silently.

I smiled as I didn’t miss a beat and was back on the defense. The girl who’d made the snide comment earlier gave me a look that said ‘beginners luck’ and scoffed as she got ready for the ball. It was too late to break me though. I was playing and I was ready to prove my worth.

“Time out!” my head coach yelled enthusiastically. The ref blew the whistle and we jogged up to him, huddling together as he talked. “We’re ahead by two and we can keep the lead if we keep up D. Follow Kara’s lead guys! She’s reading them. Stop thinking and just go with what you know. You’re all good players, now go prove it!”

We nodded and I could feel a few tired glances towards me. I’d scored every point since I’d been put in and I was bursting with energy. “Catch.” Coach Matthers chimed and I snatched his water bottle from the air gracefully. “You left yours behind, help yourself.”