Losing Grip

Chapter 11➷ He Doesn't Know the First Thing About Staying Still

For a moment, I only felt numb but immediately after, searing pain shot through my head. It only lasted a few seconds, but I knew it would start a headache.

The basketball responsible for the crime bounced from my lap into the row in front of me. It did not look the least bit guilty for its crime.

"Are you okay?" Avan asked, tossing the ball back onto the basketball court.

The concern on his face made me wonder if the ball had squashed my face flat. After considering it, I decided that I would have felt a difference if it had.

I nodded slowly and rubbed my temples with my fingers in an attempt to keep the headache at bay.

"Did you break something?" Brooklyn asked, inspecting my face for a trace of blood.

"No, I think I'm fine." I took a deep breath to make sure my numb nose could still execute its function.

One of the new players on the court yelled "sorry" with a sheepish smile on his face. I gave him a thumbs-up to let him know I was fine.

The guy Jayce had waved at earlier walked up the stairs to join us. He wore a white t-shirt under his basketball jersey even though the temperature inside the gym was sizzling.

"Sorry about that," he said to me, pointing back towards the court. "Bradley's new and he has no idea what he's doing."

He scrutinized my face, as to make sure everything was fine with me. He seemed to conclude that it was. Thankfully, his eyes couldn't see past the surface. If he saw what was going on inside my head, he would probably reach a different conclusion.

"It's fine. I think I'm good. It was just a ball."

"I'm Jimmy. I'm related to her." He sat next to Jayce and nudged her, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

"He's my brother," she replied, rolling her eyes. "By the way, idiot, how exactly do you get penalized during a scrimmage? That doesn't happen to anyone else!" She elbowed him in the side.

"Ow! It wasn't my fault. Apparently, I went too hard on the new kid. I'm sorry; I didn't know stretching was a crime."

"You tripped him up," Jayce corrected and shook her head in disapproval.

He shrugged with indifference. "It wasn't that dramatic."

"These anger management classes have failed you, Jim." Brooklyn laughed. "Which one's Bradley anyway?"

"Number seventeen." Jimmy pointed to a tall and muscled guy, running beside Matthew on the court.

"He's great," Jayce said after following the new guy's shots for a while.

"He's really not that good," Jimmy huffed.

Brooklyn turned to look at him with squinted eyes. "Are you jealous?"

"What is this, elementary school?" He crossed his arms on his chest. "He obviously cannot be trusted with a ball." He nodded towards me, as if I were the evidence. "See the bump on her forehead?"

I instinctively brought my hand to my head to check. Like he said, there was a small bump forming. What kind of strength did that new kid have anyway?

"Are you sure you're okay?" Jayce asked me, patting my shoulder to get my attention.

I was about to respond affirmatively when it occurred to me that this was my shot to leave without offending anyone.

"It feels like my head's spinning. I should probably go home now." It wasn't exactly a lie.

"Do you need a ride?" Avan asked, and I shook my head no.