Conditioning The Heart

C h a p t e r 18: Practice and Popcorn ⛹️‍♀️🍿

1 2 pull up. 1 2 pull up. I chant this to myself as I continue working on a ball-handling drill.

Pick up the cone. Don't drop it too hard. Jeez, my legs are BUrninG. Okay, we're at 10 seconds so there's only 20 seconds left which is like what I just did and then two 5 seconds. So basically I just need to do it for 5 seconds and then I'm done. My legs are quaking when this is gonna be over. Focus, stop dropping the pylon. It's not that hard to drop a pylon without it falling. Great now the balls rolled away. See what happens when you don't focus. Smh.

My mind is going haywire, trying to focus and distract myself from the pain all at the same time, so it's a weird mix.

I run to grab my ball and walk back, my time finished near the end of my internal monologue.

I rest my hand on my knees, trying to catch my breath and prepare myself for the next set. I take a look around the gym, it's so much nicer than before the reno's. Now that the construction is finished there are lots of windows, and they added new floors and an extra court!

I look out the window to see the track athletes running on the outdoor track beside the gym. It's cool to be able to have natural sunlight coming in and if I position myself properly I can see a little bit of the attached park.

I walk back to the net and pull up a chair at the elbow of the key. I dribble back to the baseline and start the next drill. I toss the ball up to just past the chair and catch it. I sweep the ball and burst to the left, before jump stopping, faking a shot, and completing it with a reverse layup.

Yeah, it's kinda complicated to explain.

I keep going, getting more frustrated when it consistently is banking off the backboard, or going too far over the rim when I put too much strength , or hitting the rim closest to me when I don't put enough.

When the ball circles in and out, I let it drop and grunt out of frustration. I grab my water bottle angrily sipping from the straw, laughing a little when I realize I probably look like a child.

I try to reset my mind and keep positive and not dwell on the frustration of the drill. I switch to some basic layups which are a second nature to me after playing basketball for a while.

I switch to just reverse layups, trying to simplify the first drill, so that way I can get the basics of the drill down pat and move back to the drill, and do it better than the last time.

I toss the ball to the chair, reverse pivot, and cross the key with a left, right, and lay it in with my right hand.

It goes in and I smile, preparing myself to complicate it again.... and isn't that the story of my life.

Sam likes Ellis, Ellis likes Sam, and I complicated it by trying to push them together and make Sam talk to him before she was ready.

I guess Zeke and I aren't complicated yet, and I really hope I keep it that way.

As I finish with some free throws and start cooldown I start thinking about me and Zeke. Just as I start picturing us together and cute couple things we could do I get a notification on my phone.

Hey Linnie, so about our date tomorrow. Why don't I pick you up at 5 and we can go from there?

I smile when I remember our date tomorrow, Zeke's taking me to the carnival and I cannot wait!

I'm even going to wearing a loose top so when I eat my weight in carnival food it won't show as much.

I stuff my basketball shoes and ankle brace into my bag trying to fit in in with the extra addition of my church clothes.

That sounds perfect! I can't wait until tomorrow :)

I zip up my bag ready to go home after a hard hour of extra practice. If it doesn't pay off in the playoffs I don't know what I'm gonna do.

Can't spend any time away from me can you? It's only been a day Linnie ;)

I roll my eyes at the text message opening the door to the lobby of the community centre.

No I can't wait to eat the carnival food... you being there is only a slight bonus 🤷🏽‍♀️

I smirk at my phone, as I walk home. Dang I'm pretty good at comebacks.

You wound me Linnie 😪

Well here's a bandaid for you since you're so wounded🩹😋

I reach my house and open the door, I see my parents and my brother watching the new episode of the Flash without me. Luckily they're still on his monologue about being the fastest man alive so I haven't missed much.

I drop my bag and practically become Barry Allen as I hop over the coach, scaring my brother as he spills the popcorn over himself. I just laugh at him and steal a handful.

" I can't believe you would watch it without me! And I thought we were family." I accuse.

My Dad looks sheepishly at me and says " I would have rewatched it with you when you got home"

I can't hold my angry look for long and I settle into the couch trying to emotionally prepare myself for this episode, we're nearing the season finale and all the sh*t is hitting the fan.

I try to sneakily grab another handful but Gabe moves the bowl too fast. I whine to my mom to tell him to give me some popcorn, and Gabe argues that he made it so the popcorn is his.

My Dad unpauses the episode and we shut up wanting to know what happens next.

My phone buzzes and I check my phone

Well thank you mi'lady

I softly smile at the message and start typing out a message before Mom tells me to put my phone away while we're all watching. I erase my message and write

I have to go, it's flash time w/ the fam

I send the message and put away my phone, trying to steal some more popcorn from Gabe and we quietly bicker about what is going to happen in the Mirrorverse before Mom tells us to shut up and watch the show.

I grab a blanket and snuggle in deeper to the couch. Good ol' family and Flash time is always welcome in my books.

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It's A/N timeeeee 🎉

This chapter was pretty chill, but the next chapter is their first date and I'm so excited to put it out! I'm having so much fun writing it, so stay tuned for that!

I just found out that season 7 of the flash is gonna come out in January 2021 so I have to wait until then for season 6s plotlines to be tied up.... and that's too long for me. 

If you enjoyed this chapter please vote, comment, or do both to inflate my ego 😂. I love seeing those notifications they are super motivating!

That's a wrap from me! See you in the next chapter 😁

-𓃰