Basketball!

I watched as Noah knocked the ball away from the member of the opposing basketball team (original team divided into two temporarily) just as the person was about to shoot it in the hoop. He dribbled the ball away from him and made it to the other part of the court by dodging everyone in quick speed. But before he could fully enter in the other part of court the ball was snatched away from him by Elias, gracefully.

Let's give the name to the teams, shall we? The team in which Noah is in 'Team A' and the team in which Elias is in 'Team B'.

The three members from the team A surrounded Elias. Before they could knock the ball away from him, he threw the ball sideways to one of his teammates. But Daniel who was the in-team A dive in and took hold of the ball and dribble it and throw it towards my way.

Yes, you are reading it right. My way.

Looking at the ball coming my way, my heartbeat increased. I steadied myself and ignored my erratic heartbeat and caught the ball skillfully. I dashed forward dribbling the ball. The person from the team B was waiting to snatch the ball away from me, standing in between the hoop and me. I stopped, some meter away from the hoop and calmed myself down and distributed the needed strength to all the part of my body and threw the ball forward, towards the hoop by jumping as high as I could.

The ball darted towards the hoop and bounced on the hoop unsteadily. My eyes widen in fright. The ball then passes through the hoop without the care in the world. Dam you ball! You have no idea how much fright you gave me a second before. I let out a breath in relief.

"Good job, Mary" Noah grinned while playfully punching me on my arm. Don't know when he appeared beside me though.

I grinned back at him feeling content.

Why don't we go back in time to explain the situation I am in right now?—

~

I heard as Tracy slammed her locker shut, her locker was two lockers away from me.

"You ain't done yet?" Tracy asked appearing behind me, a little impatiently.

"I am. Just wait a little" I said while arranging my locker properly. I finished arranging it and slammed the door shut.

Then my gaze followed Rose who was making her way towards her locker wearing a blue hoodie and a jeans pant. I snapped my head back at Tracy with an accusing look, who was wearing the same color hoodie and a jeans pant. And I was wearing a red cropped sweatshirt on top of a black tank top with a black pant and a red sneaker to go with it.

"Did you guys planned to wear the same color hoodie without me?" I asked her while narrowing my eyes.

Instead of a sheepish smile I received a glare.

Uh... wait… did I… do something wrong? Did I… forget something?

My hand automatically went towards my phone. I looked through my notifications and instantly spotted Tracy's message.

Wear your blue hoodie today with a jeans

And the time said 7:50 a.m.

I looked up from my phone and gave her a sheepish smile, she scowled at me.

"You can't blame me for not checking my phone at early morning. You should have given me a call" I said defensively.

"I thought you would see the message. But I should have known better" Tracy mocked.

"Heyyy!" I whined.

"MARYYY!" Noah came running towards me with a huge grin on his face.

"Why are you so perky in the early morning?" I asked tilting my head a little.

"Guess what?" he asked with impatience and then smirked. What's with everyone today with being impatient.

"Um… your secret crush confessed to you?" I asked uncertainly.

"What?" he asked dwelling on my question for a second. "No" then he chuckled when he realized what I was asking.

"Then? You found the secret behind that creepy guy Ray?" I guessed, when I remembered how he used to rant about that Ray guy being creepy.

"No. Mary you are missing the point here!"

I gave him a questioning look.

"It's not about me. It's about you" he said while showing off his pearly white teeth.

"Why are you acting like she got a place in your team or something?" Tracy interjected with her sarcastic remark having enough of our conversation.

Noah's head snapped towards Tracy, a grin spreading across his face.

"Exactly!" he exclaimed snapping his fingers in front of her.

"huh…?" I looked at him quizzically, Tracy wearing the same expression.

"One of our teammates got seriously ill and we don't have any player like him who can fill in his spot. And he got ill to the point where he cannot play basketball anytime soon. And everyone was in panic because we have a match in the end of this week. And then I remembered the person who could perfectly fit in his spot. So, I recommended you to Elias and he actually agreed and talked to the coach and I fill into him everything about the way of your play and he agreed to give you a chance" Noah went on ranting without a stop and gave me a smug smile at the end.

"Whatttt?" I yelped in disbelief, which grabbed the attention of the people around me in the hallway. But I was far too engrossed in processing Noah's words to notice it.

There is no way this is happening after years of trying to get in our basketball team. I had literally begged the coach to let me join our basketball team in my first year here. but he said that our school does not allow the girls in the basketball team. I was like… why the hell not? Even after pressuring him for so long to let me join the team, he didn't let me.

Then in my sophomore year I went to principal to convince him to make an exception. He said if I could find ten girls who is willing to play basketball, he would let me form a new team which consist only of girls. That was a piece of good news for me. So, I had gone on work that very instant. But that task had come out harder than I thought. At the end I had found only five girls that too only three of them were willing and the two of them could even care less.

Even when the whole year passed, I couldn't get the ten girls. So, my dream ended right there.

And now he is saying that the coach actually agreed. I cannot get my hopes high. What if Noah is just pranking me? And even if it's true it is not necessary that I could meet their need.

"Are you trying to prank me, Noah?" I asked in a stern voice. "If you are then it's not funny"

"I swear I'm not!"

I let out a shaky breath and nodded in bewilderment.

"BTW, you have to sacrifice your lunch break today" he said smirking.

"I am more than ready to sacrifice my lunch break for it" I said, finally a grin taking over my face.

~

Back to present—

Now I was officially a member of our basketball team.

Yaaayyy!

You do not know! You do not how much damn excitement is filled in me right now. God! I could even throw a party today. But I'm not going to get ahead of myself. Let's contain this excitement till we win the coming match.

Yes! We will definitely win the coming match.

We had finished today's practice and were sitting on the bench at sidelines listening to the coach. And my lips were threatening to break into grin again. If I keep grinning like this repeatedly then people are deemed to see me as a moron. So, I stifled my smile and concentrated on what coach was saying.

"Your opponent for the coming match will be from Creston high. Their team isn't that strong but not that weak either. They don't have much record of winning. But still you should never underestimate your opponent. And you never know when one could surpass you. They might have found some strong player this year. So, DO NOT lower your guard. From tomorrow on you all will practice hard since you guys have a new player now. Even though Evans have some skill she is still a new player in this team. So, Evans" coach turned his gaze towards me. "You need to practice till you get to know your teammates, knowing each other is important in the sports. Only if there is a teamwork then you can think of winning the game. Understood?! And knowing in the game sense not personally. So, don't start chatting with everybody, Evans" Coach lectured and said the last part with a hint of humor.

Everyone chuckled around me. I scoffed mentally.

I nodded at coach a little embarrassed.

Then Coach left and everyone started chatting with each other.

"So… Evans you wanna know me?" Milo Fortner asked teasingly while bending forward with a grin. He was sitting beside Noah, who was sitting beside me.

Milo Fortner was a deceiver; he has an alluring cute face. The perfect definition of cute with a beautiful blue eye, a small nose, a full rosy lip and a dimple smile. But as the saying goes never judge the book by its cover. Because his personality is hellishly annoying, and he lies whenever he opens his mouth. Which makes him more intolerable.

I chuckled. "I guess I know you enough. Don't wanna know you more than I already know. Because you always surprise me with your NEW NEW intolerable personality" I said with a mock horrified expression and then laughed when he gave me a hurtful look.

"Are you aware of your words? If my girlfriend listens this then she will chase after you until you admit how good and cute I am. And will make you give up on your life" he said smirking.

Oh yeah, narcissism too.

I parted my lips to ask him when he got a girlfriend. But stopped when I realized he was bluffing again.

I gave him a look and rolled my eyes.

"Ouch" I winced when I felt a heavy ball bumped my head. I held my head in pain and tried to steady my vision, which has sort of became blurry due to the pain inflicted on my head.

My gaze landed on Milo Fortner who was giving me a sheepish grin. "It hurts?" he asked, amusement evident in his voice.

"You are dead, FORTNER!" I said, my voice steely low.

But before I could react, the ball has jumped back and bumped his head, hard.

"Ouch" he yelped, massaging his head furiously.

"Ouch" I said at the same time making a mock pained expression, looking at how hard the ball has hit him.

"It hurts?" Elias Brown asked in amusement from beside me, repeating Milo's words. He was standing a little away.

I laughed looking at Milo, Noah laughing along with me. The ball which hit Milo was thrown by Elias. Did he just help me? I'm not going to think much of it. I guess even he cannot stand Milo Fortner's presence.

"Captain! Did you just side with somebody who has just joined our team instead of helping your old buddy?" Milo said with a pout, his expression close to crying.

I shake my head at him in disbelief. Expect from him to get out of any situation with his looks.

"Don't give me that look, Fortner. It doesn't work on me" Elias said walking towards him.

It's true that Elias Brown just doesn't look at girls. Because there doesn't seem to be any problem for him to look at boys.

"You didn't deny it! So, does it mean you really are siding with her?" Milo asked with an exaggerated gasp and a wide eye.

"I'm not siding with anyone. You were being mean so, I was just helping the victim" he said with a shrug.

***

I parked my car in our garage and there was already a car parked in it indicating the presence of my parents. I rushed into my house with a huge grin while screaming on top of my lungs. "MOMM! DAD! MOM, MOM, MOM!"

My mom came running out of her bedroom, a horrified expression on her face. "Gosh, Mary! You gave me a heart attack" mom exclaimed pressing her palm on her heart.

I giggled shamelessly and rushed towards her and dropped both of my arms on her shoulder.

"Mom, do you know what happened today…" I squealed, my legs springing with excitement. Even though mom was a little horrified a second before but she still gave me a smile. "I am selected in a basketball team. Now I'm an official basketball player" I said giggling.

"Woww, cool! You are finally selected in basketball?" she asked in astonishment.

"Yes" I said nodding furiously.

"What were you screaming for, Mary?" dad asked coming towards us, changed from his work clothes to trouser and a wife beater.

"I am selected in a basketball team" I said beaming while turning towards my father.

"Oh!" dad said, letting out a sigh in relaxation. "For a sec I was worried that, you were squealing because someone has proposed to you at such a young age"

"Daddd…" I trailed, my eyes popping out of socket. "Stop joking" I said chuckling. "I have achieved something big here"

"I know, and that's my daughter being all talented" he said grinning. I rolled my eyes with a smile.