Chapter Fifteen:

"So you're not Chinese?" I asked Gina, while we were both getting ready for the tryouts. I adjusted my socks, because I hate it when they don't level with the other sock on my calves. It's just a pet-peeve of mine, or I just have OCD. I don't really know.

Then, I carefully untied the knots that formed on my old basketball shoes. They looked worn-out, and I love it. It showed how hard I worked to be on the A-team for three years straight. This year would be my last, and I'm hoping these shoes would survive with me.

I tied up my hair, and thankfully I have a pair of emergency contact lenses in my locker, so that I wouldn't have to run with my glasses on. I could, but my glasses are too precious to me. I didn't want to risk it.

Gina and I were both dressed in our last year's royal blue, warm-up jerseys, that doesn't have our official number on it. Some of the other girls from last year were wearing them too, while the new girls were dressed in our school's Phy. Ed. clothes which consists of royal blue shorts, and a white T-shirt, with our school's logo on the left upper-side, which was a cross, and an open bible below a torch.

The difference was obvious. You could tell which ones were the veterans, and which ones were the newbies. Mostly because the newbies looked ridiculous in our Phys. Ed. uniform. The uniform itself looked ridiculous.

"Mave, we've known each other since freshman year, and you still don't know?"

"Well, what kind of Asian are you?" I asked. Gina rolled her eyes, and shook her head at me. I suddenly felt bad for asking that, mostly because it sounded very dumb. "I'm so sorry!" I quickly apologized, and gave her an innocent grin.

"I'm very dissapointed in you." Gina replied. She gasped, then looked at me in horror. "Oh my god, I sound like my mom."

"That's probably the most stereotypical thing I've ever heard." I said, laughing at her face. Gina laughed with me, as she took one of my hair ties on my wrist and tied her hair up.

"I'm a Flip."

"A what?" I asked in confusion.

"I'm one of the Flips." Gina replied. "I'm a Filipino."

"Well, you look Chinese." I said. "And Korean."

"You look, Scottish." Gina replied. "You look like one of those white people."

"I'm not Scottish." I said, while Gina gave me this pointed look. "Oh." I muttered in realization, feeling stupid.

"Now you know how it feels." She said, and tucking her jersey in her basketball shorts. "Don't assume things, Mave. Some Asians get really offended by this, for example, like my mom. I don't give a shit though, because I understand that they don't know, which I think is still stupid- no offense."

"Non taken." I said, chuckling and also tucking the jersey in my shorts.

Gina and I chatted for a bit, while coaches and other teachers try to organize the gym equipments. They were setting up orange pylons, marking the key lines, and marking the three-point lines with hockey tape.

I saw Dani walking out of the change room, with the Phys. Ed. uniform on, and I couldn't help but laugh. I mean, it doesn't look bad on her, it's the look of disgust on her face that got me. She knew that the uniform sucks, and I find that hilarious.

Gina called Dani over, and Dani seemed to relax a bit. She looked at our jerseys and asked,

"Why can't I wear one of those?"

"Because you're not on the team yet." Answered Gina.

"So does that mean you two are on the team already?"

"No." Said Gina. "This was from last year. We can keep them."

"Gosh, I wish I could've brought my own gym clothes. This really sucks."

"It's not that bad." I told her, trying really hard not to laugh. "You look very cute."

"Oh, thanks." Dani said, grinning as she gave me a wink. I raised an eyebrow.

To my confusion, she extended her hand and introduced herself. "I'm Dani by the way, so you were on the team from last year too?"

"Uh, yeah." I nodded my head, and shook her hand. Gina gave me a look, and her eyes narrowed. Then, she looked at Dani, and I could tell that she and I were both thinking the same thing.

Dani doesn't recognize me.

"Do we have classes together?" Dani asked, as she run her hand through her hair. I almost didn't catch it, but I'm pretty sure that she fluttered her lashes at me. She grinned her lop-sided grin, as she waits for my answer.

I was a bit taken aback, by Dani's behaviour. It reminded me of James' body language, and other boys who tried to flirt with me. Wait... Wait a second-

My thoughts were interrupted by Gina's laughter. It was so contagious, that I had to laugh with her.

"What's so funny?" Dani asked, chuckling. Gina and I shook our heads, still laughing. "Have you seen, Maverick?" She looked around, scanning the gym, and looking for me. I tapped her shoulder to get her attention, and waved a hand on her face.

"Are you okay?" I asked, grinning. But Dani looked at me in total confusion. "Dani, I'm right here." I said, still grinning.

She gawked.

"Holy shit!" She exclaimed, making one of the coaches yell at us to watch our language. "I didn't recognize you!"

"I think it's the hair." Gina said, flipping my pony tail. "You should put your hair up often." Dani nodded her head to agree with Gina. I shrugged.

"Too lazy to do so." I said, smiling at them.

"You look so different without your glasses." Dani said, her eyes piercing through mine. "I didn't know they were so blue."

"Um." I said, starting to feel self-conscious, that I had to look away. "Yeah, I guess they are."

There was a little tension. I could feel it. I was suddenly anxious around Dani, and I'm pretty sure that she tried to flirt with me just now. No. I'm probably just imagining it.

"You're such a bitch, you made me look ridiculous." Dani complained, frowning at me. "You could've told me."

Yeah, it was probably just nothing.

"It was funny, you have to admit." I said.

When Mrs. Russ, our last year's coach blew her whistle, we gathered where the coaches were and waited. They started calling out names from the list for attendance, and they told us to grab a number sticker to put on to our jerseys and shirts.

"Gina San Juan!"

"Here!" Gina called out, and pushing through girls as she hurriedly tried to get the number fourteen sticker. "NO! SOMEONE ALREADY TOOK IT!"

"Fifteen would do, Gina." Mrs. Russ said.

"But I've been number fourteen since-"

"Just take it." Our coach said, handing the unwated sticker. "Please? I'll save the number fourteen jersey for you. The school bought new ones." Gina did her excited gasp, and nodded her head without objections this time.

"Dani Dubois!"

"Here!"

Dani made her way to the sticker numbers.

"Maverick Bridge!"

"Present!"

I followed Dani.

Dani snickered at me while we searched for our wanted numbers stickers on the table.

"Present, really?" Dani asked, smirking at me.

"I like to be different." I answered her, "Besides, there's nothing wrong with it. It's proper." I found the number seven sticker, but Dani was also holding on to it. "No way."

"Mave, come on."

"I'll let you have the sticker, but give me the jersey number." I told her.

"What? No."

"Dani, please." I begged, holding the sticker tighter and practically holding her hand. I thought that we're playing our staring games again, so I didn't look away this time. I wanted seven, and I won't let her take it away from me.

Dani sighed, and pulled on the sticker too, which pulled me closer to her a little.

"Sorry, Mave. But I also want this number." Dani whispered. "Don't make things complicated."

I gritted my teeth. Why does she always say that? I've heard her say that I make things complicated since I've met her, but am I really making things complicated? I'm not. I don't.

"Don't say that." I said.

"Is there a problem here? What's wrong?" Mrs. Russ asked, as she approached the table.

The look that Dani gave me tells me that she won't back down. Suddenly, it wasn't about the sticker anymore. It was about which one of us is better. The conversation that we had was remembered, and I saw her smirk at me because she knew that I was thinking the same thing.

My god, this girl's going to be the death of me.

Breathing out softly, I finally let go, and grabbed number eight.

"Nothing." I told Mrs. Russ while frowning at Dani. "Nothing at all."

"Alright ladies! Grab two basketballs!" Called out Mrs. Russ to everyone.

Then it started.

First drill. The ball handling.

I knew the drill, and I was familiar with it. Dribble two basketballs, and using one of each hand. Maintain your stance, copy the rhythm of Mrs. Russ' dribble, then pivot. Dribble high, avoid carrying, dribble low, fake movement, dribble backwards, then sprint forward until half-court.

Dani was beside me, and she matched my rhythm. Her stupid lop-sided smirk on her face.

"Drop one basketball and protect the other while trying to knock other people's basketball!" Yelled Mrs. Russ. "Put the ball away if your ball got knocked out!"

Immediately, Dani came after me.

My eyes narrowed in surprise at her speed, but I instinctively held my arm up in position to defend myself. Dani was aggressive, as she try to move pass me to knock my ball away. It was getting quite annoying, to be honest.

Why me? Why not knock away other girls'? Oh right, we were both proving which one was better. How stupid. But fuck that, I'm not losing to her. Especially when she wears that smug look of hers.

No freakin' way am I losing to Dani.

With one swift motion, I side-stepped, cross-dribbled in between my legs, slipped passed Dani, and knocked her ball out.

"Whooo!" Gina cheered when she saw me, and clapped her hands hard.

I didn't even realize that Dani and I were the only ones left who were trying to knock each other's basketball. So all attention was on us. Damn it.

"Good job ladies!" Mrs. Russ said, a rare smile on her lips. She then explained drill number two. Don't touch the pylon. We were to dribble the ball in between multiple pylons, arm in position, switch, criss-cross dribble until half court, and perform a lay-up to finish. Again, avoid touching the pylons.

Dani was beside me, on the right side of the pylon row. I was on the left, and infront of us was the basket. We were to do the drill at the same time, to determine which was quicker, and more efficient. Our movements were almost in sync, it was creeping me out. Dodge pylon here, dodge pylon there, defense arm up, quick step, and cross. Our shoes squeaked, indicating quick movements, then half court came, and Dani and I both sprinted for a lay-up.

I do well under pressure, and sometimes I don't. With Dani sprinting with me from the other side, I knew that somehow I would hesitate, and mess up my step, or the ball won't go in. But, since I know that Dani is right-handed, it was obvious that she has the advantage.

What she doesn't know is that I'm ambidextrous. She had time to flash me a smirk, and I hated it.

Dani stepped up, right, left, up... On the other side I stepped up, left, right, up... Both balls hit the backboard, bouncing on the corner of their box, and both balls landed in the basket.

Dani and I instinctively both tried to square-up on one another, as if it was a real game. I knew how agrressive she can be, so I didn't want to feel weak. We shoved each other, both trying to get in position...

Then, the balls got stuck in the basket.

Mrs. Russ laughed. It was weird because, Mrs. Russ never laughs.

A/N:

This morning, my English teacher had something on her teeth. It looked like spinach, or something. There were only about seven people in my class, so I looked at my classmates, wondering if they see it too. But they weren't even listening to her lesson. Ironically, we were discussing about self-confidence, and speaking up.

I was going to tell our teacher that she had something on her teeth but then I realized that it would be embarassing for her. But then I thought, "No, I won't be that kid that won't speak up."

So I told her. Then she gave me Kitkat, because apparently I made a difference.

xoxo -Jean

Unedited