"Now today's game is an easy one. No teams. You are allowed to play on whichever side you want and with who you want."
The teacher spoke as he went into the utility closet and returned shortly.
"We're playing a good old-fashioned game of dodgeball."
The class didn't really garner a response to that statement, the boys just helped place any even amount of balls on the half-court point line that will act as the starting line for today's game.
Standing off to the side against the stage near her bag that was placed on top of said stage, Ken openly stared at her, he decided this morning not to be coy about his feelings or admiration for her any longer, feeling a tap on his shoulder he saw 10 gesturing to one side of the gym where he could easily see his other friends gathering.
However, his attention was at the other end of the gym where she stood, he needed to know what side she was playing on because that's where he wanted to be.
After a glance back over at her, he noticed Joe approaching her, and that sparked his interest, he stood slowly because what the fuck, but before had could make a move and advance on the two he saw her hurriedly grab her bag and Joe's hand and scurry to the other side of the gym in a matter of seconds, noticing her being embraced by his friends and those others in the class that was loitering about, he glanced back over to her previous location wondering what spooked her, to begin with, laughing lowly he saw a stunned Julian being reminded by Langston as he pointed over to her before giving him a comforting slap on his shoulder pulling Julian to their group as he didn't move when Langston walked away.
"That's what that nigga gets. She'll never play on your team."
10 called me over again, and after tying my shoelaces tighter, I stood on the front line of the team right behind the line of balls at the half-court line, the teacher blew the whistle, and the game began, so far it was an even back and forth, one of ours was tagged and then so was theirs, it went on like that for almost half an hour to 45 minutes, that is until the unthinkable happened, I was actually tagged and had to sit on the bench, me of all people!
The game had taken an intense turn, I was bouncing on the bench as I watched Portia on one side of the court, and Julian, Langston, and David on the other, the remarkable thing that wasn't much of a surprise to me is that she had them three working HARD, she was dodging them balls so well that them niggas began throwing the balls like bricks well not so much the three of them, more like Julian, he had a personal vendetta against her, like dude she doesn't want to be on your team, and she doesn't have to be, the way he was throwing it and the way that the three of them were tag teaming her was what was really making me bounce off the bench, like baby girl tag me in, I get them for you, but she like always was holding her own.
Surprisingly, she began singing as she laughed hysterically as she ran from the balls, dodging them as she went from one side on her court to the other, they were relentless, 10 sat next to me and Joe on his side, all of us just as eager to intervene, 10 let it slip that if the ball is dodged and hits the back wall that person who threw it is automatically out, so that's what I was watching for, our side of the bench where our team sat was quiet, we wanted her to have as much concentration as she needed, she jogged from the left side back over to us on the right side and as she did David's ball zipped passed her and echoed as it hit the wall, he walked off, and as she went back to the other side, Langston's ball swooshed over her head, he too walked off quietly sitting down, the teacher reset, announcing that this was the last bit because the class was almost over, he informed her that she should try to throw the ball back or catch it, she nodded but when the whistle was blown again she continued what she was doing because obviously it was working for her this far, running back and forth, she was going between singing to herself and laughing all at the same time,
"On the edge, we're running."
His ball zipped past where she was just standing, rolling a little before stopping nowhere near the wall,
Coming back over to us, ducking her head as a ball flew over her head, rolling towards us,
Pivoting back to the other side away from us once more,
"Feet don't fail me now."
Two balls came at her at once and she duck and jumped at once,
"We know there's no telling we'll be safe and sound."
Julian cupped four balls against his chest turning to her as she braced herself, ducking, jumping, spinning, and sliding out of the way,
"Long...... way down."
Another hail of balls came her way as he tried to hit his moving target,
Stopping as she was still not touched, turning,
"Push back harder till we reach the border."
Standing at the line she held her arms out, chest fully stuck out, challenging him,
"Take up front lines."
With a smirk, Julian set the last ball he hands on the gym floor, running back some he ran up and kicked the ball, with her eyes still closed, she ducked at the last minute, the ball bounced on the floor behind her and she swept her leg and kicked the back up and over her shoulder right into Julian's face,
Jumping in slow motion, our team raced over to her, without noticing I was the one holding her up on my shoulders, when did I get up from the bench I don't know but I'm glad I did, I smiled as she kept her arms up as she finished her song,
"We'll fight, we're not scared of heights."
