Crush on the Court

1. Join the Basketball Club!

Kiyoko stared into her golden brown eyes after redoing her makeup for the fifth time that morning. It had to be perfect. It needed to be flawless, yet still looking effortless.

With a huff, she threw down the eyeshadow brush. What she had, had to be good enough. She was running out of time. Kiyoko brushed her loose blonde curls with her fingers before tying them into a high ponytail.

She threw on her uniform, made sure her bag was packed, and gave herself a once over before leaving. Kiyoko fiddled with her gold bracelet as she walked down the stairs.

The house was silent. Kiyoko's adopted parents had already left for the day. They always left before Kiyo woke in the mornings, which was why they wished Kiyoko a good first day of high school the night before, at dinner. 

Kiyoko adored her adopted parents. Suzuki Hana was the top fashion designers in all of Japan. She has styled every celebrity that has come through Tokyo and has had models walk her clothes on runways all over the globe. Her husband, Kenji, owned a multi billionaire company, and was a retired JBA player. Everyone in Japan knew the name Suzuki. 

Which was partially why Kiyoko kept her birth mother's last name, Takahashi. That, and even after 10 years, she wasn't ready to fully admit her mother was gone. 

Kiyoko slipped on her white high tops and headed out the door. 

Sakura waved at her from the corner. Her bright purple hair impossible to miss.

"Where's Kaori-chan?" Kiyo asked, looking around for their missing friend.

"Running late, as usual." Sakura shrugged. "She said she'll meet us at school." She looked over Kiyoko's uniform. "You're not covering the scar?" Sakura asked, pointing to the long pink scar that ran down Kiyoko's left leg.

Kiyoko glanced down at her leg and shrugged. "Not a big deal," she said simply. Her friend knew she didn't talk about the accident much, but Sakura knew the accident was the reason why she never learned to swim.

Kiyoko and Sakura walked together to their high school. Sakura knew how days like today, first day of high school, where harder for Kiyoko, so she did her best to keep a smile on her friend's face. Sakura heard everything. She was a magnet for rumors and secrets. Sakura always told her best friends everything she heard. 

Kiyoko giggled at the absurdity as her friend chattered away. She knew exactly what Sakura was doing, and she didn't stop her.  

Kiyoko stopped at the field of people. All of Seiren's clubs and teams were recruiting for new members. Kiyo whipped her sweaty palms on her uniform skirt. 

Sakura nudged her friend. "You got this! They would be idiots to not let you join."

Kiyoko smiled at her friend. "Thanks." 

Sakura waved as she walked away. "See you later!" 

Kiyoko clenched her fists at her side, determined to do this. She searched through the crowd with her head high. 

Kiyoko's phone buzzed. A message from Ren, her boyfriend of six months, popped up. 'Good luck at tryouts! Tell me about your new team when I see you tonight. <3' 

Kiyoko sent a quick text back, saying 'Thanks. See you tonight! xx' 

"Join the rugby team!"

"Wanna be on the swim team?" 

"Come join the chess club!"

"Come play some baseball!"

Kiyoko smiled at all the clubs around, but there was only one sport on her mind.

"Basketball!" A boy with spiky black hair shouted with a flyer in his hand. "Basketball club!"

Kiyoko walked around him and another black haired boy bickering. She smiled at another boy with black hair and thick black eyebrows. "I'd like to join."

The boy smiled, handed her a flyer and pointed to a far booth.

Kiyoko glanced down at the flyer in her hands. "You don't say much, do you?"

The boy shrugged, a smile still on his face.

Kiyoko thanked him and walked over to the booth. A girl with short brown hair smiled as Kiyo walked up. The boy beside her turned with a surprise look on his face.

"Hi," she greeted. "Do you want to sign up for the basketball club?"

Kiyoko sat down across from her. She nodded her head, a large smile on her face.

The boy handed Kiyoko a cup of tea.

"Thank you," she said.

"I'm Aida Riko, the coach." The girl raised a hand to the boy beside her. "This is the captain, Hyuga Junpei."

"Takahashi Kiyoko."

Couch Riko slid a clipboard and a pen to her. "Fill this out. We'll be meeting after school in the gym. 3:00 sharp."

Kiyoko nodded her head as she filled out the form. She smiled to herself as she filled out the 'why do you want to join' spot. She handed them back to Riko. "See you then." She took her tea with her as she walked away.

Before heading to her classroom, Kiyoko stopped at her locker to put her bag away. As she pulled out a notebook and her pencil case, a raven haired girl threw on arm around Kiyoko.

"Hey ya."

Kiyoko chuckled at her friend. "There you are, Kaori-chan."

"Walk me to my classroom?" Kaori asked, though it was more a statement.

Kiyoko chuckled as the two girls walked down the hall. The three best friends, Kiyoko, Sakura and Kaori were sad to find out none of them were in the same class that year, but Kiyoko knew it would be for the better. None of them would get any work done if they were. 

After Kiyoko dropped Sakura off in classroom 1-A, she made her way to 1-B, her own class. The bell rang before Kiyoko could walked through the door. Kiyoko slipped in quietly, in hopes to not get in trouble by the teacher for coming late.

There was one seat left, on the far side of the classroom, in front of a tall red-haired boy. 

The teacher began his lesson without lecturing Kiyoko, so she let out a sigh of relief. 

As Kiyoko wrote her notes, the boy behind her tapped her on the shoulder. She glanced behind her, half listening to the teacher. 

"Could I borrow a pencil?" The boy asked, looking flustered.

Kiyoko nodded her head, pulled a spare pencil out of her pencil case.

Who doesn't bring a pencil to the first day of school?

After that, Kiyoko did her best to stay focused in class, but all she could think about was basketball tryouts at the end of the day.

When the bell rang for lunch, Kiyoko packed up her stuff quickly. 

The red haired boy held the pencil out to her. "Thanks," he said.

"Keep it," Kiyoko said.

"Thanks, again," he said awkwardly as he scratched the back of his head.

Kiyoko smiled at him as she walked out of the room. As she did, she nearly bumped into a blue haired boy. 

"I'm so sorry," Kiyoko said as she looked down into his eyes. 

The blue haired boy smiled at her. "It's okay." Then, he turned and walked away. Kiyoko tired to follow him, but she lost him in the busy hallway. As she walked to her locker to meet her friends, Kiyoko had a feeling that wouldn't be the last time she would see him.