One Last Shot

[48] Globular Clusters

             Liam

The next morning, I wake up to see Iris searching through her bags.

"No morning kiss?" I pout, sitting up in the bed, swallowed in the stark white, stiff, hotel bed sheets.

"Game day," is all she mumbles, as she throws a pair of shorts out of her bag onto the bed.

"Are you okay? You'll do great today."

"We have to be out in 30."

"Okay, we'll be ready." She seems frantic, so I get up, walking over. "How much sleep did you get last night?"

"A lovely amount since I was with you," a soft smile appears on her face as she makes eye contact with me.

"Take a deep breath," she rolls her eyes. "No, Iris, listen to me. You're stressed, this won't help your anxiety. Take a deep breath, close your eyes." She follows what I tell her, and I see her shoulders relax. "Okay, now get through what you need to before we leave calmly, it'll only help your game performance." She nods, before starting to move slower and calmer. As I walk to the bathroom to take a shower, I press a kiss on the top of her head. "I'm taking a shower." Her head perks up at my statement, and I let out a little laugh. "Another time, sweetheart." She looks at me with defeated, annoyed eyes. "Another time," I press a kiss on her forehead before heading into the bathroom.

Arriving at the gym, Iris leaves us almost immediately to join the team, who all seem a bit on edge. We get seats, and Iris' entire family insists on sitting next to me, her mom closest to me.

Iris' team wins the first game, sending them to the championship, but the team does not look thrilled about it.

"You play basketball too, right Liam?" Iris' mom turns to me in between the two games.

"Yes, although this is my last year, I'm a senior."

"What are your plans for after college?"

"Law school, actually. I'm majoring in pre-law right now, so I'm set to head right into law school in the fall."

"That's great! A lawyer, huh?"

"Something like that," I chuckle nervously. The second game's warmups start, and I see the other team.

"Oh no," Lilly mumbles, looking frantically at Thomas, who also looks concerned.

"What?" I ask.

"Tiffany," Lilly leans down to see Tiffany.

"Yes, I see it too. Let me go talk to her." Tiffany gets up, walking down the bleachers and onto the court, right over to Iris.

"She can't play in this game," Lilly says, concerned.

"What?" I ask, again hoping to be heard this time.

"Those are all the football boys that bullied Iris in high school. They're giants. She can't get hurt, she was just in the accident."

"She'll be fine," Marcus waves any fears Lilly has. "She's tough, she doesn't take anyone's shit."

"Yeah, exactly," Thomas snorts. "They all have a bone to pick with her because she didn't take their shit." Tiffany comes back to her seat, looking exasperated.
"She's playing! I told her no, but she is."

The game starts, all of the size matchups except for Billy are ridiculous, all the guys on the other team are giant. In the first quarter, one of the opponents trips Jess, who hits the ground. Iris' team looks at the referees to call the foul, but they don't. Later, Billy gets shoved by one of the guys while in possession of the ball, once again no foul called. Iris is on the defensive, the man she's guarding calling for a pass. She tries to steal it mid pass, and he simply pushes her back, sending her flying. Jess catches her, before yelling something to the referee, who blows his whistle and calls a technical foul on Jess for talking back to him. Everyone in the stands has become unruly, yelling at the referees every time they let a foul from the other team go.