the one ( graham lansing )

# 4

BASKETBALL IS A WIERD SPORT FOR ME TO play. throwing a ball into a hoop and needing some sort of technique is somewhat weird to me, i tried to play basketball once and it wasn't so great ( sorry andrew ). instead of shooting into the hoop i threw onto something, it bounched and hit andrew in the face, basically since then he gave up on teaching me how to play basketball. he even once tried to get me to do cheer which also didn't go as planned ( not surprised ) because i pulled a muscle so hard that i could barely move. to make this short i'm not meant for things like cheer and basketball, i just stick to the books most of the time or play volleyball in the summer.

i was clam, especially at a basketball court which didn't happen often since i was always so worried i'd get hit in the head and lose a tooth but this time it was just me and graham there. we were doing the exact same method that we were doing for at least six days so far or even more. it's easy tutoring him, he listens ( thanks to the technique we are doing ) and he doesn't scream at me like andrew when i try to teach him something new.

"now, get up. new plan" graham said as i looked at him confused.

",you have spent all this time tutoring me. now let me tutor you" he spoke as he got closer to me with the basketball.

"no, i don't play basketball. did andrew not tell you what happened the last time i played basketball?" i spoke unsurely.

"what? you have to. you said that when we store memories, we store the emotion we felt at the same time" he said getting on his knees and looking at me.

"and, well, you don't want me associating psychology with being sad now, do you?" the blond haired boy spoke, making a sad puppy face which almost looked like bens ( freaky isn't it? ).

"okay! okay! i'll attempt to play basketball" i said getting up as he handed the basketball to me.

"okay. so the acronym we use to teach shooting is BEEF" he said as we stood in front of the hoop.

"this isn't going to go well" i said, sighing.

"you need balance. you're feet should be shoulder width apart, eyes are up and on the hoop, elbow is under the ball and last but not least the follow-through" he said as i stood there, not fully sure of what he said right now which tells me i need some sort of basketball dictionary.

"keep moving your hand after you release the ball to finish your shot" he said, standing behind me now.

i attempted to shoot but it was the same as the last time i played basketball except now no one got hurt ( thankfully ). i really suck at this don't i?

"that was pathetic" he said brutally but i don't think he meant to say it like that.

"hey i'm just starting this" i said, clearly offended.

"what? if i said that was good, you would lose respect for me as a coach so lets try again" he said, handing the basketball over to me.

and i shot once again but i didn't hit anything that time. the ball almost got in which made me pretty proud of myself.

"woah! did lebron just get in here or am i imagining this?" he said which made me smile, usually if i did that andrew would say 'good job, now try again', siblings.

"get ready to shoot, i just need to tweak some thing and you'll be good to go" he said, passing the ball to me, standing right behind me like he did this whole entire time.

"do i have permission to touch your arm?" he asked as i looked at him.

"yes" i said not too quickly but not too slowly.

"you flare out just a little bit here" he spoke, fixing what was wrong . by that point i was focused on the hoop but something kept bringing me to look at him, it was like some unspoken tension.

"eyes on the basket" he said to me as he also looked at it, "you sink this, it means i'm acing my psych test . . . no pressure" he said, moving away as i threw the ball and it got into the hoop, making me cheer and run around with circles as my arms were up in the air.

"i am officially a champion, i win and graham lansing loses!" i say happily, going to the bench as graham came running after me.

"oh, graham, thank you so much for all your help! i couldn't have done it without you!" he said, clearly imitating me but it was funny so i let it slide.

"oh, thank you. you are a good coach" i spoke as i put my bag on my right shoulder.

"i'd hope so since i coach at the rec center" he said which made me look at him, shocked? surprised? happy? well, maybe all of them.

"you do?" i asked him.

"yeah, i'm the proud head coach there of the nine year old west division co-champ lil bulldogs" he said proudly.

"really?" i asked, now actually surprised by all of this.

"i've been with them since they were wee six-year-old pups" he said, smiling.

"you really do coach them?" i questioned.

"could you stop sounding so surprised? if you don't believe me then come and see for yourself" he said, dragging me to the rec center where he coaches.

he didn't lie. i was playing basketball with nine-year-olds which wasn't so bad but i was the worst one there. he placed me on the blue team and i somewhat got the hang of playing basketball. if i wanted to move with the ball, i had to dribble and if i didn't dribble it would go to the other team, i think that's right.

being around these kids was amazing, they literally just taught me how to play basketball. i was doing better at the end that when i started. the kids love graham, he's not just the schools basketball star he's their star, the one the brightens the room when needed.

"i'll make you guys a deal. if i make this shot i'll bring donuts to the next practice" he said as all the kids circled around him and i was standing on the side, smiling as he made the shot and every single one of them hugged him.

"you got hops" a little girl said to me.

"really? me?" i asked with a small smile on my face. do you get that feeling whenever your around kids you just can't stop smiling? 'cause that's how i feel now.

"no but coach always tells us that sportsmanship is important" she said, being honest with me which i respect.

"well, he makes a good point but i have to be better than all the other girls he has brought here" i said as the little girl looked at everyone around graham.

"you're the only girl he has ever brought here" she said as she got to everyone else.

her saying that made me feel something, cheeks burning and a smile on my face.