Buzzer Beater

002

     The basketball coach blows his whistle. "Everyone on the court now!"

This is my chance to make a change. Everything is about to change.

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I run up and so do the boys. They stare at me, confused.

"I think you in the wrong place, ma," a deep voice exclaims. I look too my high left to see Jaylen Wright staring down at me.

"Nah I'm in the right place, and my name is Amelia Thompson, not 'ma" I reply. Jaylen looks me up and down, then smirks at me

"I don't know if you hit your head or some'n, but this is a tryout for men," another boy says. That must be Owen Ghost. Yes, Ghost. I'm serious, his lat name is literally Ghost. 

I look around confused. I stand on  my tippy-toes to get a better look. A confused expression plasters my face.

"What are you looking for, girl," the coach asks me, but he says girl with an attitude.

"I'm looking for the men that are supposed to be at this tryout. So far I only see little boys that I can cross up with blind folds on," I sass. The boys roll their eyes at my comment, while the coach smirks.

"Is that so, Thompson," the coach questions, grinning ear to ear.

"Do I need to prove my point?"

The coach takes a step back and blows his whistle. 

"Ghost! Thompson! On the court!"

"But coach! She's a girl," Owen complains. 

"Obviously," I roll my eyes.

"Then you should have no problem beating her. Now get your butts on the court," the coach replies. He puts five minutes on the stop clock. The ball is thrown into the air and Owen jumps and snatches it at extreme speed. The time starts. I have to admit; Owen is good, but I am better.

Owen slowly dribbles to his goal with the ball bouncing high enough n the air for me to make a perfect steal, mistake number one. I steal the ball when he least expects it, running to my hoop to make the perfect left-handed lay up. I can't afford to make any mistakes in this game. I bounce pass the ball to him.

"You just got lucky, it won't happen again," Owen scoffs.

Mistake number two; don't underestimate me.

He bounce passes the ball right back to me. I bounce the ball from one hand to another. over and over. 

"I can be here all day," I tell Owen. "I'm not the one loosing."

Owen dives to steal the ball. I let him. All apart of my plan to show of all of my skills. Owen dashes to the hoop and so do I. As I sprint to the hoop, the ball leaves Owen's fingertips. I leap into the air, reaching for stars. 

Blocked.

I barely blocked it with my fingertips, but a block is a block.

Owen is clearly frustrated, especially with the ball in my possession. I dribble the ball towards him. I stop in front of him. Dribbling the ball hand to hand. I look at him dead in his eyes.

"Don't be scared. Take the ball. I won't bite," I tease. 

Owen looks at me with annoyance and anger. Mistake number three; don't let your opponent get in your head.

I dribble to my left and take off. he begins the chase and i will end it. He has the ball so close to his grasp, just how I want it. He is so in the moment that he doesn't see it coming. I switch the ball to my left hand and he stumbles, but doesn't fall.

"Did you really think i would fall for that," he questions with a chuckle.

I fake the ball going behind my back, and he dives for it, not knowing the ball is in my left. I shoot a three pointer with him still in awe. He's mad. Once we start again the ball is in his possession. He easily crosses me up and shoots a three pointer. 

5-3

Owen smirks. "When I finish beating you, I'll take you out for a bite. It'll make you feel better."

Again he steals he ball from me and shoots a perfect under hand lay-up.

5-5

The stop clock reads one minute. I slowly dribble the ball from one hand to another. We're on his side of the court. His territory. His advantage. He stares me deep in the eyes, with a smirk on his face.

"This is where the fantasy ends," he grins.

He's right, this is where my fantasy becomes reality.

I pass the ball to my left, than to my right. Left, right, left, right, left, right. 

Left. I run with the ball in my left hand. He dives and I switch taking a step back. He falls on the floor. Three seconds remain on the clock. I run as fast as I can before the clock stops. I stand half court releasing the ball from my fingertips. 

00:00

The world around me slows. Just like my dream, but different. Owen on the floor; scrambling to get up. The boys on their feet; jaws on the floor. The coach; amazed.

The world speeds up again. 

BEEP BEEP BEEP!

Swish

Buzzer Beater

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861 words

Author's Note:

Hello, I hope and pray that you enjoyed my story so far, and I apologize for the short chapters. I'll try to make them longer and more interesting. I'm thinking of adding just a little bit of romance to spice it up, but not take away from the main idea of the story. I'll be constantly editing to improve my story as much as possible, so a few changes might occur as you're moving on. I don't mind any opinions you have on the story, and I encourage you to share them. Just keep the negative thoughts to yourself. Please and Thank You.

-J. King (Me)