Learning Curves || Rise Donnie x Reader

→Twenty←

"Nice of you to join us," Madelyn greeted you with that signature frown on her face, slumped in her benched spot. But feeling better after your quick talk with Donnie, you didn't let it bother you. A timeout was called and both teams huddled up, the girls on your team looking dejected and crestfallen. With the score 34-54 and only 5 minutes left on the clock, they had already given up. You had to make something happen if you wanted to head to the championship game. 

"Are you feeling better, (Y/n)?" Coach Anderson asked, a sternness to his tone but that same gentle look in his eyes. He set a hand on your shoulder and you grinned, zest back in your smile as you nodded. Then you addressed your team. 

"If I'm honest, I was lying earlier. You guys carry me a lot more than I give you credit for." You spun in the circle they'd made for the timeout, meeting all of their eyes. You could see how little they believed you, so you turned to Layla. "You know I love you guys. I'm just hard on you because Coach is too nice for his own good." Layla giggled, and some of the other girls smiled faintly. "We can still win this!"

"We're down 20 points," Madelyn deadpanned, crossing her arms.

"Oh, are we?" You looked up at the board dramatically, then smirked. "So imagine how good it'll feel when we beat them. Look at them!" You pointed at the other team, who were all relaxing with cocky grins on their faces. "They're just begging to be crushed! Look at their stupid, smug faces." You smacked Madelyn's back and she glared at you. "Don't you want to destroy them?"

"Heck yeah!" one of the other girls said maybe a little too loudly. You laughed at her enthusiasm.

"That's the spirit!" You looked over at Madelyn. "I know you hate me, so why not put that energy into crushing their spirit?" Girls basketball got personal, and fouls were commonplace because girls got vicious in a way boys basketball never did, like when that one girl in your first playoff game purposely rammed into you so you missed your shot. Madelyn rolled her eyes and you sidled up to her, smirking. "Oh come on, you're telling me you haven't fouled out yet?"

"My Captain hasn't been here to encourage me." But there was the start of an actual smile on her face, even if it looked slightly menacing. Her aggressiveness helped win games more often than not.

"And I'm not going to leave you guys again. We either destroy these clowns and get to watch their despair in real time, or we go down fouling." You put your hand in the middle as the warning buzzer sounded. "Who's with me?"

Layla put her hand on top of yours, squeezing it. "We've got this!" Then she leaned over to you. "That girl with the red headband purposely shoved me over." Your gaze narrowed on said girl.

"That bitch is getting what's coming to her."

"(Y/n)," Coach chided, but he was smiling all the same. Even if it wasn't in his style, your pep talks always fired up the team, and he could feel his girls get riled up to storm the court. The fire was back—like the very return of their Captain was all they needed to light the flame under their feet. There was some inherent quality in you that allowed you to take charge and get them hopeful again—something he was pretty sure he taught you from all his speeches, but it was partly your own, too. Maybe it was charisma or maybe it was passion, but whatever it was, your team needed it. Your team needed you.

Madelyn set her hand on yours. "You're a horrible Team Captain, but you give a mediocre hype speech." You bumped your shoulder into hers playfully.

"Why do you think I'm Captain?" Some of the girls laughed as they placed their hands in the middle. "We're winning this. All of us. And when we do, all of you are allowed to give me hell for leaving." The buzzer went off and Layla, Madelyn, and two other girls walked out onto the court. Coach put his hand on your shoulder before you could join them.