Sapphire Eyes ~ 10 Chapter Challenge

Basketball Hang-Up ~ Mirna

"So, basketball, huh?" I say as we go through the garage. I watch Logan's face.

"Yeah," he says, and he bends to pick up the ball. I can't quite read his expression, but I get this strange feeling that he has mixed feelings about it. He runs out to the hoop and shoots. I stop right outside the garage, staying close to Nessa, who followed Kaden all the way out here. He stays close to me, too.

"What about you?" I ask him. When he doesn't answer, I really look at him, to see him spacing out a bit.

He notices me watching him. "Hmm?"

"Do you play?" I point at Logan.

"I ... did."

I cannot help but tilt my head at him. Why the past tense? Maybe his epilepsy is a new thing, and he used to play before his seizures started. He breaks eye contact and stares down at Nessa. She stands next to Kaden with her jaw open wide and her huge tongue hanging out.

"I wish I was more athletic," I say to break the awkward silence. I watch Logan as he shoots the ball. He's got some seriously sweet moves. "Basketball is so fun, but I suck at it." I lock eyes with Kaden, and he just stares back at me. Hello! Talk to me here!

Finally, I look away and sigh automatically. Kaden seems to work up the courage to say something, but Logan comes over. "Hey, d'you wanna play?" Logan holds the ball up to me.

"Trust me, you don't wanna see how awful I am." I hold my hands up and shake my head with a bashful smile on my face.

"Come on. I won't laugh." Logan takes another step and pushes the ball into my hands. He cocks one eyebrow at me, and I feel my temperature rise. I find myself returning to a previous thought: Do I want the twin who is broken like me, or the one who could take care of me?

"Okay," I say, taking a risk. I grab the ball and move forward, glance up at the basket, and hold the ball right in front of my chin. I do my best to shoot the ball, but of course it misses the rim by a foot. I laugh at myself. "I told you I'm awful."

"You just need some pointers." Logan grabs the ball and glances at Kaden. Then he walks up to me and holds the ball up in the palm of one hand while he guides the ball with his other hand. "Hold the ball like this. Guide it with your left hand and shoot with your right hand." He hands the ball back to me.

"Like this?" I try to mimic his hand position. Logan nudges my elbow, and I hold the ball up a little higher.

"Now, look at the back of the hoop. Keep your eyes on the target and shoot."

"Okay." I shoot again, feeling rather awkward still. It hits the rim and bounces back.

"You almost got it." Logan steps forward to grab the ball and hands it back to me. I cannot help but grin at him before I aim another shot. "Now, bend your knees and use your legs too," he coaches me. He touches my elbow to fix my hand placement, and I focus hard and shoot. It goes in.

"Woohoo!" I bounce on the balls of my feet. I'll be a pro in no time, I think to myself with a goofy smile. Logan rebounds and dribbles behind his back, then passes the ball to me. "Ooh, teach me to do that," I beg him.

"Mmm." Logan squints one eye at me and shakes his head. "That's dribbling three oh one. You have to pass one oh one and two oh one first."

"Oh no, will there be a test?" I cannot help but giggle.

"Well, yeah," Logan says.

"I'm going to flunk out of dribbling."

Kaden steps forward. "Here, I'll show you." He holds his hand up for the ball. I realize I've been ignoring him, so I grin with embarrassment and set the ball in his hands. "Hold the ball with your fingertips like this." Kaden holds it up, taps the ball back and forth from his right hand to his left, then he dribbles all fancy. "Push the ball down and move your hand to meet the ball coming back up." He holds the ball up.