You Drive Me Crazy.

21

*Adrian's POV*

"Pass the ball Harper," a frustrated Nora yells at a red faced Harper.

"I'm trying but number 21 is going insane," Harper yells back.

We're playing Northwest for the second time this season but it's an away game. We blew them out the water for the home game but it's a nail biter today.

If we lose this game we will no longer be undefeated.

The score is 56-55 and we're on the losing end. Harper just got blocked for a layup and it went out of bounds so it's still our ball.

There's 6 seconds left.

Coach Harris tells us to run an inbound play that involves me faking to the corner then going to the paint.

Harper hits the ball signaling for us to move.

I fake to the corner then cut to the paint but I can't get open.

Harper passed the ball to Nora up top and the clock begins ticking.

5.

Nora takes two dribbles and picks it up. Big mistake.

4.

I'm fighting hard for a position.

3.

I finally win and get open in the corner and Nora passes it to me.

2.

I drive to the paint.

1.

I shoot a layup and watch intensely to see if it goes in.

*buzzer*

It hits the backboard and easily goes in. The away side erupts into shouts and Nora runs and tackles me to the ground.

"Yes, Adrian, You did it!" Nora yells in my ear.

I get up and throw my fists in the air.

We're still undefeated.

Coach Harris calls us over to the bench so we can high five Northwest and tell them good game. We do as we're told and head to the locker room, exhilarated.

Once we're all in there, Coach Harris cannot contain her excitement.

She yells excitedly causes us all to erupt into smiles and laughter.

"What a shot Adrian! And nice pass Nora," Coach Harris says while sitting down in front of us.

"That was a terrific game. I'm proud of how you guys fought until the last second and worked your asses off to get that last shot off," Coach Harris says proudly.

We all look at each other and nod.

"Now get dressed," She says and walks out.

"Adrian just won us the game!" Kaylee yells out causing everyone to erupt like a volcano again.

"Come on now, team effort guys," I say as I get dressed.

"Ahh come one, don't be humble," someone says in the midst of the chatter.

"I mean I guess I did make the game winning shot," I say pretend shyly.

Everyone laughs at me and we finish getting dressed.

We all walk out together and sit down in our spot next to the cheerleaders as usual.

"Hey, Gomez," I hear and turn to my left. It's Taylor.

"Good shot out there tonight," She says with a smile.

"It was just for you," I say and wink at her.

She blushes and focused back on her cheer.

I look at the court and see Elijah running out with Amari by his side. These two are like best friends now.

The ref blows the whistle to signal for tipoff to start. I put all of my focus onto the game.

Elijah wins the tip off and they're going down the court.

It was the literal first play of the game. Amari passed the ball down to Elijah in the paint. He went up and he got pulled down by his shoulders.

I run off the bleachers and almost onto the court before I'm stopped by a referee.

"Go back to your seat, Miss," He says to me.

"That's my goddamn cousin," I yell at him.

I look over him and see Elijah getting up at me and waving me off.

I reluctantly back off and go sit down.

Ricky when I catch you Ricky.

I sit back down in my seat and Elijah is up at the free throw line preparing to shoot.

I decide to go back down the bleachers to get a better view and I'm now on the bottom bleachers. Really close to the court.

Then gunshots echo through the building.

A man is at the bottom of the home bleachers shooting.

Everyone rushes out the gym and Elijah runs towards me.

"Come on let's get out of here," He says to me.

"Alright I'm coming Man," I say.

I begin to run out to the lobby with Elijah closely behind me. I make it out the door but I hear Elijah scream.

I see his body collapse right at the door.

I open up the door and adrenaline courses through my veins and I drag his body through the door and hide behind some bushes.

"Elijah?" I scream but there's no response.

I look at where he's been shot and he's been hit right at the stomach.

I check for a pulse and there's a weak one. I don't know what to do. I just hold him in my arms and his blood gets all over my clothes.

Paramedics and cops arrive on the scene.

"Hey over here please help me!" I yell out to the people getting out of the ambulance.

"He's been shot and he's unconscious," I say to them as they tend to his body.

They load him up on the ambulance and I ride along with them holding onto Elijah's hand.

We make it to the hospital quickly and they immediately take him to surgery.

I don't even know what to do. I collapse onto the floor in tears and sob violently.

I feel someone pick me up and I look up to see my dad.

"Come here, it's okay. You're okay," He says.

"How did you know we were here?" I ask.

"The hospital mija," He replies gently.

I just nod and continue sobbing into my fathers arms. He rubs my back and gently shushes me.

He reassures me and Uncle Sebastian looks as if his world is about to collapse all over him.

I hear the hospital doors open and I look up to see Taylor.

"Why are you here?" I ask her.

"I couldn't let you fight this alone, love," she begins, "I also brought the rest of the family."

She gestures towards the door and in walks Adonis, Aurora, Marion, and Isaiah.

Their eyes hold sympathy and they all look equally as hurt.

Adonis is in tears.

I go and we all do our traditional hug like we usually do at the end of our concerts and we all begin sobbing.

It's not the same without Elijah.

Before I could even think, my dad and Uncle Sebastian join in on the hug, along with Taylor.

Then I feel more bodies joining and see that the boys basketball team is now here.

News travels fast.

We all release from it and there's not a single dry eye in sight.

We go sit down and wait for a doctor to come back to tell us about Elijah.