The Spanish and the American

Senior Team Call Up

As Avery entered the gym, her heart raced with excitement and nervousness. She spotted Lucas Mondelo, the head coach of the senior Spanish women's team, making his way over to her with a warm smile.

"Avery, it's great to have you here," Coach Mondelo greeted her, extending his hand. "How was the journey from England?"

"Thank you, Coach," Avery replied, shaking his hand. "The flight wasn't too bad, thankfully. I'm just grateful for the opportunity to be here."

"I have no doubt you'll make the most of it," Coach Mondelo said with a chuckle. "With your grandfather being who he was, I wouldn't expect anything less."

Avery smiled appreciatively, a twinge of sadness touching her expression. "Thank you, Coach. He always believed in me."

"I'm sorry he couldn't be here to see you reach the senior team," Coach Mondelo said sympathetically.

"It's okay," Avery replied softly. "He always knew this was where I was headed."

Coach Mondelo nodded understandingly before changing the subject. "Are you nervous about training with the senior team?"

"A bit," Avery admitted, her nerves showing through. "Mainly because the team has changed since I was a child. I don't know them as well."

"Well, one person who's still here is Laia," Coach Mondelo pointed out, gesturing towards the court where Laia Palau was practicing.

Avery's eyes lit up at the mention of Laia. "That's true. Seeing her makes me feel a bit better."

"You'll do great, Avery," Coach Mondelo reassured her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Just be yourself and play your game. We're all here to support you."

Sensing the young basketballer was still full of nerves, Coach Mondelo leaned in and whispered, "Hide behind that equipment rack. When someone comes next to you, let's have some fun and give them a scare."

Avery grinned mischievously and complied, positioning herself behind the rack and preparing to pounce.

As Laia approached the equipment rack, Coach Mondelo gestured for her to come over. Just as she reached him, he "accidentally" knocked over a water bottle, spilling some water onto Laia's shoes.

"Oh, sorry about that, Laia," Coach Mondelo said with an apologetic smile, though there was a mischievous glint in his eye.

Laia laughed it off, grabbing a towel from the nearby rack to wipe off the water. As she bent down to dry her shoes, she was completely unaware of Avery, who was hiding nearby.

Meanwhile, Avery watched eagerly, waiting for the perfect moment to make her move. With a mischievous grin, she crept closer to Laia, her heart pounding with excitement.

Just as Laia leaned down to grab the towel, Avery leaped out from her hiding spot, shouting, "LAIA!"

Startled, Laia let out a shriek and stumbled backward, nearly losing her balance. She landed on the floor with a thud, her eyes wide with shock and surprise.

The sudden commotion drew the attention of everyone in the gym, who turned to see what had happened. Some chuckled at the sight of Laia on the floor, while others looked concerned.

Coach Mondelo couldn't contain his laughter, doubling over with amusement at the successful prank. Avery grinned triumphantly, feeling a rush of adrenaline from the excitement.

As the laughter began to subside, Laia sat up, still slightly dazed from the unexpected scare. It took her a few moments to process what had just happened, but when she finally realized that the prankster was none other than Avery, her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Avery?" she exclaimed, her voice filled with astonishment. "Is that really you?"

Avery flashed her a mischievous grin, nodding proudly. "The one and only," she quipped, before adding with a chuckle, "Though, you might want to loosen that hug a bit. I need some air!"

Laia released her from the tight embrace, still trying to wrap her head around the situation. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her tone a mix of incredulity and amusement.

Avery shrugged casually, as if it were no big deal. "Apparently, I'm on the team now," she replied nonchalantly, as if being called up to train with the senior national team was just another ordinary day in her life.

Laia's eyes widened in shock, her jaw dropping open in disbelief. "You're on the team?" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with excitement and disbelief. "But... how?"

Avery adopted a patient tone, as if she were explaining the most obvious thing in the world to a child. "Well, Laia," she began, drawing out her words for emphasis, "When someone is really good at a sport, like basketball, for example, they might get a call to play on the senior team for their country." She paused for effect, as if letting the gravity of the situation sink in.

"And," she continued, "they kind of have to say yes." Avery punctuated her explanation with a playful smirk, enjoying the opportunity to tease Laia.

Laia rolled her eyes playfully at Avery's explanation, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "I know how it works, Avery," she interjected, teasingly. "But you're still just a baby to us. How did you manage to make it onto the senior team?"

Avery mockingly feigned offense, her eyebrows shooting up in protest. "I'm not a baby," she retorted, her tone filled with exaggerated indignation. "I'm 16 now!"

Laia chuckled, shaking her head in mock disbelief. "No, you're not," she countered, a playful glint in her eyes. "You're still a baby. Just wait until Anna hears you say that her baby isn't a baby anymore."

Avery groaned dramatically, rolling her eyes. "I was never Anna's baby," she protested, though her lips curved upward in a smile.

Laia grinned mischievously. "Oh, you were the whole team's baby," she insisted,

As the rest of the team reached them, Laia draped her arm over Avery's shoulders in a friendly gesture. She leaned in slightly, her eyes scanning Avery's frame with a mock expression of astonishment.

"Hold on, kid," Laia teased, nudging Avery lightly. "Since when were you taller than me? You're meant to be down here," she joked, gesturing toward her knee with a playful smile.

Avery grinned at Laia's playful banter. "Since I grew up, I guess," she responded with a chuckle. "Couldn't stay small forever, right?"

"I mean, you could have if you wanted," Laia teased.

Avery shrugged, laughing along with her. "Where's the fun in that?"

Their banter was interrupted by the coach's voice. "Alright, you two," he interjected with a grin. "How about we introduce our newbie to the rest of the team?"

Turning to face the team, the coach gestured toward Avery. "Everyone, meet Avery Herrera," he announced. "Up until now, she was playing with the U19s, but now she's joined the senior team. She's 16, so take care of her."

A wave of welcoming nods and smiles greeted Avery, and she felt a surge of excitement mingled with nervousness as she officially became a part of the senior team.

Laia couldn't resist teasing Avery a bit more. "Wait till Amaya and Anna find out I get to play with the baby and they don't," she remarked with a mischievous grin.

Avery groaned again, rolling her eyes. "I'm not a baby," she protested.

But this time, the whole team chimed in, echoing Laia's sentiment. "Yes, you are!"

Avery sighed in mock exasperation, knowing she wasn't going to win this argument. Instead, she turned to the coach, eager to get started. "Can we practice now?" she asked, trying to steer the conversation back to the task at hand.

The team and coaches chuckled at her antics, enjoying the playful dynamic. The head coach nodded with a smile. "Alright, girls, time to work. Let's hit the court."