We're Still Human

Chapter 24: Aye Aye Captain

"Alright ladies, we're back for another competitive term," coach says. "Last term, we did really within the school district, and hopefully, we can do even better this term. So, to keep the same spirit, we're going to have tryouts for captain!"

Everyone claps, but I step up, raising my hand. "Wait, I'm the vice, doesn't that mean I should just be captain automatically?"

Nadia scoffs. "Here we go again."

Coach sighs. "Yasmina, you're an amazing player, but I just want to give everyone on the team a chance to try out."

"So I'm fighting for my spot essentially?"

"I mean it is a competitive sport, is it not, Thandie?" Nadia interjects again. "It's not just running in place, it's actually passing the ball and shit."

I squint at her. "Last time I checked I had the badge and not you."

Nadia walks up to me and touches my vice badge, reading it. "Doesn't say captain to me."

The rest of the team snickers, and I roll my eyes. "Fine, I'll try out then."

Coach claps her hands. "Alright, anyone else?"

Nadia shrugs. "I'll do it."

"Me too."

And just like an eclipse emerging over a moon, Audrey steps out, donning a cream blazer from one of her possible minions on the student prefect body. She tied her hair into a perfect bun, and once her blazer was off, her shoulder wrapped in protective tape. Nadia and I both share glances with one another as she struts towards us, purposely putting herself in between us, looking at Coach. Our coach clears her throat, motioning for some distance between the three of us, making Nadia and I step away from Audrey in sync.

"Okay, so we have three," she says. "Anyone else?"

"You know, I don't really play ball like that," Joanne states. "But I'll go ahead."

"Same." Lynn shrugs.

"Well would you look at that? The Powerpuff girls all want to compete," Meredith cackles. "I'll go ahead as well."

Lynn groans. "Everyday I wonder how much more dense you can be."

"Why dense? You lot are the Powerpuff girls." Meredith walks over to Audrey, giving her a hug.

"Wait, didn't the Powerpuff girls have like three members anyway?" Audrey asks Meredith.

"That's not the point Drey."

"Okay so what's the point?" Audrey's eyes furrow in confusion.

Meredith sighs. "Look at them, and then look at us. They're the Powerpuff girls because they are bl—"

"Okay, so here's how this is going to work," Coach interrupts. "We'll have 2 rounds of elimination until we are left with 2 people. The first round is going to happen today, and that is in the form of 3 by 3 basketball, since we are aiming to send a few students for the nationals. Got it?"

"If that's the first round, what's the second?" I ask.

"That's not important. Now, I trust that you can alk separate yourselves and pick your teammates for later. For now, we are going to do some warm-ups, and our first 3 by 3 game will be played in the last 30 minutes of class. Hopefully this will give you enough time to choose amongst yourselves."

"Can we pick each other in our team, even though we're competing?" Nadia questions.

Coach nods. "We will have three trios playing against each other  so do pick wisely. The point of this is to see who has the potential to be captain and vice and work together for the better of our teams in general."

Nadia and I once again look at each other, our gaze lingering. She shakes her head and walks away, without saying a word to me as the whistle blows, starting our warm-ups already.

***

I'm convinced our Coach did this on purpose.

As much as I despise Audrey and her little side clans, I do despise instigating so much. I know what our coach is trying to do, and  it's not working in her favor. I rather not be pushed by the simple fact that I've been good or can be better, and she knows that. She knows what my source of motivation is.

And that my friends, is rage.

I watch as Audrey happily skips over to Meredith, picking her to be a part of our team. Jo and Lynn talk amongst themselves, and I'm waiting for them to pick me but as they part ways, I stare at Jo in confusion, who chuckles, pointing to the seat next to me. I look in that direction, and I groan, seeing Nadia approach me.

She sets her water down, sitting by me. "Your friends haven't picked you yet?"

"Why does that matter to you?" I scoff, looking away from her.

"Well, I was hoping I could have you on my team."

I belt out a loud laugh before looking at her. "Are you serious?"

"Do I look like I'm fucking around? Look," she explains. "We're practically the best players on there right now, if we get Lynn or Jo on our team, we could make it to the final round of elimination."

I look at Jo and Lynn, who pick up a random junior. "I guess that's out the picture."

Nadia glares at them, shooting the couple a middle finger. Jo retaliates, sticking her middle finger through a hole that she made with her other fingers.

"Fine, we can get Kate or something," I explain.

"She's a junior, no one likes her." Nadia shakes her head. "Too short as well, she can't run either, she sucked in the 200m race last term."

"You haven't been here long enough to know what she's like," I reprimand her.

"And you do?"

I sigh. "Kate's strong suit is shooting. She may not be fast but she is a good defender. She knows how to use her hands well, and she is a pro at layups." Nadia gapes at me. "There's a lot you can learn from shutting up."

"Oh yeah? What have you learnt from me?" Nadia challenges.

Irritated, I shake my head. "Do you really want to know?"

"Give it your best shot."

"You changed the hand that you shoot with," I say, pointing at her left hand. "It used to be your right, but lately you've been using your left."

Nadia looks down. "Yeah," she whispers. "You always said that my left was stronger."

"And it is," I reply, reassuring her. "It is."

Our eyes lock briefly, and for a moment, I thought I could see my old friend in the new person she created. She quickly masked that though, with her breaking eye contact to look at her hands again.

"Your guarding," she whispers. "Needs a bit more form. You tend to get sloppy when faced with defense."

I chuckle. "I was never a good defender."

"Well, you can't be good at everything, everyone has flaws," Nadia says. "That's what makes us human."

I nod. "Do you have flaws?"

Her shoulders relax. "We all do."

"Nadia, I'm asking you, not we. Do you have flaws?"

She looks at me briefly. "Not the kind that you don't know of already." She stands up, reaching for my hand as she clears her throat. "So, are we going to be teammates or what?"

Ignoring how she quickly hardened herself again, I take her by the hand, my own emotions covered up by her change. "Aye aye, captain."