overtime | clark & martin

thirty-two.

The Aces vs. the Fever was always an event. The matchup appealed to people for many reasons. Everyone loved watching Kate and Caitlin on the same court again. Others liked watching two former posts coached by Dawn Staley compete with each other.

Jessica did not share in that excitement. In fact, if she could cancel every Aces and Fever matchup for the rest of her life she freaking would.

Normally, Jessica would be on the sidelines chatting it up with the players, but she was avoiding far too many people on the court, especially the two Iowa players that everyone wanted to see. Jessica had opted to hide by the concession stand with a pretzel that honestly wasn't worth the calories.

"No popcorn?" Tyrone, the guy who worked the concession stand at Gainbridge and knew Jessica's order, asked.

"No, I'm trying something new today," Jessica tells him.

"And do you like the pretzel?" Tyrone asks.

"It's okay," Jessica says, "Maybe not worth the calories."

Tyrone chuckles, "Half this shit isn't worth the calories."

"Yeah, but it's supposed to bring joy. Popcorn brings joy, pretzels bring sadness," Jessica says.

"Do you want popcorn?" Tyrone asks.

"Yes please," Jessica says and Tyrone chuckles as he grabs a bag of popcorn and places it before her. Jessica begins eating it and Tyrone watches her, surprised that the girl is still standing there.

"Don't you have to go work?"

"I'm avoiding my job," Jessica says, her mouth full of popcorn, "See my ex is down there and there's this girl that's in love with me that's also down there and ironically my other ex is also down there so I think I want to hang out with you, Tyrone."

"I think if you stay in my presence, I'm going to charge you for the popcorn," Tyrone responds. Jessica sighs as she grabs the bag of popcorn and looks at Tyrone dejectedly before heading down to the sideline with her popcorn.

She watches as the other media sources are interviewing A'ja and Caitlin. Jessica sits on the scorer's table swinging her legs as she eats her popcorn.

"You have gotten yourself into a lot of trouble."

Jessica looks up to see Jackie standing before her without her jersey or warmup shirt on, just a tight muscle tank.

"Silent Assassin right?" Jessica asks, "Why don't you live up to your nickname and go be quiet somewhere."

Jackie laughs at the comment, "Hi Jessie."

"Jackie-O," Jessica responds, "What do you want?"

"Do you know that Kate has no idea about your super-secret college ex-girlfriend?" Jackie asks.

"Yeah, because I don't talk about her," Jessica says, "Just like she doesn't talk about me."

"First off, I didn't know that you and Kate were dating," Jackie says. Which isn't completely unplausible to believe. Jackie had never hung out with the team when Jessica was there and she probably never got on online.

"Right," Jessica says with a bitter smile, "I forgot all you think about is basketball."

Jackie tilts her head, "You know that's not true."

Jessica snorts shaking her head, "Whatever. Well, Kate and I are not anymore."

"So, I've heard," Jackie says as she lifts herself up onto the scorer's table beside Jessica, "She like dared Caitlin to try and take you from her."