KALIKABUZA

Chapter 26

Round of sixteen. We are facing Team Flies. The Princess Michelle made two substitutions: Will for Jonesy, and Adriana for Bianca. That second change was, I would say, not very smart. Bianca is, plain and simple, a dummy. She does not possess a shred of athleticism. But in our team, she seems to be the Princess Michelle's favourite girl. Darn. Meanwhile, I'm still sitting out. It's not like I know how to dribble the ball or do slam dunks, but I want to at least be there playing alongside the Princess.

Sitting with me are the others–that's Todd, Agnetha, Jonesy and Adriana. Out of all of us, Adriana is the only one somewhat appreciated by the Princess Michelle. Will does not come to sit with us—clearly, he's too cool for us, for the others. But I wonder... does the Princess Michelle really see me as one of the others?

The match begins. Team Flies does not look as scary as Team Mofos, but they sure are putting up a good fight. They really want to win! But we do too, so our team doesn't fall behind. And this time, the Princess Michelle doesn't let anyone push her around.

"We never get to play," Todd complains to Agnetha.

"I know..." Agnetha replies. "We're never options for Michelle. She doesn't know if we're good or not—she doesn't even ask."

"Well, you should tell her yourself if you're good!" I say with a scoff. Who are they to complain about our leader?

"Ask her?" Agnetha scoffs in return. "Last time I asked her anything she ditched me in the park—you were part of that. She just doesn't listen to us. We don't exist."

"But if you don't ask her, she won't know. You don't exist if you don't talk," I say. Although... I feel like I agree more with what Agnetha is saying, than with my own advice.

"She's mean," Agnetha coldly replies. "She just doesn't like us."

"If you haven't noticed, Elise," Todd says, "we don't exactly look like the million-dollar actors she expects people to be. I'm no Chris Evans."

"And I'm no Dua Lipa," Agnetha concludes.

"Oh, come on guys!" I cry. "All you have to do is ask her if you can play and then show her what you've got!"

"Well, what about you, Elise?" Adriana, who was quiet until now, asks sternly.

"What... what about me?"

"You never ask her if you can play either. You just wait and hope that she might pick you."

"Well... I only—"

"I don't want to be rude, Elise, but she doesn't think very highly of us. She likes... well... she likes girls like Bianca, or guys like Duke. But us... well, we're just losers in her eyes."

"We're not losers!" I protest. "Maybe we're not as cool, or whatever, as Bianca or Duke, but—"

"It's not about being cool," Adriana interrupts, "it's about our personalities. Look at Bianca! She strikes chords with Michelle that we just can't hit. Bianca is a spunky girl—that's exactly what Michelle likes. That's why she sees her and not us. Do you see? You're pretty Elise, but you're shy and quiet like us—Michelle wants fiery personalities."

I don't know what to say, but I know her comment hurt me somewhere deep inside. My Princess Michelle wants... fiery personalities. Am I really that shy and quiet? I thought I was making some progress with her. But thinking about it... she's been ignoring me since last night, since she came back from that meeting with the other team leaders. Oh gosh... But then, something in me snaps. "She definitely likes me, okay? I'm just not good at basketball, so that's why I'm not playing. But she doesn't think I'm a loser. Got it?" I stand up.