Worth The Shot

Chapter 1

Perth hated the way the locker room smelt like the old stench of dried up sweat rags. He always grimaced at all the sounds: the groans of tired teammates and the screeching of the small metal lockers.

It was the day before the semester began, and pre-season practice was already underway. It was killer.

He stretched out his hamstrings once more before he slid on his sweatpants.

"Fuck coach really would not let up with those running drills," he heard Gemini whining from across the room. The younger teammate was ruffling a small towel through his wet hair. That's him: the bane of Perth's existence.

And he was headed towards Perth like a magnet. He was always sticking to him, like an annoying bug. Deep down, he knows that the guy is actually one of his best friends.

"Bro, you look so irritated. Or are you just tired?"

He pulled up his pants and tied a knot in front. "Why don't you guess."

"Hmm," Gemini looked him up and down with both hands on his hips. "I thinks it's a little bit of both."

Perth grabbed his gym bag, slung it over his shoulder, and walked up to his younger friend. "Nope. Just tired of you," he announced with a cheesy grin.

"What!?" Gemini laughed as he attempted to tackle Perth. Laughing and shoving his teammate off, Perth tried to run out of the locker room.

As he finally left, Perth fixed his hair and slowly trudged out of the gymnasium. He was drained already. He could only think that he was getting too old. How could he keep going with this basketball stuff? He might as well quit now.

As he watched two small birds fly above into a fruit tree, he wished that he could do anything else. Be free to fly where he wanted just like a bird. Ruffle his feathers and take off into the cool breeze. But really, he knew he wouldn't actually know what to do, where to go. And he was not going to actually quit. He knew that much. Basketball is the only thing he knows. He's played the game his entire life, he used to even love it more than sleeping.

In high school he was so focused on becoming better. Dribbling faster, shooting with accuracy, and trying to run down the court without getting tired. There were even nights when he snuck outside to practice when everyone had gone to bed.

Where did those days go? That excitement. He really wasn't that old, was he? Is he?

Soon falling into bed, in his studio apartment, he curled up to his phone. Watching video after video. Travel bloggers sky diving, or foodies showing off an extra spicy ramen, or a skateboarder trying out new tricks. Was this really all there was to life?

Waking up late, forcing himself onto the court, and coming home to mindlessly watch anything to distract himself before he fell asleep? And tomorrow he would just be adding a few classes into the mix. It all felt too...stilted...troublesome...strained.

And the next day, it's the same thing.

Waking up bright and early. Checking his alarm: 5:50 AM

"Uhhh, I should skip practice today." Moaning and groaning, Perth forced himself out of bed and into the bathroom.

Practice starts at 6 in the morning. Perth is there, leaving the locker room at 6 on the dot, right as the assistant coach blows his whistle to being.

Gribbling down the court, he watches his teammates laugh as they make jokes, smile as they race each other. Most of them seem happy. Of course, there were a few others, like Winny, who just aren't morning people. Even those guys have a little pep in their step as they held the ball. Early morning bliss is everywhere on the court.