Not Perfect Night, Doomed Night -[BBANGSAZ AU]

9.) Ball on Ball contact

Minji's POV:

As a junior on the varsity basketball team, you'd think I'd have this whole "throwing a basketball" thing down by now, right? Wrong. I was still out here chucking up bricks like I was getting paid for it. Seriously, if there was a league for bad shots, I'd be the MVP.

So, there I was, lacing up my sneakers, when I nearly tripped over my own two feet because I was so deep in my thoughts. It wasn't the practice that had me distracted, though. It was Danielle. The whole drama with the "Queen Bee" was gnawing at me, and I knew if I was this wound up, Dani had to be feeling ten times worse.

Plus, I was still dealing with the aftermath of my outburst at the party, which had blown up online and was quickly becoming a campus sensation.

I could already feel the stares boring into me as I walked into the gym. Whispers followed me everywhere I went, and I could practically hear the gears turning in people's heads.

Basketball was supposed to be my escape, my sanctuary where I could just let loose, get a good workout in, and not think about anything except maybe how many shots I was missing. But today, even that felt like a stretch.

"Hey, team, gather up!" Our captain called out, chucking us some towels. She was a senior, tall and lean, with this confident attitude that made you think she could run the world. And, honestly, she probably could. Her skills on the court were insane, and she wasn't shy about calling out anyone's bad habits—especially mine.

"We're starting with some drills to warm up. After that we'll run a few plays, then finish with some scrimmages."

She gave a pointed look over her shoulder. "I wanna hear y'all loud and clear today, especially since we have the cheerleading team on the next court over." She motioned to the drawn curtain that was barely containing the echo of high-pitched cheers and the occasional burst of pop music.

Jogging to the baseline, I let out a sigh of relief. Basketball was supposed to be my thing, the one place where everything else didn't matter. But today, even the ball felt heavy, like the floor itself was buzzing with all the stuff I was trying not to think about.

I shook my head and tried to focus. Time to shut out the noise—both in my head and from the cheerleaders—and just play. Even if it meant bricking a few more shots, at least I'd be doing something other than worrying.

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That was a nightmare of a practice. I mean, I've had rough days on the court before, but this one was a new level of awful. It felt like my brain was floating somewhere above the gym, fixated on solving a problem that I had no solution to, while my body was down here, makeing a complete fool of itself.

Every shot was a brick, every pass was off. My teammates kept giving me these side-eye glances, like they were wondering if I'd been replaced by an alien or something. And honestly, I was starting to wonder the same thing. I was hoping to clutch up during this scrimmage.

This was my chance to pull it together. I needed this win, not just for the team, but for my own sanity. We started off strong. I actually nailed a few shots, and my teammates started to relax a bit. Maybe they thought I was back to normal. Ha, if only.

"Minji! Ball!" My teammate called out, and I passed it, praying I didn't screw up. The ball sailed cleanly, and we were back in business.

"C'mon!" "Yeah!" "Shoot it!" The ball soared through the air and—thank the basketball gods—swished through the net. My teammate gave me a pat on the back as we jogged back on defense. For a moment, I felt like maybe, just maybe, I could keep it together. And in no time, my team had wrangled the ball back and we were up the court again. It was like clockwork. Shot after shot. The score kept climbing higher and higher.

Looking at the scoreboard it was now 29-35. My team was winning.

"Alright guys, two minutes left in this game," the captain announced. "Let's make 'em count."

Two minutes left. I just had to hold out.

My team got back on defense as the opposing team started dribbling the ball down the court. The cheerleaders from the next court over were deafening, and I could barely hear myself think.

Focus, Minji. Focus.

The ball got passed to me, and I took off down the court. My heart was pounding in my chest, and my ears were ringing with adrenaline. I could feel the captain watching me, cheering me on. I was so close to the hoop, but I had to pass it.

"Yujin!" She caught the ball with a resounding clasp. In slo-mo I watched her load her body like a spring and shoot upwards. All eyes were on the ball as it spun in all it's slo-mo glory. Swish.

38-38. One more point. Just one more and my team will win this scrimmage. The game got more intense as the players got more aggressive being pressed by the waning time. I played it smart and let my teammates take the lead taking the ball down the court on offense. I camped in the corner of the court just outside of the three point line waiting for the ball. I wasn't even sure I was going to make the shot until Jake walked in. Jake walked in. Jake?! Motherfucking Jake?! Walked in?!!

"Hey baby boy," I'd know that fucking voice dripping with syrupy honey sweetness anywhere, Hanni.

I looked on in outrage as Jake was flanked by two other guys. What. The. Hell. I didn't know Hanni was a cheerleader too. I thought she was a whore you know? Treating college like it was a social hub and whoring it up at some party.

"You wanna take me out tonight? You can show me your moves," she purred, running her hand down his arm.

Jake, the human tomato, stammered something that sounded like a "yeah, sure," and I nearly lost it. Not today, Hanni. Not on my watch.

I had to make that shot. I didn't care if my life depended on it—this was about pride. I started jumping up and down, waving my arms like a maniac. "Ball! Ball! Ball!"

But out of the corner of my eye, I saw it. Hanni, leaning in, going for the kiss. I swear time slowed down. My glare could've melted steel, but she just kept going. Then it happened. She locked lips with Jake right there in the gym.

Thwock.

The pain hit me like a freight train.

My jewels. My precious family jewels.

I slowly kneeled over letting out a high pitched squeal.

Tears blurred my vison. I wasn't just hit in the balls by another ball. I wasn't hit in the balls by another ball. I mentally chanted to myself.

I'm a normal girl with a vagina. With a vagina. With a vagina. When regular girls get hit with balls in the groin they don't over react. I reassured myself.

Fuck, this is not very demure of me. 

Hi, I have a spicy? Chapter coming up next relating to this one. (May or may not be published) It's not vital to the plot but just a funny one-off thing I wrote to challenge myself  (fluff writer). I'm wondering if I should upload it or not.  Help. TT