Miss nobody strikes back

New team

Chapter Twenty-Four

Hanna

I couldn’t understand what was happening. Dominic had touched my chin earlier, and I was still trying to make sense of it. Why had he been so gentle, so concerned? It felt strange, and I wasn’t used to seeing that side of him. My mind kept replaying the moment over and over. Get it together, Hanna, I scolded myself. He’s just being nice, that’s all.

Today was Wednesday, which meant it was sports day at school. Students could pick whichever sport they wanted to participate in. I had been looking forward to this day for a while, especially because I really wanted to join the basketball team. As I made my way to the basketball court with Jenny beside me, I could feel my excitement building. The boys were already on the court, warming up and running drills.

"The problem is, the female basketball players aren’t really official yet," Jenny explained as we approached the court. "They don’t let them play much, so they never get a chance to prove themselves."

"Why?" I asked, genuinely curious.

Jenny shrugged. "I can't really say. It’s just how things are around here."

She was about to say more when, out of nowhere, a loud voice shouted from the court. Before anyone could react, the basketball flew through the air and hit Jenny squarely on the head. The force of the hit knocked her off balance, and she fell to the ground.

"Jenny!" I exclaimed, kneeling beside her as she groaned, rubbing her head.

Almost instantly, Kai jogged over, looking concerned. "Whoa, that was some hit. You okay?" His voice was light, but there was genuine worry in his eyes. He knelt next to Jenny and gently helped her sit up.

Jenny winced but managed a small smile. "Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little dazed."

Kai looked her over, his usual playful expression replaced by one of concern. "Let me help you get to the bench," he said, helping her to her feet. I followed closely behind, making sure she was okay.

As we reached the bench, Kai shot an apologetic look at Jenny. "Sorry about that. Blake’s got a bit of a wild arm."

Jenny chuckled, rubbing her sore head. "It’s fine. I just wasn’t paying attention."

After making sure she was settled, Kai turned to me with a grin. "So, you thinking of joining the team too?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "But I heard the girls don’t get to play much."

Kai frowned slightly. "That’s true. It’s kind of messed up, but we’re working on changing that. The guys want to see the girls get more playtime too. You should meet the rest of the girls. They’re warming up on the other side of the court."

I glanced at Jenny, who gave me a reassuring smile. "Go on, I’ll be fine. Plus, I want to see you show off your skills."

With a small smile, I headed toward the other side of the court, where a group of girls was stretching and chatting. One of them noticed me approaching and waved me over. "Hey! You looking to join the team?"

"Yeah," I said, slightly nervous but determined. "I’ve played a little before. Nothing serious, though."

The girl grinned. "Perfect! We can always use more players. I’m Lauren, by the way." She motioned to the other girls around her. "This is Tara, Maggie, and Rachel."

They all greeted me warmly, and I felt a bit more at ease. Lauren was clearly the leader of the group. She had an air of confidence about her that made me feel like I was in good hands.

"So," Lauren said, tossing me a basketball, "let’s see what you’ve got."

I caught the ball, feeling the familiar weight of it in my hands. It had been a while since I’d played, but the muscle memory came rushing back. I dribbled a few times, finding my rhythm, before making a quick move toward the basket. With a jump, I aimed and shot the ball, watching as it sailed through the air and swished cleanly through the hoop.

"Not bad!" Tara called out, impressed. "Where’d you learn to shoot like that?"

I shrugged, feeling a little shy under their praise. "Just practiced a lot on my own and my uncle taught me most of them."

Rachel nodded approvingly. "Well, you’ve got skills. We could definitely use someone like you on the team."

We spent the next few minutes running drills. The girls weren’t as polished as the boys’ team, but they were determined, and I could see the potential. They had heart, and that’s what really mattered.

As we practiced, laughing and getting to know each other, I began to feel more confident. My shots were landing, and the girls were impressed with how quickly I picked up their plays. But our lighthearted practice was suddenly interrupted by the sound of mocking laughter from the far side of the court.

I glanced up and saw a group of girls approaching us. They were dressed in matching jerseys, their expressions smug and full of superiority. "Oh, look," one of them sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "The unofficial team thinks they can actually play."

Lauren tensed beside me. "What do you want, Grace?"

Grace, the apparent leader of the rival group, flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Just came to see what kind of competition we’re up against. Not that we’re worried," she added with a smirk. "We’ve already heard about your little ‘team’ here. You know, it’s cute that you’re trying, but we’ve been playing for years. You girls don’t stand a chance."

Rachel scowled. "We’ll see about that."

Grace laughed. "Oh, honey, I don’t think you will. We’re going to wipe the floor with you in the game next week. But hey, good luck... you’re going to need it."

With that, Grace and her group turned and walked away, their mocking laughter echoing through the gym.

I felt my hands ball into fists. "Who are they?"

Lauren sighed, running a hand through her hair. "That’s Grace and her crew. They’re the school’s ‘official’ female basketball team. They’ve been playing together for a while and think they own the court."

"Why are they acting like that?" I asked, confused by the hostility.

"Because they’re the only ones who get to play in the actual games," Maggie explained. "We’re trying to form our own team, but they see us as a joke."

"Well, that’s about to change," I said firmly. "We’re not backing down."

Lauren looked at me, her eyes narrowing with determination. "Damn right we’re not."

We dove back into practice, pushing ourselves harder than before. The mocking words of Grace’s team echoed in the back of my mind, but they only fueled my resolve. If they thought we were a joke, then we’d just have to prove them wrong.

By the end of practice, we were exhausted but more determined than ever. As we wrapped up and started heading toward the benches, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement. This wasn’t just about playing basketball anymore—it was about proving ourselves. And I wasn’t going to let Grace and her group stand in the way.

"You were amazing today," Lauren said as we gathered our things. "We’ve got a real shot with you on the team."

"Thanks," I said, smiling. "I’m just glad I found you guys."

Kai appeared again, grinning as he approached. "So, how’d it go? You ready to take on Grace’s team?"

Lauren smirked. "We’ll be more than ready."

Kai raised an eyebrow at me. "I guess we’ll just have to watch our backs."

As we walked out of the gym, Jenny joined us, rubbing her sore head but smiling. "How was practice?"

"It was intense," I said, feeling the weight of the day in my muscles. "But I think we’ve got a good chance."

Jenny grinned. "I’m proud of you, Hanna."

We headed home together, the sun setting in the distance, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like I was exactly where I was meant to be.