girls! ✩ p. bueckers

15. south carolina

south carolina
2017
freshman year

I go down on the court with a loud thud. My body rolls into the hoop post, my back going at a bad angle.

I fold over in pain and smack the floor with my fist due to how bad it hurts.

A'ja and Allisha are the first over to me and they both lean down to check on me. They're trying to get me to talk but I think if I unclench my teeth right now that I'll scream out.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck." I mutter.

My back is aching, my body has always been relatively sensitive from chemo.

I can hear the two of them telling me to take deep breaths and do my best to do what they say.

The trainers come over but the girls wave them off. Telling them to give me room and back off for a second. The whole stadium is quiet and the girl who fouled me is anxiously waiting near me.

I block it all out and try to push through the pain.

I use my hands to push me up and slowly I make my way to my feet. Allisha's hands go to my waist to steady me and I give her a grateful look.

The crowd cheers for me and I just pat the girl who fouled me on the back. No need for her to feel like shit over this. It happens when you want to win.

However there's no way we let Wisconsin beat us so she really could have calmed down a little.

I want a fucking ring for fucks sake.

I crack my neck and go to the free throw line. Luckily my layup went in, unluckily I think I might have broken a rib.

It's a little hard to breath, but hey, if I puncture a lung at least Sam will have a cool story about her sister. Oh, and A'ja will be like, yeah my old teammate Daisy was so badass. She played through a quarter of the championship game with a broken rib.

Like look at that storyline! And she does it as a freshman.

I easily make the free throw and coach tries to sub me out.

I respectfully shake my head no and stay on the court. Look, there's six minutes left of my freshman year and I'm savoring that shit until the very end.

Allisha checks on me real quick and I just give her a thumbs up.

The game goes on and we maintain our lead. The buzzer goes off and the team storms the court. A'ja and I run to each other and I jump in her arms out of excitement.

"We did it!" She says in my neck. "We fucking did it!"

She spins us around and when she sets me down we get bombarded by the team. Two girls pick me up and put me on their shoulders as confetti rains down.

I just hold my arms out and relish in the feeling of winning this championship. Probably the only one I'll ever get, pro or college.

My hand rests on my side a little to keep pressure on my ribs. It's kind of hurting a lot now and I just want to be in this moment while it happens.