One-on-One

Chapter 2: Back to the Court

The next day, Amira found herself standing outside the campus gym, the familiar sound of basketballs bouncing echoing in her ears. She hesitated for a moment, her heart racing. It had been a while since she played, and doubts crept in. What if she wasn't as good as she used to be? What if she embarrassed herself in front of Zyair and his teammates?

"Girl, stop overthinking it," Jada's voice echoed in her mind. "Just go out there and have fun!"

With a deep breath, Amira pushed through the doors and stepped inside. The gym was alive with energy—players shooting hoops, the squeak of sneakers on the polished floor, and the rhythmic thud of the ball against the hardwood. It was chaotic, and chaotic felt good.

Amira spotted Zyair at the far end of the court, practicing layups with a couple of his teammates. He was effortlessly smooth, a graceful combination of power and agility. She couldn't help but admire how the muscles in his arms flexed as he jumped, the way his eyes focused intently on the basket. Every move was mesmerizing.

As she stood there, a familiar rush of excitement and nerves coursed through her. She wanted to be a part of this again.

"Alright, Amira. You got this," she whispered to herself, taking a few tentative steps toward the court.

Just then, Zyair caught sight of her. A wide smile broke across his face, lighting up his features. "Hey! You made it!"

"Yeah, thought I'd swing by," Amira replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "Just to, you know, check out the action."

"Check out the action, huh?" he said, his tone teasing. "You know we could use an extra player. You should join us!"

Amira's heart raced at the invitation. "Uh, I don't know. It's been a minute since I played. I might be a little rusty."

Zyair shrugged, confidence radiating from him. "Ain't no worries! We're just here to have fun and get a good sweat in. Plus, I promise I won't let you fall flat on your face."

His playful smile sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach. "Alright, fine. But you better not laugh if I mess up!"

"Deal!" he laughed, motioning for her to come closer. "Let's see what you got!"

As she joined the group, Zyair guided her through some warm-up drills. The feel of the basketball in her hands reignited something deep inside her. She started with basic dribbling, and though she stumbled a bit at first, the rhythm began to come back. It felt good. Really good.

As they transitioned to shooting, Amira noticed Jordan leaning against the wall, watching her with an amused grin. She waved at him, and he gave her a thumbs-up. Seeing him made her heart do a little flip, but she couldn't shake the feeling of Zyair's presence beside her.

"Nice shot!" Zyair called out as she made a clean basket, the ball swishing through the net. "I knew you still had it in you!"

Amira laughed, feeling a mix of pride and excitement. "Thanks! I just needed to shake off the cobwebs."

Zyair grinned and clapped his hands, turning to his teammates. "Yo, everyone! Come check this out! This is Amira, the real deal. She used to ball hard back in the day."

A couple of his teammates strolled over, their energy contagious. "She's cute, Zyair!" one of them joked, flashing a wide grin. "I see you, Zy!"

"Yeah, she fine as hell!" another chimed in, playfully nudging Zyair. "You sure you wanna share her with us?"

Zyair shot them a look, a hint of defensiveness in his tone. "Ya'll chill forreal. Amira's here to play. Show her respect."

Amira's cheeks flushed at the attention, feeling both flattered and a little overwhelmed. "Thanks, y'all. I'm just trying to get back into it."

"Trust, you got mad skills!" one of them said, nodding appreciatively. "We could use someone like you on the squad. You down?"

"Maybe," Amira replied, glancing at Zyair. "I just gotta find my groove again."

"Girl, you got this!" Zyair encouraged, his eyes locking onto hers, a warmth that made her heart race. "You fit right in here."

As they continued to practice, Amira felt herself relax, her competitive spirit awakening. It was exhilarating to be back on the court, and Zyair made it even more enjoyable with his infectious enthusiasm.

After they wrapped up, Zyair turned to her, his expression serious but soft. "You smooth on the court Amira. I knew you had it in you"

"Thanks, Zyair. That means a lot coming from you," she said, feeling a flutter in her chest. "I might just take you up on that offer to come back."

"Good! Just remember, no pressure. We're here to have fun," he replied, flashing that charming smile that made her heart skip.

As they chatted, Jordan approached, his smile bright and friendly. "Hey, Amira! You were killin' it out there! I didn't know you had those moves."

"Thanks, Jordan! Just getting back into it," she replied, trying to balance her excitement for both of them.

"Maybe we should set up a shoot together sometime? You know, mix photography and basketball?" he suggested, his enthusiasm evident.

Amira nodded, feeling a spark of possibility. "That sounds fun!"

As the three of them chatted, Amira felt a mix of excitement and confusion. Her heart was pulled in two directions—toward the playful chemistry she had with Zyair and the shared interests blossoming with Jordan. She realized she needed to figure out what she truly wanted before this all got too complicated.

As they wrapped up the day, Amira walked out of the gym with a smile on her face. She might be confused about her feelings, but one thing was clear: she was ready to embrace both parts of herself—the athlete and the artist.

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Thank youuu for reading how you feeling now that Jordan is taking interest in her basketball skills?