The Trouble With Two Seasons

Chapter 9 : Solids

The slam of a dunk echoed through the multipurpose court as the basketball went through the rims and fell with a thud.

It momentarily caused a few of the cheerleaders huddled up practicing their routine at the other half of the court pause to gawk at Grayer.

He graced them with a cocky smile, catching the ball before it rolled off the court and made another dunk.

"He's hot!" One of the cheerleaders gushed as Naya called them back to attention.

"Girls, focus! Enough ogling at the basketball team  for now!" Naya lashed whipping them back into action.

She discreetly cast a quick glance across the court catching St.Williams as he picked himself from the floor. It was probably time for him to play. She let out a smile.

"Great job on the dunks! Remember to keep your elbow in when making a shot." The coach opined ticking Grayer's name on his clipboard.

They were hosting their routine practice sessions, for the coach to make strikeouts before the game.

"De Grant, get your ass on the court!" The bearded coach called out to St.Williams flipping over to a new sheet on his clipboard.

Grayer made his way off the court.

"Good game." St.Williams spoke to Grayer giving him a low-five.

"Thanks, make me proud when you're up on that court!" Grayer responded breaking away from St.Williams.

Picking up a bottle of water, he cocked his head back and thrust it to his lips. The sweat from the cold water bottle ran down his hands. Some of it trickled from the neck of the bottle, down onto his body, wetting his shirt. It brought a certain coolness as the cold water soothed his hot body.

Grayer ran his fingers through his chocolate brownness of hair before grabbing his towel off his duffle bag.

Settling down on a bench, he pulled his gaze to the court, to watch his other best friend play.

The soft chatter at the further back  of the court sent him glancing that way, he  remembered that they had to share the court with the cheer team during after-school sessions like these.

Not that he was complaining , he was open to all that attention. Maybe he'd even play a naughty follow up game against a locker with one of the girls after that.

They were practically the ones throwing themselves at him anyway.

Get your head outta the gutter!

Grayer chastened himself blaming it on the adrenaline running through his body, an aftermath of running around a court nonstop dribbling a ball.

"Take it from the top! Trial three!" Naya commanded the rest of the cheer team. The squad fell into position once again.

She clapped her hands to coordinate their movement. They kicked, twirled and swayed their hips.

Their movement was fluid and flowed effortlessly but not until they had to toss their pompoms up and catch it mid air after a twirl.

Most of the girls were not able to react in time to catch it. That move wasn't properly coordinated.

This, Naya failed to see and blamed it on them not having enough practice time and not being apt learners.

"Fuck this! I'm taking a breather!" Courtney exclaimed after her fifth attempt, still unable to catch her pom-poms after the twirl. She had just managed to gain her stance after that last dance trial and had enough of it.