If Only Tears Could Move Mountains

Chapter Eight

Tonight was game night. My first home game since "the incident". I had a ton of different emotions running through my blood. Anticipation and excitement were two of the biggest ones. I wasn't afraid or nervous. But I was pumped. Volleyball was a big deal at Santran. I was apart of a team that had a rich legacy of winning. We won the championship seven years in a row back in the 80's. Students are proud to go here. Everybody loved us!
Yvette- Where you get them socks from?
I had on some silver and orange Nike socks with my name and number printed on the back of them. They were a gift. My grandpa got em for me. He wasn't my "blood" grandpa but so many circumstances have proved that a person being "blood" is an illusion. Like religion or social class. We are taught these guidelines that the universe constantly exploits. Don't get me started...
Me: Gift from my grandpa
I never could have a real open convo with Yvette. I never knew if she was my friend or not. She could be so secretive and distant. She was a good kid with a thorough heart. But I've just never felt like she was my whole, entire friend. So I was just short with her...at least sometimes I was, just to protect myself from feeling empty after our conversation.
Yvette- Word them joints like that
Me: Thanks
Yvette: How you feeling bout tonight?
Me: I feel good
Yvette: Son we gotta get this victory
Me: I hear you
Alexis: "Son we gotta get this victory"
She was mocking Yvette. I thought it was funny. So I laughed.
Yvette- Here you go
Just then Coach walked in. Everybody stood up and stopped talking. Coach taught us a lot about deference and respect. She didn't play around when it came to the hierarchy of the team and everyone understanding their individual roles. That's why we were so successful. She never wasted any time getting straight to the point!
Coach: Who's that team out there?
The Whole Team: Just another team!
We were pumped up. The energy coach brought was so infectious. You could feel her energy 10 miles away. She was hungry and she made us hungry.
Coach: Just another team?
The Whole Team: Just another team Coach.
Once again we were in sync.
Coach: Who are we?
The Whole Team: We are the heart, the soul, the beast!
Coach: How'd we get here?
The Whole Team: Hard work & deification!
Coach: That's all?
The Whole Team: No Coach!
Coach: What else?
I was feeling it!
The Whole Team: Blood, Sweat, and Tears!
Coach: Alright, bring it in.
We all came in the huddle, we were tight. I could feel the person behind me breathing.
Coach: We are the heart, the soul, the beast! We are the very fibers of all that energy you feel, all those screams you hear. Leave all your fear right here in this locker room. Envision the victory and the glory. Be willing to give your life to be a champion! We have to move together, protect each other, and believe in one another out there on that court! We are the Assassin's...NOW what are gonna do?
The Whole Team: Assassinate!
Coach: I said what are we gonna do?
The Whole Team: Assassinate!
We all put our hands together, they were up high, we were all supported off of one another's strength. We needed this victory the way we needed the last one. The craziest part is that we were undefeated!
Assistant Coach: Assassins on three!
He was hype as hell to say "Assassins on three". He was screaming and spitting on everybody. Irking! I hated his guts since that night he keyed in my room. I just didn't look at him the same because of what he'd said. The dynamics were different. I didn't respect him. I didn't want to destroy our team unification so I never said anything to anyone about what he'd said to me. My thoughts started speeding and into a direction I didn't want them to go in. I started thinking about "the incident". I started wondering how the crowd would receive me. All of sudden I felt super nervous. His voice brought me back to reality...
Assistant Coach: 1...2...3....
Everybody In The Locker Room: Assassin's!!!
Immediately following that everybody ran upstairs to the floor. I ran to use the bathroom. I said a quick prayer as I washed my hands and ran upstairs to the floor. When I tell you it was packed in there, it was packed! The music was bumping and the energy kinda revived me. I heard the cheerleaders chanting. I smelled sweat. I glanced around (purposely avoiding the crowd) and saw our opponents. I smiled. They were last years champions. They beat us in the chip. I wasn't on the team at the time but it was all interesting to me. The history of it all. I started warming up with the girls. We were screaming and really encouraging one another. Really in it! The buzzer went off, we headed to the bench and our girl Miller ran toward the mic to sing the national anthem. She could really sang! Whenever she sang I just felt better about the game. I had lost my starting position cause of everything that happened, it didn't bother me none. I kinda liked coming off the bench. I got to watch and learn the opponent. We did our chant, the crowd got hyper, then the game started. We won the first match, they won the second, it was crunch time in the third with the score tied at 21 and 1:30 left on clock. I played an okay game being as though I played less than 15 mins total. I scored 5 times. I played in the first two quarters, hadn't played in the third yet.
Coach: Maori!
I got up and ran to the coaches end of the bench.
Me: Yes Coach
Coach: I'm gonna put you in, keep everybody settled and if you see an opportunity to score...take it. Don't force anything.
Me: Okay Coach.
I contemplated what that whole "don't force anything" was about. She had never said that to me before. I ran to the table and got subbed in for BK. I got in and scored immediately. The crowd went crazy! Then they gave us another point and another point. I hated when the other team gave us a point, especially so close in a game like this. But hey, we'll take it! Awkwardly, some guys from Santran started cheering for the other team. It was weird. They started yelling "Put Shelly in the game". I glanced at the bench, it was coming from this crowd of guys that were in this fake ass gang. I think they called themselves the "New One's" or something like that. Ironically, I saw Cane, he was in that fake ass gang too. Him & Kareem. Irking! How you come to college to join a gang and act like you a hood nigga? Anyway, Cane was chanting the same thing! Who ever they was chanting for never got in the game. The score was now 24-20, with a minute on the clock. They made a sub. They scored. Then Yvette scored. Then Miller scored. Miller and Yvette had this thing, if one scored the other one scored right afterwards. It was crazy. We went on a 12-1 scoring run and won the game! We just kept scoring over and over, they couldn't stop us!!! It felt so good. We were lining up to shake hands. I got to about the sixth girl, who looked more upset than anyone. She looked me dead in the eyes and said "liar"...D heard her, before I could react D stole her right in the mouth. Next thing I know it was all these chicks that were down with the "New One's" charging at me, they ran from the benches. I was no fighter but I could hold my own. By time security could realize anything it was a full brawl. My teammates really didn't have nothing to do with it but from the looks in their eyes, you couldn't tell. They protected me like I was their blood. I left the fight with a scratch across my face but no broken bones so I was cool. As a team, we were in a lot of trouble. And it was all because of me😔 when we got the locker room, I broke down. I couldn't stop crying.