Blood, Sweat, and Tears (Camren)

Chapter 29

Camila threw up another shot and watched it bounce off the edge of the rim and disappear from her line of vision. She grabbed another ball from the rack and shot it. That one went in with a clean 'swish' and she grabbed the last ball off the rack. That one went in as well and she dropped her arms from the follow through position they had been in.

Her arms were sore as hell from all the shooting she had been doing but she really needed to get some work in. After that flop of a game the day before, she needed to make up for how terribly she did and the only way she knew how was to practice until she passed out. And they were off the next day so she could recuperate if she was sore the next morning. She saw all of the basketballs she had shot scattered around the gym and she rolled the rack with her as she went to pick them up one by one.

"Hey Cabello!" She turned around and smiled when she saw Lauren leaned up against the door to the gym. "What are you still doing here?"

"Just shooting around a little," she answered, placing the balls on the metal rack as she got to them.

"Your practice has been over for two hours. You've been shooting around all that time?" Lauren was walking toward her and helped her by picking up the balls that were on her way.

"I guess I lost track of time. I'm not tired though."

"You will be. Why don't you give yourself a break and go eat something."

"I'm not that hungry. And I still wanted to do a few more dribble workouts." Once the balls were all on the rack, Camila pushed it to the side and took one off. Before she could even bounce it on the ground, Lauren's hands were on it and pulling it away from her.

"Camz, one bad game doesn't mean you're a shitty player. And you killing yourself in this gym isn't going to do anything but tire you out for your game coming up. You need to rest."

"No, I need to practice," she said taking the ball back and walking over to the end line. "That last game was pathetic."

"I agree with you, but you're being too hard on yourself." She began dribbling down the court but Lauren stood in her way and swiped the ball out of her hands. "Camz, I said stop."

"You're getting that ball," she said crossing her arms over her chest.

"I will. After I take you to get breakfast because I don't trust you to listen to me and get it on your own."

"I'm a big girl Lauren. I can go get a bowl of fruit by myself."

"You've been practicing for four hours, you need a hell of a lot more than a bowl of fruit. Come with me, I know just the place to take you."

"But I still have to—,"

"Shut up and follow me."

"Fine, Coach," she grumbled and picked up her duffle bag. She followed Lauren out of the gym, around the building, and to the parking lot. Lauren opened the trunk of her Mustang and allowed Camila to drop her duffle bag inside. Then she opened the door for her and Camila slipped inside and buckled her seatbelt while she waited for Lauren. Once the green-eyed player was in the car, she resumed crossing her arms. "So where are we going?"

"I'm not telling you."

"Why not? I need to tell my sister where I am, she's probably worried about me."

"I doubt it. She was just in my apartment with Michael and it didn't look like she was focused on anything but him at the moment."

Camila scoffed and looked out the window. "If it's just breakfast why don't you just tell me?"