Between Love and Friendship (Completed)

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

“Seven!” Gabriel breathed as he tossed the old and worn basketball into the hoop. He dribbled a few times and then shot it again. “Eight!”

Gabriel and I made plans to hang out after school at that day. We were in the basketball court behind the school building, which was where we usually went when we had nothing better to do.

He stood on his toes and stretched his arms out before making another shot. “Nine!” No surprise that it went in. “You’re on a roll!” I called from the ground. I sat cross-legged on the opposite side of the court, while multitasking cheering him on and working on trig homework.

“Ten!” He was panting now. “Eleven!”

I smiled to myself, remembering the days that he could barely get one.

* * *

“Hey, Aria!” Gabriel called, as I ran outside. It was a warm Thursday afternoon and we were having what his mom still called a “play date”. We were in the third grade then.

He held a new looking basketball in his arms. “Think I can get it through the hoop?” He asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “Stephen said he’d show me how to do it later.”

“Try,” I said, sitting down on the grass beside his driveway. Gabriel stepped a few feet away from the hoop, aimed and shot. It hit the backboard and bounced right back at him. “Crap!” He shot again. This time he missed the hoop entirely. He shot once more. Twice more. I could tell he was getting frustrated.

Gabriel wiped a few drops of sweat off his forehead, and I giggled. I really shouldn’t have.

“What!?” He said, turning to me. “I bet you can’t get it in either!”

I never backed down from a challenge, even when uncertain of my abilities. “Watch me,” I said simply, trying to sound confident. He tossed the ball to me and glared at me when I caught it with ease. I was a good seven or eight feet away from the hoop. I focused my eyes at the target, took a breath, and flung the ball out of my hands as hard has my little third grade body could.

It went in. It went in! I looked at Gabriel, expecting him to be happy for me. But instead, he stomped back inside his house, slamming the door angrily.

Then I heard a familiar voice. “Nice shot, Aria!” It was Stephen. He flung his school bag on the ground and gave me a double high five. “Don’t mind Gabriel. He’s just a sore loser.” I smiled brightly, flashing one of my missing teeth.

“Can I give it a try?” He asked. I nodded, handing him the ball.

* * *

The rattling of the metal fence just above my head snapped me out of my flashback. “Aim a little lower, why don’t you?!” I shouted. The ball bounced off the fence and landed right back in his hands.

“Your face was priceless!” Gabriel laughed hysterically, like it was the funniest thing in the world.

“Shut up!” I pushed my math books off my lap and ran over to him. The ball was an easy steal—his grip was weak because of his uncontrollable laughter. I dribbled all around the court, as he chased after me. “Hey! That’s a foul!”

It was my turn to laugh.

I stopped for a second to make a shot, but before I could aim, two strong hands grabbed my waist and tackled me to the ground. When I still wouldn’t release the ball, he began to tickle me, knowing that it was my weakness.

“Hey-” My voice was cut off by my laughter. “Stop it!”

“Not until you give me the ball!”