It All Started With A Basketball

Chapter 1 - Playing Like A Girl

I wiped the sweat off my forehead as I check the time on my phone.

5:06 PM

I sigh, throwing the basketball against the fence. I'm burned out. I've been practicing free shots, 3 pointers and more for the past two hours.
I desperately want to get into my highschool's basketball team this year. Tryouts are in two weeks!
I was ready to call it a day...
Well, maybe just one more free throw.
I got off the bench, and fixed my snapback. I jogged onto the court, getting into position.

"Only ten seconds left in the game." I say like a sportscaster. "Will Lindsay Evans make this shot?"
I continue dribbling the ball. "Five seconds left." I eyed the hoop.
"Four..." I took a deep breath.
"Three..." I prepared myself to throw the ball.
"Two..." I take a step forward.
"One..." I tossed the ball towards the net.
"She shoots! And.......... She--"
"Doesn't score." A deep, masculine voice said. I noticed the basketball was caught by someone. My eyes traced the muscular arm holding the ball up to the hot guy holding it.

Damn... I thought. Them biceps though... And those eyes... The guy had dark gray eyes which lured me into a trance...
Snap out of it Lindsay! He just ruined your free throw.

"What's your problem, messing up my game like that?" I told him. Three other guys appeared at his side. I gulped.
"Brandon," so his name is Brandon... "who's the chick?" One of them asked the hot guy. Well his other friends were hot as well but... Brandon was smoking. His white t-shirt adorning his ripped abs.

I wonder if he has a girlfriend... I shook away the thought. Seriously, stop focusing on his... stunning looks... and stand up to him. I thought to myself.

"I didn't do a thing." Brandon said innocently, ignoring his friend. "If anything, you should be thanking me."
"THANKING YOU?" I hissed.
"Yep. Now that I'm here, you can get your pretty little ass off the court and stop wasting your time on a sport this challenging."

Challenging my pretty little ass.

"Challenging? HAH! I live, breathe and eat basketball. Although you... Well, lets just say you'd probably do better working at McDonalds."
His three friends all 'ooohed'.
"Shut it." He glared at them, causing them to take a step back. "Cupcake, why don't you just go back to ballet lessons?"

Cupcake? Really?

I scoffed. "Look who's talking."
"Hun, you didn't even make it into the basket when I came." He retorted.
"BECAUSE YOU WERE IN MY WAY!"
"Mhm. Sure."
"Ugh." I ran slightly further than the three point line and shot the ball. It landed directly into the basket. I did a celebratory hair flip and turned around only to see Brandon leaning against the fence, pretending to yawn. His friends snickered.
"Watch this, cupcake." He said, forcefully taking the ball out of my grasp.
He did a series of trick shots; who could count how many? All performed flawlessly. At the end, he winked at me which just caused me to roll my eyes.
Brandon strolled over to me, I could feel the arrogance in every step he took.
"You ready to admit failure yet cupcake?" He says, smirking.
"NO!" I spat. "In fact, let's have a match later. Tomorrow. One on one. I'll let you wimps get your practice before you lose to me."
"Okay then. Let's make it a bet shall we?" He said.
"You're on!" He walks closer to me as he reaches out his hand for me to shake it...
I share a big grin as I see him use that stupid smirk I always see on guys like him.
I confidently shake his hand as he leans in and whispers "Let's see what tricks you got cupcake." I feel him chuckle as he passes me the-- My ball and he walks away.

Who the hell does he think he is ?

---//---

I dropped my phone is my bag as I heard someone call me. "Lindsay! How long have you been here?" I turn my head to see my best friend Laura... She's always so jumpy and excited for stuff she doesn't even do.
I follow her gaze to my clothes, which are wrinkled and sweaty. Okay I know that's gross but it's the truth when your life is devoted to a sport.
"For a couple hours." I say proudly. I watch as she shakes her head in disgust.
"Listen, Lindsay I love you but this is just gross, girl." her finger gestures up and down my body.

I laugh. "I'm sorry Laura, but let's go cause if you want me to look presentable again, I have to shower at my house." Her eyes light up at the idea of me being clean again.

So we start making our way to my house , I was debating if I should tell her about what happened with that Brandon guy and the bet I made, but then I realize that I made a bet with a cute stranger today.
Notice the key word stranger, I don't even know the guy .

"So Laura, there is this guy..." I saw awkwardly as I see her gaze turn to me like a shark seeing its prey ,

Oh , did I mention that I never talk about guys , like ever.

"What happened ?" She exclaims excitedly
"I was doing free throws in the park today and I was pretending that it was a real game, and I shoot the ball and this guy shows up and stops me... Then his henchmen show up and he takes my ball and starts shooting the ball and he thinks I can't play, and then we made a bet about who could play better "
I didn't realize that I was talking way too fast that I breathe in and I get back to normal.
She smiles "Is he cute?"
"Really, is that all you think about?" I roll my eyes at her.
"What? I can't be excited for you? This is like one of the only times I have to talk about guys with you that won't make you upset or annoyed, and your avoiding my question."

I realize that she's actually right because then I say "Yes, he was cute." She starts squealing and getting way too excited.

See this is what I mean , she gets way too excited for the smallest things

"Oh I am so coming with you later for that bet game, I have to see who this hot guy is cause you are getting married in ten years with him and I'm gonna plan it." she says

"Woah girl. Calm down. With his looks, he probably has girls lining up for him. Besides how am I gonna fall for a guy who's worst memory of his teenage life is gonna be when he got beat by a girl?" she smiles as she sees confidence flowing through me.

I didn't realize how close we were to my house cause we were literally on my front lawn .
"You must talk too much." Laura exclaims to me as I rummage through my bag for my key.
My parents work on the weekends mostly and my sister is away at college so it's just me to enjoy the empty house.

"Thanks for walking me home." I hug Laura as she smiles at me " I always do this like every Saturday " I laugh. "Yeah and I'm being polite and thanking you for being a lovely companion on my way home." She laughs along with me.
"Yeah, see you later linds." She waves bye as she hops down my steps and makes her way across the street to her house.

One of the main reasons why we are best friends, is cause she literally lives across my street, well for the past 14 years she has .

I open my front door and drop my stuff by the door and put my basketball in its spot on my living room shelf .

I can't wait to for that bet. Let's see if this girl could beat a guy like Brandon. If he thinks I'm a cupcake, I'll slap him with this frosting

A/N

Hey guys! It's Jenn here on behalf of Ally! We hope you liked this chapter! This is a really fun project for us and we can't wait to write more 💕 Love you guys <3 🙈💓