Seven

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After watching that ESPN interview, school and my life wasn't the same.

At Chino Hills High, I felt so different. Every time I saw LaMelo, he acted as if we had never even met. No, scratch that, he acted as if I didn't exist. It even rubbed off on me, because every time I would see him, I could barely remember the times we had together. It was so shocking and it made me angry to think that he just dusted me off that quickly, but it also made me so disappointed because LaMelo was the type of person in my life that I looked forward to seeing every day. He was the only reason why I wanted to even go to school besides Chanelle. He had made me a better basketball player as well and now, every time I shot around either at Marty's Gym or on the small goal in my driveway at my house, I almost felt as if all my progress had just evaporated.

It was like magic.

He was slowly vanishing from my life and it panicked me. Even though he probably didn't want to be in the same room as me, I wanted LaMelo to still be apart of my life somehow. Let's be real, I got to get close to one of the most popular guys in school and the most-talked about sophomore in the whole basketball world.

Me. I did.

But it wasn't just that. I wasn't desperate to be around LaMelo again just because of his popularity and fame, like most people would assume. It was him. I was close enough to him at one point to really see deep down inside and it was like a paradise. The real LaMelo Ball was like a paradise that I despised being away from.

No one understood how much he impacted my life in just a matter of a few months. No one understood how much I liked him and how likable he could actually be.

About a week passed and I didn't even realize that my tryout for the girl's traveling team had arrived until Nelly approached me after second period with the biggest smile possible on her face, and I tilted my head in curiosity until she shoved a flyer in my face. After snatching it from her and giving her the side-eye, my vision adjusted to the colorful paper and I gasped when I saw the words, "Chino Hills Girl's Basketball...Try Out Today!"

"Why are you so shocked?" Nelly put her hand on her hip and gave me a look that made me feel stupid as hell. "I thought you were ready. Please at least tell me that you brought some extra clothes and basketball shoes."

"I mean, yeah, I did," I bit my lip as I continued to stare at the flyer. Again, Melo flashed through my mind and how he practically begged me every chance he got to try out for the team.

I had promised.

After several moments of remaining quiet and dazing off into my own deep train of thought, Chanelle waved her hand in front of my face and sighed, crossing her arms tightly across her chest, clearly a little irritated at me for not sharing her enthusiasm. "Um...earth to Cori? What's gotten into you?"

"I just...it's hard to explain," was all I said and my voice was so quiet that I could barely hear myself with all the buzzing of the students in the hall around us. How was I supposed to admit to Nelly that I was still thinking about LaMelo constantly when all I've been telling her was that I was completely over him? How was I supposed to tell her that the only reason I was going for the basketball team was because I had promised him that I would? She would be so ashamed of me, and I knew that not telling her would save me a whole lot of embarrassment, but it's hard to lie to your best friend, especially when she knows how you're feeling 24/7.

"Is this about that Shark Boy?" she asked, and I instantly shook my head. I tried to manage a smile that convinced her that I had moved on from LaMelo.

"Of course not. I'm completely over him. In fact, he hadn't even crossed my mind until you brought him up just now."

Lies, lies, lies.

Nelly grinned with pride and that just made my heart begin racing. I hated fibbing straight to her face and I later found out that I was ashamed more by not telling her than actually doing so.

The whole school day, I could hardly focus in any of my classes nor stop worrying about that stupid tryout. It seemed like everyone was relying on me to go and make the team. Not only Chanelle, but my family. My mom expected so much out of me and I knew that if I didn't get on the roster, her and everyone else would be disappointed. Plus, I had to prove something to LaMelo. I had to prove to him that I could make the team without his pathetic help.

-

As I arrived into the main gym after school with Nelly at my side, I was in awe at how many girls showed up to try out. Most were warming up on the goals, swishing shots left and right from the three point line and other deep spots. Some were socializing on the bleachers and I could instantly tell that they were the kinds of people that didn't really care to be there, and some were lacing up their basketball shoes over in a corner. I glanced at Chanelle and I could tell that she was a little nervous, which is an unusual sight because she's usually hyped and up for anything, no matter what. Her anxiety was definitely rubbing off on me.

The both of us were ready to go since we had changed and laced up in the locker room, so we made our way to the basketball rack and grabbed some balls to begin warming up. I chose a side goal that only two other girls were shooting on and my confidence level filled up slightly because most of the shots they threw up either air-balled or clanked off the rim, making them go chase it every thirty seconds or so. As of myself, each of my shots sank perfectly into the net (with the exception of one or two, of course) with barely any effort.

Maybe I was actually ready for this.

After about ten more minutes of getting comfortable, I heard a whistle being blown that quieted the whole gym down, and turning all of the attention to around the half court mark, where someone (who I recognized to be the head coach) was standing with a clipboard. I tucked my basketball at my hip and listened to what he had to say.

"Alright ladies. My name is Coach Gerding and this tryout is going to be an elimination-type of deal," his voice was loud and I could tell that he knew what he was doing. I don't usually judge a book by its cover but by the looks of him and that fancy clipboard, I had a feeling that he was going to be very picky. "There are going to be rounds, or days. After each tryout day, we are going to meet at half court - basically how we are right now - and I'm going to call off names of who I want to see in the next round. If your name is not called, well, I think we all know what that means."

I gulped.

"Anyways, I suggest you come to all three tryouts...I mean, if you make it that far," Coach Gerding chuckled roughly yet I didn't see what was so funny. "But for now, I'm going to put you all in groups of ten and we will start the first drill."

There was some light chattering amongst the group of girls and Chanelle walked to me and whispered, "Is it just me, or does this guy seem like a little bit of a dickwad?"

I giggled under my breath. "He seems tough."

Nelly and I made some simple conversation before the coach blew his whistle again, silencing us. "I'm going to call out the names in each group and when your name is called, please murdge with the girls that are supposed to be with you, grab two balls if you don't have any at the moment or just one if you already have a basketball, because we are going to do a few things with two-ball dribbling. Got it?"

We all nodded.

"Okay. Group number one is going to be Teagan Hurst, Gia Smith, Payton Walsh, Devyn Cox, Lindsey Horvath, Emory Martin, Lena Bridge, Cori Yaris, Rachel Harmon, and Chanelle Taylor. As I said, all of you make sure you have two basketballs and line up on the base line. You all are going first and while you prepare, I'll call out the rest of the groups..."

Ignoring the last part of what Coach Gerding had to say, I smiled at Nelly as we walked over to the basketball rack for each of us to get another ball. I was happy that we were in the same group because I felt more at ease when she was with me in stuff we did.

Chanelle found a good, pumped up basketball and walked to the base line while I still searched for a good one, but was interrupted when I saw someone shift on the bleachers out of the corner of my eye. It wasn't anything important but I decided to glance up quickly anyways.

My mouth fell open.

LaMelo Ball - By AriWhere stories live. Discover now