New Native Land (The Blossoming)

Chapter 21 (A Job Well Done)

After school Draya and I were in the locker room getting dressed for our game. These extra short shorts and this jersey, mine having my favorite number on it, number 17. I put on some deodorant on after putting on my socks shoes and knee pads. I breathed out and I walked towards the coaches with the other girls. "Now, we're going to go out here and we're going to show them how great we are. Let's go ladies!" The coach said to get us fired up but honestly she sucks at it.

We waited for them to call us out and then we heard "And now, here come your lady Jags!" We ran out to some white ass music and we slapped each other's hands. What my friends didn't know was that I was starting this game because I was improving so much and the girl who usually had this spot broke her nose in practice a couple of days ago, so I was nervous.

The gym had a lot of people in it but I wasn't surprised seeing the fact that all our sports teams were supported by the school, even hockey. I even heard the lacrosse team was the most attended sport event here. They started naming the starting lineup. "Ladies and gentleman, your starting six! Emily Rutger! Holly Frasier! Destiny Jones! Erica Shulman! Lyric Draymond! And Reagan Smith!" The announcer said and the crowd was cheering for us.

I got to my position in the way back because I was serving the ball, I am a mean server if I am to brag on myself. The ref passed me the rock and I breathed out loud waiting on the signal to serve. "Go Reag!" I heard Drew yelling for me, I shook my head. I got the signal to serve and I readied myself and the ball. I breathed out and relaxed myself, and I served the ball over the net and ran into the middle for the action.

I'm pretty short so I stayed in the back to save the ball, also I'd get pretty upset if someone spiked the ball in my face. "Got it!" I yelled saving the ball from going out of bounds. I passed it to my Emily and she spiked it into enemy territory getting us a point. We celebrated quickly and it was back to business. The other team served the ball and it came straight for me. "Got it." I yelled and I pumped the ball over the net and the other team pumped it right back. We pushed the ball amongst us and then I jumped up super high and I spiked the ball in.

The crowd went crazy and so did my team, I was sort of like the team's secret weapon, because I'm kinda short but I can jump higher than the other girls can and I have a lot of power in my right arm. "Yeah Reagan!" My friends were yelling and I smiled at them.

Soon we were up by 20 and the other team by 15. "Reagan switch." The coach yelled and I went to sit down. Draya went in and she helped us win the first set. "Now, the teamwork is there, however you can't depend on one person. Let's win this set so we can go home alright!" The coach said "Yeah!" We cheered "Alright, Lady jags on three. One, two, three!" "Lady Jags!"

I was sitting out in the beginning of the second set and we started losing. "Get out there Smith!" Coach Tillman said to me and I got up when a girl named Mariah get out. The crowd cheered for me and I heard Drew and Caz yelling for me. I took the rock and I threw it to the other side of the net and waited for the girls to start this volley. It was going for a long time which is surprising.

The game was tied 24 to 23 at this moment and we were up, I was worried we'd have to play another round and I was still a bit out of shape, I didn't know if I could go another round. We came up with a strategy and then we went back to the court. "Let's do this!" Destiny yelled and we all shouted out with her. The crowd was quiet waiting on me to serve. I had to do this right, if I messed up it could cost us.

I closed my eyes and breathed out to relax myself, I opened my eyes and I focused where I wanted the ball to land, and then I served the ball. And it began, I saw the ball coming back our way and I yelled "Got it!" And dove for the ball, I heard the crown go "Oh!" But I saved the ball. I quickly got up and I felt the pain in my shoulder from the save, but I had to suck it up because the ball was coming back our way.

I got into position and I heard Lyric yell "Got it!" She tossed the ball over and we were sure that that was in but it wasn't. The girl did an amazing save dive and her other teammate spiked the ball in only for Erica to save the ball and pass to me. I jumped up and I spiked the ball the hardest I could and it went right past the other team and slammed on the ground!

I landed and the celebratory up roar began; we're going to the playoffs! My teammates started celebrating and they picked me up and hugged me. The bench and even the coach came and started celebrating with us. I can't believe this moment really happened. I was so excited. "Yo! That was so dope kid!" Draya shouted excitedly at me and we hugged each other.

When it died down a little we went to shake the other team's hands and then we kept on celebrating. Drew came down from the bleacher and he picked me up and hugged me which shocked me but I could tell he was excited. He put me down and looked proud of me "Man, you can play! I didn't know you were that good!" He said and he turned and looked at Draya and picked her up too. "Put me down Drew." She said playfully and he did. "You did good man! I thought you was garbage!" He joked with her and she pretended to beat him up.

I shook my head at them and Draya's parents came down and they congratulated her. "You did a wonderful job Reagan!" Her mom said to me and her dad tapped my shoulder "Hell of a right arm there." Draya's dad Mr. Washington said and I laughed. "Come on girls. Let's take some pictures!" Mrs. Washington Draya looked embarrassed but we took pictures together and Drew even stepped in and we laughed at him, Caz joined next. "Fine looking group of students." Mr. Washington said to us and we took the compliment with stride.

"Come on let's go change." Draya said and I nodded. "See y'all later." I told the crew and we broke away. We went inside the locker room and took a shower and put on our warm ups that we were supposed to wear on game day. I usually just changed into it when I got to school.

"Are you sure you don't want a ride home?" Draya asked me and I shook my head. "I'm positive." I said to her and she twisted her mouth "Alright." She gave up and I smiled at her. "Get home safely." She told me and we both walked out the locker room together.

She went towards the parking lot and I walked towards the bus stop.