A Collection of Short Stories

Dunk It!

Payne wiped sweat off his eyebrows. The score was 108 to 106. And there were 30 seconds left. This was not going well. 

His school was against Naomi International School, in the finals of the IBC. He wanted to secure another gold medal to add into his collection of achievements. Be proud of his 20th gold medal. He was pretty sure his girlfriend would give him another bunch of flowers again. 

But a gold medal in 30 seconds? Impossible to him alone, but possible with his best friends and team mates. He's definitely can secure the gold medal. All he need to do was score and dab to the crowd. He felt a rush of excitement in him. 

He dribbled the ball, looking at his opponents, who were surrounding him in the front, blocking him to pass a high ball. 

Payne shouted, " Evan! " and passed a bounce pass to him, who was standing at the left side, where no one was blocking him. 

" On it! " Evan shouted, his brown hair striking out of his vision. He dribbled the ball, but was caught up by another opponent with furious eyes. 

Evan smirked at him and bounce passed the ball to another team mate. 

Mun caught it with precision, winking at Evan. He dribbled fast, it was halfway through the court. 

15 seconds left. Payne ran towards the enemy territory. 

Mun then shouted, " Ming! " and another team mate with green hair caught it with agility. 

Suddenly, he was surrounded by all opponents. 

" Payne! " Ming shouted, before throwing the ball randomly. 

Payne willed himself to run as fast as the wind, as fast as a cheetah, even faster than a jet -

Payne jumped and caught it, the basketball warm in his clutches. Thank god. 

0.05

Payne looked up and saw the goal near him. 

0.04

Payne bend his knees, aiming the goal. 

0.03

Payne jumped, pumping adrenaline in the legs. 

0.02

The basketball flew from his hands, nearing towards the goal. 

0.01

The basketball was dunked. 

Payne let out a relieved sigh before his team mates crowded in and crush him into a group hug. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

" Told you, Miko, you should dump him. "

" Who? " Miko asked, suspicion surrounding her thoughts. 

" That idiotic Payne. You should have taken Mun or Evan, oh so handsome they are! " one of the girl said. 

" You're not the boss of my own heart, " Miko defended. 

The girl trounced off, with some of her friends. Her best friend stood next to her. 

" She actually wants you to dump him, so that she could date him, " her best friend said. 

" I know, I've been trying to ignore her for the past few weeks, " Miko sighed. 

" Miko! " 

Miko turned and saw Payne. His tan skin and muscular body made her cheeks turning red. Her best friend left them in silence with Evan running to catch up with her. 

" Nice move you got there, " Miko complimented. 

" Hey, sweetheart. I want to bring you somewhere. Follow me? " Payne pulled her through the corridors, and directed her to the swimming pool behind the school. There were students crowding the swimming pool looking at them. Phones flashed. Some giggled. The girl was there, pouting at her with furious eyes. 

" Hey Payne, just get it done already! " one of the boys said in the crowd. 

" What? " Miko asked. 

Payne sighed. 

" Keep or dump? " 

" Of course I'll - " Miko stopped. Everyone was using microphones on their phones to record her answer. She knew they would post it online on social media and it would be the most popular article in the yearbook sooner or later. That's NOT going to happen. 

She gestured Payne to come close. Payne obediently did. 

" Of course I'll keep you, " Miko whispered. 

Payne began to smile but Miko cut the gesture with a cutting glare. 

Then she said louder, " But I'll dunk him. "

She pushed him into the swimming pool. He fell with surprised eyes. 

The audience was silent. 

She smiled to herself and said, " Score. Payne 0, Miko 3. " 

She walked out of the crowd without looking back at what happened to Payne. Now that's a story to be told in the yearbook.