Silence

Tradition

  You can do it Amelia, its only one more period until lunch! I mentally chanted to myself. I was currently lined up on the baseline of our school basketball court, which was located in the blue and gold themed gym. The team captains (who were both ripped guys) were evaluating everyone on the line with narrowed eyes. Luckily for me, Pink also had P.E. She was standing next to me in short pink shorts and a ratty grey T shirt, her pink hair was in a messy bun and wisps of it hung around her round face. I myself had changed into blue baggy basketball shorts that came to my knees and an old plain T shirt.

  "Why are they acting like they're choosing the next president and not there teams for a basketball game?" I tried to subtly whisper to Pink. The boy on the other side of me must have heard, because he gave me a weird look. I edged a little closer to Pink.

  "We take sports very seriously here...not to mention the tradition," she said back in a normal voice. My eyebrows knitted in confusion, they have a tradition for P.E? What a weird school.

  "What's the tradition?" I asked her. She opened her mouth to reply but before she could get out a word one of the team captains called her name. She smiled and began walking towards her team, she quickly looked over her shoulder at me. "Just try not to lose, " she warned me in a serious voice and I merely nodded my head. I, being the weird new kid, was obviously picked last. I didn't really mind however because what these boys didn't know is that I've been playing basketball since I was in fourth grade.

  "Listen up! Both teams decide who is going to start and their positions. Everyone will get a chance to play after every twenty minuets, " the P.E teacher, Mr. Stiller, announced to the whole gym. My team gathered in a tight huddle and the team captain, who I learned is known as Philip, started to assign the teams of five that would be rotating in. We had two teams of five on our team and each team would play for twenty minuets which is half the period. I couldn't help but notice he left me to the very end.

  "Um...erm...what position do you usually play Amelia?" he asked me awkwardly. He probably thought I was going to be useless, well he'll just have to wait and see. I looked directly into his coffee brown eyes and willed my voice to come out strong.

  "Pointguard, " I instantly answered. His dark eyebrows rose so high they almost disappeared into his sand colored hair, he swallowed. I could tell he wanted to object but instead of saying anything he silently nodded his head.

  "Then you'll be point for you team," he stated uncertainly and I nodded my head. The huddle broke up and the first five starters walked onto the court. Our team was provided with blue jerseys and the other with red. They were the see through type that you just slip on top of the shirt your wearing. I noticed in distaste that mine smelt strongly of sweat.

  I heard the shrill calling of the whistle and the game started. Phillip jumped against the other teams captain and got the ball. Everyone scrambled foreward into position and he started to dribble the ball skillfully foreward. We were playing man to man with three guards and two people under the basket. He called a play and people sprung into action. I watched the game with infatuation, people at this school really took sports seriously.

  It felt like only moments had passed when it was my teams turn to take the court. I felt slightly intimidated when I got in position to continue the game where the last team left off. This school probably had a book full of school plays that they all know, I'll be the only one in the dark. That's really bad considering I'm the point guard and I'm the one supposed to be calling the plays.

  A girl on my team threw the ball in from the side, I caught it easily and noticed with appreciation that she had a firm pass. That's something you don't find in many girls.

  I waited until everyone was set up before I started to dribble. A tall lanky guy was guarding me, if he had every heard of the term 'personal space' he didn't seem to take it really seriously. He was all over me, long arms reaching around my small form trying to snatched the ball, but I refused to give up. I kept my dribble low and slowly moved towards the paint, I waited until the exact moment before I dunked under his arm and burst foreward. I shot the ball underhanded into the backboard and watched as it hit the back of rim before falling into the hoop. I smiled as my team gave a little cheer. We ran back to defense and I prepared myself for the tough game ahead of me.

  Nineteen minuets later we were neck and neck, the scores were tied and we had twenty seconds left. I was dribbling the ball down the court when the other team decided they were going to full court press us. The lanky dude was all over me, he probably fouled me a million times but there was practically no time left so we just played it. I picked up my dribble and got low, looking for a bounce pass. A guy on my team burst out from nowhere and I bounced passed him the ball. I quickly rolled and shot down the court. I looked over my shoulder and saw the ball already flying through the air towards me, he must have tried to chuck it trying to make a basket.

   There was three seconds left, I caught the ball at two seconds and in the finally second the ball flew from my hands at the three point. The whole gym held there breath as the ball flew through the air. I nearly choked on my spit when it bounced on the rim. Fall in, fall in, fall- the ball rolled over the rim and fell into the basket the moment the whistle went off.

  "AHHHHHHHH!!!" the gym literally exploded in cheers and I suddenly felt hands grip my waist as I was lifted into the air. I was placed on someones shoulder and I looked down to find Phillip, the team captain, pumping one fist and whooping while the other held me in place. "YEEEAAAHH!! SUCK IT RED!" he shouted as the red team glared, minus Pink who was just grinning at me. I smiled cheekily and pumped my fists in the air, a laugh bubbled up from my throat and it felt good to actually laugh for once. Its been a while.

  My cheeks darkened when I realized that they were carrying me out into the hallway. The bell rang somewhere in the background and my stomach grumbled in response. I looked over my shoulder and noted that the red team was trailing behind us sulkily. We walked through a doorway and emerged into the lunchroom. Other students looked up as they chowed on their lunches but they didn't seem surprised. Instead some just chuckled and gave us thumbs up. I grew even more confused when Phillip lifted me off his shoulder and set me down infront if him. I noticed that the whole blue team was next to me and we were standing infront of the buffet line, the smell of hot food made my mouth water.

  "What do you want?" Phillip asked me as he gestured to the trays of food. I squinted my eyes in confusion.

  "Huh?" I said dumbly and watched as his eyes lit up in remembrance.

  "Oh that's right, your new," he said and I nodded slowly, waiting for him to elaborate. "So we have a tradition here at Franklin, the tradition is the loosing team has to buy the winning team lunch for one day and not retaliate when we prank them, " he tried to explain.

  "Why would we prank them?" I asked confused. He chuckled.

  "Because since we won, we get to prank them until next gym class...and they can't do anything in return, " he explained. My mouth fell open in an 'o' before I smiled evilly. I'm really starting to like this school.