Toaster Notes From My Best Friend the Dating-Optimist (A Christian Romance)

Chapter Nine

GUYS. I HAVE A BRAND NEW COVER. THIS IS AMAZING. Can you guys see it? All credit goes to jay_jewel and Kustom Designz Graphics. THANK YOU!

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After school we have basketball practice again. I step into the gym, hoping that a little hard-core exercise will wake me up a little. Coach Anderson is really good at hard-core exercise. She's already in the centre circle, waiting expectantly.

The rest of the team and I slowly gather around her. Some of us (cough, I'm looking at you Angie) are already half asleep. Others, like Tina, look like they've just chugged a can of Red Bull. Knowing Tina, she probably has.

Coach Anderson looks down her nose at us - which is hard, considering she's barely 5'2". Asia is the last to arrive to practice - like she always is, warranting a vicious glare from the Coach.

"Alright," she barks. "Today the lot of you are going to run 1.6 kilometers. You have fifteen seconds to get out the door and down to the sidewalk. If anyone takes sixteen seconds to get out there everyone has to run three kilometers. Go." Coach Anderson doesn't move, except to start the timer on her phone. A collective shiver runs over the team. It doesn't last long though, because as soon as her words reach our brains, we scramble to get outside.

Asia and I are the first ones out by the sidewalk. The last person over is Angie, and she takes 14.7 seconds. We breathe a collective sigh. We barely have time to compose ourselves from the dash down here before Coach Anderson is sending us sprinting down the sidewalk.

By the time we're finished running, all twelve of us are more than winded. Coach Anderson looks smug.

"Alright, ladies. Game time."

We go back into the gym and play a game. Six on six, no one on the bench.

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We haven't been playing long when Five from the other day steps into the gym. He walks over to Coach Anderson, since she coaches the boys' team too. He towers over her, and I realize for the first time how tall he really is. He must be at least 6'2", if not 6'3" or 6'4". Compared to the rest of the basketball team, that makes him about medium height. Anton's the shortest on the team, and he plays point guard. He's only about 5'10", so he's significantly shorter than the next shortest guy, who's about 6'2". Anton made it on the team because of pure talent. As Coach Anderson would say, he has a head for the game.

Five talks to Coach for a few minutes before turning to leave. He looks back over his shoulder as he walks away. He catches my eye, and I trip over my own foot as I try to keep up with the game. I fall flat on my face. Five turns back towards us, looking concerned.

Asia and Tina help me up, not seeming to notice that he's there. Five turns to leave again, throwing me a grin over his shoulder. My heart is racing from embarrassment. Going to another country with that team will certainly be interesting

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I step in the door after practice, apprehensive of the 'talking to' that I'm sure to get after the stunt that Emery and I pulled last night. I step into the kitchen. Mom isn't home yet. Emery's sitting at the table. She looks nervous. Again. Blah. I don't have time for this. I'm anxious about enough things already. I walk over to the counter, leaning on my folded arms.

"What's the matter now?" I ask. I'm still tired from the last thing she was anxious about.

"I'm scared for when Mom comes home." Ah. Yes. I'm a bit anxious about that too. I take a sharp breath and nod, sitting in the chair across from Emery. I reach across the table and grab her hand.

"Don't worry," I tell her "Most of it was my fault anyway." She shakes her head.

"No, I didn't even talk to Andy for like an hour and a half, we totally could've left and been home on time." I don't say anything, as I can't really argue. We could've left when Andy was busy talking trash about her - it wasn't like any of us were having that much fun.

Part of me is tempted to rat my sister out and rail on her for not being more responsible, but the guy she's into is a total jerk. She doesn't need a jerky sister to go along with him.

We freeze when we hear the door open. A resounding

"Hello!" Comes from the back door.

Mom.

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Hey guys! I'm back, I didn't lie!

What are we thinking? Any ideas for the cast yet? I gave you guys like a WHOLE HOUR to think about it :):):):)

xx

Emma

Oh also - it might be a little bit since I update next (hence the double update) because I'm making changes to the chapter about two ahead from this one. I'll post when I'm nearly done.