"Ok the point of the game is to get the basketball through the hoop up there." Michael pointed to the goal at the other end of the court.
I sat in the bleachers drawing the scene before me. I was working on the ball that sat in Colton's hands until I heard banging on the court. I looked up to watch.
Colton was dribbling the ball the best he could and Michael was trying to take it from him. As clumsy as he looked, Colton had quick eyes and was able to keep the ball from Michael.
Colton made it to the end of the court and was about to shoot the ball into the goal.
"Yes! Go, Colton Go!!!!" I yelled excitedly.
Colton threw the ball and it teetered on the edge before falling in the hoop. I smiled big and Colton and Michael seemed to be celebrating in slow motion as they yelled and whooped happily.
At least I wished that had happened. Then my Saturday wouldn't have been wasted so poorly.
It took Colton 38 tries (I counted) to finally get the ball around Michael and to his end of the court. It took him 16 tries (I counted again) to get the ball near the hoop. Most times he missed by 3 feet but when he was close to it he hit the rim causing the ball to bounce back and hit him in the face. That happened three times and he already had a bruise under his eye and two bumps on his forehead.
I sat back and used the bleacher behind me as a back rest. I finished my drawing way before Colton got the ball into the hoop considering I saw the same image 38 times.
"Ok, I give up," Michael said breathing heavily with sweat rings forming under his arms, on his back, and his chest. "Let me call a couple of buddies and we'll head down to the football field. Hopefully that will be a little easier for you."
Colton just nodded his head and laid in the floor, looking like he was about to make a snow angel but I could tell he didn't have the energy either way.
"I'll grab some ice for your bumps,"I said eager to do something since I watched Colton fail 100 times.
I walked down the bleachers and down a hall to the right of the bleachers. There was a nurses office here for the basketball players and when I walked in I immediately wrinkled my nose. After years of sweat, blood, and medicine making it's way through this door, it finally began to smell.
I walked over to a big metal ice chest and found 2 bags. I put some ice in them and walked back to Colton.
He was sitting up now but was still on the floor. "Here, hold this to your eye and this one to your head."
He winced as I pressed the bag to his face but soon looked relieved after awhile.
"Alright my buddies are on their way and we'll head down to the field soon," Michael said walking back.
"Are you sure Colton shouldn't take a break. I mean look at him," Michael and I glanced at Colton's beat up face.
"Nah he's good. Right, Colt?" Michael said.
"Yeah Chris I'm fine. I'm doing this for Layla and plus athletes never take a break. You just gotta keep going," Colton said to me.
"That's the spirit!" Michael said. He helped Colton up and they did their bro hug thing. Again.
I sighed feeling defeated. I was just hoping Colton wouldn't get hurt any worse than he already was.
Michael hauled us into his red corvette and speed away down to the football fields. Yes I said fields with an s. It was crazy how much stuff this neighborhood could hold.
YOU ARE READING
Teach Me How to Love You
Romance"I can help you know." "With what the project? I actually think it would turn out a lot better if I did it on my own," he said, only glancing up once. "That's not what I meant," I said, really hurt at this point, but not enough to stop me. "I was ta...
