Our game tipped off before the boys', so every Tucker player packed into the stands to cheer us on. The gym echoed with whistles, squeaking sneakers, and the constant roar of teammates. It felt like the entire camp had squeezed into one building.
Earlier that morning, Sam had quietly filled me in.
"Our old starter graduated," she said while we stretched. "Coach's been trying to replace her since last season."
No pressure.
Coach called our names, and Sam and I jogged onto the court together. My stomach was doing cartwheels.
This wasn't JV anymore.
This was Varsity.
The opening minutes flew by in a blur. Every possession felt faster, every screen hit harder, every mistake more noticeable. Sam settled my nerves with a calm smile after my first assist.
"Relax," she whispered. "You've got this."
She was right.
As the game wore on, everything slowed down. My instincts took over, and before long we were trading baskets with one of the best teams at camp.
With five seconds left, we trailed by one.
Sam drove hard to the basket and drew the foul.
The gym fell silent.
She walked to the free throw line while the officials lined everyone up along the lane. I stepped beside her and bumped her shoulder.
"I believe."
She smiled.
"I know."
The first shot swished cleanly through the net.
Tie game.
She dribbled once, inhaled, and released the second.
Nothing but net.
The buzzer hadn't sounded yet.
Their forward caught the inbound pass, but I jumped the passing lane, stealing the ball cleanly. I glanced at the clock.
Three seconds.
Two.
I pulled up from beyond the arc.
The ball left my fingertips just as the horn blared.
Time seemed to stop.
The shot kissed the front of the rim...
...bounced softly...
...and dropped through the net.
The gym exploded.
Our bench emptied onto the court as the crowd erupted. Sam was the first to tackle me in a hug, laughing so hard neither of us could stand upright.
"We did it!" she yelled.
"We actually did it!"
Before I could even catch my breath, someone scooped me off the floor.
Phillip.
He spun me around until I was laughing too hard to protest.
"You were unbelievable!"
He kissed me before I even realized he was going to.
It was quick.
Joyful.
Completely effortless.
Across the court, his coach shouted for warm-ups.
YOU ARE READING
You Don't Know..What you Don't Know
RomanceTia is a good Greek girl growing up in what is considered the Country. One summer in the city of Baltimore changes her attitude about life. She starts her freshmen year of high school with a new found confidence attracting boys of all ranges of th...
