It's weird how when you are looking forward to something time seems to stop, but when you are dreading something time skips ahead. This was happening to Boein. Before he could blink, all the boxes had been unpacked and school was starting that morning. Seventh grade took place at Philbrook middle school, an old brick building where the used to be bold letters of the sign Philbrook had faded to a musty grey. As Boein got off bus 14, he made his way into the herd of kids bustling into the school where boys and girls were waving to friends and searching out the new kids to see if they would become new ones.
"Wait up!"
Boein looked behind him and saw Kody wearing a Michigan Wolverines football jersey sprinting up behind him,
backpack thrown over one shoulder.
"So how do you like the Old Dump?" He said out of breath waving his hand at the school.
Boein shrugged and continued through the double doors, heading to his locker. A couple days ago, Philbrook Middle had mailed the Price residence his schedule and locker combination which made Mrs. Price remeber back to school shopping. Boein got dragged along and had put on so many itchy clothes he couldn't tell pants from shirts.
Riiiiiing!
Boein jumped and then looked around, embarrassed. The first bell had rung and everyone started heading into opposite directions. He quickly opened his locker, grabbed a pencil and notebook, and glanced at his schedule. Home room with Ms. Lane in room 134. Boein slipped in his seat right before the last bell rang. The school year had begun.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Boein bit into a BLT and listened to Cade tell Kody about the upcoming soccer tryouts. Cade was a talker. He could go on and on without seeming to take a breath.
"When does basketball season start?" Boein asked when he finally came up for air.
The table got quiet and everyone stared at him. The tips of ears grew redder and redder.
Finally Cade said, "didn't you know? our school doesn't have a basketball team unless you want to play with the girls!"
That got a laugh out of everyone.
"I think you should play with the girls," Jered said with a totally straight face.
"You might make a layup and everything!"
Kody glared at Jered and then explained, "It's because of Title IX. We used to have a team and then our school got threatened with a lawsuit so we had to drop something."
"And you know this how?" DeShaun asked.
"My mom has worked for the PTA for 15 years."
"So what team do you guys play for?" Boein asked, already knowing the answer but still in disbelief when Kody said
"We kinda just play pick up games in the park."
Boein couldn't help himself. He blurted out,
"But you guys are so good!"
"Or you're just really bad." Jered laughed.
Could that kid say anything nice?
Cade shrugged and said, "All of us want to play for a team, don't get me wrong there, it's just that nobody's offered to coach us. It's no big deal."
Boein was at a loss for words. Would he ever get to dribble the ball up a court with time running down again?
