I Don't Deserve Love: Alternate Ending

Chapter 55: Milkshake Disaster

To my excitement our team won the match without too much difficulty, pulling a 10-point lead this time and they walked out of the gym with their heads held high. Iris's stomach growled while we waited for their next match and we all laughed amongst ourselves. Several of the other students had already bought food from the concession stand set up at the back of the bleachers so I offered to get us some snacks. The girls insisted on coming with me so we walked up in a group to the bleachers and each ordered something. I chose to try the soft pretzel with a cheesy dipping sauce and I was surprised at the large pieces of salt that seemed to be baked into the pretzel's outer crust.

By the time we made it through the line and got our food, it was almost time for the boys' next match and I hoped that they were able to eat between their matches. I was surprised that in the third match they didn't start with the normal players, but instead, Brandon was in the tip-off position with Troy, Mark, a senior named Kevin, and a junior called Devon making up the other four members.

"They're all probably getting tired, huh? This is already their third game in one day," Iris pointed out with obvious worry, not even touching her nachos as she watched Brandon face off against the other team. The player's number was a 2, the lowest number on the team, so I assumed he was the captain of the other team.

"I'm sure they're tired, but that's why we came, right? To cheer them through it," I said while bumping her shoulder encouragingly.

She glanced at me and then back at Brandon before taking a deep breath and yelling loudly, "You can do it, Brandon!" just as the coach blew the whistle and the basketball was tossed into the air. 

With an incredible burst, Brandon leaped into the air and deftly tipped the basketball towards Mark who immediately passed it off to Troy. I watched in fascination as the other team frantically went to block Troy's progress to the goal but Brandon broke his guard and Troy passed the ball cleanly over the guys protecting him into Brandon's waiting arms. He shot the ball, hitting the corner of the painted box perfectly so the ball ricocheted into the net for the first 2 points of the game. Thunderous cheers erupted around me which Iris and I joined as our team made their way to their side of the court once again.

The rest of the game was fascinating as the team members constantly switched in and out and formations I hadn't seen in either of their first two games were used expertly by the whole team. It was obvious that all of the changes were frustrating the other team who didn't seem to be adapting well. The game ended with a large 25-point lead for the Sharks and I jumped to my feet and cheered loudly as the boys left the gym again with wide smiles. 

After our cheers died down, Mr. Borsema once again stood on the bleachers. We all turned to face him as he explained that there would be one more game for today and our team was going to be on the other basket court. He asked us to pick up all of our stuff and any garbage we had around us before following him to the other side of the gym. We did as he asked, depositing our paper plates and napkins in the first garbage can we came across. We made the trek to the other side of the gym where the game had just finished between two teams, one in black jerseys with gold numbers and the other with white jerseys with maroon letters.

Once that game ended all of the basketball teams left the court and people came in to sweep and polish the floors. I sat back and sipped from the can of lemonade I bought with my pretzel and waited for the people to finish cleaning off the gym floor. As I relaxed someone announced with a megaphone that the last matches for the day would start in ten minutes.

"Wow, I haven't even been playing and I feel exhausted," Iris muttered, standing and stretching her arms above her head.

"I know what you mean, Iris. These bleacher seats are not comfortable at all," Kim complained as she stood and stretched as well.