Love The Game: Overtime

Chapter 26

We're sitting in the locker room listening to Bennet give us the half time rundown. I'm not really listening. I'm just staring at the Nike symbol on my shoe. For the first time in days I'm not thinking. I'm not worrying or overthinking. I'm not thinking about Sara. My mind is blank, so I'm not about to let Bennet freak me out by listening to whatever it is she's telling us.

When Bennet is finished we all stand and break out and then start back for the gym. I hate half time. I just want to be on the court. As we're walking out Bennet puts her hand on my shoulder and says

"Keep it up." I don't look at her. I just keep walking and nod my head a little so she knows I'm not ignoring her. I've been having a great game. I've made every 3 that I've shot and I've had some great assists. I've gotten fouled about 3 times and I've made all my free throws. I'm the fastest one on the court, no one is even close to me.

As we are walking back onto into the gym I can hear everyone cheering. I can feel the vibrations of their movements through the floor. I don't look up, I don't look into the crowd, I don't look at Callie who hasn't stopped staring at me. She hasn't tried to talk to me at all since the other day. I sit on the bench and wait for the time on the clock to run out. 3...2...1... Time to play.

The second I step onto the court everything goes silent. All I can hear is my own breathing, and the squeak of my shoes. Since the other team got the jump ball we get ball. I walk over to the sideline to inbound the ball. Callie is standing behind half court waiting for me to throw it in. The defense is trying to do a half-court trap. There's three of them on top and two on bottom. Callie dribbles to the right-side line to draw in the trap. As soon as she does I loop around right behind them and get the ball. One of the ones in the back comes towards me to try and stop me from shooting leaving Dillon wide open under the basket. Stupid. I throw the ball right over the girl to Dillon who makes an easy shot off the backboard. Bennet has us in a full court man even though we're ahead by 15 point. Whatever. I set up at the baseline with Callie and Michelle on either side of me ready to set the trap. The girl inbounding the ball has no idea where to throw it. I'm watching her eyes move from left to right and back n forth, but then I see them look up. She's going to pass it over me. As soon as she tries to I jump up and the ball hits my hands with a loud slap as it falls to the ground in front of me. The girl inbounding tries to reach for the ball but she's too slow. I pick it up and since I'm right underneath our basket I shoot it off the backboard for an easy 2 point. She tries again. This time she does a bounce pass to my left. Smart. The girl she passed it to starts to dribble down the sideline. Stupid. I'm already right on the girl with Michelle when the girl tries to pass it. The girl is trying to keep ahold of the ball but Michelle hits it out of her hands. I grab it and toss it to Callie and she makes a contested layup and draws the foul on the girl who was inbounding. Callie gets one shot and she makes it with a pretty sounding swish. As soon as the other team had the ball in their possession their coach called a time out.

I jog over to the bench so that Bennet can tell us whatever it is she has to say. I hadn't let myself look anywhere other than the court the entire game, but for a split second I look into the crowd and then I see her. I feel like my heart is being broken into a million pieces. I haven't seen her since that night. Eric, Presley and Alex are all with her. I'm not paying attention and I ended up running into Dillon. She turned around and gave me a confused look, I just shook my head. In the huddle I hear everything that Bennet is saying. All the thoughts in my head are flooding now like a broken dam.

Why is she here? Why are they all here? Have they been here the whole time? I miss her so much. Did coach say man or zone defense? I can't be near Callie. Are we still in a full court press? Why is she here? I fucked up. I fucked up. I'm going to fuck up.