The rest of the day goes smoothly. I sit in my classes, write notes and forget what the hidden meaning of Logan's words are telling me. I sit at lunch with Chloe and Maria and we talk as if nothing has happened these past few days. For some reason though, something feels off with Maria. She doesn't give me full eye contact and I sometimes find her looking at her brother. But before I can see what they are trying to say to each other across tables, she averts her attention back to our conversation and adds commentary on anything. This is officially strange!
My last class is shared with Chloe and Maria, so we walk together to Calculus, which is the class that bores me completely. Luckily though, I'm not the only one who feels that way. Looking around the class, everyone wears the same facial expression. Boredom! Class is the same as every time. The teacher talks a lot and then for the last twenty minutes we do book work. While I'm completing the book work, a knock causes silence to take over the class. Coach Taylor walks in with a presence that says he is a coach. He walks over to the teacher desk and says a quick hello before announcing,
"I'm here to have a word with Luna please".
All eyes are on me when he says this and I gulp thinking why on earth would coach want to speak to me. He tells me to get my bag and we walk out together. He takes the lead since I have no idea where we are going and we walk in complete silence. Questions start to come in my head on what coach wants to speak about, but all my questions are answered when we step into a loud and smelly gym that is filled with seniors shooting hoops. Coach calls them over and they all stop playing to stand in front of coach, none of them noticing there is a confused girl standing next to Coach.
"Listen up everyone. This Luna. She's got a try out meaning we are going to show Luna how a typical training session is done. I know she's a girl, but your captain told me she's exceptional so I'm giving her a shot. Now let's play ball".
With that everyone goes off murmuring and back to what they were doing before, however I still catch the captain's eyes before he goes with his teammates. He take a few strides towards me and stops right in front of me saying, "Your Welcome", with a wink and runs off. Anger runs through my blood as I realise Logan asked coach to get me before classes end so I wouldn't escape, as he knew my tactics. I see red everywhere and my hands start to become sweaty while my ears take in the bouncing of the ball. The sound I haven't year in months is coming into my memory again and before my mind can comprehend what is happening, I'm dropping my bag of to the side and going into the middle where Coach is. Logan wants to play right, so let's play!
Logan's POV
When I said to Coach Taylor that Luna is exceptional, I have to admit that it wasn't the whole truth. I've never watched her play basketball but Maria has and let's just say I was right to trust her opinion.
My vocabulary isn't that great so I'm speechless. She's more than exceptional. Luna is extraordinary at basketball. I know that she and her friend Ella used to play often and wanted to accomplish dreams together, however Luna hasn't mentioned Ella in a while and I wonder why that is?
Luna refused stubbornly to play one on one, so I managed to get Coach Taylor to ask for Luna at the end of the last lesson of the day. Her face when she entered the gym and saw my friends and I was priceless. No I'm wrong. The most satisfying part was when she dropped her bag on the side of the court and ran to where Coach and I were waiting for the match to start.
And boy she made me sweat! I think that was the most intense and hardest basketball match I've ever played. Near the end of the match, it seemed like it was going to be a tie but literally at the last few seconds, Luna shot the ball into the basket (this was one of the times I pray that the ball doesn't go in) and unfortunately it went in.
She smiled timidly, while I shook her hand.
"Good game," Luna stated.
"Correction. Great game and you were the one who didn't want to play in the first place" I said while gasping for air in between.
Luna smiled. That smile that says "Ok, you won. No need to rub it in."
Coach Taylor approached us.
"Brilliant game, guys. You had me sitting on the edge of my seat. Logan, great determination and effort. Luna, that was shocking and when I say shocking, I mean it in a good way. Your tactics, effort, determination and technique is definitely what I think earned you a spot on our team. Of course, it's all up to you. Luna, would you be willing to be the first girl to join our basketball team."
I smile. Coach Taylor smiles. Luna doesn't. Her face darkens as if she just realised that she's been asked to join a basketball club not a chess one.
"I... don't...know."
"Ok. Just think about it. The last thing I want to do is put pressure on you and force you into something you don't want to do. Just remember you have talent that shouldn't be wasted. Basketballers, you're dismissed!"
We all leave the gym and I wait for Luna, who's the last person. Before I can say anything, she beats me to it.
"Why did you have to force me to play?" Luna asks angrily.
"Forced you? I persuaded you and you can't complain because you won the match and enjoyed it."
"Enjoyed is the last word I would use to describe how I felt."
"So I guess you're saying that you're not joining the team?"
"Mark my words, that's the last time I'm ever touching a basketball again," Luna says before storming off.
YOU ARE READING
The Immigrant Who Played Basketball
General FictionShe was and Italian Mixed Race Girl, with a black mom. She was looked down on and insulted by the residents of her town, who said she couldn't do anything. But she never listened when it came to playing basketball, the sport that transported her awa...
