Basketball Led Me To You

Chapter 3

After school the team, Idocolence, and I all went down to the back gym. It was the coolest and the best for practicing in. I was carrying a huge box full of team jerseys so we could try to fit one to Idocolence.

"So," I said after a few minutes. "We have the number twenty, nineteen, and twenty-one in your size."

"Ok," she said as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail. "I'll take twenty, I guess." I stared at her in awe. Basketball jersey number choosing wasn't just a snap idea. It had taken me four days to choose my number. Picking a number was like picking a name for your child. You were stuck with that number for a while. At least all the way through high school. No one on our team had picked a number the day they were offered it.

"Are you sure?" I asked Idocolence.

"Yeah." She grinned. "I like the number twenty."

Idocolence was now in the running for best player on the team. Ever step she took and every move she made was an act of grace. And speed. By gosh, that girl could run fast. When we were jogging around the gym, I stuck Idocolence in front so everyone would be at her pace but she smoked us all. She ran all the way around by the time everyone got to half court. After a few minutes we took a break and a bunch of people, myself included, grabbed out snacks and water. Idocolence took neither.

"Hey Idocolence! Want some food or water?" Ebla asked.

"No thanks," Idocolence replied. Everyone stared at her. Of all of us, she was the one who had been outrunning, out smarting, out playing, and basically outdoing us in every way. Another thing I noticed was, she wasn't sweating. Just out of breath and lightly panting.

"So," I said, moving to make room for her. "What do you know about the Portland teams players?" Hey, I'm not known for beating around the bush. To my surprise she laughed, her head tilted back.

"Wow Sam. You are defiantly not the one to edge around the question. Is that what people think makes you fierce? The fact that you come straight at at person?" Idocolence laughed again, harder this time, her hand over her mouth, trying to stifle her giggles.

"Really?" I asked, my face twisted into a snarl. I crouch into a fighting position. "You think people fear me because of what I say?" I smiled a cruel smirk.

"Now Sam," Idocolence said, silently edging away, her hands up in surrender. I grinned and lunged. She gasped as we both crashed to the floor. I turned so she landed on me and not via versa. She sprang up but saw I was smiling and stopped. Idocolence reached out a hand to me. I hesitated, I didn't know how strong she was. I didn't want to hurt her. Yet she looked right at me and shook her hand, signaling to take it. I reached out and grabbed it. I was hauled off the ground so fast I was worried I had blown something. I stared at Idocolence's arms, which were in fact, extremely muscular just like her calves. She saw where I was looking and reflex her arms.

"What? Did you assume because I look girly and ugly, I don't work out?" Her eyes looked downward, as if she were embarrassed. I looked at the team and everyone had the exact same expression. How could a girl so beautiful doubt she was pretty for even a second?

"Hey Idocolence. Your beautiful no matter what anyone says," I said to her. She glanced at me, her facial features downcast.

"But it's not always the outside people judge you by." With that Idocolence turned, grabbed her uniform, and walked out the door. Everyone stared at the door where she had just left. I tried to figure what she had just said. What did she mean by that? I had a feeling there was a lot more to Idocolence than we knew. And I intend to learn more.