Ball Is Life

Chapter 1: Don't Hate The Player, Hate The Game

I looked up from the floor to the score board -- A minute and thirty-two seconds left. At this point I was breathing heavy, my hair was dripping and my jersey felt like a thousand pounds of sweat. A minute thirty two, that's all that was left. I had to get the ball and make this last shot and the Cougars would win. That would make the score 47 - 17, I had to get one more win for my team to end the game. I studied the defense of the other teams player in front of me trying to block. After finding an opening I rolled off the player and darted across the court for the ball. "Mike! I'm open!" I yelled holding my hands up. Micheal jumped up and passed the ball that landed in the hands of the other team. Forty-one seconds left, I could do this if I just ran and shot a 3 pointer instead of a lay up. My legs sprinted to the other side of the court and smacked the ball out of the players hands. Quickly I dribbled back to my teams court. 10 seconds! It's now or never, I quickly leaped into the air and shot the ball. Goal! It went into the basket and the buzzer sounded.

The crowd screamed and cheered. The basketball team ran from the courts and benches and crowded me. "Ayeeee!" They screamed. They patted me on the back and slapped hands. "Another win for J.R. High school with the help of their star player Nafis Brooks!" An announcer said. "On varsity and he only just turned sixteen a few months ago, how incredible is that?" I grinned so hard my cheeks began to hurt. Yeah, that's me they're talking about. An amazing win to end an amazing game. When I finally squeezed through the crowd of teenagers celebrating their victory I found my friends waiting for me by the bleachers. "Damn youngin, I ain't think you were going to make that last shot." Dhamir laughed and slapped hands with me. "Boy didn't I tell you not to doubt me?" I chuckled. "Pay up Dhamir, I told yo ass he was going to win." Tyaire said cheesing shining his bright white teeth. Tyaire was a brown skin, handsome guy with deep brown eyes and stood about 6'4. He wore his hair in a curly top and was always trying to get with a new girl. The real player type who felt like he couldn't be held down with one chick. Dhamir on the other hand was different in looks, He was caramel complexioned, with big lips and was only 5'8. He was also a little chubby in a way, he wasn't fat but the boy sure didn't have any abs. Dhamir was the jokester of the group, always cracking jokes on people, saying rude things that kept him in trouble and even if he wanted to join a sport he couldn't because he was constantly making smart remarks causing him to get kicked out of class. That boy stayed in some type of trouble. "Bruh..." He said as he dug through his pockets and slapped five dollars in Tyaire's hand. "Yaaasss Nafis, you did that!" Illyana said loudly. She reminded me of one of those Braxton sisters named Tamar that my mom and Aunt watch on t.v. all the time. Illyana was brown skin with dark brown eyes. She had full lips and a little shape. "Illz, you do not need to be that loud." Tyaire said. "Oh well boy." She made sure to drag out the 'well'. "You like it though." Tyaire smirked and everyone except him and Illyana made a disgusted face. Tyaire and Illyana hooked up sometimes, they had a friends with benefits type of thing going on, only Illyana wanted to be with him but he didn't want a relationship just the occasional smash. "See, y'all going too far." Naomi chimed in as she stood up and hugged me sweat and all. "Good job, baby." I smiled as I wrapped my arms around her. "Thanks Nae." My friends and family had called me baby ever since I could remember. Naomi wasn't like everyone else in our group, she wasn't loud and obnoxious, she wasn't a player or an asshole. She was sweet and protecting, she was fun and had a smile that could brighten anyone's day. Her voice had a unique melody that was soft and sweet. She was black and some type of spanish. She had long black hair that swayed and swept over her dainty shoulders, she was really pretty like something out of a magazine. A lot of guys wanted her but she didn't date many of them she only had one or two other boyfriends that year which was nothing compared to a lot of the girls in J.R. High.

We drove home that night in Dhamir's car, which we all hated doing because he drove like a crazy person. Illyana and Naomi held tightly onto each other as Dhamir whipped the corners trying to make the lights before they turned red. Tyaire held onto the handle trying to keep calm. "I swear if I die in this car with you I'm going to haunt you!" I said pressing my hands on the dashboard to keep from flying out the window. "Y'all complain too much. I never killed y'all before and I'm not going to now." Dhamir said. Just then his IPhone began flashing. He picked it up and began reading the text. "Watch the road Dhamir!" Naomi shouted. "Oh hell no, let me out this piece of junk, I asked for a ride home-- not to be put in the hospital with SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME!" Illyana said. Dhamir stomped his foot on the breaks as we reached a red light sending everyone flying forwards. Dhamir and Illyana started going back and forth:
"Aye, stop complaining! Who got the license here?"
"Not you! You only have a permit!"
"Oh well I'm permitted to drive ain't I?"
"Barely!"
Naomi sucked her teeth. "Can y'all shut up and focus on getting home safely? Dhamir go the light is green." The ride home was crazy, we spent the whole drive praying and Tyaire took it so far as to promising he'd go to church every Sunday if he made it through the car ride.