dunk shot | z.cl

z e r o

Kaili stood in front of the student section, her full attention on the court in front of her, eyes locked on her best friend Chenle as he got passed the ball and lined up a shot.

*swish*

Kaili let out a scream, wildly waving her pompoms in the air, her best friend shooting her a wink, as if to say "that one was for you" and she broke out into a laugh at his antics

This was exactly how she spent every Friday night, losing her voice for the sake of a hyped crowd and a happy friend.

0.8

The scoreboard was lit brightly with the time and a winning score for their team.

"N-H-S"

Kaili finished the chant her squad was on, squeezing her hands together tightly as she watched the referee pass Jeno the ball so he could inbound it.

They didn't need any more points, they were winning by tons, but Kaili had a suspicion that Chenle was planning something special. He'd been practicing later this week and all day he'd been making sure she was coming to the game all day, no matter how many times she reminded him that she was literally required to attend every game.

Just as she suspected, Chenle got the ball and her eyes glanced quickly to the clock.

0.3

What is that boy going to do in three seconds? The time dropped and before she had time to register it, Chenle had tossed the ball from half court, the buzzer sounding almost immediately after it left his hands.

Kaili joined with the rest of the gymnasium as they erupted into screams upon seeing the ball drop through the net.

At this point it seemed like every shot he took went in, yet everytime he made one it felt like the first time.

Which Kaili would know, because she was there when he made his first shot.

As the only two chinese families in the town, their families became friends almost instantly. Kaili was forced to go to Chenle's first basketball game. And his second. By his third game she was forcing her parents to take her, and she's attended every one of his games since then. All the way from pee-wee up to now, in their senior year.

And at first he was just a cute little boy running around the court, but as time passed everyone actually started dribbling, and passing, and shooting.

But Chenle didn't. Every shot he took missed, and it got to the point where none of his teammates would pass him the ball anymore.

He cried to Kaili for the first time that season, the first of many emotional confessions to come in their friendship.

She offered to help him in any way possible, which just meant guarding him in the most aggressive way while he took endless shots around her, spending hours outside until their parents yelled for them to come get dinner.

Finally one day, Chenle stole the ball from the other team, and he took it all the way down the court for his first basket.

Kaili had never screamed so loud for a sports game as she did that day.

Since then, he had only kept getting better, and Kaili had kept getting louder, being there to cheer for every move he made on that court.

A loud buzz echoed throughout the gym, the home stands erupting in to chaos, spectators having to strain their ears to hear the announcer.

"And with that Neo High advances on in the tournament"