A and D

A and D (10)

I winced when Alyson's camera flashed at me. Dakota selected her to be the paper's photographer.

"We just need a few comments from the basketball team's Captain before the game," said Alyson, putting down her SLR camera.

"There's nothing to say," I said truthfully. "We're gonna win anyway," I added, shrugging. It wasn't that I was being overly confident. I just know that we were going to win tonight. I could feel it.

"Whoa, dude. It rhymes," commented Ethan, amused.

"Cocky, aren't you?" said Dakota, with a raised eyebrow.

I shook my head. "No, I'm not cocky – just confident. By the way, I don't see Richardson with you," I added, looking around. To be honest, I didn't expect him to come. With his opinion on sports, why would he?

Dakota rolled her eyes. "He's in the city watching a Broadway show."

I tilted my head. Broadway show?

"I told you that dude's gay," whispered Ethan with an I-told-you-so tone. I couldn't help but grin at his remark.

"Well," said Alyson, placing her hand on Dakota's elbow, "you guys need to change. Thank you for the time. Go Stallions!" She added the last sentence as she pulled Dakota away.

Luke, Ethan, and I entered the locker room. Chattering engulfed us. Everyone was talking, not about the game but about the party at Ethan's place.

When I changed into my jersey, that was when I felt the anxiety. This was our first game with me as the Captain Ball. I carried the responsibility of my team. But that was the thing; this wasn't just about me being Captain Ball anymore, or about me being able to play well in the game. This was about our team and our game now.

"Like Michael Jordan once said," I told the team. We were about to go outside. I just felt like I had to say something before we go on and play our first game of the season. I looked at each and every one of them, and then I grinned as I quoted, "'Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.'"

They grinned as well. Some yelled, "Yeah!"

Ethan stood up and went to the middle. He stretched out his fist, Luke and I followed. And so did the rest of the team.

"Stallions, on three."

"One! Two! Three! STALLIONS!"

After that, I waited for the other guys to leave the locker room, leaving me and Luke alone. When we were, I turned to Luke.

"Yo. I need to talk to you."

I didn't get the chance to ask him about Dakota for the past month because we were pretty preoccupied with the preparation for tonight's game. But I guess it was time that I asked him about it. I mean, Luke had been a close friend to me. He knows how I get when it comes to Dakota. And if he really liked her, I should know.

"What's up?" Luke asked me.

I studied him for a moment, and then asked, "Do you like Dakota?" It was too straightforward. But we were guys. We didn't beat around the bush like girls did all the time.

"She's okay," he shrugged.

Frankly, that wasn't the answer I wanted to hear.

"I meant, if you're interested in her in a non-friendly way," I explained.

Luke seemed bemused. "What?" He paused. "Are you serious?"

"Well, yeah," I said carefully.

He chuckled. "No, man," he said, shaking his head. "Of course not. Where in the world did you get that idea?"