Romance in Kitalo City Book 1
Nella isn't looking for love. She's had a taste of it and is convinced it's not as glamorous as the world portrays it to be. She's pretty sure romance isn't for her, until she meets a charming basketball player who seem...
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For the first time in my basketball career, I was nervous. Usually, before a game, I was calm, focused. I'd tell myself that I had practiced and prepared, and there was no reason to worry about the outcome, but this was a huge game. This final game of the season would be the one that decided whether I'd be recruited into the national team or not. All eyes would be on us to look for even the slightest flaw that indicated that we weren't ready to represent our whole country. My palms were sweaty, my chest tight from the stress I was experiencing. This wasn't a good feeling to have an hour and thirty minutes before the game.
I bounced on my feet and told myself to shake it off. I could do this. I needed to stop stressing. The team was supposed to meet up at the arena an hour before the game, and since it was approximately a fifteen minute drive from my place, I needed to leave immediately to avoid traffic.
I took a few deep breaths and said a prayer to relieve myself of the nervousness before I headed out. I felt a bit calmer in the car, but something was still bugging me as I drove to the arena. If this game went well, then my life was about to change drastically, and yet I felt numb to it all. Even if I scored a hundred points for my team and gained international recognition for it, it wouldn't be enough for me, because something would still be missing in my life. Someone would be missing.
I was close enough to the arena that I could see its entrance before I made a U-turn. I drove a bit faster, my nerves through the roof as I used every shortcut I could think of to get to her place. Coach was going to kill me, but I had to do this. I couldn't let things drag on any longer. Maybe the conversation would be short and I'd make it in time to not have to be benched. When I finally saw Nella's gate, panic settled over me. What was I doing? I'd pissed her off the last time we spoke, and now I was at her place, not even fully aware of what I was about to say. I made it past security and parked my car in the wrong place, taking the stairs to her floor two at a time. I glanced at my watch. There were fifty-five minutes before the game started. My phone was already buzzing with calls from my friends as I knocked on the door. I ignored the calls, knocking a second time. Come on, Nella.
She opened the door and her mouth fell to the ground, eyes wide as she probably wondered what I was doing there right before the most important game of the season.
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