Playing With The Boys

Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

The next morning when I woke up, I had a splitting headache, for whatever reason. I sat up in bed and sighed, this day wasn't going too well so far. I rolled out of bed and went downstairs, and took some advil, hoping that the headache would go away. I bet it had been from the black eye, or connected to the black eye somehow.

My mom was already up and had a breakfast out for me.

"I made a breakfast for a champion," She said, smiling. And she had. There were pancakes, bacon, and eggs.

"Lots of carbs for energy," She said.

I nodded slowly, debated on whether to tell her about my headache or not. I didn't want her to think that I needed to go to the doctor, because she was so protective, she'd probably make me. I would just have to fight through this headache on my own.

I walked up to the counter and began dishing up a little of everything, although I didn't want to eat too much or I'd get sick while I was playing.

"Geez, that black eye got worse," My mom said. I hadn't actually looked at it yet. I wondered how bad it was now, and if it made me look tougher.

"It doesn't hurt too bad," I lied. I didn't want her to think I was in any pain at all.

"Well that's good, cause it's an ugly one." She said, laughing a little.

I finished off my breakfast, and then went upstairs to get ready. I went in the bathroom to brush my teeth, and woah. That was one ugly black eye, she was right. I guess I did look tougher, now.

After I finished getting ready, I went downstairs, wearing my basketball stuff, but with my letterman jacket from my old school over it. I hadn't had the guts to wear it yet, being at a different school and all, but I just wore it for good luck.

I remember my freshman year, when I got varsity playing time, and first lettered... it was the best feeling ever. Especially since I was a freshman with a letterman jacket.

My jacket was black, with red sleeves, and the letter was read also. The back had Rutherford Redhawks on it, my old highschool & mascot, and then below that read basketball, and track, because I used to do track freshman year, although I don't anymore.

I realized, by getting this jacket out, I really missed Rutherford High. It made me think of all the memories I had had from past basketball and track seasons. I missed my friends, also.

I would just have to put that stuff behind me though, I had to focus and play hard today.

* * *

When I got to the school, of course I had to repititively tell everyone my stupid, fake story on getting the black eye. Guys from the team kept asking me, including Darwin, TJ, Phillip, and even Zack. I looked around for suspects, the people that had attacked me. Maybe they would have some kind of emotion since I'd escaped from them taping me to a locker room bench. But they were all good actors, obviously, because every guy that saw my black eye was "shocked".

"Alright everyone, we're going to start off with the same drills as yesterday," Dykes said, standing in front of us after we'd finally lined up on the base line.

I groaned, and so did some other guys also. I didn't feel like doing defensive drills. Especially since I still had a light headache.

Annoyed, I went into defensive stance like everyone else. Ouch, I was sore from yesterday.

"I hate this so much," Phillip said from next to me.

"I know." I said.

Dykes made us hold our stances while basically running in place, and it hurt so bad. I tried to keep my stance as low as I could, with my back straight up, not bending over. It burned. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he told us to slide around the court. It eased the pain a little but not much, our thighs were still hurting from staying in defensive stance.