The Potato Chronicles

Chapter 6

Sky

My teammates and I all sit on the gym floor as we listen to Stormie.

"As you all know, we have seniors in our team, your captain being one of them." She says, smiling at Marissa. "So we're going to choose the new captain this year, to test out how capable she will be during this year's games."

"How will we choose?" Debby asked.

"Well, first we need to nominate some of you, and then we vote. But you can't nominate yourself."

"I nominate Nat!"

"I nominate Sky!"

Nat and I playfully glare at each other. Dammit, I wanted her to win. Now there's gonna be voting.

"Anyone else?" The girls looked among themselves and shook their head.

Stormie then proceeded to hand out some sticky notes to us so we write who we want as captain, fold it, and give it back to her to count the votes.

If Nat doesn't win, I'm suing.

"And the new captain is..." Stormie built the suspension because she's evil like that. "Sky Woods!"

"WOHOO GO NAT- Wait what? I'm Sky..."

The girls laughed at my outburst and I turned red, not because I was embarrassed or anything, because my teammates are awesome. But because I just became the captain of the team and I am the most awkward potato you would ever meet.

I have my shining moments tho.

But mostly awkward moments.

Lots of awkward moments.

"Congratulations girl!!" All my teammates congratulated me and clapped my shoulders in pride.

"It's time to choose the new teammates, captain." Marissa smiled at me.

We get up and call the new students to get in the middle of the gym, or rather, the middle of our half of the gym.

The students trying our are mostly ninth graders, with a couple new tenth graders.

Eh, who knows. They might not be that bad.

Everyone is awaiting my orders. I take a look around, my gaze meeting my coach and my best friends as they smile at me encouragingly.

"Let's start with some warm ups." I clap my hands and smile at the girls.

___

"7! 8! awesome two more!" I cheer one of the teams I split the new girls into. "Aw, you're back to zero. But that was good. Keep your eyes on the ball and keep up with your surroundings!"

This is an exercise to build trust and cooperation between a team. Each team has to keep passing the ball to each other 10 times without the other team stealing it. If they do, we start counting for the other team. Once the ball is taken from them, they go back to zero.

I can tell which girls are standing out already. They're cooperative with whoever was placed on their team with each exercise, since I keep switching them up.

In basketball you have to be ready to play against and with different people at any moment, so it would only make them weaker if they get used to one form.

"Now this next exercise is all about yourself." I start. "Each of you get a ball, and I want you all to stand inside the 3 pointer line. I want you to keep dribbling constantly, while trying to snatch the ball from someone else. You need to defend your own ball, stay balanced, and try to take out the others. If your ball is snatched, you're out. And we'll keep decreasing the space you're allowed to dribble in. Go!"

The rest of my teammates were practicing a bit by themselves as I trained and tested the girls trying out. Marissa comes over to me with a smile, taking a gulp from her water bottle.

"You're doing great, Sky." She encourages.

"Learned from the best." I chuckle and nudge her. "I think I know who to accept into the team."

"Really?"

"Mhm." I nod. "See the girl with the two braids? Her name's Raven, she's done so well in all the exercises. There's also Stacy and Hannah, but they could still use a bit of practice."

"Well, I trust your decisions. I gotta go back to the girls. Talk later?"

"Of course!"

I watched the girls play and show off their moves as I cheered them on and gave them more instructions to help them out.

"Baby blue!" The cursed voice called me.

Someone kill me.

Wait no, someone kill him.

"So babe, I heard you became captain. Congrats." He said and was about to throw an arm around my shoulder, but someone stopped him. I turned to my left and saw Peter holding Kevin's arm as he glared at him.

"Hands off, buddy."

Kevin scoffed and glared back.

"Who are you to talk?"

"Someone with more value to her than you ever will have."

Oh damn! Somebody get some ice for that burn.

"You don't know who you're talking to, Peter." He threatens.

"Then you must not be as popular as you think."

YOU TELL HIM PETER!! YESSS!! NOW SMACK HIM!

Too far?

Nah.

"Kevin, I've got work to do. Go annoy someone else." I say and push him away.

Ew. Does anyone have some hand sanitizer?

"Thanks for that, Peter." I smile at him. His jaw is clenched as he looks at Kevin walk away.

"Peter?" I call him again, holding his arm and shaking it slightly.

His attention snaps back to me and his eyes soften as he stares into my eyes and smiles.

"If he ever annoys you again, tell me." His voice is serious and his eyes turn darker at the mention of Kevin.

What has gotten into him?

He can't be jealous...can he? Nah he's not. I'm...me!

"I will." I nod with a smile.

"Congrats on becoming captain by the way." He smirks and walks away to sit back with Laura and Anna.

What the actual hufflefudge just happened?

"Gather up, girls." I call out to the girls who were still playing. "I chose the new players."