Club Echo

I Melt With You

I examine the seven basketballs in front of me. I close my eyes shut to concentrate. I inhale and exhale slowly before fluttering my eyes open. I pick up the first ball, projecting it toward the middle hoop. It goes on smoothly. I could hear Maya and Lizzie cheering for me. I instantly feel powerful like I could do anything. After making four consecutive shots, I only need one more. I grab the ball from the counter, dribbling it between my legs to get my concentration back on track. I stop for a second, eyeing the hoop before cocking my arm forward. I watch as the ball leaves my hand, making it into the hoop successfully. I turn around to my two audiences, carrying Maya up in the air, cheering with her.

"We won! We won!" Maya cheers, clapping in between laughter.

"Here you go, ma'am." The man handed me the fluffy unicorn.

"I believe this is for you little one." I handed the happy girl her stuffed animal.

"It's so fluffy I'm going to die!" Maya cheers, embracing it as tight as she could. "Look Lizzie, it's so pink and fluffy."

"Yes and it's so adorable." Lizzie smiles in return, ruffling Maya's hair before turning her attention to me. "I must say, I'm impressed. I didn't think you would be able to make those."

I fakely act like her words hurt me, "ouch, that hurts. Truly it does, Elizabeth."

I shuffle a little ahead of her, picking Maya back up. I let her get comfortable inside my arms as we make our way toward bumper cars. I feel like they teamed up on me because somehow I ended up alone. Lizzie and Maya are in the same car together and I could hear their soft murmurs through the loud music at how they are going to follow me and bump me around. I shake my head in amusement, waiting for the ride to start.

As soon as the ride began, I could see from behind me the two of them slowly making their way behind me with those cheeky, mischievous smiles written all over their faces. I attempted to run away from them but it was no use. The next thing I know is that they are clashing their front against the back of my vehicle. I could still hear their precious laughter as they kept bumping against me multiple times. I tried to escape but I was stuck between another car in front of me and the next one beside me.

"You're a great driver, little one!" I hear Lizzie instigating the child. I roll my eyes at her comment, sticking my tongue out at them playfully.

All throughout bumper cars, they had me in check. I wasn't able to escape their chase. Somehow, in some way, they were able to keep where they wanted me to.

"What was that about Maya? I thought you liked me?" I fake cry as I carry her back in my arms.

"It was Lizzie's idea." Maya spills.

"You know what they say little one?" Lizzie scoffs. "Snitches end up ditches."

I laugh at her analogy, remembering that it's Paul Bettany's thing. She probably shouldn't be saying that to her but it was funny so I let it go.

"What does that mean?" Maya asks me innocently. I glare at Lizzie harmlessly before answering her question. "It's nothing, little one."

Lizzie mouths, "I'm sorry." I shake my head at her, diverting my attention back to the girl inside my arms.

"You wanna go see cute animals?" I ask her as we are nearing the zoo.

"Yes, please I want to see the pandas." Maya cheers ecstatically.

"Off we go toward the cute little pandas." I cheer with her as I rush toward the zoo, eager to see the animals.

Almost all of the animals we have seen, Maya would make goofy faces with her unicorn as Lizzie takes a picture of her and three of us. We didn't even realize that we had seen all of the animals, including the penguins. Lizzie's phone is probably flooded with pictures of Maya and her goofy faces.