Goals Off Court | SatoSere

Chapter 26 - Starting From Zero

"Well, I do know you don't like him very much, Drew." There was silence between the three. He raised her eyebrows in amusement, as May watched with pursed lips. "It's understandable. I get that, but I..."

Serena trailed off, unsure of how she wanted to continue that. She just wanted to see if Ash could dance? She just wanted to forgive him? She just felt something for him for some stupid, inexplicable reason.

"I should see... where this goes?" Her voice went an octave up, her statement coming out more as a timid question. She walked back to her bag. "Sorry, I have to leave early."

"Choose wisely if you want to forgive him," May said, calling after her.

"You got it all wrong." This time Serena laughed, shaking her head side to side. She rushed out the door mid reply. "I'm not forgiving him just yet."

This would be fun.

With Ash, he stood on the court, forcing his shoes against the floor as they squeaked. Lately practice was better, sort of? He was less distracted, but for some reason, he was finding it difficult to play to his fullest. Normally, at times like these, he would've been stressed and let his tension out on the court, but frustration was clouding his mind.

It was unacceptable, but there wasn't much he could do about it. He already talked to Serena and he wasn't going back to have her yell at him again. He wasn't so distracted, but he could tell he wasn't up to par, and he hated it.

"Yo, Ashy-boy," Gary called out to him, pushing parts of his hair from his face. "We're starting."

All Ash did was nod and got himself into defensive position, crouching a bit. Focus. He was going to focus and he was going to go all out. Hopefully, he could dunk by Brock a few times for some good payback.

Paul came down the court once Brock passed the ball in and Ash moved forward, voice raising. "Get your man! I got up top!"

Ash slid along the floor, arms out as he watched Paul's body language. He did a hesitation move to the left, but Ash was able to follow him right. He lifted his right arm with a balled up fist, Brock soon coming up to set a screen.

"Switch!" Ash said immediately, barely hitting Brock's body. He knew it was coming. "D up on him!"

"I got him!" Kiawe yelled, shuffling forward to cut Paul off from dribbling around Brock. "Watch Brock cut behind!"

Kiawe went into help, guarding Paul who tried to take the hall all the way through to the goal, but was forced to pass the ball out. Their teammate catches it and does a step back, arms lifting his arms to take a shot. The hall hits the rim and Ash rushes for the rebound. It touches the palm of his head and he dribbles the ball out with Paul beginning to guard him again.

Ash notices Gary sprinting down the court. Ash does a spin move around Paul, giving Gary a perfect behind the back pass. Gary dribbles ahead, looking back for a second as he sees Ash coming from behind with Brock not too far along the way, sprinting up the court.

Their eyes had a connection, causing Gary to throw the ball in the air while Ash was close enough in the paint. Wide grins on their faces, Ash jumps up, and grabs the ball with his hands. Meanwhile, Brock was too late. Ash lets the ball go low, held at in front of his body as he spun around, and fingers grabbed onto the rim once the ball slammed him. Gary jumped up with a yell, flexed muscles in excitement as Ash hung from the goal backwards.

The team got loud, even Coach Kukui. All besides Paul, of course, who huffed out a short grin.

A damn great alley-oop.

Ash pulled himself up once on the rim and dropped down, the sound echoing in the gym as he clapped his hands with a formed smile. Gary ran towards him, a hand out, and Ash connected them while a brotherly hug came after.