Adaeze

61

"How will I know how you did at your game?" Daisy asked.
"My parents will probably play it on the tv." I answered. I was laying in bed on my back while staring at Adaeze on the FaceTime screen.
"It comes on tv?" she asked.
"Yea, we're D1. When I'm away, my family just puts on the channel and watches it there." I explained.
"Oh okay. Is this team hard?"
"Not really. We usually beat them. I think we lost my freshman year but the last two years we won." I answered.
"Okay. I'll wear my shirt for you even though you can't see it."
I snickered. Cute. "Thanks, mama."
"But if you lose I will throw it away."
"What?!"
She laughed. "I am just kidding. I would never."
"Sure..." I teased.
"Maybe."
"Maybe?!"
She giggled.
"If I get that if we lose, what do I get if we win?" I asked.
"A nice high five." she answered. "Very crisp."
"Absolutely not."
She laughed. "What is so wrong with a high five?"
"My coach gives me a high five. I expect a better gift from my girlfriend than my coach."
"Okay...how about...a kiss on the cheek?" she offered.
I sighed loudly.
She laughed. "On the lips?"
"Okay."
"If you get more than ten points, I'll give you something else but it's a surprise." she stated.
"Ten points?! That's easy. I can do that."
"That's too easy?"
"Woah woah woah woah! I didn't say too easy-..."
"Over twenty points."
I stared at her through the FaceTime screen.
She laughed so hard she removed herself from the camera.

"Come back here and look at me." I demanded.
She slid back into frame and looked at me.
I was visibly unamused.
She laughed again.
"Over twenty?" I questioned.
"You can do over twenty! You did it at the first game." she mentioned.
"Because of adrenaline from it being the first game and it was on our home court." I explained.
"Well, I still believe in you. It'll make you push hard and win." she stated.
I rolled my eyes. "Alright."
"Good."
"But I am not happy about this." I stated.
"You will be very happy when you do it." she argued.
"I guess."

"Your father is on his way to get me right now." she stated.
"Okay."
"I will hang up when he gets here." she stated.
"What why?!" I asked.
"Because I will be in the car with him." she explained.
"So? Don't hang up."
"I will call you back when I get home."
"Fine..." I said. But I didn't like it.

I sound like a kid. But I already don't get to spend real time with her while I'm states away, and now she's cutting our phone calls short? This is bullshit.

"You're so cute." she giggled.
I stared at the tv and didn't respond.
"Koda..." she called.
I looked at the screen.
She giggled. "Okay, I will keep you on the phone."
"Really?"
"But you have to promise to watch your words. You will not make me embarrassed in front of David." she said strictly.
"I would never make you embarrassed in front of David." I teased.
She rolled her eyes. "You are lucky you're cute."
"You're cute too." I smiled.
"I know."
"You better."
She laughed.

~

We were in the locker room of the university we were playing at.

Twenty points.
Not just twenty.
Over twenty.
Alright.
Yea...

We did our chant then left to get on the court.

We had about eight balls and one side would get them while the other side waited to get rebounds during the layups.

We started warming up while everybody in the stands got settled in.

Twenty points
Twenty points
Easy.

Usually during warmups I just fuck around. But I was practicing my shots and ball handling (pause) like my life depended on it.

The game was finally about to start and we huddled up for Coach to call the starting lineup.

I was one of the starters. Obviously.

I jogged through and reached the end where me and Jaylen did our handshake before I had to go greet the refs and opposing coach.

When the line up was done being called, we huddled up and Coach counted us off before we chanted "FALCONS!"

Next everybody who was supposed to be there got on the court.

The ref stood in the middle. Jaylen and the opposing team's tallest stood at either side of him.

He blew the whistle and tossed the ball up.

Jaylen jumped and passed it over.
It was our ball.

Trent had it and dribbled up the court. He passed to Marcus.

Marcus tried to get in the paint but defense was tight. He passed back to Trent. Trent passed to me.

I looked in the eyes of the guy in front of me but he was watching the ball.

I sped up my dribbling.

Across my legs, in between, behind the back.
Enough to confuse him. Then I took a step forward and he took a step back before landing on his ass.

I took the opportunity to shoot.

"Shaw makes the three." said the announcer.
That's what I hate about away games. Aside from having to wake up early. The announcer at the opposing school always says our accomplishments without any excitement in his voice. Which makes sense. We're the opposition. But back home, that would've had the crowd standing and the announcer screaming "KODA SHAW WITH THE THREEEEEEE!".
When it's away, it's silence except for the bench and annoyed faces.

I wonder if the camera caught that.

I wonder if Daisy saw.

3/20+ down.