The sparks in a dragon

Chapter 25: A championship

***Layla's POV***

Sweat was dripping down my forehead as I dribbled the ball down the court.

30 seconds left.

I had to move fast, seeing from the corner of my eye as a girl ran in my direction, most definitely to prevent me from shooting. We were equally scored and judging by the time we had left, it was either make it or break it.

The girl planted herself in front me and spread her arms out wide; I looked at the clock and there were ten seconds left. I did a fake pass to the right and as she launched herself to block the fake pass, I ran past her and sprinted towards the basket.

My adrenaline levels were soaring as I started to hear the familiar chant of the crowd from ten to one. When I felt relatively close to the basket I took my risk.

***Stella's POV***

It was hard not to groan when four girls vaulted me into the air. I did a complicated somersault and landed once again in their hands with my knees as rigid as possible. It was a difficult move but I was long accustomed to it. The girls whispered under their breaths the count and, almost effortlessly, dropped me to the safety of their arms.

I was sweating too much for my liking but I didn't care as I saw Layla run towards the basket with the ball in the hands. I was more than nervous for her since it all depended on her and that last shot.

I looked up at the scoreboard and back down at the girls. "Okay girls! Countdown time! Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One!" the buzzing sound signaling the end of the game filled the court as the crowd erupted into big cheers. I screamed as loud as I could and ran with the rest of the team towards the middle of the now empty court.

I looked over to the girls' basketball team, who were covered in sweat and panting as they sat down on the long bench. Layla looked up at me from her position where she leant forward with her elbows on her knees and smiled at me. I winked back at her and started to do the count, symbolizing the beginning of our celebration routine.

"Five six seven eight... dragons will remain the best, dragons will always pass the test!" we screamed enthusiastically and kept going with the routine. I felt the satisfaction that only cheerleading gave me. I broke off into a huge grin and we ran off towards the bathroom. I walked up to my locker, grabbed my water bottle, and chugged it down greedily. "Ah, that was so good," I sighed as I wiped my mouth.

"Unlike those skimpy little knight girls," a teammate remarked as she closed her locker and draped a towel around her neck. She rolled her eyes. "I hate those "classic" cheers they do; it just doesn't seem legit. It makes us cheerleaders look like little bimbos who just shake their butts and pom-poms. They are all like: "Gimme a k! K! Gimme an n! N! Gimme an I! I! Gimme a g! G! Gimme an h! H! Gimme a t! T! Gimme an s! S! What's that spell! Knights! Eeep!" she squealed in a mock falsetto voice while shaking her pom-poms wildly in the air. "Pathetic," she finished seriously, dropping her pom poms to the floor.

I scoffed and rolled my eyes as well. "I know."

*** Musa's POV***

I was wrapped up in bed and I invited the solitary feelings that being here brought. A tear slipped out as I glanced at the photo of my mother. Everyone else was gone, probably visiting their families or doing something fun like going to camp. Another tear slid down my cheek as I remember that my father had forbid me from participating at the concert. My mother died when I was very young; she had an amazing voice and my dad was an incredible pianist. Though as soon as she died, my dad just shut out music and even threatened me against playing. I was so close to playing the flute, but somehow my dad had figured it all out.