The Future

Chapter 1: Started from the Bottom

The year is 2022. This is my high school team. Desmond is written across my chest and my lucky number three. It is the last game of my 10th grade year. It was either win the national championship or go home empty-handed. The game starts and my hearts start pumping. Chris, our center and good friend, sets me a screen. I run across getting the ball. I can do this... I get the rock and shoot behind the free throw line. I turn and hear the ball hit against the strings. The crowd goes wild! This goes on throughout the whole game. There was only a 1 point lead or 1 point down.
     It's the 4th quarter... losing by 2... 2.3 seconds on the clock... We called a timeout prior to this. We are on the opposition side and about to make an inbound pass. Chris is about to take out. He passes to Leandro, our point guard, 1.6 seconds. He passes to me and I automatically shoot. In my head I was thinking, This guy f*cked up leaving me open. We all hear the buzzer go off and I just stare at the ball. It feels like it took forever for the ball to reach its destination. I hear it hit the rim. It looks like the ball bounces for endless hours but finally it rolls around the rim and into the net. The whole crowd goes onto their feet screaming and running to the court. This was the first ever high school championship for Desmond. Everyone's gathered around me. They send everyone back to the benches to check if I got the ball off in time. Wow! A buzzerbeater at a championship game on LIVE TV?! Awe man, this day will be perfect if I got the shot off. Everyone is looking up at the big screen. When the replay comes up, everyone goes quiet. My heart stops. 3-2-1 they stop it at 0.2 seconds. That's when I let it go. Everyone screams. I can't hear anything. It's just so loud! My teammates come over and start celebrating. We all look at the ref. *3 fingers up* I drop to the floor in tears. The first ever Desmond championship! YOU CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING AT ALL!!! EVERYONE'S HUGGING ME AROUND ME JUST SAYING "YOU DID IT!!! ERIC!! YOU DID IT!!!" Coach comes up, lifts me up, and puts  me on his shoulders (he's a big guy). Everyone gathers aroound. I looked around. It's almost complete. I asked my coach to get down. When he lets me down, I just get surrounded by hugs. I go on to the other side of the court. I shake every man's hand that wasen't wearing my royal green color. I've learned to have good sportmanship from my dad. We all gather up. It's time to lift the trophy! Coach calls me up. "I think you should pick it up" he tells me in my ear. I smile nodding. Everything is still loud. I can't hear anything at all! I just hear the announcer saying, "Presenting the Trophey, Mr. Alexander Ponce, President of UCAA." Mr. Ponce walks up waving and shakes my hand and tells me. "Good job son. I hope to see you in a few years up here." I smile and mouth the word thank you."I'm proud to present the National Championship trophey to Mr. Eric Hernandez!" The crowd goes wild, insanely wild! I get handed the trophey. Man, it's all cold. haha why am I thinking this?! There it is! First time champs! Everyone gathers while I lift the trophey. It goes deafening again. We get off and the party continues. Out of nowhere I think. Wait! Where's MOM, DESTINY, UNCLE JONAH, AND LEAH?! I look around in search of them! Suddenly, I see the eyes that I've seen for the past 3 years and hope to see for the rest if my life. I run up to the edge where the stands are. There standing are Mom, my sister Destiny, and Leah. "Hey I saw your beautiful eyes from over there" I said pointing from where I was. She starts blushing and hugs me. "Hey ma! Why you crying?!" "My baby just made a buzzerbeater how am i not crying?!" she says crying with a chuckle. I see everyone going back to the locker room. "Hey y'all i'll be back." I give a hug to everyone and a kiss to Leah and head back to the locker room. Wow. As I walk in with Coach. He stops me outside of the door. "Hey congratulations son. We have 2 more years let's make most of it yea?" "Of course coach!" i exclaim. We walk into a happy locker room. It gets lit. Someone brought the apple cider and just started spraying it everywhere. It's a long well-earned celebration. He start heading to our bus when I see Mom, Jonah, Destiny, and Leah. "Leah!" I yell out. I run to them. "Hey again!" I hand everyone a championship shirt. Everyone gets a hug and I head back on the bus. Finally sitting down! Ah that feels good. Finally!! The bus eventually goes silent. It's time to sleep. I eventually fall asleep while FaceTiming Leah.