Long-Distance Calls

21

"Don't think for one second that your problems are over, now that Starkey's not here!" He kept shouting, as I pretended not to hear, "In fact, they just got bigger!" and he threw the ball.

He threw the ball right towards me, eliminating the big guy in front of me. I was now exposed.

"Yeah!" He gloated, "Feel the wrath of Matt 'Hulk' Hogan!"

Well, at least he's got some character, I thought to myself. But he was still as dumb as it gets.

"Alright!" It was my turn to shout, "Eliminate me already!"

I didn't have to tell him twice, as he threw the ball, as hard as he could.

The ball was coming towards me as fast as a bullet. All I had to do was stand there, get hit, and get out of that stupid game. But I was scared. Legit. My mind wanted me to dodge it, but my body wouldn't move. Instead, I put my hands up in front of me.

When the ball finally arrived, I closed my eyes. I was able to contain the shot, as it still hit my chest.

I stammered a little, but I managed to keep possession of the ball.

I heard the Coach's whistle. "Hogan eliminated!" he shouted. I opened my eyes to see the incredulous look on Matt Hogan's face. It was priceless.

Killian Maddox was laughing at him, along with a few other on the team.

"Alright, Charming!" The Coach said, "Throw the ball!"

I forgot about the fact that I now had possession of the ball. It was my time to take a shot. Killian was all 'come at me bro'. I took a good look at him. Positioned my hands in the right way, and put all my force into that throw.

It was like time stopped for a second. It was all about me in that moment. But the throw didn't go as far as a few inches from me, as the ball fell to the ground miles before Killian's feet.

They all burst out in a big laugh, as Killian grabbed the ball and threw it lightly at my legs, eliminating me from the contest.

"Well, now, that's what I call a fiasco." I said to myself as I sat on the bench at the side of the field.

"I believed in you for a moment." Amber said, as she came to sit next to me. She was wearing a plain white t-shirt that made her crazy curls look even darker.

"Oh, hey," I stuttered, "that was embarrassing."

"Yeah," she agreed, "but we all have at least one embarrassing moment every day."

I stopped to think about it for a second and then I nodded. "You're probably right."

She glanced at the field, as the remaining guys on the teams kept playing. I stared at her for some seconds, trying to figure out if she was mad at me for some reason.

We hadn't talked since the moment she told me not to involve her in my stuff. And she seemed pretty annoyed right there.

"So, listen--"

"Why didn't you sit next to me on first period?" She interrupted me, and I didn't expect that.

"Well, I..." I tried to get my thoughts in order, as I started fidgeting with my house keys, "I thought you were mad at me for some reason..."