The Girl On The Boys Basketball Team | J.J.K.

iii

What should I do?

———

It is the weekend now, a few days since we visited the high school have passed and I still haven't made a decision.

It also seemed that dad was taunting me. He, my uncles and my mother attended the school too.

"It seems that Nonhyeon-dong has an excellent basketball program, they are ranked as the number two seed in South Korea" He spoke while reading a brochure, "They have won twenty national championships and hopefully, are on their way to another this season"

I grumpily ate the rest of my lunch, I didn't want to hear anything about basketball. I knew he was trying to butter me up about trying out for their team.

"I'm done," I said and picked up my plate to put in the sink.

"Leah, we have to talk about this sooner or later" dad sighed and put the brochure down.

"Fine, I'll go to the stupid school," I said with a tone that I knew he noticed, "Happy?"

"Yes, thank you," He said as I rolled my eyes and walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs to my room.

I closed my door and leaned against it with a sigh, I took a moment before I stood back up and looked around to see if I needed to unpack anything else.

My eyes landed on the unopened bag that Coach Burns gave me before I left.

I picked it up and sat on my bed.

I opened the bag and took out the familiar letterman jacket, along with a note attached to it.

'Your mother would've wanted you to have this, regardless of the circumstances  -- Burns'

I traced over the seams and the logo of my last school, stopping at 'Basketball Captain'.

I couldn't help but think back to when I decided to quit playing basketball.

~~~
Coach Burns turned around holding an older version of my school's letterman jacket, the words 'Basketball Captain' burning my eyes. I look up to see her smiling proudly at me.

That is not what I think it is.

"This was your mothers when she studied here" Burns said, which answered my question. I wanted to cry, scream, or run away. All that I wanted was to stay away from anything that made me remember my late mother.

"She would have wanted you to have this" Coach burns continues and hands it to me. I imagine it burning through my hands as I look down at it, "She was the captain when she was a senior..."

'Please, don't say what I think you're going to say,' I pleaded inwardly.

"I want you to be the captain during your senior year too" She says, "What do you think?"

I look up to her as she smiles encouragingly at me, waiting for my answer.

"... No"

Coach Burns' smile wears off her face, "What do you mean, 'No'?"

"No, I can't accept the captain spot" I answer and hand the jacket back to her, "I..."

"I quit too" I say finally. I pick up my bag and begin to make my way out of her office.

"Wait, Leah" Coach Burns calls out as I stop by her door frame, "This is your last year of high school, you have been working towards basketball for years. This is a major opportunity, you have so many offers''

I could hear the desperation in her voice, she's quiet before she speaks again, "What about your future?"

"I'll figure something out" I say and walk out.
~~~

The doorbell ringing brings me out of the short moment. I shook my head and stood up with the jacket still in my hands.

I walk towards the window and look out to see who rang the doorbell. I see a delivery truck in front of our house along with a few men hauling a pole out from the back and another two men both holding a basketball goal, they all walk towards the gate that leads to the backyard.

I also saw the head delivery man standing with my dad, he was signing something.

The other man nods and shakes his hand. My dad visibly sighs and looks around.

He looks up towards my window and sees me standing there, he smiles brightly up at me as I look away and walk away from the window.

I walk into my closet and throw the jacket and note into the bottom drawer of my dresser before slamming it shut and walking away from it.