Of Love and Other Tragedies

2 | love and basketball

Part I

Him
The ball bounced down the court, my breath labored and my thoughts on making the three-pointer I was about to shoot. Unfortunately, I'd glanced away for a split second and caught sight of a familiar girl walking by with curly black hair. My brain fought to keep it together, attempting to focus on the practice game.

Still, I fumbled, my feet crossing, knees and elbows hitting the pavement with a soft thud!

My friends ran to my aid, brushing me off as I pulled myself together. My mind ignored the dirty look I got from my curly-haired "nemesis" but chose to hone in on the hidden smile afterwards. No matter how much I tried to tell myself that I cared for her as little as I cared for my morning routine, I didn't. I couldn't. I just didn't know it yet.

Once I was back on my feet, my friends caught onto where I was staring, and laughed at me. I was ruined. The rest of the day, they went on and on about the rivalry, the unspoken one between Sawyer Palmer and Eddie Howard. The story was that we hated each other over rivalry in basketball, but... I don't know. Lately I'd been questioning myself, stuck in the different light I'd begun to see her in. I didn't hate her, though I don't think I ever did.

My hatred for Sawyer wasn't a fact, nor was it a complete fantasy. Once upon a time, my hate for her was as real as a blobfish, something that shouldn't exist but did anyways. But now, or up until recently, it's to be paired with unicorns and dragons. Funny how that works, life and romance. Life has a plan that's always derailed, especially by high school romance.

The next day at school was a tragedy, right up until the last few minutes.

It started and ended with staring.

That's pretty much it.

And my friends, what a bunch they were, were so adamant on getting me to admit that I secretly loved Sawyer. But why would I do that? Sawyer and I hadn't even liked each other romantically, at least on her end. Besides, I knew that my feelings wouldn't be reciprocated. Still, I had it in my head to do something completely and utterly crazy.

It was after school, after basketball practice, that my plan came to mind. I was just sitting in the stands, minding my own business while changing my sweaty shirt, when she came into the gym. I guess it'd slipped my mind that the girls' basketball team had practice right after us. Once I'd changed, I simply sat back and watched the team practice, thoughts racing.

I guess I stared so much that Sawyer's teammates noticed and pointed me out.

She looked my way.

Her
Eddie Howard was looking my way but I couldn't quite figure out why.

Nor why he was still in the gym after the boys' basketball practice had ended.

He should've left, been at home already, but no. He was staring at me. Was it that my ponytail was too messy or that I was panting like a dog during breaks?

I didn't know the reason for his attention, but my teammates had a theory that didn't quite sit well with me. They thought that Eddie liked me, but I just couldn't fathom the idea. Eddie having a crush on me wasn't something I thought I could handle just yet.

All during practice he kept his eyes on me, but I focused on the ball, on the drills and reps that Coach told us to do. But then practice was over and I was left to ponder, catching myself in watching his figure. He had no knowledge of my actions, as he was talking on the phone.

It was strange, though, that I stared at Eddie with a different sort of feeling, one of... romance? I thought I was mistaken, but these last few weeks felt strange. Eddie Howard and I... we were something like enemies. The entire school knew of our mutual hatred, so what changed? What happened between then and now that caused a shift in my feelings?