(The next morning-Principal's office)
"Do you know why you're here Mr. Powell?" the principal said
"I do" Andrein answered straight
"I could expell you Mr. Powell for what you've done but then, I'll be losing another pride for this school if I do that"
"What do you mean principal?"
"You're a pride..."
"That Dylan was a pride of this school?"
"Well he is, although he was like that; he brought this school in 2nd place for the interschool basketball game"
"2nd place and he's already a pride"
"This school never won anything in terms of games, but when Mr. Dylan Henderson comes in, a miracle did happen, we place 2nd place and because of that, many students enrolled in this academy. Well, you in the other hand did the same thing for academics"
She looked at the principal."But still you're a bit down. Let me play with the basketball team and I'll prove to you, Dylan Henderson is not the only reason this school have been in the 2nd place."
"You're making me laugh Mr. Powell"
"Then try me" she intimidate the principal
The principal looked at her seriously "I'll call the team captain"
A few minutes later,
"You're calling me Principal?" A senior student asked as he went in
"Clave Harrison, the team captain" the principal introduce
Clave looked at her "You, what the hell is he still doing here?"
"He'll be joining the team"
"But sir, he's the reason that Dylan couldn't play anymore"
"Take him to the team" the principal ordered
"I'm sorry sir but I have to decline. It's because of him, our team is ruined"
"You're an idiot you know that" Andrein said
"What did you say?" Clave yelled
"Let me give you a tip, 'DON'T BLAME ME'"
"You bastard"
Andrein sighs "Your team is not ruined and it's not only Dylan who made your team to the 2nd place. It's your team. It is all of you"
(Court)
"What is he doing here captain?" Enson said, the vice captain of the basketball team
"He'll be joining us" Clave answered
"Joining? He's the reason Dylan can't play anymore!"
"Shut up, it's the principal's decision to take him in"
"A weakling like him can't join. Look at him, bet he can't even dribble a ball"
"Then let him play" a man in gym suit said
"Coach Vincent?"
"He wants to join so he needs to show me how capable he is" Coach Vincent said as he looked at Andrein
"Alright" Andrein agreed
"Good" Coach Vincent looked at Enson
"Okay"
"Everyone agreed, then team up!" Coach Vincent yelled
Everyone looked at each other. All except Clave joins Enson
"Looks like no one is teaming up with him" Enson said
"Come on guys" Coach Vincent said "Let's have a one on one then"
"No" Enson disagreed "We're playing 5vs5. If no one teams with him, let him play alone" Enson added
"Alright. I'll play alone" Andrein said
"You have lots of guts, you know that" Clave said "Alright then, I'm joining his team"
"What? You're insane captain"
"I'm not" Clave said
Andrein looked at Clave "We can do it" she said and smiled
"How can you be sure I'll help you?" Clave asked "I could betray you in the middle of the game"
"No you won't. We're team mates. Team mates trust each other" Andrein said as the game started
"heh" Clave smiled
"Okay. Let the game begin!" Coach Vincent said
The first ball was on Team Enson,
"Alright! Let's win this game!" Enson shouted as he ran toward the ring. He took the first shot but then Andrein blocked the shot. "What the?!!"
Andrein took the ball and dash towards the other court
"Defense!!!" Enson yelled
Andrein passed the ball to Clave. Clave shoot but then Enson appeared in front. "Shit" Clave said knowing the ball will miss.
"Rebound!" Enson said but then as the ball jumps off the ring, Andrein appeared and smashed the ball back in the ring – SLAMDUNK!
There was silence as the ring totter.
"Wow" Coach Vincent whisper as he watches the game "2 points for team B!" he shouted referring to Andrein's team
"Alright! Let's do this!" Andrein said as she smiled to Clave
"Heh... he's good" Clave said
"Damn it! It's just starting!!!" Enson said
Meanwhile, in the school auditorium
"Move it a little right" Trisha said to his fellow member of the theatrical club who's arranging the stage
"I have news!" Yelled someone who opened the door "There's a basketball game between Aldrin and the basketball team!"
"What?"
The room was covered by noise
"Why?"
"Aldrin is trying to join the team but the team won't allow him so they're taking it in a game. They said that the game is 5 vs 2 because no one wants to join Aldrin except for the team captain"
"I want to watch it!" yelled someone
"Come on"
"Trisha, can we do this later?" a girl asked for permission
"Yeah. This can wait" she said. She wanted to see the game, she wanted to see Aldrin
Back at the game
The ball is on Clave's hand but Enson is guarding him, he looked at Andrein who was heavily guarded by the other four members of Enson's team.
"Give me the ball captain" Enson whispers
"What?"
"Just pass it like an accident so that he couldn't notice. Come on Captain, you don't like him don't you?"
Clave looked at Enson "I'm sorry but you're not my team right now Enson" Clave said as he back out from the three point line and take a shot
"No!" Enson watch the ball as it shoots in the ring
"Why captain? He ruined our team!"
Clave looked at Enson "No"
"Captain?"
"Look around you, this team is not ruined. It was only Dylan who left. It was not only Dylan who took us the 2nd place and it was not only Dylan who'll make us Champion this season" Clave answered and walks away
"Tch"
"Good job" Andrein said as he claps hand with Clave
"Let's win this"
Andrein smiled "Alright"
Although they're only two in the team, they're 10 points away from Enson's team
It was a seconds away at the first half of the game, the ball is in Andrein's team. Clave is guarded by Enson while the other guarded Andrein. Andrein have the ball and there's no way she can pass it to Clave.
"Aldrin!" Clave yelled
She looked at Clave signing something to her and then she nodded. Clave run to her as Enson followed him.
"Go" she whispers as Clave pass through him,
The four noticed that the ball was passed to Clave, they followed Clave
"No! Guard Aldrin!" Enson yelled but it was late
The trick worked on Enson's teammates, believing the ball was passed to Clave. Andrein took a 3 points shot.
"Bullshit!" Enson yelled as the ball go in.
The bell rang; it's the end of the first half.
"NICE SHOT ALDRIN!" yelled some girls in the door,
"You're really popular to girls" Clave said
Andrein smiled
"We're 13 points above the other team, if we keep up, we might win"
Andrein looked at Clave "If he keep being stubborn, we might win" she said
"What?" Clave asked
The one she's referring is the vice captain, Enson.
"I told you to fucking guard Aldrin!" Enson yelled his teammates
"But we thought he passed the ball to Captain"
"It is because of that thinking we're losing!"
"No Vice Captain, it is you're stubbornness that making us loss"
"What do you mean by that?!"
"This is basketball, you have teammates. We want to play also; you only kept the ball for yourself. You need to trust us. Look at them, there are only two of them but they share for each other, they have teamwork"
Enson looked at Andrein and Clave "I see"
"Vice Captain?"
Enson smiled "I know what Captain meant. I see it now."
Behind the bunch of people watching the game, stands Trisha. She was amazed at how Aldrin plays. He's different now, different from the Aldrin she almost fell in love with.
The bell rang again, signal for the second half
"LET'S WIN THIS!" Enson yelled as his team goes back to the court again. There's a new aura surrounding them.
Andrein smiled "This is getting interesting"
Enson was dribbling the ball as Clave guarded him. Enson smiled as he passed the ball to one of his teammate.
"Huh?" Clave was a bit surprise
Enson teammate took the shot
"Shit!" Clave said. It was an open shot. The ball goes in.
"Nice one!" Enson said as he clap hands with his teammates "Alright then! Defense!" he yelled as he took his pose.
"A bit surprise there?" Andrein asked Clave
"He change strategy" Clave answered
"No. He learns how to share" Andrein corrected.
Clave looked at him "I'm beginning to like you. I'm learning a lot of things from you"
Andrein smiled "Guess we needed to be serious"
"Alright"
The game changes. Enson's team is retrieving back the points they loss.
A few seconds before the end of the game, Enson's team is now three points above Andrein's team.
"Alright team! We're three points above them and we have the ball, there are only few seconds left. "We'll win this!" Enson assured "GO TEAM" he yelled. He passed the ball to one his team mates.
Clave guarded the player with the ball; he was serious to snatch the ball. The player passed it and he found opening, he intercepted and took the ball.
"Shit!" The player yelled. He followed Clave who's taking a shot, confused and stressed out of the game, the player blocked Clave shot but has hit him.
Coach Vincent whistled
The player looked at the ball circling the ring, then it went in.
"Counted Foul! 2 points! 1 free throw!"
"Shit!" the player blurted "Sorry Enson"
"It's fine" Enson said
Clave dribbled the ball and looked at the ring. He has something in his mind. They should win this game. He looked at where Andrein was standing, he nodded to her. He took the free throw shot and it missed.
Andrein took the rebound but she was blocked by four players, she found Clave with an opening and passed it the ball to him.
Clave catches the ball, took a shot but then Enson appeared in front of him and smashed the ball back.
"No"
The bell rang. The game ends
Coach Vincent whistled. "TEAM A WINS!" he announced
"No... we lose" Clave said dissapointedly
"Why are you dissapointed?" Andrein asked
"because we just lost?!"
"Don't be... even if we lost, you're still in the team but for me, guess I'm out" Andrein said
"Who said you're out?" Coach Vincent said
"But I lost"
"I didn't tell you that if you lost you're out. It is based on the skills you show, and you passed"
"But" she looked at Enson
Enson sighs "Coach Vincent is right, you have the skills, you lost by 1 point to think that there are only 2 of you." He looked at Andrein "Welcome to the team" Enson said and smiles
Andrein smiled back "Thank you"
This is not part of her plan... but anyway, it will be fun.