PART 1
"You ready?", Mom peeked her head through our bathroom door. I checked my outfit one more time and nodded my head. Starting off my junior year at a new school. I know absolutely no one and all the kids are probably a bunch of jerks. Fantastic. At least I looked cute.
At least one good things going to come out of this new school. They have an awesome basketball team. I mean, there isn't a girls team but that doesn't mean I can't play with the boys. I'm good enough to, I'll just have to prove it.
"Let's go, you don't want to be late.", Mom said, walking all the way into the bathroom. "You look beautiful.", she then said. I love my mom, but she's trying way to hard to make everything up to me. Everything that happened with dad.
"Thanks. Might as well look good on my first day.", I slipped some lip gloss into my backpack and threw it over my shoulder. "Let's get this over with.", I walked out of the bathroom and through our two bed hotel room. Oh yeah, did I mention we were living in a hotel room. Mom says we'll only be here until she has enough money to get us an apartment, so we should be here a while.
Mom and I walked down to the elevator and waited for the doors to open. I walked in and pressed the button to take us to the garage level. That super annoying music that they only play in elevators, filled the silence between Mom and I.
The two doors dinged and opened up revealing rows of parked cars. I walked down to Mom's red, Volkswagen bug and hopped in the passenger side. The bug was the least expensive car Mom and I could afford before we left Chicago. It got good gas mileage, so we actually made it all the way to Albuquerque without having to hold up a sign on the side of the road.
Mom opened the drivers side and started the engine. I looked out the window and watched the other cars pass by. I'm missing my old friends right about now, especially Macy. She always knew how to turn a bad situation into something amazing. I really need her right now.
"I'm sure everyone at East High will be really nice, and I know you're going to be the best player on the basketball team!", Mom broke the silence by saying. I wanted to believe her, really bad. "I hope.", I sighed as she pulled into the schools parking lot.
"I'm going to be at the diner until 8 tonight, so ride the bus home. I love you, have a good day.", she had completely forgot about tryouts after school, which means I'm most likely going to be walking back to the hotel. Wonderful.
The school was big. A lot bigger then I'm used to. I walked through the entrances double doors and checked my schedule. Theater, room 214. My old school didn't even have a theater class, and what school has 214 rooms? This should be interesting.
After searching what seemed like every classroom in the building, the tardy bell rang. Awesome Kenna, you're late for you first day. I checked the last classroom in this hallway and found room 214. Finally! I opened the already closed door and walked in.
I looked at the older looking teacher. She was probably in her 50's and wore big rimmed glasses on her face. "You're late, Miss...", she paused as she got to my name, realizing she didn't know me from previous years. "McKenna Turner. Sorry, I'm new so it took me forever to find you're classroom."
"You're excused today, but make sure you're not late anymore.", she relaxed in her seat as she pointed to an empty desk. I caught the guy in the desk beside me looking my way as I sat down. I gave him a small smile and turned back to the front of the room.
He was kinda cute. He had that color hair that was too dark to be blonde, but also too light to be brown. It hung just above his eyes. Oh and his eyes! They were so blue, you could get lost in them. What am I thinking? It's only my first day and I'm already thinking about a guy that I sit by in theater.
"Okay, for those of you who don't know, I'm Ms. Darbus.", she looked at me as she said this. "As usual, we will have our beginning of the year musical. All of you will be required to participate, whether you are in the production or work backstage.", my eyes went wide and my mouth fell open. I don't know anything about being in a musical. The only place I've ever sang, was my shower. I'm sure I'll just work backstage.
"Auditions will be this Friday, after school. You are all expected to be there.", she said. I rolled my eyes and zoned out the rest of class. All I could think about was getting to practice. Just make it through the rest of the day Kenna, you can do it.
~
Schools over, time for practice. Finally! I walked inside the gym to find some players already shooting around. The coach was standing on the sideline, writing in a playbook. I walked up to him and said, "Coach Bolton? I'm McKenna Turner and I would like to tryout for the team.", I gave him my biggest smile when he looked up.
He looked me up and down before saying, "Are you sure?" "Yes, I'm positive." He looked over at the court before calling, "Troy, c'mere."
The same boy from Theater today jogged over and stood by Coach. Bolton. "McKenna, would like to try out for the team.", Coach said. The guy, who I now know as Troy, looked me up and down just like Coach did. They're acting like they've never heard of a girl basketball player.
"East High doesn't have a girls basketball team, so this is the next best option.", I smiled sweetly at the both of them. "I thought you should have a say in the decision captain.", Coach said to Troy, who still stood looking at me.
"I don't know?", he sounded uncertain about his answer. "I mean, this is boys basketball.", he emphasized on the 'boy'. I rolled my eyes and without thinking, spat out, "Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I don't know what I'm doing and can't kick your butt in one on one.", I crossed my arms over my chest.
Troy's eyes went wide like he couldn't believe I had just called him out. "Okay, you and I will play a game of one on one. If you win, you're on the team, if not, then you get out of here and not mention anything else about being on the team. Deal?", he stuck his hand out for me to shake. I grabbed it and shook it, saying, "Deal."
"Locker rooms over there.", Coach. Bolton pointed to in the direction of the locker room. I released Troy's hand and strutted over to get dressed out. I'm determined to win this game. Basketball is the only thing that has kept me from going crazy during everything with mom and dad. I needed to be on this team.
~
"You sure you want to do this?", Troy asked, handing me a ball. "I'm positive." "Okay guys, we're going to go to 10 because everyone else still has to practice.", Coach said as he walked to stand beside the rest of the team. Troy and I checked the ball before the game began. My ball first. I drove into the elbow, but then did a step back for a shot behind the 3 point line. Nothing but net! Score, 3 to 0. Only 7 more points to go.
"Are you sure you want to do this?", I retorted as he walked to the point. "Don't get cocky yet.", he said. We checked the ball and he started to drive in for a layup, but I stopped him, making him dribble back out and start something else.
Troy did like me, driving in the side and stepping back for a 2 point shot. The ball soared through the air and into the basket. 2 points for Troy. It's okay, I can come back. I can do this.
~
Troy and I have taken turns scoring on each other. The score now? 9 to 8. Troy's winning, but only by one point. This game has gone one for about an hour, when instead this 'going to 10' game should had only lasted about 15 minutes.
It's my ball, and if I score, I win. My best shot percentage is from the corner, behind the 3 point line, so that's where I want to try and get my shot off from. I drive in to the basket like I'm going to try and shoot a layup, then quickly change direction and dribble out to the corner. I pick up my dribble and shoot while I'm still open.
The shots up, there's no going back now. The arch is perfect, heading straight down for the basket. The ball goes down, landing perfectly in the basket. The net swishes making a sound as the ball falls against it.
The ball hit the ground and I let in a big breath of relief. Final score? 11 to 9. I won. I'm on the team! I walked up to Troy, who was just as shocked as me, and held my hand out to shake. When he finally took it, I shook it and said, "Good game."
"You're a lot better then I thought you would be.", he said, releasing my hand. "I'll take that as a compliment.", I said smiling. "Practice is over. See all of y'all tomorrow.", Coach. Bolton said. "And Troy, before we head home, help McKenna get a jersey.", he then said. We?
"Are y'all, like related somehow?", I asked Troy as we walked back to the equipment room. "Yeah, he's my dad. What size?", he asked as he leaned down and pulled a box of jerseys out. "Small and preferably number 23 if it's there.", I said.
Troy dug through the box of jerseys before pulling out a uniform with the number 23 on the front and back. He handed it to me and stood back up. We walked back into the gym together before saying our goodbyes and leaving.
I then walked out of the gym and started down the road toward the hotel. For some reason, I'm not as upset about walking now then I was earlier.