Thursday November 26
Aspen's P.O.V.
*Bang, Clatter, Swoosh*
I smile in content as another shot bounces into the hoop. I go for the rebound and I line up to the free throw line. Just as I release the ball in an arc, I hear loud voices and a bouncing basketball through the streets.
I am at the public park a few minutes away from my house shooting around and practicing like I do nearly everyday.
I go here because nobody else typically comes since it is practically falling apart. There's a hole in one of the slides and a swing is hanging from one chain. The sidewalk has giant chunks missing that are lying around in random places in the park.
In other words, this park is garbage.
The voices and bouncing ball keep getting louder and louder.
Once in a while, a group will come and play a pickup game with their friends. I will just give them the court when they get here. I have been here for a little over an hour and I should probably be getting home soon.
I am wearing dark gray sweatpants and my old travel basketball hoodie. I know, I am super stylish, right? Right.
I pull my hood up as the wind starts to blow causing my ponytail to fly around until I tuck it back into my sweatshirt.
I pull up for a few more jump shots until I spot the guys turn the corner and down the road to get down to the basketball court. I keep my back towards them and pick up my old ball that should really be replaced.
Just as I am about to walk off the court and head home, I hear, "Hey, dude! We are down one player for our game. Do you want to play?" it's a voice I would recognize anywhere. It's Finn. He is the star point guard and adored by everyone. People basically worship the ground he walks on.
Okay, that may be a little excessive but we are learning about hyperboles in English so I'm practicing.
I've never really talked to him but he is definitely easy on the eyes if you know what I mean. Wink wink.
I try to pull out a strong manly voice, "Sorry, dudes. I got to roll out and shave my legs?" I say in a really unbelievable voice without turning around to face them.
Nice one, Aspen. I think to myself. What guy says they have to shave their legs?
Before I give them a chance to say anything, I sprint away from them in the direction of my house keeping my head down the entire way. I almost snort in laughter when I hear one guy mutter, "What in the actual fuck?"
If only he knew how smooth my legs are. I chuckle to myself before I realize I really do need to shave.
Just as I turn the corner of the street which is where they came from, the wind starts to blow again and it knocks my hood down from my head.
I pull it back up on my head. I turn around to see Finn staring right at me. I don't think he saw me and even if he did, he wouldn't recognize me. It would be pretty embarrassing considering I just made a huge fool of myself.
I am average and he is anything but ordinary. There is nothing all that special about me, I have friends and get fine grades.
I have just never been 'popular' nor ever had an interest to be. There's too much drama revolving around it.
I walk away but took the long way home which is through the woods and by a stream. I love coming by there because there is an abandoned tree house that I found when I was ten. It holds so many memories.
When I got upset, I would come here to feel better. When I was bored, I thought of things to do in here.
One time, I tied a rope to one of the branches holding up the tree house.
I was singing 'Chandelier' while I swung until I got a face full of dirt. I can be a real idiot sometimes.
I smile at the memory as I climb up the ladder that leads to the door. I walk in and sling my backpack over my shoulder and place my basketball on the ground.
I go to the court every day after school and I store my stuff in the tree house. I come to pick up my basketball and hide my back pack. Then, I pick up my backpack on my way home.
I do this so my mother doesn't know I am still playing. It's a long story so I'll give you the main idea.
My dad played basketball in high school and college which was where they met. My dad coached my basketball team until I was thirteen. We trained and practiced every day no matter what.
He died in a car accident the summer before freshman year started. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to go through. I thought I would never get over it and to be honest, I still haven't. I just learned how to deal with it.
He passed while my season was still going on. After every game I could hear my mom crying in her room when she thought I couldn't hear.
Whenever I brought up basketball, she would say she didn't want to talk about 'that sport' so eventually, I stopped talking about it.
One day, she lashed out when I brought up tryouts for high school and it's not a memory I like to relive.
I didn't try out for my high school's team like I had always dreamed about, but I still practice every day in my dad's memory. When I play, it's like he is right there with me.
Of course I don't tell my mom any of this, even now. I feel like it would hurt her or create a bad situation again.
I get upset sometimes about how she reacts but I deal with it because she is still my mom.
Sighing, I climb down the ladder and start my walk through the woods and back home. When I walk in the door, it it 4:30. School gets out at three and my mom usually gets home from work at six but some days she won't be home until as late as 11 o'clock.
When she got promoted, it meant more business trips and more work but it has much better pay. She goes away at least a couple days each month which is great because I can eat anything I want and dance around in underwear.
The main reason she took the job in the first place was because we needed some more income now that dad was gone.
I begin my trek up the stairs and walk in my room. I grab my towel along with what I am going to sleep in.
I walk my way over to the bathroom and turn on the shower.
Once I am finished showering, I slip on some comfortable shorts and a T-shirt along with a sports bra that I will change out of before going to bed. I don't know why, I hate not wearing a bra. I feel so...exposed.
I brush out my blond hair and decide to let it air dry which took a lot longer than it should've because I was dancing and singing to 'Gasolina'.
*DING*
I pick up my phone and see a text message from my mom.
'Be home in an hour.'
I respond with a quick 'ok' and pick up my backpack to start my homework.
I finished my homework in an hour because I kept getting distracted by stuff. Like my fish, Herbert. He is mad cool. Herbert is a clown fish, obviously, and is very funny of course.
"What would I do without you Herb?" I question mindlessly.
***
I hear my mom open the door as I was just about to start my next episode of Grey's Anatomy.
"I'm home! And I brought pizza!" she yells up to me.
I groan and roll off my bed like a sausage, upset that I was disturbed from my show.
"Okay I'm on my way" I yell back as I struggle to escape my blanket cocoon.
We sit at the dinner table and grab our slices of pizza from the box.
"I will be leaving for a business trip tomorrow morning." she states as she picks up her piece of pizza.
I nod my head in understanding before asking, "When will you be back?"
"Late Monday night." she replies while getting up from her chair. "Do the dishes for me. I am too tired from my long day at work." she orders me on her way up the stairs not even looking at me.
"Sure thing, mom." I mutter under my breath used to her emotionless attitude by now.
If you couldn't tell, my mom and I aren't very close anymore. There was still tension after the incident that happened last year.
After cleaning up from dinner, I retire to my room and flop onto my bed. "Oh, how I've missed you." I exclaim snuggling into my pillows. One can never have too many pillows.
Once I get comfy, I go onto my laptop and see a Skype request from my best friend, Evie. I quickly accept and her face pops up on my screen. Evie has a very bubbly personality and is super nice.
"Hey, Aspen!" she exclaims enthusiastically.
"What's up Evie?" I ask.
"Okay, you know that party Friday night at Sydney's house? Well, we are going and you are not allowed to fight me on it." she says in a serious voice.
"But, we were going to IHOP on Friday for dinner." I say in a disappointed voice. It may sound lame, an eighteen year old upset about going to a party instead of I-Hop. Well, that's because it is lame.
She waves it off and says, "We can go to IHOP after the party. Come on, please!" she begs dragging out the 'e' in please.
"Alright, fine." I say in defeat.
"Yay, you're the best! See you tomorrow." She says.
"Bye." I say waving and click off. I guess I will have to find a good dress by Friday. I close my computer and get ready for bed.
I look over at Herbert and sigh, "You could never make me go to a party instead of IHOP, right?" I ask him. In response, he swims into his fish house. "Alright, I get it Herbert. You don't want to talk." I say sarcastically while holding my hands up in mock understanding.
My fish can be really salty sometimes. Get it? Because he is from the ocean.
I am actually the funniest person I know
I slip under the covers and fall into a peaceful sleep still proud of my salty joke.
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Picture above is Aspen.
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