Flash Fiction #26
I'll have more information in the coming days, but I'm going to be doing a test run of a mini-series for a particular format that I'm thinking of doing for my next writing project. Hope you look forward to it, and hope you enjoy this particular story~ ^_^
~~~
"Wow, this is the first time playing basketball after 5 years or so," I said after a friend passed the ball to me, and caught it. "I'm going to be so bad."
"Don't worry so much. We're all not that good, so let's all just enjoy and have fun."
"If you say so, but I don't want to embarrass myself," I muttered so that no one else could hear me.
I set up my shot and stared at the basketball hoop to aim where I was going to shoot. Then I bent my knees, relaxed my muscles and took a deep breath to calm the nerves.
The left hand is only for support. Just jump, flick my wrist, and shoot.
I watched as the basketball left my right hand and soared through the air. The trajectory of the ball looked like it was on a path into the hoop, but...
Air ball.
I lowered my head, covering my eyes with my hands in shame. If this was a couple of years ago, things would have been different. The fact that my skills had decreased into completely missing the rim made me depressed. Then I remembered my best friend who introduced the sport to me a long time ago. If he was here, he would be shaking his head in disappointment at my depreciation in skills.
I have to make it up to him. If I can get that swish, and properly defend someone from scoring then it's a success.
Then one of my friends had picked up the ball, and started to dribble around the court for fun. I jogged up to him and put up my hands to play defense. I declared with confidence, "One on one, you and me. Let's go."
My friend smirked and turned around getting serious. "Bring it on."
As I lowered my hip and leaned pressure on my toes, I suddenly remembered so many years ago of the same occurrences with my best friend. Instead of my friend being there, he was right in front of me like a distant memory. Then as if it was deja vu, my friend moved in the same direction as he did. Even though it had been a long time, my instincts kicked in and I followed him automatically, focusing only on the ball. After a minute passed, I was still covering him tightly like an irremovable mountain.
"Your defense is really good," he whispered, panting.
I was tired as well, but I couldn't show it on my face until I got the turnover. Being frustrated, he took a fade-away shot and I tried to jump to block his view.
After landing, I immediately ran for the basket and blocked him out as best as I could, ready for the rebound. The ball bounced off of the rim, and I easily got the ball underneath the basket. Then I proceeded to dribble to the three point line away from him in a hurry.
Then my instincts kicked in here as well. In the past, my best friend wouldn't dare leave me alone with the ball and was glued to me; this forced me to always pass the ball or give it up. I closed my eyes, bent my knees, and flicked my wrist to shoot the ball at the basket. Then I waited for that sound.
Swish!
Every time I heard it, I was filled with happiness and it didn't matter that I lost back then or lost now. As long as I remembered my best friend, the swish sound, and playing my hardest defense; nothing else mattered in the world.
~~~
"Wow, this is the first time playing basketball after 5 years or so," I said after a friend passed the ball to me, and caught it. "I'm going to be so bad."
"Don't worry so much. We're all not that good, so let's all just enjoy and have fun."
"If you say so, but I don't want to embarrass myself," I muttered so that no one else could hear me.
I set up my shot and stared at the basketball hoop to aim where I was going to shoot. Then I bent my knees, relaxed my muscles and took a deep breath to calm the nerves.
The left hand is only for support. Just jump, flick my wrist, and shoot.
I watched as the basketball left my right hand and soared through the air. The trajectory of the ball looked like it was on a path into the hoop, but...
Air ball.
I lowered my head, covering my eyes with my hands in shame. If this was a couple of years ago, things would have been different. The fact that my skills had decreased into completely missing the rim made me depressed. Then I remembered my best friend who introduced the sport to me a long time ago. If he was here, he would be shaking his head in disappointment at my depreciation in skills.
I have to make it up to him. If I can get that swish, and properly defend someone from scoring then it's a success.
Then one of my friends had picked up the ball, and started to dribble around the court for fun. I jogged up to him and put up my hands to play defense. I declared with confidence, "One on one, you and me. Let's go."
My friend smirked and turned around getting serious. "Bring it on."
As I lowered my hip and leaned pressure on my toes, I suddenly remembered so many years ago of the same occurrences with my best friend. Instead of my friend being there, he was right in front of me like a distant memory. Then as if it was deja vu, my friend moved in the same direction as he did. Even though it had been a long time, my instincts kicked in and I followed him automatically, focusing only on the ball. After a minute passed, I was still covering him tightly like an irremovable mountain.
"Your defense is really good," he whispered, panting.
I was tired as well, but I couldn't show it on my face until I got the turnover. Being frustrated, he took a fade-away shot and I tried to jump to block his view.
After landing, I immediately ran for the basket and blocked him out as best as I could, ready for the rebound. The ball bounced off of the rim, and I easily got the ball underneath the basket. Then I proceeded to dribble to the three point line away from him in a hurry.
Then my instincts kicked in here as well. In the past, my best friend wouldn't dare leave me alone with the ball and was glued to me; this forced me to always pass the ball or give it up. I closed my eyes, bent my knees, and flicked my wrist to shoot the ball at the basket. Then I waited for that sound.
Swish!
Every time I heard it, I was filled with happiness and it didn't matter that I lost back then or lost now. As long as I remembered my best friend, the swish sound, and playing my hardest defense; nothing else mattered in the world.
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