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This basketball game is closer than the other ones, and I’m on the edge of my seat as I watch. Capital Creek is currently up by one with two minutes left, but the lead keeps changing.
“Shit,” I whisper under my breath when Capital Creek misses a shot that would give them more of a lead.
Delilah giggles at my intensity. “Funny. I didn’t realize you were so into basketball.”
“Shut up.”
I don’t have time to argue because I can’t take my eyes off of the court. Capital Creek luckily gets their own rebound and now they are passing the ball around. One minute left. I watch the seconds click away as the other team desperately tries to foul them to stop the clock.
Unfortunately, the foul isn’t needed as a mistake by Capital Creek lands the ball back into the hands of their competition. Forty seconds. The other team passes the ball back and forth and appear desperate as they search for an open shot. You’ve got this, Marjorie.
At twenty seconds, my worst nightmare comes true. Not only does the other team score, but it’s a three-pointer. They are now winning by two. The look of sadness on Marjorie’s face almost kills me. There’s another look in her eyes as she calls their final timeout, though. It’s a look of determination.
The thirty-second timeout seems to last for hours. My leg bounces up and down as I wait. The ball is passed into Jazmin and she searches the court as she hurriedly dribbles to their end. I can’t keep my eyes on her, because they’re on Marjorie. I can’t look away as she runs back and forth and back and forth to try to shake off the defender. Then it happens. The girl defending Marjorie gets tripped up on her own feet and Marjorie breaks away, off to the far side. She waves her hands and Jazmin lunges the ball over to her. Marjorie takes one step back so she is behind the three point line. She lines up. She shoots. The last seconds tick down as the ball flies through the air. It’s in! Oh my god! Marjorie just won the game.
Every single Capital Creek fan floods the court, including me. I can’t get to Marjorie because she is already surrounded. I stay back as she high fives and talks to all of her adoring fans, her arms and hands moving animatedly as she talks. Then her eyes meet mine, and I swear her face lights up even more. Goosebumps spread over my arms as she walks over to me.
Before I know it, she scoops me up into her arms and spins me around. “We did it. We actually did it.” She puts me back down but keeps a hand on my arm. “Party at my house tonight. Please tell me you can make it.”
“I’ll be there.”
She stands completely still, just staring at me, and I wonder if she’s waiting for me to say something else. Before I can, she turns to Delilah and tells her she hopes to see her there as well. Then she says a few other things I can’t comprehend and walks away.
An elbow to my side from Delilah brings me back to the real world. “She totally wants you.”
Chapter 24
Marjorie
“I take it we should buy a lot of pizza since I just watched you invite everyone in this gym to our house tonight?” my dad asks as he wraps me in a tight hug.
“Sorry not sorry, Pops. We need to celebrate.”
My dad laughs. “I couldn’t agree more.” He ruffles my hair then steps back. “So proud of you, kiddo. We’ll see you at home.”
I wave goodbye to my parents then get my stuff together and head out to the bus. I can’t tell you what we did or talked about during the ride because I’m on such a high from the game.
When I get back to my house, it’s just my family, Abby, and Jocelyn who are there so far. Every single one of them is still wearing their shirt with my name on it and a feeling of pride shoots through me. When I hear laughter in the kitchen, I realize we’re not the only people in the house.
When I walk in, I find Payton and Delilah standing by the kitchen bar talking. When Payton looks over at me and smiles, it feels like a million fireworks explode in my body at once. I want it to last forever. Luckily, she keeps staring, and the fireworks continue.
I hear the doorbell ring and a bunch of people come into my house, but I don’t care. Like a complete dork, I raise my hand and wave at her. “Hi.”
“Hi,” Payton repeats softly before walking over to me.
I shove my hands deep into my sweatpants pockets to keep me from doing what I really want to do—reaching out to touch her. “Thanks again for coming to my game. It means a lot that you would come even though it’s not your school.”
Payton has her hands inside her pockets as well, and she rocks back and forth on the balls of her feet. “Seeing as how you knocked Griffin Hill out in game two, it’s not like I can watch them.”
“There’s the MVP,” Jazmin shouts as she enters the kitchen.
Soon all of my other teammates have joined her and they’re whisking me away. I give Payton an apologetic smile and she motions that it’s fine. The night goes by in a blur, and I sadly don’t have the chance to talk to anyone for more than a few minutes before someone else is stealing me away.
The person I really want to talk to always seems to be the furthest away and it kills me. When I’m finally able to break away for what I’m sure will be just a few seconds, I find Payton. “Any chance you could stay a little later tonight? I’d love to be able to talk more once it’s less crazy here.”
Payton looks around as if she’s searching for someone. “I just have to figure something out, but I think I should be able to make that work.” Her eyes meet mine and the fireworks return. “I’ll make it work,” she says softly.
