Love, hiccups & us

Chapter 4: Shoot

Still as usual, the cafeteria was noisy. A group of friends sat on one table, some students sat alone, others sat with two. One similarity is that, everyone ate their floor whether happily or annoyed, whether they hated or loved it.

Jay passed through the noisy crowd, her plate full of the food she bought. She forgot that her usual spot might get taken away from her but the sight of Zach casually eating his food relieved her.

"Zach!"

Jay waved at him, her eyes sparkling with joy.

He smiled back in response.

"I called you earlier, you didn't see me though. What were you doing that you didn't realize I was there? I'm disappointed"

She dramatically crossed her arms, rolling her eyes at Zachary.

"Hmm? N-nothing, I was called by Mr. Waltz earlier"

Zach continued eating but one thing that caught Jay's attention was that he looked... Unsettled

"Why though?"

She asked, trying to take a peak in his eyes but Zachary was constantly looking away every time she did.

"Just you know... Usual things"

He replied with his voice slightly lower than usual, his ears looked pretty red like it was too cold in there.

"And what exactly is that usual thing?"

She asked, still trying to look him in the eye though he kept on refusing.

"N-nothing really... Just about stupid basketball."

He stopped eating for a bit but continued after a moment.

"Tsk... I thought it was something big, you said you don't like basketball, are you reconsidering?"

"I'm going to play again. At least, just this time. They don't have enough players, two players quit, and one player got severely injured."

Zach now looked at Jay straight in the eye.

"I've been thinking about it for days and now, I made my choice and told Mr. Waltz all about it. He said he'd inform Mr. Winsons."

He added before breaking the eye contact.

"How about your mom? Wouldn't she get mad?"

A moment of silence struck the room like a ray of lightning had suddenly fell from above. Seconds passed before Zach could answer.

"Tsk, that's mine to problem smartass, she's always been like that, why not actually do something a person should get mad of?"

He giggled for a bit then stood, cleaning the part of the table he ate at.

"Huh? Are you seriously leaving me right now?"

She complained. Many students looked at her like she was some kind of ghost, turns out, she said it pretty loudly that everyone in the cafeteria, including the cook had heard it.

"Can you not control the volume of your voice? It's embarrassing"

Zach whispered, hiding his face because of embarrassment before leaving.

Jay bowed her head slightly as a sign of apology and respect, hoping she could get out in such an embarrassing situation.

Minutes have passed and students are already in their own classes.

While listening to the class, a sudden thought came to Jay's mind.

She took a notepad from her bag then started writing something while Mr. Waltz, the history teacher was discussing.

"About the game, do you mean the game tomorrow?"

She said in the note which she gave to the person beside the girl Infront of her. Zachary James.

He wrote back saying "yup" that made Jay shock as she remembered a memory from earlier.

"We haven't saw each other for quite a while. Don't you think it'd be a shame not to cheer me on in the upcoming match?"

Clee stopped walking for a bit and just looked at Jay.

"Tsk, my school is the one you're matching with you know?"

She said, smiling while looking at Clee.

"I obviously know but well, I'd really appreciate it if you'd cheer for our team..."

A moment of silence hit them before Jay cut it off.

"Okay, okay, not like I even care"

She rolled her eyes and they both just laughed.

"This is bad, pretty bad..."

Jay said after the flashing memory had stopped.

"What's bad Ms. Vaughn?"

Mr. Waltz suddenly said that made Jay's soul leave her body for a minute.

"Uh-- I, I just want to go to the restroom sir... Pretty bad hehe"

The whole class giggled at her along with Zachary.

Jay gave him an annoying look, frowning at him before excusing herself.

The sound of the noisy tap water splashing through Jay's hands was the only thing that could be heard in the restroom.

Jay splashed water to her face before looking at the mirror.

"Zachary wouldn't act childish towards this right? Nah, I doubt it... It'll be fine"

She smiled but the thought of her just gaslighting herself made her feel annoyed.

"Me against my school, my bestfriend huh? It'll be his first match after a very long time... What should I do?"

She brushed her hair with her bare soft and wet hands while still looking nervously at the mirror.

"Clee wouldn't mind me not cheering would he?"

She continued thinking until a woman suddenly came in the restroom.

"Are you okay?"

Said Emily who just came from the classroom.

"Huh? Y-yeah"

Jay smiled before leaving.

While she was going to open the door to leave the restroom, Emily suddenly talked.

"Aren't you tired?"

Jay turned to her with a confused look.

"Huh?"

She asked.

"Of playing dumb"

...

"Uhm miss? Can you excuse us, we can't get through"

A girl said as she was going to the restroom and Jay was in her way.

"Huh? Oh sorry"

Jay apologized and turned to look at Emily but she looked away acting like nothing happened.

Jay walked to the classroom with many thoughts in her head.

"Jay, what took you so long? Class is done, it's PE time"

Zachary pulled Jay out of the classroom door then walked with her to the gym.

"You look troubled since earlier, you've got a prob?"

Jay looked at Zachary, not knowing what to answer.

"I-it's nothing"

She looked away.

"You definitely have a problem, it's obvious"

Zachary said, putting his hands in his pockets while walking away.

"Stop acting cool you look hilarious"

Jay walked behind him before smacking his head.

"Hey! That's harassment"

Zachary shouted running after her.

After PE, the two stayed at the gym for practice.

"Hey Zachary, thanks man"

A player said welcoming Zach back to the team.

Jay smiled watching her friend back in his shoes.

"After two years, Will he be fine?"

She said, looking at him smile while talking to his team. She sat with her feet crumpled above while her hands locked on her legs.

They started practicing along with the other team.

Zachary warmed up with his team while the other team also did and had also talked about something.

It looked like it was regarding the game.

"I think it's too soon to play though..."

Jay was full of thoughts, seeing her friend back on track but the thoughts she had soon disappeared seeing him play.

He dribbled the ball like it was his own hands, not slipping even a little bit, he bended his knees trying to save it from the opponent then passed it to a teammate perfectly like it would've been three points if he just threw it to the ring.

His aim was perfect that Jay waited for a turn where he would actually shoot his goal, his two points and dunks were as if he was in the national team before. It was a pretty good and clean game until a man suddenly pushed his shoulders, stepping on his feet trying to get the ball.

Turned out, the opposing team had heaten up during the game because of him.

He dropped to the floor and lost the ball, his feet also got twisted because of the fall.

Jay's eyes flashed with darkness knowing it was intentional. Her friend was intentionally taken down by his opponents.

She stood from her seat and hurriedly ran to Zachary.

The team has already helped him up when she got there and the sight of Emily going to him, and Zachary looking at her as if Jay was never there from the start pissed her off.

"Argh, shouldn't you try to be careful? It's just practice and you're already like that... I- I know it's been pretty long since you played but isn't this too much?"

A member of the opposing team said.

Jay turned to the man and saw Clee, telling him to stop already but he's pushing him away

"An athlete , not listening to their team captain, the one who's always MVP, the player in charge... Don't you have any shame? Don't you know what etiquette is?"

She madly walked closer to the man, her eyes filled with rage.

"What's with the attitude ugly guy? It's obvious that you're not good at basketball but cheating? Cheating and then insulting huh? Funny"

The guy looked around feeling embarrassed but still acted cool.

"Jay, stop. It's fine"

Zach said, forcing himself to walk closer to Jay to tell her everything was alright even when his feet was hurt. His teammates was right behind him helping him walk.

"Tsk dumbass, should I kick those feet of yours for you to feel the pain?"

Jay helped Zachary along with the other athletes to walk to the clinic.

Emily wanted to help with her friends but left, leaving an unpleasant look at Jay.

The nurse at the clinic helped Zachary, thankfully, nothing bad has happened and he could still play tomorrow.

"What if you actually got hurt you dumbass? I knew this was up to no good..."

Jay sat next to Zachary's bed.

"I'm fine princess, and stop even calling me that, it's insulting"

He dramatically laid on the bed like some kind of actor in a dramatic film.

"Tsk"

Jay rolled her eyes.

Both their eyes suddenly met, Zachary's ears turned red that made Jay confused but just as she was going to talk, her phone rang.

"Uh- my mom... I need to go. Will you be fine?"

She looked at Zachary, worried of him not being able to go home.

"I'm fine, you should go"

. -To be continued-