Beyond the Final Score

Playing For Each Other

By Tuesday, the change in the team was becoming harder to ignore.

Practice was still demanding, and Coach Daniels still stopped them whenever a play fell apart, but there was a different rhythm to the way they played now. The ball moved more quickly, players communicated better, and Marian wasn't trying to solve every problem herself.

She was starting to trust them.

That afternoon, Coach Daniels divided the team for another scrimmage.

"Same rules as yesterday," she said. "Play through the pressure. Don't abandon what we've practiced just because the other team makes things difficult."

Marian nodded as she took her position.

Emerald was on the opposite side again.

Their eyes met before the whistle.

Emerald smiled. "Looks like we're doing this again."

"Try to keep up."

"You said that yesterday."

"And you still haven't beaten me."

Emerald laughed. "We'll see."

The whistle blew.

The game was close from the beginning. Neither side managed to pull away, and every basket was answered almost immediately.

Marian found herself defending Emerald more often than she expected. Emerald had become better at reading her movements, but Marian had learned to recognize Emerald's habits too.

Midway through the scrimmage, Emerald stole the ball and took off toward the other end of the court.

Marian chased after her.

Emerald glanced over her shoulder and increased her speed.

Marian caught up just before the basket and reached for the ball. Emerald adjusted her shot, but Marian got a hand on it.

The ball bounced away.

Tessa grabbed it and passed to another teammate, who scored.

"Nice save!" Tessa called.

Marian turned toward Emerald.

"Almost."

Emerald shook her head. "You got lucky."

"You can call it whatever you want."

The game continued.

Near the end, Marian's team had a one-point lead. There were only a few possessions left, and the pressure was beginning to show.

Coach Daniels said nothing.

She simply watched.

The opposing team pushed forward, and Emerald found an opening near the three-point line.

Marian saw it too.

She moved toward her, expecting Emerald to shoot.

Instead, Emerald passed.

The ball went to one of her teammates, who made the basket.

Marian stopped for a moment.

Emerald had seen the same opening she would have looked for.

She had simply chosen not to take the shot herself.

The whistle sounded.

"That's the play!" Coach Daniels called. "Keep moving."

Marian nodded as she headed back down the court.

When the scrimmage finally ended, both teams gathered around Coach Daniels.

"Much better," she said. "That's what happens when you stop trying to prove who the best player is and start playing for the team."

Her eyes moved toward Marian and Emerald.

"Remember that."

After practice, Marian stayed behind to fill her water bottle.

When she came back onto the court, Emerald was sitting on the bench, tying her shoes.

"You're still here."

"So are you."

Marian sat beside her.

For a few seconds, neither spoke.

Then Emerald said, "You know, when I first came here, I thought you hated me."

Marian looked at her.

"I didn't hate you."

"You definitely didn't like me."

"I didn't know you."

"That didn't stop you from glaring at me."

Marian laughed softly.

"Okay. Maybe I wasn't exactly welcoming."

Emerald smiled.

"You've changed since then."

Marian looked down at her hands.

"So have you."

Emerald's smile faded slightly.

"Maybe."

The silence that followed wasn't uncomfortable, but Marian became strangely aware of how close they were sitting.

She could have moved.

She didn't.

Neither did Emerald.

Then footsteps sounded from the hallway.

Tessa appeared at the gym entrance.

"Are you two coming?"

Marian stood immediately.

"Yeah."

Emerald picked up her bag.

As they walked toward the doors, Marian glanced at her.

Neither of them mentioned what had happened on the bench.

But for the first time, Marian wondered if the space between them was becoming something neither of them knew how to name.