Ishani headed to the bleachers and settled as far away from Alisha and Bianca as possible. Several other kids from our class had gathered there too, most of them were friends of the other team members. There were even two football players, probably Lamar's buddies from his old team, but it was hard to tell if they were there to gloat (after all, they lost a strong player) or to support their friend.

As Bianca had mentioned, our team was mixed. Two guys: Lamar and his cousin John, and three girls, including me.

"When I found out that you would be on our team and that we'd be competing against other schools in our final year, I started kissing Grandma's Jesus painting". Lamar slapped me on the back.

"Hey, don't flatter me! Don't overdo it," I snorted. "Sure, I had some experience from my previous school and just playing pickup games in the yard with the guys, but nothing professional."

"Girl, literally anything to break the monotony of the school's totalitarian regime: football and cheerleaders. Oh, that's John, my cousin. John! Come here!"

John, a tall guy with a family dimple on his cheek, shook my hand. "Glad to have you on the team," he said. "People think Lamar and I are thick as thieves around here."

"They sure do," added another tall girl who bore a resemblance to me. "I'm Veronica. Glad to see another girl on the team."

Veronica was a typical Scandinavian-looking athlete. Girls like her usually play for the country in girls' teams, and other girls write romantic lgbt fanfiction about them.

Veronica's presence made me feel a bit uneasy. I stole a glance at Bianca, my heart racing with a mix of hope and worry. I wasn't a fan of competition, especially when it came to someone like Veronica, who might be Bianca's type.

It seemed like Veronica also glanced at Bianca, but maybe it was just my imagination. Tina, another girl, was the most beautiful of us all. With her almond-shaped eyes, sweet smile, and enchanting freckles sprinkled across her slightly upturned nose, she resembled a character straight out of an anime. But when she spoke, it was clear who the boss and team captain were.

In walked Ms. Kalinowski.

"Glad to see everyone here. Let's split into two teams and warm up, while also seeing what Mel is capable of."

"Ms. K!" Veronica chimed in, hand on her hip. "Who's going to be our permanent coach? We usually just did our own thing in our free time. The ex P.E. teacher couldn't care less about us; he only hung around the football players and cheerleaders," she added.

A chorus of "Boo!" echoed from the bleachers.

"Will you all just shut up!" Lamar yelled at them. "You even want to steal the spotlight here?"

"Everyone quiet," Ms. Kalinowski intervened. "For the time being, I'll take on those responsibilities until further notice from the higher-ups."

I glanced at Bianca again. Her face had hardened. I couldn't understand why she didn't like Ms. Kalinowski. I needed to figure this out.

"The newbie, you're with me," Tina said. "It's the three of you against us!"

"Great! Just don't call me 'newbie.' This isn't the army or the police academy. Just call me Mel or Your Majesty Mel. Whatever floats your boat," I retorted.

Veronica, John, and Lamar burst into laughter.

"Stay focused, everyone!" Kalinowski blew her whistle, calling us to order.

"Pretty cool, huh? Everyone's talking about you," Tina grumbled. "Don't think just because Lamar and that new non-binary butch Ms. K are into you, you can start showing off."

"Everyone's too obsessed with Lamar, huh? Are you into him too?"

Tina blushed and fell silent.

The gym pulsated with excitement, a symphony of bouncing ball and squeaking shoes filling the air. I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins ready to take on the court.

As the game kicked off, I felt a surge of energy wash over me. I dribbled the ball with confidence, my heart pounding in rhythm with each step I took. I darted past defenders, weaving through the chaos with ease, my eyes locked on the hoop.

I couldn't help but notice Bianca's gaze from the sidelines, her eyes bright with anticipation. It was like she was cheering me on, spurring me to push harder, play better. With each move, I aimed to impress her, to show her what I was capable of.

With every shot I made, I could feel myself growing more confident, more alive. The cheers of the crowd fueled my determination, driving me to give it my all, to leave everything I had on the court.

As the game drew to a close, I glanced over at Bianca, a satisfied smile playing on my lips. Her eyes met mine, and for a moment, it felt like it was just the two of us in the entire gym.

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