The game became a back and forth event. Bringing the attention of everyone in the yard. Cheers erupted as Cheeto and his squad stole passes and made baskets. Cheeto was on a shooting match against the best shooter of the opposite team. A talented 12 years old who had dreams of dribbling and shooting 3 pointers all the way to the pros. Allen was full of energy and bravado that feed of the following he had established through the neighborhood and surrounding areas. Of course his talent was being honed and perfected at the expense of his education. But that was alright. Because as he figured he could go pro straight out of high school like some of his heroes or just hustle in the ball courts like others had done before.

As the shot by shot contest between Allen and Cheeto heated up, another member of Cheetos's team was beginning to show his stuff. Sammy was a quiet 13 year old boy, a little tall for his age, but clumsy and un-focused which made others think he was slow. His clothes were too small for him and his pants and shirts were always dirty. His constant smelled of adolescence lead other kids and even some of the adults to pick on him and call him names. Claudia hated this but talking to the kids didn't seem to help and sometimes only made things worse. So she was happy to see Sammy rise to the occasion. She was also surprised as were many of the kids watching because Sammy was so reclusive.

The game was heating up and there were around thirty kids and some of the parents watching with enthusiasm. The game was first to twelve best of three. The first set went to the jocks and the second game went to Cheetos's loners with his teammates coming in to assist late in the set. The third game was a shooting match between Allen and Cheeto. One of the jocks assisted Allen to pull ahead when Sammy begun to come into the game. The score was eight for the jocks and four for the loners.

Sammy begun with a steal from a pass by one of the jocks to Allen. He passed the ball back to Cheeto who would take it for a score of two. This brought the score to eight to six. Quickly, Allen and the jocks charged up the court rounding around Cheeto for a break away where Allen went for a 3 pointer but was blocked by Sammy who was naturally taller. Cheeto took it for a quick two to even the score. The audience was electric. Cheering for the loners since Allen and the jocks always beat everyone by wide margins and were not very good winners. Allen, upset at the rejection by Sammy charged up the court with the jocks on tow. Faking a hand over to one of his guys being covered by Sammy, Allen used him as a shield to loose Cheetos cover, ran past Sammy where he attempted to hook it to the basket but was again denied.

Visibly frustrated Allen shouted foul and pushed Sammy, eliciting boos and jeers from the spectators. "No foul!" was the response by Cheeto.

"He hit my hand! The little bitch!" shrieked back Allan almost to the point of tearing up. "No! Keep playing" echoed through the audience acting as referees, prompting a reluctant Allen to rejoin the game. This time the ball was in his hands since Sammy threw it out of bounds. Allan checked it, faked out Cheeto and sunk it in. "Three points!" shouted Allan to which Cheeto replied, "No dude you was stepping on the line. That's two."

"NO WAY! THAT WAS 3!" shouted Allan again putting three fingers up toward Cheetos face.

"That was two dude." Replied Cheeto almost mockingly.

"Was it two or three?" asked Cheeto towards the crowd which responded by majority to two. Even though most didn't know for sure or even see if it really was. At this point most were just happy to see the jocks in disarray.

"Ah man you all suck! This isn't fair," shouted Allan again as his jocks walked him reassuringly.

"It's ok man we still winning," said one of his boys.

"Good job guys we got them, they breaking," said Cheeto to his team.

As Cheeto checked the ball in, he was immediately covered by Allen as rest of the jocks rushed to cover their assignments.

"Stay on your bitch!" yelled Allen to the delight of some on the court but not to Claudia who immediately replied "Language!" to Allen who paid no notice to it.

As Cheeto and the loners charged up the court, Cheeto signaled to Sammy to go behind Allen. Cheeto juked on Allen and passed it to Sammy to shoot for two. Allen screamed "No!" and charged towards Sammy, fouling him hard after the shot. Unnecessarily so, since Sammy had missed the shot.

"Boo! That's a foul" The crowd shouted in unison.

"What? No way. That's BS!" Allen threw his hands up and stomped his feet.

Sammy not used to overwhelming support stood quietly but inside he was rushing. He was surging with excitement he hadn't felt before. Everyone was on his side cheering for him and he was accomplishing something cool. He was about to beat the best player around, and break the most legendary streak of all time. He was happy, he was proud, he was present.

Allen was flustered. He was unraveling. Things were not going his way. He knew he was better. He knew he was more popular and owned the court. He practiced every day for hours on end and knew he could not be beat. He deserved to win because he was special and success was his density.

Sammy lined up to take his shots feeling every ounce of blood flowing through his veins, every heartbeat in his chest. He took his first shot and it went in perfectly. The joy of which would last him a lifetime. He took his second shot and 'swoosh' he saw it go in again. His confidence soared to a whole new level he did not know. Allen felt daggers in his chest every time he saw those baskets made.

"Two points wins" proclaimed Cheeto.

Cheeto and the tallest player of the jocks lined up for the jump ball and Cheeto come up shot. Allen takes the pass and goes up court but Sammy covers him and steals the ball. Embolden Sammy runs down court, powers past the jocks and makes his way to the basket where he finds himself under the rim. He jumps for his shot and missed. The ball bounces off the rim and one of the jocks catches the rebound passing it long to Allan who was on the other side and takes the ball for an easy layup, winning the game.

Allen was elated. The jocks jumped and celebrated as if they had just won a championship. Sammy was somewhat disappointed at first because he had tried so hard, but was surprised and happy by his performance. This feeling of pride didn't last long. The jocks ran around the court pointing and teasing the loners, crushing any pride they might have gained.

"Hey you win some you lose some," Cheeto was not known for his sage advice, but he also didn't want to dwell too much on the subject.

"We still undefeated. See I told you, you couldn't beat me. I spanked you and your lame team. Dominated!" Allen boasted. "I told you they couldn't play," Allen continued, pointing at the loners.

"Dominated? Whatever dude, he was a shot away from wining you! This guy was all over you even rejected yo stuff and scored in your face!" replied Cheeto.

"Nah-hu dude, you weren't going to beat us. Not even close!"

"Yeah-huh, you was ready to cry little man. Ha-ha" rebutted Cheeto playing to the crowd who responded in earnest in his favor.

"No I wasn't, no I wasn't!" Allen pushed Cheeto who shrugged it off having made his point.

"And you guys was trying to cheat calling fouls and stuff that wasn't even" Allen's agitated voice rose to a high squeal.

"Whatever man, just know next time we won't take it so easy on you and we'll spank you like this." Cheeto begun waving his hand up and down getting a laugh out of everyone, except Allen.

"You wish, you wish!" was the only thing a rattled and exasperated Allen could respond with. Sammys mood brightened because everyone was congratulating him and part of him enjoyed seeing Allen rattled and on the defensive for once.

"Hey, good job you guys! I'm so proud. You all played so well!" Claudia rushed to the loners patting and hugging them as the crowd dispersed. But the kids did not buy her encouragements. To them this was just another instance of defeat in their short little lives.

"Man I told you I was good!" Allen kept strutting around his court like a true king.

"Can't nobody handle this! Whooo!!" he continued.

"Allen, there is such a thing as being a gracious winner," said Claudia.

"That's for chumps. I got your boy here huffing and puffing and I beat your dream team or more like lame team down. Hahaha" he replied.

"See! That's why I don't like bets," Claudia said to Cheeto.

Cheeto shrugged his shoulders sitting on the ground. The game was over, the fun was had, time to move on.

"That was a nice little game kid. Why don't you play me?" David had become irritated by Allen's squeaky voice and couldn't find a better way to silence it.

"'Huh? What's up with all these old guys wanting to play me? Ha-ha" quipped Allen to his jocks.

"Quick game of horse. You just played a hard game and I don't want to take advantage of you," offered David.

"Horse!? What? That's a kid's game," exclaimed Allen.

"You are a kid," said David.

"Uhhh," everyone again echoed.

"Ok old guy let's see what'ya got. Winners go first," said Allen as he bounced the ball.

David took the ball from Allen on the bounce though.

"Old guy goes first," David said and everyone laughed.

"Ok then pick a basket," Allen replied.

David bounced the ball around remembering many similar situations he had been with Hakim and his friends. The many, now finite games they'd played looking for the perfect shot. Made his way under one of baskets, took a deep breath and looked at Allen.

"That one!" David threw from one side of the court to the other making the basket in one shot.

Everyone went nuts. Among the cheers David whispered to himself "Oh shit it went in." Though he practiced that shot many times and could almost make it at will, it didn't always go in. Very fortunate that it had gone in this time.

Allen stood frozen. He knew full well he would not be able to make it. But also being kid, he was utterly impressed by the amazing shot he had just witnessed. Sammy too was impressed as was everyone else in the court.

Cheeto got up and hollered along with everyone. Claudia's eyes were wide open. Sammy was suddenly very excited and no longer felt gloomed. And David felt a little light headed because for one the shot took a lot of strength to throw the ball that distance and two, he would have looked very foolish had he missed.

Allen had his chance to concede defeat as the ball was brought to him and almost threw it away in disgust.

"Nah little man, take the shot," said David.

"I can't make that you cheater. It's not fair, you're bigger and stronger," replied Allen.

"Life's not always fair, but you still take your shots," interrupted David as he handed the ball back to Allen.

"Psh," replied Allen as he coyly walked to the line to attempt his shot.

He took one long look at the other side of the court. Took a deep breath at the unsurmountable, precipice of the shot, and hurled his little body to the abys of luck and happenstance to take the shot which of course came up way too short. He failed. Allen threw his hands up in disappointment but gave it his best shot.

Some of the kids and people watched and teased having finally seen Allen take a loss. Sammy was not surprisingly very happy at the turn of events as well. Allen felt embarrassed by the taunting and overwhelmed that he was not the best. He was getting choked up, getting ready to throw a fit when David threw him back the ball and said,

"Looks like you owe me a shot. Show me whenever you are ready. If you need help just ask me."

With that Allen, maybe sensing a higher challenge or maybe sympathy from someone who had bested him, no longer felt so down on himself and had a sudden surge of determination and resolve.

"I don't need your help. Just watch I'll figure this shot out and even do you one better!" he said with a child's smile on his face.

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