Prologue
The ball bounced off the hoop with a vicious clang. It bounced on the ground and rolled its way to the boy's feet.
"I can't do it," the little girl pouted, blue-gray eyes cloudy with tears.
The boy picked up the ball and started dribbling it. He was eight years old, jet black hair falling over his cobalt blue eyes. " You have to try. Just keep your eyes on the ring and put a little more force when you shoot. Here," he passed the ball to her.
The girl looked at the ball in her hands, then on the ring. The ball seemed too big for her six-year-old frame. she threw the ball with all her might. It hit nothing but the board.
The boy broke into a fit of laughter, bringing the girl close to tears again. she bit her lip to stop herself from crying out, but tears were already cascading down her flushed cheeks. Her lower lip started to hurt. I'm not a baby, I musn't cry out...
"For a while I thought you were throwing a football," he came up to her, laughter still in his eyes. You don't throw the ball to the hoop, you shoot." His dirty hands tried to wipe the tears away, staining her face. "Don't cry," his features, which were tough-looking on any given day, softened. He picked up the ball. "someday we're going to be one of the best basketball players in Japan," he handed her the ball.
"You'd be a great player, but not me," she sniffed.
"I know you can do it, just believe in yourself."
The hoop was a little blurry from her tears, but she willed herself to focus. "Be the best in Japan...believe in yourself..." she had heard that from him millions of times, but she sincerely doubted it. Maybe it's true, a voice in her head assured her. she positioned to shoot, released the ball with a prayer, watching the ball move in an arc with bated breath.
The ball cleanly went inside the basket.
A/N: this story was last updated almost two years ago, lol! It was the sd fic formerly known as '12'. I'm really kinda frustrated with this fic because I have the whole story in my head and i can't seem to put in paper (or in a notepad). but i will do my best to try to finish this. Reviews and flames welcome, since it's kinda cold in here,i need to feel warm.