More than Friends
5 years earlier
It was a bright and sunny day in the City, a perfect day for moving in. The Ruiz Family was moving into the Spiez's neigborhood. The Ruiz family consited of five members: Carlos Ruiz, the Brazillian police man. Nina Ruiz, the African American music lover. Nine year old Jason Ruiz, the trouble maker of the family. And little 8 year old Sasha Ruiz, the shyest and smallest of the bunch. Sasha was wearing a purple T-shirt, shorts and a black baseball cap, covering most of her curly brown hair. She was sitting on the curb near her house, all alone. Carlos, who was carrying boxes into the house, noticed her and sat down next to his daughter.
"Whats wrong nina?" he asked, speaking Spanish. Sasha lifted her head up, looking at her father's face.
"I don't have any friends Papi." She said sadly. Carlos lifted the small girl into his lap.
"Well," he started, "Go make some." He smiled at his daughter and kissed her forhead. "There is a house down the street full of kids, one I belive is about your age. Why don't you go talk to them." He said. Sasha nodded and headed down the street, waving at her father as she walked.
Sasha walked around the corner to a house with three boys playing basketball at a hoop. One boy had aburn hair and blue eyes, he was taller than his brothers, and seemed to be stronger. The younger looking one had red hair and brown eyes, he didn't seem all that interested in the game. He was focusing on an ant hill, looking at it through a magnifiying glass. The youngest one had black hair and green eyes, he struggled to get the ball because the tall one held over his head.
She walked to the house and stopped to look at the game. Sasha loved playing basket ball, and wanted to play too, but was too shy to ask.
"Come on Tony, try to get the ball!" Shouted the older boy. Tony huffed.
"No fair, you bigger than me!" He yelled. He jumped up as high as he could and smaked the ball out of the older boys hand. The ball rolled to the sidewalk where Sasha was standing. It rolled to her feet, and she picked it was almost as big as her. Marc looked up from what he was doing and smiled at her.
"Hi! My names Marc." He greeted. He walked up to her. "Are you new here?" He asked. Sasha nodded. The tall boy walked up to Sasha next.
"Can we have our ball back?" He asked. Sasha handed the ball to him. He smiled, "My name is Lee by the way. And that's Tony over there." he said walking off back to the court.
Sasha saw how he dribbled the ball down the court, how he positioned the shot with his hands, and how he gracefully shot the ball in the goal. She wanted to do that, she wanted to play basketball.
"Puedo jugar?" She asked. Lee looked at her, confused.
"What did you call me?" He asked. Sasha was used to speaking Spanish to her friends, so she kinda these kids to speak it too.
"Nothing, I just asked I could play." She said quietly.
"No way, you're too short to play. You're smaller than Tony and he's got enough trouble getting the ball already." He said. Sasha scowled, she didn't like being called short.
"I bet I could beat you." She said. Lee laughed. He decided to let Sasha play, but he thought Sasha was a boy because the hat she was wearing covered up her hair.
"Okay, 1 on 1, you and me. First one to ten points wins." He said, passing the ball to Sasha. She checked it back to him. Lee ran down the court and dribbled the ball. Sasha snuck up from behind him and stole the ball from him. She lined up the ball and shot it into the basket. Lee got mad, but pushed it aside so he could focus on the game.
The game went on like this until it was a tied at 9-9 points. Sasha had the ball, ready to shoot. Lee, who was frustrated, ran up to her to grab the ball. He got the ball and pushed Sasha to the ground.
Sasha fell to the ground. Her hat fell off of hr head, revealing her curly brown afro-puff, tied with a purple ribbon. Her elbow was scrapped, she didn't cry, but it hurt when she touched it.
Lee dropped the ball in shock. He was taught never to push a girl, but he didn't know Sasha was a girl.
"I'm sorry! I didn't know you were a girl!" He said. Sasha glared at him. She got up.
"You idiot! How the heck could you not tell I was a girl?" She screamed. Lee pointed to the hat. Sasha got up and tackled Lee to the pavment. She hit him in the face, and he groaned in pain.
"What did you do that for!" He sceamed. Lee pushed Sasha of him.
"For pushing me!" She yelled. She grabbed his shirt collar, balled her hand in a fist, getting ready to punch him when Marc stepped between them.
"Guys come on!" He shouted, "It was just an honest mistake, just apologize."
Lee looked at the Afro-Brazillian girl, feeling sorry and guilty for pushing her. "i'm sorry." he said. Sasha scoffed, crossing her arms.
"Well?" He asked.
"Well what?" Sasha retorted.
"Aren't you gonna apologize? I said I was sorry, now it's your turn!" Lee yelled. Sasha groaned.
"Fine, lo siento, I'm sorry. Can we play basketball now?" She asked. Lee smiled. He picked up the basketball and passed it too her.
"I thought you'd never ask." He said, "What's your name by the way?"
"Sasha." she said, "Sasha Ruiz."