Right, so, this was blatantly inspired by One Tree Hill, especially 4x09 with the championship game. Hope you guys enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or pretty much the idea, or the name of the team, or, well, anything? I guess?
"C'mon, Ravens!" Isabelle Lightwood screamed, cupping her mouth as she jumped up and down, kicking out her white sneakers.
"Let's go, twenty-seven!" Clarissa Fray shouted, throwing her blue and white pom-poms in the air and waving them around. The whole gym was so loud—the stands filled with hundreds of family members and fans and supporters—everyone supporting the New York Ravens in their championship game. Clary's eyes nervously looked up toward the clock that was counting down on the wall, saying that the boys only had two minutes left of the game, and the score was still tied. Both teams were doing top of their prime, and sweat was pouring down their faces, the tension clear in their expressions. This was the final game of the season, and for the seniors on the team, this was the last game they were going to play with this team—just like with Clary and Isabelle, as this was the last game they would cheer for in their high school squad.
Jace Herondale and Alec Lightwood were talking hurriedly on the floor, their eyes flickering around the gym. The two boys moved as though they shared a brain, and that worked in their favor when it came to the game. Clary was chewing down hard on her lower lip, her fingers curling tightly around her pom-poms. She was standing shoulder to shoulder with Isabelle and Maia Roberts, two girls that she had been on the squad with since they were fifteen, and if the boys lost this game, it was going to affect them almost as much.
"Look, look, look," Maia muttered urgently, jabbing her elbow into Clary's side as Alec managed to get the ball, breaking away from where the other team had been huddling around them. Jace had sprinted toward Simon Lewis, grabbing him by the front of his shirt and hissing something in his ear. Simon was a senior, just like Jace and Alec, but unlike the other two boys, he wasn't exactly an amazing player. He was competent enough, although he had a tendency to trip over his feet and drop the ball. The team still loved him, but they didn't usually have him involved when it came down to winning a championship in the final minute of the game.
"Yes! Go, Alec!" Isabelle shouted as her brother made his way quickly down the court. Two of the younger girls on the cheerleading squad, Aline Penhallow and Helen Blackthorn, began squealing as they saw the opposing team try to spread out and cover all the players for the Ravens. But Jace was already out in front of them, his golden eyes gleaming and his lips set determinedly as he positioned himself to catch the ball from Alec.
"What are they doing?" Clary mumbled under her breath, her shoulders hunched forward as she stared at the star player of the Ravens. From where he was standing, he could shoot for the basket, and there was a good chance that he would get it in as well, given how good he was. But he was still quite far away, and given the clock was now down to only fifty seconds left, it was a big risk. Isabelle suddenly reached out and grabbed Clary's arm, her nails digging into the soft flesh of her inner arms. "Ow—what?"
"Simon," Isabelle barely uttered and Clary skimmed the court, looking for her best friend. Simon was down the other end of the court, closer to the basket than Jace—standing almost directly beside the basket and there was no one marking him either. There were two players in front of Jace, the rest of team were trying to cover the rest of the Ravens. "They're going to use Simon." Clary's green eyes were wide as she saw Alec throw the ball to Jace, who caught it easily, and dodged beneath the arms of the two players who were trying to cover him. But then instead of going high, like they thought he would, and throwing the ball toward the basket, he ducked and threw the ball hard and fast toward Simon.
"Shit!" Clary squeaked as it seemed like the ball went flying toward Simon. For a split second, it looked like he was going to fumble and drop the ball, but then he caught it. Even he looked surprised for a split second that he had actually managed to catch the ball. "Throw it, Si!" Clary squealed.
"Go, Simon!" Isabelle screamed, and it seemed like the other team finally caught up with what was going and they scrambled to try and cover the other boy. Simon froze for a moment, his eyes flying to his captain, Jace, who jabbed a finger toward the basket.
"Throw it!" He shouted in desperation, although his words were lost in the screams from the rest of the crowd. Simon bent his knees and threw the ball, arching through the air and slamming into the basket just as the horn sounded, indicating that time was up. Simon was still staring at the the basket, the netting swinging slightly, and the ball bouncing away, as though he couldn't believe what he had done.
But then it was announced officially over the loudspeaker—the Ravens had won—and confetti of blue, white and black fell from the roof and the screams that erupted throughout the gym were loud enough to burst eardrums. Jace and the rest of the team swarmed toward Simon, lifting him up on Jace and Jordan Kyle's shoulders, hoisting him above the rest of the team as the cheerleaders all began swarming around the team. The metal railings that were put in place around the court to keep back the crowd clattered to the ground as the supporters all swarmed onto the court. Isabelle wound her way among the crowd to reach her boyfriend, who finally got returned to the ground and jumped into his arms.
Clary watched her own boyfriend, who was grinning so wide it nearly took up half his face.
Her heart was thudding so hard in her chest it felt as though it was going to burst.
For a lot of people, this was just a game, and it was stupid how important it was. But for Jace—this game cemented a basketball scholarship that would give him a full ride through university.
The same university where she would be studying Art History.
After a minute, Jace seemed to realize that his favorite, red headed cheerleader wasn't part of the crowd, and he looked for her over the heads of the rest of his team and the crowd. When he found her, his smile softened into something far more personal, and her returning smile was so big it hurt her cheeks. People were congratulating him at every step, and the college scout who had been following Jace's basketball career for the past year also stepped up to shake his head and confirm that they were looking forward to have him on their team. Coach Hodge Starkweather also pulled away from where he was talking to Simon Lewis to clap Jace on the shoulder, before Jace finally managed to tug away and stand in front of Clary.
"We won," he sounded a little breathless.
"We did," Clary's vision was blurred with tears, her heart swelling in her chest. Jace's golden eyes were dancing as he pushed his sweaty hair away from his face, raking his fingers through his hair. "That was a good play, passing to Simon," she bit down on her lip as she took half a step closer to him. Everything was still so busy around them—the screaming and the yelling, and there was still confetti falling from the ceiling—but it all just seemed to fade away into the background around them.
"Kid did good," Jace agreed, glancing over his shoulders before quickly looking back at Clary. "The whole team did good." He took in a deep breath as he put his hands on either side of her face, leaning in close. "But the most important thing I was playing for was us. Our future," his voice dropped lower as he tilted his head forward so that their foreheads were pressed together. "You." Clary let out a muffled noise before reaching up on her toes and colliding against his mouth.
The kiss was a bit messy, and at one point Clary got confetti in her mouth, and they were both sweaty, and she was still clinging to her pom-poms, and then Isabelle, Maia, Simon and Alec all swarmed around them and it was kind of a six way jumping-cheering-hug thing.
But it was the best night of her life so far.
Cheesy, hell yes. But oh well.
Leave a review, let me know what you think.