Chapter Two: All Fun and Games Until..?

I walked into the room where he was waiting. As he turned to face me, my expressionless face quickly faded to a scowl. All I had to do was tell him to drive me to the game, nothing more.
"Dad." I say, narrowing my eyes at him.
"What?"
"If you don't drive me to the game now, we're going to be late."
"A'aight then. Get in the car, I'll get the keys."
I quietly left the room, glad to be relieved of such tension. The aura of the room was too intense. I opened the garage door, and hopped in the car. I stared down the door waiting for dad to come out. He slowly did, practically slamming the door behind him, and get in the car too. When he sat down the car bounced a little. He looked at me from the rear view mirror and grunted. He buckled his seatbelt, and I got the drift, buckling my seatbelt soon after. The drive to the game was completely silent, and since neither my father or I really knew much about the radio, there weren't any songs playing either. Just silence.
I practically flew out of the car once we got there, I couldn't handle the silence any longer! I screamed into my hands, just to relieve myself of whatever pressure was building up, and ran into the gym where the game is being held. I approached my teammates and waved at a few of the people in the crowd I recognized.
"Hey man, you're later than usual, what happened?" One of the guys asked.
"Ugh, it was nothing." I reply, glancing hatefully over to my father then turning back to everyone.
"Hey, what's that mark on your face from?" Another asked.
"You know what I'll just answer all your questions, my dad and I got in a fight again." I grunted.
"Oh.." They both sighed. I sighed with them, it's getting ridiculous.
"Hey man, let's just put this ish behind us, and focus on the game." I say, trying to get my concentration where it was supposed to be. Everyone else nodded. We talked about the starting positions, where everyone was, and who was on the bench first. Of course the same kid, Dalton Raenolds, was on the bench. He's ALWAYS on the bench. Why? He sucks. That's why.
Finally the game started, in within the first 36 seconds, I made a shot. Two minutes, two shots. Six minutes three shots. I was on fire today, and finally we got to the break and I was sweaty and overheated but I was loving this. I've never been so good after a fight with my father, actually.. I don't think I've ever been this good. I've made 7 of the 9 shots on my team. My teammates highfived me on my way to chill on the bench. Someone bumped into me as I was about to sit down and I stumbled a little. Angered, I turn around about ready to yell 'Watch where you're going, stupid!' when I see it's the coach.
"Sorry 'bout that. I was tripping over my own excitement." He says to me, grinning.
"Okay who are you and what have you done with my coach?" I ask, giving him a strange look.
"These are the finals, and I just FINALLY got the damn letter for what the prize is going to be this year. Last year it was a trip to Las Vegas for 2 days, but what sucked about that was almost everyone on the team was either not old enough or just barely old enough to drink or gamble. Las Vegas without alcohol and gambling is like a basketball game where all the players have no arms. Pretty pointless, huh? But I'm actually excited for this one." He rattles off.
"Really? Must be pretty sweet. What's the deal?"
"The winning team gets free tickets, for everyone, to a Michael Jackson concert!" He screams quietly.
"A who-"
"BUT WAIT, that's not it, the V.I.P. of the game gets to meet him in person! I sound so dumb and starstruck but seriously, what the hell?! I never thought there would be something worth winning other than pride and a stupid trophy."
"Sorry to be the one living under a rock but who the hell is Michael Jackson? That, and don't talk down the trophy, it's worth more in what it means than what it's made of." As soon as I finish coach laughs histerically.
"HAHAHAHA, did you seriously ask me who Michael Jackson is?! You're hilarious." He says, still laughing.
"Yes I did seriously just ask you, who the hell is he? What are you do psyched about anyways, no matter who it is, he's just a normal human like you or me. That, and I'm sure his concerts aren't THAT fantastic." I reply, feeling annoyed.
"Wow.. You're totally serious. I can't believe this.. Yes, actually his concerts are fantastic, they're breathtaking actually. A majority of people who go to them faint as soon as the man steps onto the stage. His aura is really that powerful."
"Oh haha, as if someone would really faint just at the sight of someone. We're all people."
"No, Jackson isn't just a person. He's not as ordinary as you're trying to make him sound. The girls that go to his shows faint so often, that they actually have four or five tents to put them in until they wake up and I'm talking no shit to you." He says seriously. This is ridiculous.
"Are you shitting me?"
"I'm serious. Go ask anyone who has a life."
"Excuse me? I have a life!" I yell, starting to really get peeved.
"Yeah, breathe, eat, drink, basketball, sleep. Admit it man, you live a damn routine." I sighed, he has a point.
"Alright, that's true. But I do have a life, I just don't really care about music." I replied honestly.
"Okay the game is going to start in roughly a minute, so hurry up and do what you need to do: WIN. THIS. GAME." He says, yelling on the last part.
I nod, run to my teammates to talk about the plan and someone asks something that just about makes me lose it.
"Did you hear about the prize?!? An MJ concert ticket, I am so psyched!"
"Yeah we have to win this freaking game or I swear.."
"That's awesome and all but we all know who's going to get the backstage pass to meet him."
They all turned to look at me, and I simply gave them the look. The look that says 'shut up and concentrate on the game, this is a basketball game not a casual chat in the locker rooms'. They caught my drift and nodded. We covered the plans, and the rest of the game went smoothly. We won by a long-shot, and it was time to announce the V.I.P., and to be honest I wish it wasn't me because I'm sure it would make someone else's day to meet this Michael Jackson guy when to me it's just yet another thing I have to add to my to-do list. The speakers static and screech a little before they make the announcement.