(Fiona's POV)

"(*Opening the back door*) Thank God she left it open." I said after entering inside my apartment alone. Sometimes my mom would leave it lock because at times she would go to work leaving me outside, and I had to stay in someone's apartment like Scourge's.

I went straight to my room putting my stuff to the side before sitting on my bed. And boy, that talk I had with Coach...

"...The only reason you're mad is that you haven't been challenged by anyone until now... Those drills I instructed, I had to challenge you to see if you're up to it. That's why you're mad because you haven't been challenged by anyone until now."

Man. All this time I thought she was picking on me. But she was actually 'challenging' me. That's crazy. All I have been doin' is fuckin' up almost every drill we be doing, but really Regina was challenging me. Hey, I know for sho' Myra didn't tell me that I was gonna be challenged. Even though we be playin' one-on-one after I got my skills up.

"And I can tell you this right now. You at a stage where you want to quit. Quit playing basketball for this team... Because if you quit now, ...you're probably not gonna be doing anything when asked from some teachers or staff members... You're gonna be half-assing around in this school where you will be failing all the requirements you were assigned, all by doing things your way. Which where will lead to you dropping out of high school."

Now that I thought about it, if I wuda quit playin' for them, I would have been out in the streets. Man, Coach was right. I do not wanna be locked up again. And my mom wouldn't even give a shit because whenever I get caught, she'll just say noting to me by sayin' 'Did you learn your lesson?' That same statement after she picked me from YDC, that's all she be saying.

"In life like basketball, there are gonna be obstacles coming in your way. And 'downhill' or 'uphill' are the only two options you're gonna have to make. But the biggest slap in the face is downhill. Why? Because if you go downhill, you're gonna be nothing for the rest of your life. Like if you are living in a broken-down project homes somewhere with no food to eat with no A/C - same thing when living in a shelter, where homeless people have to sleep there for three days before exchanging more homeless citizens to get the old ones out."

And Regina was giving life lessons. Hearing all those froze me for a moment, and some of the stuff she was sayin' I get. I was mad of the part 'living in a project house', because I currently live in one. Ask my mom, Okay?

"Because outside in the real world - yes I said it, real world, everything is not fun and games with cake and ice cream included. You're not gonna get everything that you wanted, because those accolades that were listed had to be earned by yourself. Not from somebody else. And it can also be very tough out there - with you being black, that you probably already know. And listen, I don't care how tough you are, Fiona. Folks out in those streets will beat ya 'till you can't get up anymore."

Yeah Coach, I've been in plenty of fights you don't know about. So I get that. Along with not having anything special given to me.

3 Hours Later...

I took a nap since ...I don't have any homework. Looking at the time on my phone around ...9 o'clock, I grabbed my basketball (that same Spalding NBA Outdoor ball I found) and headed straight to the court to hoop. Good thing no one is hoopin' since I don't feel like playing.

(Normal POV)

10 o'clock at night is Fiona still shadow hooping by herself, working on some dribble moves she can perfect including imagining how her defender is playing resulting with some various shots and layups/dunks made.

"Lets see if I can pull off this move." Fiona said to herself.

She walks up top towards the imaginary half-court line - because Anarchy Homes' basketball court doesn't have line markers - imagining a move she saw from Alicia a while back...


Fiona and Alicia were messing around before practice would start. The two were playing one-on-one from the baseline where Alicia, having the basketball, scissor-crosses through-the-legs left and right. Fiona, on-balling her, sees her hesitating to her right as she follows her direction. However, Alicia sees that and snatch-back low-crosses to her left hand stunning Fiona.

"Gotcha!" Alicia smiled.

Fiona smirked, "Yeah. You did. Hehe." she said.

The two Lady Bandits each dapped as they continue to have fun.


"She crossed through-the-legs to her left," Fiona remembers, "then to her right. And pulls it back fast." As she reminiscing the move Alicia did to her by practicing it before pulling it off in live action.

"I got it now."

Fiona re-positions herself back to the imaginary half-court line to start off. Dribbling with her left hand walking towards the top imaginary three-point line, she scissor-crosses right to left before hesitating to her left, and snatch-back low-crosses to her right-

Oh no, she lost the handle as the ball trails out-of-bounds to the grass towards the right baseline.

Angry of that by shaking her head, Fiona went after the ball picking it up before going back to the imaginary half-court line to start over again. Doing the same thing, she dribbles with her left hand walking towards the top imaginary three-point line, she scissor-crosses right to left before hesitating to her left, and snatch-back low-crosses to her right-

Fiona lost it again. "Oh my GOOOOOOOD-UGH!" she maddened, seeing the basketball trailing to the same spot since last time.

She went after the ball again picking it up before approaching back, once again, to the imaginary half-court line to start over.

"I gotta get this right." Fiona said to herself. She dribbles with her left hand walking towards the top imaginary three-point line, she scissor-crosses right to left before hesitating to her left, and snatch-back low-crosses to her right-

Fiona lost it again, three times now. "Why do I keep LOOSING IT?! DAMN!" she angered, as the basketball went out-of-bounds to the same spot.

And once again, she went after the ball again picking it up before approaching back, once again, to the imaginary half-court line to start over. But before she would restart the dribble move, she practiced it before noticing something - getting very low and crossover to her right hand.

"I guess if I get low, it will work." Fiona said to herself.

Standing at the imaginary half-court line, Fiona re-positions herself before starting the drill. She dribbles with her left hand walking towards the top imaginary three-point line, she scissor-crosses right to left before hesitating to her left, and snatch-back low-crosses to her right hand perfectly.

"There we go." Fiona satisfied herself, "Just get low to complete it."

Before completing the crossover to her right hand, Fiona wasn't as low as she could've pulled it off. When she saw Alicia did it perfectly, Alicia being 5'4" was barely low after pulling it off. Fiona thought being slightly low would be able to perfect it, but being 5'11" was almost hard to do it for her.

...Fiona kept on practicing that move where she got it down to perfection, while also pulling off some shots off the dribble including driving to the basket finishing with either a layup or safety dunk.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(Monday, October 21)

The new week arrived Monday morning as Fiona enters inside the cafeteria as the luncheon are serving some breakfast. Eating breakfast from home, Fiona enters lunch line 2 of 2 - since line three is close every morning - where she received a ham-&-cheese bagel, small carton orange juice, and a blueberry muffing. She exits out of the line after swiping her school ID card before sitting on a chair close to an wall where she ate her breakfast.

"Aye Fiona..."

Fiona looked to her left seeing ...Coach Regina.

"You're doing alright so far?" Regina asked smiling.

"Ummm... Y-Y-Yeah?!" Fiona answered, surprised seeing Regina this early in the morning.

Regina grabs a chair from an empty table to sit next to Fiona. "You sure, sounds like you had stuff in your mind?"

Fiona sighs, "I said I'm fine Coach. Why you're sitting next to me anyway, can I just have some alone time bruh?" she said.

"I know what you said. I was just making sure are you doing okay. That's all." Regina said, then quickly remembers a plot she will admit to Fiona. "Hey listen..."

Fiona listens as Regina speaks, "The part of what I said 'living in a broke-down project home', I'm sorry about that. I, uh, ...didn't know ...you actually live ...in one."

Fiona looked at her coach with a blank face. "Really?" she said snickering, "What chu know 'bout folks livin' in the projects?"

"Is it because I'm white?" Regina imbecilically asked.

"...Wha- What?" Fiona stuttered, shocked of not seeing 'that' coming.

"You said that because me being white, what the heck do I know about black people living in the projects. Because you probably think white people like me don't care about the rugged urban environment going on, and they got no sense of character." Regina stated. "I mean, didn't you hear me played Destiny's Child a while back, where those three former members are black?!"

Well... That caught Fiona by surprise! "A'ight, ya got me Coach." she admit, giving up.

Regina smiled before changing subjects. "Now as I said earlier... I'm sorry of me saying living in a project home, not knowing the fact you live in one. However, keep this in mind, I don't know the atmosphere going on inside there between you and your parent - or parents. But if you ever need something, my office is open. Okay?"

"...O-Okay." Fiona said, seeing Regina nod before leaving her seat to monitor the cafeteria. "Hey..."

Regina turns around towards Fiona.

"What time's practice again?" she asked smirking.

Smiling realized Fiona made the right choice, "3:45. And don't be late." Regina reminded.

"A'ight." Fiona nodded.

She and Fiona departed for now as Regina resumes to monitor the cafeteria.

"RRIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNG!" the school bell ranged as class will soon began.

Just like all students/student-athletes, Fiona grabs her backpack and heads to her 1st period class.

"Hey!"

Fiona turns around towards ...Coach Regina. "Don't get in trouble as well." she informed her.

Fiona smirked and heads to class with Regina taking it.


Chapter 7

Freshman Year: Basketball Practice, III

Into the new month of November 4th, two weeks into practice Fiona was able to understand almost every defensive drill to compete in. When it comes to 'messing up', Fiona was able to take the blame, something she never thought she would do throughout these practices since joining the varsity team. She may have some defense in her raw arsenal, but these defensive drills Coach Regina came up with made it, at first, hard for her, but it turned out better.

And speaking of two weeks into practice...

"Now... Throughout these two weeks of practice we all did, you girls all adjusted of the defensive drills I've came up with and most of y'all did good." Coach Regina stated as the Lady Bandits huddled around the center-circle, "And that's okay. Because defense is very important for this team... Now, just as I promised from the first day of practice - we will now work on our offense."

The Lady Bandits all have a sign of relief of themselves, as they finally get the chance to show their offensive reputare.

"But..." Coach Regina confront, "just because I say that, doesn't mean I won't be surprised by y'all talent. Because the defense will take place throughout this process... Now then, Team Black will be: Alicia, Buns and Rosy, and Team Orange will be: Fiona, Brianna, and LaShana."

With some reversing colored jerseys, the six players - three each separately - walked to the half-court Coach Regina pointed towards with the five remaining Lady Bandits stepping to the sideline.

"Now this assignment is very simple," Coach Regina instructed, "a three-on-three pickup drill to six. The three-point line count as twos and inside it are ones. Me and Colin will referee some fouls, travels, and out-of-bounds markers. Shoot for first ball."

Coach Regina tosses the ball towards Rosy as she receives it and approaches to the top of the three-point line. She takes three dribbles before shooting with her right dominant hand ...and makes it - as Team Black will get the ball first.

Two teams each choose who they're gonna guard: Alicia and Fiona (most likely), Rosy and LaShana, and Buns and Brianna. Rosy will be inbounding from the half-court line marker as she inbounds the ball to Alicia, as this drill begins...

At the right side of the half-court is where Alicia received the basketball before dribbling towards Fiona at the right outside wing. She peeked left seeing Buns coming to set the pick on Fiona's right. Dribbling with her right hand, Alicia slowly crosses left to the pick as Fiona sees that and goes underneath the pick. Alicia dribbles to the top three-point line with Fiona on-balling towards her along with good pick-&-roll defense played out; she in-&-outs towards Fiona to the left before hard-crossing to her right. Alicia picked up her dribble and shoots with Fiona contesting ...and missed.

The ball rattles off the left side of the rim as Brianna gets the rebound before passing it out to Fiona. Fiona receives the basketball and carefully - aware Alicia's defensive prowess - dribbles out to the top three-point line.

Fiona, with Alicia on-balling three feet away, scans around half-court until seeing Brianna posting up Buns inside the paint. She lobs the ball to Brianna as she receives it.

After catching the basketball, Brianna immediately pivots to her left and jump-hooks shooting from her left hand; Buns contest with her two hands as Brianna's hook shot ...goes in.

Team Black 0, Team Orange 1

Fiona received the ball back from Buns as she approaches to the half-court line as the inbounder, before inbounding it to LaShana.

At the middle of the half-court is where LaShana received the basketball as she dribbles upward towards the top three-point line. With Rosy on-balling three feet away while dribbling with her left hand, LaShana hesitates to her left and attacks to the basket. However, Rosy - being a lock-down perimeter defender - defended her direction stopping LaShana's dribble-drive. LaShana picked up her dribble and pump-fakes, but no avail from Rosy as she turns around passing the ball out to Fiona.

At the top three-point line is where Fiona received the ball with Alicia on-balling three feet away. But later saw LaShana posting up Rosy at the left block as Fiona lobs the ball back to her.

LaShana received the ball and immediately attack the basket inside the paint. Rosy and Buns came inside there to sandwiched LaShana as she immediately passes it out to Brianna-

Alicia picks it off and attacks to the paint attempting a right-handed floater ...and scores.

"How did she know where the ball was goin'?" Fiona asked herself, amazed of Alicia's defensive awareness.

Nice awareness by Alicia. At times whenever a player gambles on a steal, they leave their man open - like what Alicia did to Fiona. But Alicia was able to get the steal, and the rest was history.

Team Black 1, Team Orange 1

Alicia received the basketball from Buns before going to the half-court line to be the inbounder. She inbounds the ball to Buns at the right side of the court. Buns receives it before passing the ball back to Alicia after stepping inbounds.

At the middle of the half-court is where Alicia is at with Fiona on-balling three feet away. She later motions Buns to set a pick on Fiona's left side.

"Pick left. Pick left." Brianna warned Fiona, letting her know.

In the triple-threat position, Alicia sees Fiona paralleling to her left where Buns set the pick, and Brianna three feet behind Buns. Alicia triple-threats by jab-stepping with her right foot towards Fiona but no avail recognizing Fiona and Brianna are lurking. So Alicia left-hand dribbles towards Rosy and passes the ball to her.

At the left wing outside the perimeter is where Rosy received the ball with LaShana on-balling three feet away. But momentarily, she saw Alicia cutting to the basket with Fiona following, as Rosy immediately passes it to her. Alicia catches the ball inside the paint, pump-fakes getting Fiona air-borne, ducks under taking a dribble, and scores with a right-hand layup.

Team Black 2, Team Orange 1

Now here's how Alicia slashed to the basket... After giving the ball up to Rosy, Alicia acted of going to set a pick on LaShana, which fooled Fiona from that scenario. Alicia cuts to the basket with Rosy seeing that, and the rest was history. Good communication from Alicia and Rosy as Fiona will soon get her defensive awareness upgraded in the time being.

...Alicia throws the ball to Buns as she walks up to the half-court line to be the inbounder. She inbounds it to Rosy where she gave it to Alicia.

At the middle of the half-court is where Alicia has the ball with Fiona on-balling four feet. Alicia later recognizes Fiona slowly stepping up as she waited while low-dribbling with her left hand.

Alicia sees her coming centimeters closer. 'Got her.' she thought. Still low-dribbling with her left hand, she throws the ball underneath Fiona's legs-

"Nope!" Fiona shouted, as she deflected it with her left arm and easily comes up with the basketball.

Dribbling with her left hand, Fiona attacks to the basket. However, Alicia on-ball defends her direction, but Fiona counters that going behind her back to her right still attacking to the basket. Fiona feels Alicia's defensive presence from her left as she lowers her left shoulder towards Alicia's chest before going up with her right hand floating the ball towards the rim ...and scores.

'My goodness.' Alicia thought, 'Always be shoving people!' Suggesting that Fiona at times shoving the defender while driving to the basket.

Team Black 2, Team Orange 2

Fiona grabs the basketball she scored with and tosses it to her teammate LaShana. LaShana approaches to the half-court line inbounding the basketball to Fiona before later giving the ball back to LaShana.

With Fiona (and Alicia) going to the far left corner and Brianna (and Buns) going towards the left free-throw line elbow, LaShana is at the middle of the half-court line with Rosy on-balling four feet away. She motions Brianna to set a pick on Rosy's left side with Buns letting her know. Dribbling with her left hand, LaShana dribbles to her right hand before going to the pick. Seeing her going towards the right baseline, Buns picked up LaShana on-balling three feet apart, as LaShana sees the switched and immediately attacks towards Buns. Buns on-ball defends on LaShana's left hip towards the right corner, but LaShana got off on her on-ball awareness as she attacks to the basket.

Seeing Alicia zonig to the paint with Rosy coming to the paint, LaShana passes the ball out to Fiona at the left outside wing. Fiona receives the basketball and immediately attacks to the basket. Rosy steps in towards Fiona; Fiona goes up towards Rosy making her fall on her back before finger-rolling the ball to the hoop-

(*Whistle blued*) Coach Regina blued the whistle, ...and called an offensive foul on Fiona.

"Offensive foul?! How?!" Fiona disbelief, plus knowing the definition of that foul.

"You want me to say it? Because I can explain it to you right now?" Regina asks.

Fiona didn't answer since she doesn't wanna discuss that call. Plus Fiona understands the difference of that call thanks to Coach Regina doing a drill of it.

The score is still: Team Black 2, Team Orange 2.

Buns grabs the basketball before walking towards the half-court line to be the inbounder. She inbounds the ball to Alicia.

At the left side of the half-court is where Alicia received the ball before passing it out to Buns. With Alicia (and Fiona) going towards the left baseline, Buns received the basketball before dribbling towards the top three-point line with Brianna on-balling five feet away - knowing Buns is not a three-point threat from there.

Alicia sprints towards Buns as she hands the ball to Alicia. Alicia receives the ball with Buns screening Fiona, as Alicia triple-threats spinning to her left before attacking to the basket. However, Brianna cuts off her path to the paint, but Alicia counters that by stopping at the left middle neutral zone attempting a jump-shot-

Block from behind by Fiona! The ball trails to the left sideline where Fiona recovers the basketball. Outside the left three-point line, Fiona peeked at Alicia coming as she pump fakes before she triple-threats by ripping-through to her right getting past her. Fiona dribbles inside the perimeter, pulls up and shoots, ...and makes it.

Team Black 2, Team Orange 3

"Man... She sure can play defense." Alicia said to herself, talking about Fiona's hustle block. Including the fact of witnessing Fiona stepping up her game throughout this practice.

...Fiona grabs the basketball she scored with before passing it out to LaShana where she will be the inbounder. After approaching the half-court line marker, LaShana inbounds the ball to Fiona.

At the right side of the half-court is where Fiona received the basketball while having her back turned on Alicia, recognizing she's on her right hip. Seeing LaShana move to the left outside wing, Fiona faced-up on Alicia while in her triple-threat position seeing now three feet of space. She dribbles with her left hand seeing Alicia on-balling parallel to her right as Fiona hesitates to her left and low-crosses to her left. Fiona quickly peeked at Alicia and attacks towards the right sideline. However, Alicia on-ball defends Fiona-

And picks her pocket before retrieving the basketball preventing from going out-of-bounds towards the sideline. And is able to maintain her balance by staying inbounds.

After maintaining her balance, Alicia immediately attacks to the basket dribbling with her left hand. Fiona on-ball defends on her left hip, as Alicia dribbles towards the free-throw line, steps back to her left and pump-fakes after picking up her dribble. Saw three feet of space towards Fiona as she shoots with Fiona contesting, ...and missed.

The ball bounced off the left side of the rim, then the backboard before falling as Fiona chases to the ball getting the rebound- No, Alicia out-hustle her and gets the rebound! Inside the paint underneath the left side of the backboard, Alicia hard-dribbles towards Fiona's chest, goes up with her left hand with Fiona missing the block.

The basketball floats towards the backboard's top square ...and into the rim's cylinder for the bucket.

Team Black 3, Team Orange 3

"Get up, Freshman! Get up!" Alicia shouted at Fiona's face.

"Shut up, bitch!" Fiona maddened before pushing her.

And immediately, Coach Regina and the four Lady Bandits stepped in preventing a scuffle with the rest of the Lady Warriors stepping in-bounds. Rosy and Buns held the calmed Alicia with LaShana and Brianna held the fiery Fiona as the scuffle between the those two were stopped.

"Alright then..." Coach Regina spoke, "Alicia, Fiona. Step towards separate sidelines. Right now."

Alicia did as told, but Fiona, however...

"I didn't do nothin' Coach?!" she complained.

"Shut your damn mouth, and go to the sidelines!" Regina instructed.

"But-"

"Shut the hell up, and go over there!"

With Alicia did as told without complaining, Fiona walked to the right sideline area before sitting on the bleachers.

Seeing Alicia and Fiona did as told (except with Alicia not arguing), "Alaina you're in for Alicia, and Alexis you're in for Fiona." Coach Regina called out.

The two girls came in as Coach Regina looked at the two rebels from different sidelines. "You two over there, will remain there until this practice is over." she stated.

"Fine with me." Alicia said.

"Pfff... Whatever." Fiona said, shaking her head. "I still didn't do anything." shrugging her shoulders afterwords.

...The three-on-three drill was completed with Team Black winning 6, to Team Orange's 4. And throughout practice Coach Regina did a four-on-four scrimmage full court playing offense, and man-to-man defense, since - excluding Fiona and Alicia - she doesn't have enough players to sub out.

"Now our practice has been testy today." Coach Regina explained as her ten Lady Bandits (including Alicia and Fiona) formed a huddle around the center-circle, "However, just like how Alicia and Fiona encountered, I don't wanna see none of the fighting from anyone of y'all. I don't care if it's in school, the neighborhood, or whatever. Get away from when BS takes place! And also, by the time y'all get to the locker room, I have the schedules inside my office of the teams we are playing against this 2013-14 season. Bring it in."

The Lady Bandits all raised their hands up as Coach Regina speaks. "Alicia, Fiona. Y'all two stay here. No questions ask, including you Fiona."

"... ... ... ..." Fiona kept her mouth shut

"Lady Bandits on three." Regina sounded off, "One, two, three-"

"LADY BANDITS!"

The eight Lady Bandits walked out of the gym and onto the locker room where they individually pack up their stuff while checking their belongings before exiting out of the locker room where they each got the schedules out of Coach Regina's office.

Rosy and Buns were the last two players to leave the locker room after getting the schedules.

Rosy asks, "Hey Buns. (*Buns listens*) Do you think it's a mistake adding that freshman, Fiona, to the team?"

Buns thinks about it before stating, "I don't know... Why, is it because that Fiona girl is crazy?"

"Hmph! Yeah." Rosy without question answered.

The two entered outside the back of the school waiting on their rides to come.

"She got some game, don't get me wrong." Rosy continues, "It's just that she's, ...well, ...mentally crazy I think."

"I agree." Buns said, "But keep in mind, she is a freshman. She'll get over it soon."

"Yeah. Hopefully."


(Back inside the gymnasium...)

-Earlier with the Moebius Bandits boys basketball team entering the gym...

"Alicia, Fiona. Go get a basketball out of the ball bag, and report to the right sideline." Coach Regina instructed.

Fiona was about to inquire but Alicia, after eye-balling at her, stepped in.

"Just do it. Trust me." she said.

Doing so, Fiona followed Alicia going to the basketball ball bag each bringing out the 28.5-inch Spalding TF-1000 Legacy basketball before approaching to the right sideline.

Coach Regina stepped in, "Now, each one of you will shoot fifty free-throws for the scuffle y'all two were in."

"But-" Fiona came in.

"Shut up!" Regina fired at Fiona, seeing her sighed with her eyes rolled. Regina didn't take offense to her reaction as she continues, "Like I said, fifty free-throws. Misses per attempt won't count. Get to your stations."

Alicia reports to the far sideline with Coach Snively to assist her, with Regina staying with Fiona.

The two got set and started their free-throws.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Alicia made 24 free-throws and counting as Fiona only has made ...14, struggling to keep consistent on these free-throws. But is really flabbergasted of doing this because she still didn't think she cause the scuffle - even though she did by pushing Alicia after provoking towards her face.

Coach Regina grabs a missed free-throw from Fiona. "Fiona. You're not gonna get out of here unless you make fifty of these." she said before passing the ball to her.

Fiona receives the basketball, "But why I'm doing this?!" she said after shooting the free-throw, making it with 15 total. "Alicia started it! Not me!"

"But guess what?" Regina passed the ball to her, "You retaliated. As that resulted in you doing this."

Fiona receives the basketball before shooting it, ...and making it again - totaling to 16.

"And I don't care if your parent comes in this gym and starts yelling at me of you doing this." Regina addressed, "You are completing this drill. Like it or not." before passing the ball back to Fiona.

...Alicia, making now 33 free-throws, peeked to the area Fiona and Regina are at seeing her struggling - most likely on purpose, much to her perspective. "Come on, Fiona." she said to herself before shooting her free-throw, ended up making it - totaling it to 34.

...Still pissed off at this drill, Fiona shuts up and made twenty-four more free-throws. Alicia, after finishing her personal drill, approaches to Fiona's side watching her shoot with Coach Snively heading home. Fiona missed six straight and is starting to get upset about it. "Ughhhhhhhhhh! This stupid driiiill!"

"Come on Fiona. You can do it." Alicia cheered.

Fiona, after receiving the ball from her coach, eye-balled at her confused of what she said.

"I'm serious! You can do it! Finish it out." Alicia cheered with a smile.

'Weird?!' Fiona thought, 'I got angry at her, and now ...she's praisin' me or somethin'?"

Fiona finished the drill with fifty free-throws made. It took her long after being pissed for doing this, but she got it over with it and was able to finish it out. Fiona went to the locker room where she packed and double-checked her belongings before leaving the locker room.

"Did you get the schedule out from my office?" Coach Regina asked Fiona.

"Yeah I did." she said, showing it to her.

Knowing Alicia has a ride home, Regina followed Fiona outside to the back of the school with dusk settling in through the skies.

"Where the hell have you been?!" yelled an individual Fiona knows well. Take a guess!

"Great. My mom's here." Fiona uttered to herself

Yep. It's her mother, Hannah.

Regina noticed Fiona's uttered voice but lets it slide as she steps in towards Hannah. "Allow me to explain... Misses Darcell, am I right?" she inquired.

"Miss." Hannah corrected.

"Thank you..." Regina explains, "Your daughter caused a scuffle with one of my players during our drill. The player she pushed was okay, and Fiona, however, didn't think she caused it. So I made her and the other one do fifty free-throws after practice. End of story."

Hannah understood. "Fiona come here." she instructed to her daughter.

(A/N: WARNING! What you are about to read may cause a disturbing imagination or remembrance.)

Fiona quietly sighs as she approached to her mother face-to-face.

"*SMACK*!"

As Hannah slaps her daughter hard on the left cheek. And Regina had a front-row seat seeing that, making her mouth slightly open in shock.

"You stupid-ass bitch! Can't do shit right, nor solve anything! Wasteful-ass bitch! Get your dumb-ass in the goddamn car! I can't believe you! Fuck-ass child!"

Fiona, feeling some aggravating pain on her left cheek, peeked at her coach seeing her shock. With Regina seeing Fiona angrily frown.

"Bitch! I said get in the fuckin' car! Now! I'm already late for work 'cause of your stupid-ass!" Hannah instructed.

Not thinking twice, Fiona got inside the car sitting in the backseat instead the passenger side. As Hannah droves off.

Dumbfounded of what she witnessed, Regina walked to her car with her hands tightly balled into fists before entering inside the vehicle. She took some deep, deep breaths to calm herself down while also fighting back some tears. Yes, she was about to cry witnessing what happened. "Fiona." she said to herself while angering, "(*Sighs, sighs*) I hope ...you survive. But at the end of the day, you are playing basketball for me."

Regina got herself straighten out before driving back home.

End of Chapter 7


First off, sorry about the hiatus I was, and currently, in. I was doing some personal stuff I myself at times had to do. And I'm still doing it as of today. Now for my concluding Author's Note...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Well, here is chapter 7 of A Help on Defense.

Excluding the practice Fiona had, I hope I didn't make you individual readers out there grimaced, nor remembrance, of what Hannah did to Fiona. Because I don't wanna receive negative reviews of it, unless you expressed your personal story from it. Which I will read, take and understand regardless.

But anyway, leave a comment in the review section of how this chapter went.

Until then, SelfMadeHooper is out. (*Thinking*) ...Actually, read my post scriptum/postscript (A.K.A. "PS" if you never know what that stands for).


PS: As for Teammates Forever, it's a possibility that I may put that story on hold. Why you may ask (for those who followed/favorited the story)? Like I explained earlier, I have some personal stuff to take care where I must achieve my goals (look at my profile to know).

However, in my spare time I will not forget to make new chapters, while also correcting some flaws I made on some chapters as well, both on this story and Teammates Forever. Because as a basketball guy myself, I want to bring in some detailed content you guys seemed interested in.

And one last thing. If you have a Facebook account, add me as a friend that way you readers (who have a Facebook account, of course) will get some updates on my progress, while also other stuff added. My Facebook name is the same as my pen-name (titled: "Self Made Hooper") here on this website.

Be easy y'all.