it is elegant
Elegant? No, certainly not. Most inelegant actually. Which is why I feel robbed the moment Aomine gets past me with the ball. His moves are unpredictable and sharp, as if he can't decide on a direction to go in. He's good, great actually, but rough around the edges; which is how I get the ball back only moments later.
I'm well aware that we've been at it long enough to attract attention. At first it was merely Riko dragging Momoi to watch our game – I don't understand that friendship. The girls stand off to the side, heads bowed while Momoi scribbles in a small hand book and Riko makes extravagant gestures with her hands. Next to arrive, surprisingly, is Akashi. It occurs to me then, while the crimson-haired boy watches us critically that Ahomine is playing a little rougher, that he's more aggressive in stealing the ball away from me.
If Ace-sama's reaction to Akashi watching surprises me, then Midorima's sudden presence really makes me raise a brow. Ahomine is no longer playing as if this is merely a friendly basketball match between class mates; he's trying to annihilate me. He's showing off, for the rainbow nation.
I would snort if my competitive side didn't kick in. Ahomine wanted to look better than me in front of his friends; fine, I'd give him a damn hard time doing it.
Our score keeps jumping from 2-3 to 5-3 and so on to 12-13 and 14-13 once again. Neither of us are winning, but that's okay, as long as the baboon doesn't win I'll be more than happy for a tie. At least that's how I feel until the moment I spot Midorima's raven friend cheering happily next to an impassive artist and a brunette who seems to be avoiding Akashi.
Kuroko… my mind supplies a million-in-one reasons for me to crush Aomine in that barest second it takes me to think the artist's name. For some reason I'm no longer content for a tie, I'm going to win.
But our scores don't budge; the baboon seems as intent to win as I do. The numbers climb as our audience grows. Junpei-sensei had left some ten minutes ago, claiming that class was over and he had better things to do than watch 'two thick skulled idiots' fight to the death'. But the teacher's sudden absence did nothing to dissuade students from piling into the gym, choosing sides and cheering.
The ball brushes my fingers, echoing a dull thud against the floor.
"Kagami-kun!"
"Dai-chan!"
My breath stalls, the ball grazes my fingers. Ahomine is in the way. I jump, but so does him. Only I'm a little higher. The ball leaves my hand, flies through the air.
A smile twitches at my lips as feet land back on the ground. Out the corner of my eye I can see the barest of smiles gracing Kuroko's mouth.
Score: 52-50