Disclaimer: I don't own Slam Dunk and any of its characters.
Author's notes: Thanks to all who reviewed.
The next day Alexa woke up rubbing her eyes. She groaned as her sister repetitively knocked at her door. "ALEX!" Keri yelled frustrated. "I'm up." Alexa muttered opening the bathroom door and got dressed. Her sister pulled her out the door walking energetically. They were nearing the basketball court where Keri met Rukawa. Keri let go of Alexa's hand and walked faster towards the court.
All color drained from Alexa's face as she saw the court, watching transfixed as Keri waited impatiently for her. "Alex…Hurry up, I want you to meet someone." Keri had her arms on her hips. In the distance, Alexa faintly heard the sound of their bell ringing. "Ker…I have to go now or I'll be late." Alexa said gently recovering herself. "But!!…" Keri protested. "Maybe next time I'll be ready." Alexa said apologetically. "Okay." Keri said softly as her sister walked passed her. Keri sighed and walked inside the basketball court herself. "Hello?" she called out. Rukawa turned to look at her and nodded slightly. Keri walked to the benches and sat sighing under her breath.
Rukawa walked towards her, Keri glanced up at him. "Aren't you in supposed to be in school?" Rukawa asked in monotone. Keri nodded her head. "I decided that I'm not feeling well, so I'm excused." Keri spoke rebelliously as though daring him to scold her for not going to class. Instead Rukawa nodded and turned back to court and continued to play. Keri continued to watch him play her mind thinking rapidly on how to help her sister out. After awhile Rukawa approached her again, "I'm leaving now, do you want to come along?" Rukawa asked. Keri nodded her head.
"Rukawa sempai why aren't you at your school?" Keri asked glancing at him. "Suspended." Rukawa mumbled. "Oh." Keri said her eyes wide. "Where are we going then?" Keri asked curiously walking in step with him. Rukawa shrugged indicating that he too doesn't know. "OH" Keri said again. They walked in silence; Rukawa glanced at the little girl beside him. "She reminded him so much of his own little sister." He thought. They passed by an ice cream stand and Keri stopped. "Do you want to eat?" Ruakawa asked. Keri nodded happily. "I want strawberry!" Keri said to the vendor. The vendor smiled at her enthusiasm. Keri was busy eating it already as Rukawa paid for it.
"Thank you!" Keri said, as she was halfway done. Rukawa smiled ever so faintly. "You like the same flavor as her." Rukawa said softly. "Her?" Keri asked alarmed. "What if he already has a girl friend? I didn't think of that." Keri thought frowning. "My sister." Rukawa replied his voice distant. "Really? Where is she? Maybe we can play together." Keri said excitedly. Rukawa shrugged again. "She's somewhere with mother I guess." Rukawa spoke. "Where?" Keri asked interested. "In the States." He answered her as they continued to walk. "So when is she coming back?" Keri asked again. Rukawa paused and looked at her. "She's not going to come back anymore." He responded quietly. "Oh." Keri murmured shutting her mouth.
~In the afternoon just as the sun was setting~
Rukawa checked his watch, "Isn't it time for you to go home yet?" He asked her. They spent the entire morning walking and in the afternoon they went back to the court and Rukawa played again. "YUP!" Keri chirped standing up from the bench. Rukawa changed his clothes and brought Keri home.
"Keri where have you been?" Alexa asked alarmed about her sister's whereabouts. "Sorry." Keri said bowing exaggeratedly. Alexa frowned and but then broke into a smile. She turned her attention to the person who brought her sister home. "Rukawa-san." She said surprised. "You weren't at school today." Alexa stated. Rukawa shrugged not answering her. "He was suspended." Keri butted in. "Oh?" Alexa looked down at her little sister. Before Alexa could say anything.
"Alex I'm hungry!." Keri whined. Alexa sighed. "Thank you so much for bringing my sister home." Alexa said gratefully. "You can thank him better if you invite him to dinner." Keri said loudly beside her. "Would you like to join us for dinner?" she asked politely. "Of course he would, c'mon." Keri said airily grabbing Rukawa's hand and dragging him inside. "Fix us something great Alex!" Keri said as she led him to their backyard.
After a few minutes Alexa walked out and found her sister spent and sweaty sleeping noisily at Rukawa's lap and Rukawa leaning at the wall sleeping too. Alexa smiled at the sight. She noticed the basketball lying on the ground and picked it up trying to put it back to the box where they put all their outdoor stuff together. But as soon as she got hold of it, she dribbled it unconsciously and soon she was running across the court doing a beautiful shot. Keri waked up first and watched in fascination as she remembered a time when her sister played much more beautifully, before they even came to Japan. Soon Rukawa was awake too.
Alexa noticed them out of the corner of her eye and dropped the ball, "Did I wake you up?" Alexa asked smiling. Keri frowned as her sister stopped playing. Rukawa stood up and walked over to her "Let's play." He commanded. Alexa nodded wordless. Alexa got the ball first and as soon as she started to run, Rukawa stole the ball from her and made a point. For the first part of the game, Alexa lost miserably with the score 10-16 in Rukawa's favor "What's wrong?" Rukawa asked as she was guarding him. "You could do better." He taunted and eluded her. Alexa cursed under her breath. They stopped for a moment as Alexa drank from a glass of water.
As she was drinking she watched the setting sun in the distance, the winds rustled the trees making her hair sway. And in her eyes something flashed, a recollection and a memory, with renewed strength and determination she played and was catching up with him, the score now was 18-21. She was about to shoot a 3-pointer when their phone rang. Alexa dropped the ball and went inside. Rukawa sat beside Keri and started eating the remaining food that Keri hadn't polished off yet.
After a long time Alexa got off the phone. She went back to the backyard and saw Keri alone staring at the stars. "Rukawa-sempai has gone home now." She told her. Alexa sat beside her, "Keri what are you thinking?" Alexa asked softly. Keri didn't answer for a moment then shook her head. "Nothing." She answered quietly. "Aunt Victoria just called." Alexa said taking hold of the empty plate. "Father is getting married." Alexa continued. She looked sideways at her sister who was unusually silent and noticed the silent tears that run off on her cheeks as she kept staring up towards the skies unblinking.
"Keri?" Alexa asked tenderly taking her sister in her arms and hugging her. "Please don't cry." Alexa pleaded. "I'm just thinking about Mom, I miss her…" Keri said sadly. "Well, you're going to have a new mom now." Alexa said brightly. Keri looked at her sister for the longest time wondering if she was joking and made a face. "Dad is never here with us, I miss him too." Keri added. "Its alright, I'm still here." Alexa whispered. Alexa wiped the tears from her sister's face with the back of her hand.
"So what did Aunt Victoria say?" Keri asked. "Dad and our new step mom is going to come here in Japan next week, they're going to do the wedding here." Alexa told her. "Oh." Keri murmured. After they went inside, "Alex its Saturday tomorrow can you take me to the mall? I need some stuff for school." Keri asked as they walked upstairs to their rooms. "Alright, now go to sleep." Alexa agreed.
~At the mall~
Alexa and Keri were walking hand in hand as Keri bought a lot of stuff. "Are you sure you need all that for school?" Alexa asked skeptical. Keri nodded dynamically. They passed by the grocery section, "Hey its Rukawa-sempai!" Keri said cheerily. "Alexa gave a smile at Rukawa's direction while Keri handed all the things she was holding and skipped happily to where Rukawa was.
Alexa waited patiently and sighed with relief as Keri came back with Rukawa behind her. "Alex, Rukawa-sempai is going to join us." Keri stated grasping on to Rukawa's hand. "Keri don't bother Rukawa I'm sure he has something to do." Alexa scolded lightly. Keri pouted. "I don't mind." Rukawa said quietly. Keri broke into a smile. "See?" She said triumphantly at her sister. Alexa rolled her eyes and they got going.
"Thank you for coming with us Rukawa-san Keri enjoys your company very much, may I ask why you're here in the mall?" Alexa asked curious. "My mother is coming home unexpectedly with her new husband, I need to fix up the house." He answered in monotone. "Okay." Alexa said nodding. Alexa went to the bathroom while Rukawa and Keri were waiting for her.
When Sendoh and some other Ryonan players passed them. "Rukawa. What are you doing here?" Sendoh greeted with mild surprise. Beside him Keri was glaring at him angrily. "Keri!" Sendoh exclaimed smiling warmly. Keri was frowning and didn't answer him, her arms folded on her flat chest. Sendoh decided to play oblivious to her expression and offered her a candy. At the same time Alexa was getting out of the rest room.
"Akira." Alexa said his name painfully. "Alexa." Sendoh greeted nonchalant. Alexa forced her eyes to remain expressionless and hurried Keri and Rukawa away. Sendoh watched with jealousy as they disappeared.
Author's notes: Don't forget to review. Can you vote if you want Alexa to be paired up with Rukawa? Or will she get back together with Sendoh?