Staunch fan

Author: Silhouette

Email address: silhouette_panther@msn.com

Web:

http://www.silhouette.cjb.net

http://www.thunderstormsenru.cjb.net

Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply.

Chapter 6 – Part I

"Moshi moshi."

"Rukawa? This is Sendoh here."

"Hn."

"Just want to tell you that Eri's playing against Shoyo High Girls' team tomorrow, you want to come?"

"…Okay."

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Eriko pulled on the armband slowly and fixed it in place. It was her favorite item as it was a gift from her father on her thirteenth birthday. Scattered footsteps heard told her of someone's presence.

"Hi Eri!" The tall boy winked and patted her shoulder, "Goodluck!"

"Thanks, Akira! Oh, Kaede! You are here too! I'm so honored," She smiled at both boys, "I think you better go and find yourselves a seat soon, there'll be tons of people in a few minutes time."

"Hai, so we'll go now. You put in your best, okay?" Sendoh patted her shoulder again before leaving.

Rukawa lingered for a while, and looked into her eyes, "Ganbatte."

He left.

Eriko stared at the two tall figures moving out and smiled to herself. These two boys are really great guys.

"Eriko! You are so lucky!" Her teammate, Mitsuko came up to her.

"Yeah! You know these two hunks so well, even Rukawa encouraged you!" That was Nanami.

Eriko smiled at her friends, they were very considerate people, and did not join in the crazy gossiping all over the school about the basketball 'threesome'.

"Well, guess I am, they are superb people." She fixed her hair in place with triple elastic bands and four black pins, "C'mon gals, we'll beat Shoyo beautifully today. Shall we say…lead by 20?" She grinned cheerfully.

"Right you there! Go Ryonan!" The captain, Mayumi, yelled at the top of her voice, "We'll show 'em!"

"Yeah! Go Ryonan!" The rest of the team chorused.

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The situation of the game was getting intense, by far, Eriko had scored 30 points alone and was doing her job as point guard very well, and Ryonan is now leading by 25 points.

"Mitsuko!" She hissed, flinging the ball at the brown-haired girl who caught the ball deftly and did a lay-up.

"Yosh!" The Ryonan girls jumped up screaming, "5 more minutes to winning the game!"

The Shoyo girls were very anxious. One of them managed to score, and the whole stadium rocked with the ferocious thumping of the empty bottles by the massive cheerleading team, this time occupied by girls in green. Sendoh personally thought that they looked like Christmas trees.

Rukawa said nothing.

Meanwhile, Eriko caught the ball and raced towards the hoop. The only thing left in her vision, was the ultimate goal and that was – to win. A Shoyo girl who was taller than her got in the way, and Eriko suddenly smiled.

"This is for both of you, Akira and Kaede." She muttered, bewildering the opponent, as she took a neat step back and shot a three-pointer. The Ryonan side of the stadium thundered with stampings of fans and supporters alike, and Akira found himself yelling, "WAY TO GO ERI!!!!!!!!!"

Rukawa…he actually applauded.

Eriko turned round to face the spectators and found them. She winked and gave them a thumbs-up. Many people turned round to stare at the two handsome basketball players. Schoolmates nodded 'understandingly'.

There was only one minute left, and the Shoyo girls could clearly see that they are definitely losing, but they were still very much into the game, never giving up – each second. Nanami caught the ball and dribbled it furiously to the other end of the court, and was intensely cornered by three opponents. She yelled, "Eriko!" and threw the ball to Eriko, who was waiting. Eriko prepared herself for a lay-up shot when the Shoyo Center jumped up and swiped at the ball brutally, and her flinging arm hit Eriko right in the face – and missed the ball. The ball went in, scoring a two-point. The fans were about to cheer when they realized that something was wrong. Eriko was kneeling facedown, her hands grasping her head in agony. It was at this moment the referee blew the whistle long and hard. The game was over. Ryonan won.

"Oh shit, Eri!!!!!!!" Sendoh cried out, and ran off towards the staircase leading towards the main floor. Rukawa stayed to see what happened and he realized that in her attempt to avoid the blow dealt by the opponent, Eriko had fallen head on, onto the ground.

/Shit, it must hurt like hell. /

He didn't know why, but he found himself worrying for her.

A shrill voice behind him shrieked, "That injured player, she's Eriko Watanabe? That slut?"

"Yeah, serves her right for being so bloated and bitchy."

Rukawa turned and stared at the people who had spoke, icily.

"Say that again." He muttered venomously, icy blue eyes boring deep into the two girls'. Usually, they would have swooned and fainted if Rukawa even spoke or looked at them, but presently, they were quaking with fear. He looked like he was going to kill someone.

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"Eri!" Sendoh dashed into the changing room, a few girls shrieked at the sudden intrusion and struggled for towels to cover their semi-undressed forms. But Sendoh noticed none of them and he only saw Eriko, clutching her head in pain. From the veins that showed on her temples and her pale, paper-white face, he knew that she was actually pressing back the urge to scream in pain.

"Oh god, Eri," He ran over to her and held her hands tight, while the paramedics went about bandaging her bleeding head, "Oh god." Tears were running down her face uncontrollably.

At this moment he wished that the person who had been injured were he. She was so much in pain…

When the paramedics nodded to show that they are done with the bandaging, Sendoh picked Eriko up in his arms and ran out, "Hold on, Eri, just hold on." God, god, god, please don't let her have any internal concussions in the brains.

He had heard of people who died or became vegetables after such concussions.

The ambulance was already awaiting and he followed her. Sendoh sat beside Eriko, who was gritting her teeth in pain and her hands were grasping the side rails of the stretcher, knuckles turning white.

She went limp.

"Eri! ERI!!!!!!!!!!" Sendoh cried painfully, and was restrained by the gesture from the paramedics.

"She just fainted, but her pulse is all right," The man assured him, "Don't worry, we'll save her. You are her boyfriend?"

"…No, just her best friend." Sendoh smiled tiredly, holding Eriko's hand.

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[Author's note: This….well…..I was typing and this just came out, and something really happened to Eriko, as I promised Fen. Oh, please don't flame me for that. Don't worry, Eriko won't die, I still have to depend on her for two more chapters with three parts each.]