Chapter 7
The basketball flew up to the rim and bounced away.
Dang. I could've sworn that would go in. The ball flew straight back at me.
I walked up and gently snatched it out of the air. I held it in my hands like a baby and spoke to it as it was my child. You'll go in the hoop for me, won't ya son?
My feet skid as they passed the free-throw line. I got into position and threw my child to the 10-foot high steel pole.
*swish*
Nothing but net. He made daddy proud.
The basketball coach said that I should aim for about a 70% free-throw rate or more, and I got 28 shots in. So, I'm doing great if I shot under… uh…
Oh no! Math! My worst enemy!
Oh well, I'll just get someone else to defeat it for me. I gotta make sure to remember this. Hmm, I made 28 shots out of…
A number didn't appear in my head. Huh. Just how many times did I shoot?
Let's see, at the start of practice, I know I did amazing. When I started, I hit 5 out of 5 shots in a row!
And then, I missed the next shot. Then, I made the shot after that and counted six.
Whoops.
Aw man. I totally forgot to count the shots I missed. I'm probably doing great though, I could barely remember missing! Heck, I'm sure I didn't miss more than the number of fingers I had!
Would having more fingers make me better at basketball? Dah, not the point! Figure out your free-throw rate!
Let's say I missed ten times,
…carry the two, change the three, swap the lines…
that would mean I have a fraction.
If I really thought about it, the times I missed were because of things that were totally out of my control. There were sudden typhoon that only shifted basketballs two feet to the right or giant bird that snatched the ball away like pterodactyls, so if I don't count the acts of god and nature that messed me up, I had a 100% free-throw rate!
Perfect! Kel does it again with his perfect deduction skills! Get him a detective hat and one of those fancy pipes!
I chuckled.
Yeah right. I'm not that delusional. There's still lots I gotta practice before I can call myself good.
If math, nature, and god have all failed me, all that was left was the last resort! Reset everything to zero, and try again!
I picked up my child from the bottom of the hoop and went back to the free-throw line. I dribbled it twice, all the basketball players do that for some reason, and got into my shooting stance.
I held the ball steady with one hand and pushed it with the other and watched the ball soar.
The ball hit the backboard, but bounced off to the left. Miss.
Bad start, but that means I'll hit the next one!
The ball wobbled on the rim, but eventually fell out. Miss.
That's just me being unlucky. C'mon, get your head in the game and focus.
The ball rattled the backboard and not much else. Miss.
…
The ball didn't even touch the backboard or the rim. Miss.
Zero out of four.
Wow! That was awful! If that happened in a real game, I'd probably get booed off the court and kicked off the team. Haha! Hilarious!
I took a deep breath.
Keep your head up Kel! You can't let this get you down! You never let anything get you down! Not even that time when you tripped and dropped your birthday cake on the floor! You just ate the half that didn't touch the floor! You're unstoppable!
There's still time to get better. You have a lot more free time now, so you can practice and get good. Failure doesn't bother you. You've failed all the time, so you know how to roll with it!
But that voice… it still nagged in the back of my head, like a piece of gum stuck in my hair.
It said the same thing everyone didn't say to me, but I knew they all thought it.
It's what Aubrey put into words and I couldn't forgive her for that.
I guess it all started that summer. That summer, a miracle occurred. The miracle called puberty kicked in. It kicked in hard! It kicked down my door and smashed me through the window!
Like in one of my comic books, I sprouted an entire foot! Many tests and experiments were done with help from my dad! He didn't really do much, but he was the perfect measuring stick! He stood exactly six feet so all I had to do was measure myself next to him until I was taller! I did that everyday that summer, but when the last day of summer ran around, my height still lost to dad. That's fine, I still had room to grow.
Even if I wasn't six feet tall, my new height made me awesome! Everytime I played basketball, my movement, shooting, and dribbling were like a hurricane! Heck, I could almost dunk!
And people noticed! When I went to the park, the guys at the basketball court invited me to play with them, and I made some quick friends through that.
I made new friends, and I had to see my old friends off.
Basil moved away for his grandma, and Hero and Mari went to the same college together.
Man, when Hero revealed that he was going to the same college as Mari, everyone got so shocked, especially Mari!
Hero was ready to pursue his dreams, and he wasn't going to be a doctor or a lawyer.
Mom really pushed back hard on that decision.
A few months before Hero made his college decision, he and Mom waged a war. The two of them did some super sneaky things to "subliminally influence" each other. I didn't even know that was a thing until Hero told me!
Mom left those super sad commercials on the TV and mumbled about if only someone would help them. I couldn't even change the channel, if I did, I'd feel terrible.
Hero did that kind of sneaky stuff too! He started making breakfast for Mom and Dad, and made super fancy stuff like breakfast burritos and fancy salads. They were just soooooo goooood! Way better than what Mom makes! Though she won't ever hear me say it. Hopefully.
Dad made sure Sally didn't have to witness the sneakiness.
But eventually, the day for Hero to decide what college he'll go to came. There was no more room for sneakiness, so Mom got direct. She didn't truly have a say in what college Hero chose for his future, but Hero is way too Hero to disappoint Mom and Dad without making them understand why.
I saw the three of them were in the kitchen and they all had faces I had never seen before. Well, never seen on Hero. I knew Mom's face, it's the one she uses when she yells at me. Dad too, but he doesn't get mad as much. But that was the first time I saw all three of them angry like that!
As the little brother, it's my duty to eavesdrop on important family decisions! Because I'm an honorable little bro, I pressed my ear against the wall in the living room! It made me feel like a secret spy in a movie, so I loaded and got my finger-guns into position if I needed to make a get-away.
Well, I probably didn't even need to eavesdrop, they were yelling over each other and I'm pretty sure our neighbors overheard everything too. At the very least, the door to Sally's room was shut, so Sally didn't wake up the entire time they fought.
And fight they did.
"It's because this is what I want to do! It's been my dream to cook for so long!" I've never heard Hero scream before.
"That's no career! You can't pay the bills and mortgages on smiles, Henry! Get a serious career and secure your future!" Ah, Mom used Hero's actual name.
"Cooking is serious! People need food no matter what! Why can't you accept that!"
"I'm concerned about your future! Your scholarships and accomplishments in high school mean so much more when you're 18 and not 25! You have so much more time when you're older, so leave cooking for later!
"But, that's not what I want to do! I don't want to waste years of my life studying something I can't put my heart into! This is my dream Mom!"
They argued in circles for what felt like hours.
It didn't help that Hero had actually gotten an offer from a cooking school.
There was no end to the argument in sight. They were dead-even. I remember Mari taught me a chess-term about that. Uhhh, right! Milk-crate! The two of them were in a milk-crate! That doesn't really make sense. Chess is weird and milk is nasty!
The milk-crate showed no signs of breaking. So Dad stepped in, cleared his throat, and gave it his best shot.
"Hero, let me ask you, if you did have a career as a chef, in ten years, what would a perfect day of that be like?"
"He'll been stuck in a dead-en—"
"Let him say what he thinks dear."
"Well," Hero took a deep breath and closed his eyes, "I'd wake up early in the morning to prepare the dough and baked goods. Afterwards, then the smell of coffee would envelop the cafe when I turn on the coffee machines. At that point, the cafe would be open and I'd serve everyone who comes in with a smile, and they'll smile back. As the customers start coming in, I'd sit around and chat with them. A bit of conversation with their meals and they'll be smiling the whole time."
"Tha—"
"Let him finish."
"Then, later on in the day, the lunch shift would come and I'd have an entire system set-up to manage it quickly and effectively. After that's over, my friends would come over and help out or hang around and tell me all about their day."
That sounded pretty great! I gotta make sure to be there. I can already imagine all the food I'll be able to mooch off! And it'd be free! Food always tastes better when its free!
"Don't take this the wrong way Henry, but do you really need to go to a cooking school to open a cafe?"
"Yes! It'll let me get better at cooking, so that I can guarentee that everyone who eats my food will eat it with a smile on their face. At the very least, I want to work towards my dreams right now."
"Well, your lambchops are delicious…" Wrong thing to say Dad, I didn't even need to see Mom's face to know that she was giving him the look.
"Paul!" That's two for two on first names now. I kind of wanted to poke my head out now, y'know, to complete the whole set. Though, getting in trouble right now would be pretty bad. Mom's already super mad, so I might just get grounded out of nowhere…
"I know, I know, but… Henry's serious about this. Being a chef definitely isn't the most secure occupation, I can say that much, but he really wants it."
"That's not an argument! The world doesn't care if you 'want' it! It chews up the mediocre and spits them out!"
"Henry is more than mediocre-"
"I know that! He can be more than just a chef! He shouldn't just squander off his potential!"
"But that's his mistake to make, isn't it? I know you're worried for Hero, but you said it yourself, Hero can be more. And I want you to give him a little trust he can be more than just a chef. "
"But Henry, I think you're letting your dreams cloud what it really means to be a professional."
"How?"
"I kind of knew this was coming, so I asked a couple of chefs around town to see what culinary school and their jobs are like."
"What did they say?"
"They said the work is exhausting, they work for long hours, and the pay is quite awful if you aren't a head chef. Can your arms even handle that Hero?"
"I don't know, but I'm still going to try."
"You should, if you really want to be a chef. But there's still a lot of things that can go wrong, so let's compromise."
"What do you mean?"
"Henry. I'm not telling you to go to medical and become a doctor, but I'm also worried about you becoming a chef. When I spoke to those chefs today about their jobs, their eyes were dead. They may have had a passion for cooking at some point, but it's all faded after years of life grinding down on them."
"…"
"And well, the clincher was when I asked them about how much they got paid. If you tried to make a living on that salary, you'd probably have to work for a decade or two before you could really set up your own shop."
Hero's eyes drifted down to his feet.
"You want to open your own cafe right?" Hero nodded. "Alright. When you open up this cafe of yours, I'll help pay for part of it."
"Really?!"
"On one condition though, If you go to a business school and study all there is about
"Is that really okay? That's a lot of money and I know you want to retire soon…"
"Hey, it's just an investment. If you're as good as you say you are, you'll make it big and give it back twofold, won't ya?"
"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" Hero hugged Dad. Dad patted Hero's back.
But what did Mom think? I glanced over to her and Hero did as well.
She didn't look angry, in fact, her lips were puckered and her eyes were squinted. I don't know what that could mean. Maybe she went into a super anger form, where she can't even show her anger on her face…
"Fine," Mom sighed, "I can't force you to be a doctor, and I guess understanding business would be a good enough back-up plan."
Hero let go of Dad, and latched onto Mom. Mom hugged back.
"Heck, you could even study at the same college of that girl you like." Nudged Dad.
"Hwuh?"
"What? Didn't think I'd notice? You two gush over each other like your mom and I used to!" Oh no! I'm being mentally attacked! The images in my brain, they're so disgusting! This kind of attack should be banned!
"Dad!" Hero's covered his red face with his hands.
Mom laughed, and the glint in her eye meant she was ready to tease Hero for hours as well. If I wanted to, I could bail out Hero by entering the kitchen to get food. If I wanted to.
I went upstairs.
It's great that Dad stepped in and solved the fight between Mom and Hero. That was probably the first time Hero got his way in something. I felt proud, Hero finally stepped up for something he wanted. He could do anything he set his mind to, because he's not mediocre.
The mediocre, huh...
I saw Hero and Mari off with a hug as Dad drove the two to the airport.
It was lonely without them, we all spent so many years together, but I didn't mind. I knew I'd see them again soon! Their jaws will drop when they come back and see me shine! It made me giddy with excitement. A bunch of people on the basketball team told me I had crazy amounts of potential and I should try out for the team!
So then school started, and I gotta be honest, the first few months went on like normal. I sat with Sunny and Aubrey during lunch, dozed off in class, and played sports afterschool and during gym. Except this time we didn't all have the same classes. Thinking about it, it was probably a miracle that we all shared the same classes last year.
But I had a goal now.
Everyday after school, I would be on the park or playground, honing my mad skillz and getting gud. Sometimes, a couple of basketball players would practice with me and invite me to hang out during lunch we we're done.
Sunny and Aubrey didn't want to help me get gud. I invited them to practice with me and all, but Aubrey preferred hitting things with a big stick (Baseball) and Sunny liked moving about as much as a rock.
I mean, I still hung out with them at lunch, so what's there to be sad about?
That's how the days went. I sat around with Aubrey and Sunny, went to class, slept in class, practiced basketball, and then went home.
As the days passed, the guys at the basketball team kept inviting me to eat lunch with them. I always felt kind of bad for always refusing them, and well, ti couldn't hurt to just eat with them just once.
I just had to tell Sunny and Aubrey about it.
That was a mistake.
When I told the two, Sunny nodded, but Aubrey's seat rattled as she stood up.
"You're ditching us!"
Sheesh, talk about an overreaction. I'm just having lunch with some other people.
"Why though?!"
They invited me, so I was going to sit with them. I don't see what the problem is.
"Just turn them down!"
But I'd feel bad. They invite me all the time and I keep saying no. They're still kind of my friends, so I should hang out with them every once in a while.
"You barely even know them!"
I know enough that I want to hang out with them. They played basketball with me all over the summer!
"Oh wow, look at you. You play 'basketball' now." Aubrey air-quoted basketball with her fingers, "So, now you're too good for us then."
I scrunched up my nose. That's not what I was trying to say at all. What's wrong with Aubrey today!
"Nothing. It's you!"
Is this just about basketball?! What could be wrong with that! She doesn't even play it, so what the heck would she know!
"It's a stupid and pointless game!"
So what! I like playing it, that should be all that matters! Doesn't she know how everyone says I could make the team!
"Yeah, sure you are."
I will! Just watch me!
", and you're going to screw it up at some point."
No I'm not! How could I possibly screw up
"I've known you long enough that I know you will! You screw everything up at some point Kel!"
Those words were like a heavy punch to my guts. My head was burning. My cheeks flushed as my eyes stung. My throat hitched while my fists clenched.
Then I said something I shouldn't have.
I don't remember what happened after that. I know I screamed and yelled, and someone eventually pulled us away before anything happened, but the day was a blur from then on.
And now I'm here.
The basketball bounced away from me slowly. No matter how many times I went through it in my head, I could only come to one conclusion. Aubrey started it, so it's her fault.
For all those things she said, for the way she made me feel, I will ignore her until she says sorry.
And that meant avoiding her… and Sunny.
Sunny. I didn't know how to feel about him. He was there when we fought, and he hid away. I don't think I could blame him, but I really wished he would've taken my side.
He didn't say anything, and that said everything.
He probably thinks the same things everyone else thinks. That I'm just plain old Kel with nothing special or interesting. Someone who is too stupid to realize when he's screwing something up.
It felt like a curse.
When people don't expect anything of you, they treat you differently. Because they don't expect anything from you, they talk down to you, and even if you do something a little better than usual, even though you tried so hard, they brush it off like it wasn't a big deal.
I can't even say it's not true. I've tried so many different things, to find something I could be better than everyone else in, but I just kept falling short and could never get far.
Mom and Dad don't even seem interested in my future, and they seem fine to just let me do whatever I want.
Not even they thought I had something unique.
I know Mom and Dad don't really mean anything by it, but the way they treat Hero, the way they think so much of him, it's annoying that they don't do any of that to me.
But I'm going to prove I'm special in my own way too.
There has to be one thing! One magical thing that only I could do that would make me special. And I think that it's basketball, nothing else has ever clicked like basketball for me.
Some people can do everything, and they make it look so easy. Frankly, I'm jealous, but I know they worked hard for it, I've seen Hero go through that very process so many times. They didn't start off like that, so they had to put in a lot of work to get to the point where they were.
Which just meant that I need to put that same amount of work in basketball to escape being 'average' and to become awesome. Though I wish I could've started earlier.
But back then, I was fine being normal and kinda dumb. But I need something for my future, something that will make me special instead of being the .
I still don't even know if I would play basketball as a career for the future.
But I'm going to prove I'm special in my own way too.
I can change. I even drink milk now! Even if I have to mix it with a stupid amount of strawberry powder. I'll break six feet in height yet!
And I'm going to prove everyone wrong. I know I will be someone absolutely great, the days of screwing things up are no more.
Try-outs are in six weeks.
I shot and I missed.
That's fine.
I just need to get better.