Author's Note: I am sorry for taking almost another year to get another chapter out for you guys and even after the series is done, but something keeps making me come back to the story. I love a great story and I believe in this one being great. I just hope you guys enjoy this epic with me. Because by the end I will get you guys believing in this epic of a story. Enjoy the next chapter!

Chapter 15

Freddie awoke the next morning from his restless slumber. He wished that he could say that he had to remember what caused his unrest but he knew all too well the reason he only got four hours of sleep. Tonight was the first time that he would be able to put his training to use.

He'd be lying if he told you he wasn't nervous… He'd be lying if he told you he was simply nervous.

Freddie was terrified. However, there were some benefits to restless sleep. While his mind was racing he figured that, while he would definitely lose to Sam, that didn't mean that he had to come out of the meeting empty handed.

He woke up, showered, and went to meet Gibby at the gym for his morning workout.

"So let me get this straight," Gibby said incredulously as he threw his clothing into his gym locker, "You challenged Sam to a game of One-on-One?" Freddie slammed his locker shut and heaved a sigh, realizing how ridiculous it sounded. Gibby Continued, "Wasn't she a High School All-American?"

"Trust me Gib, I know." Freddie responded as he ran a frustrated hand through his hair, "I just got caught up in the moment." Gibby raised an eyebrow, but remained silent, "In any case, it's too late now. So I figured I could tape the game and use it to try to improve."

"and you want me to film it?" Gib said, seeing where the conversation was headed.

Freddie simply nodded, before adding, "but I need you to be discrete about it."

Gibby frowned confused, "Why?"

Freddie shrugged, "You ever see those videos of gorillas attacking the cameras when they're being provoked?"

Gibby audibly gulped as he experienced flashbacks to his high school interactions with Sam, "Good point."

Freddie nodded his head as they left the locker room, "How do I keep letting her get me into situations like these." Freddie exclaimed to no one in particular.

Gibby, having heard the statement, shrugged, "Maybe you like her."

Freddie stopped as his friend continued into the gym. He dismissed the notion before following after Gibby. Gibby made a mental note that Freddie never denied it.


The way that things were going for Freddie in this game of 21 was surprising. He was actually kind of keeping up with Sam.

Somewhat.

He even made some shots. They were mostly mid-ranged towards the rim, but he was accurate. He was getting better. But Freddie was learning from this game, that he still had a long way to go.

Her athleticism was giving him issues and even as he tried his hardest to stay close to her when she had the ball, she showed why Division I schools, at one point, kept banging on her front door.

Sam showed her spin-move as she wanted to go to the basket. Freddie was taken aback the first few times, but he held on; surprising, even himself. He recovered and back pedaled and met her at the rim.

However, Sam had more than one trick up her sleeve. Sam showed an okay crossover, but for Freddie, it was enough of a cross to have him on his backside on the park's concrete. He could only tilt his head back and watch as she dribbled to the basket and laid it in. He squeezed his eyes shut in frustration as he heard…

"Game point" Sam was on a roll. It was their fifth game so far, and she felt dominant in almost all of them. The first game she only allowed 4 points before she got to 21. The next game she spent crossing Fredwart over twice on route to her second 21 win. Even though he was getting closer in their third and fourth games, she was still pulling away in the end. The adrenaline coursing throughout her veins made her feel so alive. And it made her understand of the sport that she actually loved. Volleyball will most likely get her throughout college, but, the round orange ball in her hand, was something she held onto, still.

And for good reason. She was good at it. I still got it, she thought as she eyed him with the ball in her hand as she was in triple threat stance: knees bent, ball in her hands, moving as much as possible as if she were trying to hypnotize Freddie.

She took a quick step forward towards Freddie's feet, and it forced him to move his right foot back. It was just what she wanted. When she saw him take that step back she felt victory within her grasp. She started to dribble the ball. She made her move to the rim and…

The ball, was gone.

Freddie took the opportunity to have her start the dribble. He's always had quick hands and he used those quick hands to grab the ball before it came back up to her hands. He got a hold of it he took two dribbles back towards the three point line to make sure that he was clear of the line. He took his stance, kept his eyes on the target, rose up quickly before Sam could get her hands up to block and finally, that flick of the wrist. Sam could only turn and watch.

He heard that sound of the net swishing as it went in. It was like sweet music to Freddie and suddenly he felt that accomplishment of the books he read, the practices and training sessions with Gibby. In that moment, he felt more like a basketball player than he ever had. It was the best he'd felt since he started this journey, and this confounded bet with Puckett.

Sam, couldn't believe what just happened. She had it. Victory was hers. Her win was in her grasp and then… it wasn't. Some type of athleticism showed up from Benson and... She was impressed? She'd watched him practice many times before. She knew of the hard work Benson has done since this started and now, she could see real progress. However, she would have to cut him off at the knees. She was in game mode and the guy standing in front of her was her enemy. All enemies would share the same fate. Especially this one… she had to finish him off.

She retrieved the ball and threw it right at Benson's chest, "Check" She whispered menacingly while giving Freddie a leery stare. Benson started dribbling but instead of backing down, Sam decided to press Freddie. Freddie was suddenly suffocated by Sam's defense as they were body to body towards each other. Freddie was forced to dribble with his off-hand in order to keep the ball out of her reach. While they were faced up they could see the desire in each other's eyes. The burning desire of wanting to win.

Freddie makes his move to the basket. He pushes off and attempts the crossover move that Sam had attempted earlier. He drove towards the basket and went for a layup. However, his crossover wasn't nearly as effective. Sam quickly recovered, and thanks to volleyball, her improved leaping ability allowed her to rise up and slap the ball out of his hand. Fredward fell to the concrete.

Sam ran to pick up the ball. It was Freddie's bad luck that the ball had been knocked past the three point line but had not gone out of bounds. He had no time to mope over it. He quickly rose to his feet and ran at Sam as she set herself to shoot from the three point line. Freddie wasn't able to gain his footing but attempted to block her shot any way. However, when he jumped and swatted his hand… there was no ball in the air. Surprised, he took a tumble.

As Freddie found himself on the pavement once again he could only watch as Sam dribbled towards the basket and easily laid it in for a 21-13 win.

Sam raised her hands, as if she were bathing in an applause that only she could hear. "AND THAT'S GAME!" Sam's voice rang out through the air.

Benson was still laying there, tired, and yet strangely accomplished. He felt good at the progress that he made. That all that he went through physically and mentally is starting to take shape within him. Then he remembered, he lost. He saw a smiling Sam towering over him. She bent down and said. "So, mama's hungry, and I know the place for some grub!"


Sam eating, was as much of a spectacle as Sam playing basketball. To know what she can do with an all you can eat buffet stunned Freddie. Even when he knew Sam's reputation at buffets, he still sat there, eyes wide open and watched Sam scarf down numerous amounts of chicken, pasta, and other foods.

The real kicker was, that it was their second restaurant.

Seeing Sam like this was just a fascinating feat of the human body. To take so much, and still look as attractive... Wait Freddie thought, she's the enemy. I need to get that out of my head!

Sam looks up as she takes a bite of her lasagna. "What you looking at dork?"

"Sam, shouldn't you calm down on the eating? This is our second restaurant"

"I didn't have much to eat, prepping for this and working out today in practice, I was feeling it" Freddie could only nod. Sam is the type where the saying, "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse." is more than a mere analogy

But that is Sam being Sam, right?

"Well, I wanted to ask you how I played tonight, do you think I am any closer towards being on the team for next year?"

Well, that question came out of nowhere. Sam and Freddie thought when the question was put into the air.

This was the opportunity for Sam to finally stomp on Freddie's chances to win this bet and make sure those suspenders and glasses will be worn for graduation. To make sure that misery would have company once and for all.

But, she chose honesty instead.

"Look, Fredweird, you surprised me actually. Looking at where you started and where you are now… It's impressive… and you still have work to do but..." She mumbled the last part of her sentence.

"What, Sam?"

She stares right in his eyes "Maybe I can help you out."

Freddie couldn't believe his ears, Sam was willing to help him to win a bet that she started with him.

"Sam, you have to understand, being you and all." Freddie slowly got out. "That helping the person you're having the bet against, isn't exactly a thing a person would do."

"I am not exactly your normal person." Sam glared, "Thought you knew that by now!"

"Chizz" Freddie was taken aback by the offer that she put out there. To have two basketball people to help, and including one so in tune to the shooting guard position. This could help. But something keeps nagging in that mind of his, something that has him still skeptical of her sabotaging the whole project, and that meant losing the bet. He wanted to win this, Freddie was starting to gain a competitive streak within him that he liked.

"Can I get back to you on that, Sam?" Freddie says.

"Alright," Sam replies "Better make it quick Benson, mama don't like to be kept waiting."

"Okay," Freddie was relieved to be given time on this. "So are you done yet? I would like to get out of-," Freddie was cut off by Sam raising her hand

"Nope! Time for dessert!"


Freddie was walking in his dorm room pacing nervously, feeling as if either the catalyst, or the death knell to his hopes is waiting for him making that decision. But he wasn't kept thinking for very long as a heavy knock on the door came and he knew who it was.

"So, how's it look?" Freddie asked as Gibby stepped through the door way.

"I got everything and I gotta say, you tried buddy!" Gibby exclaimed as he clapped Freddie on his shoulder.

Freddie nodded, subconsciously rubbing his arm "Lets look at the tape, then"

Freddie was sitting with Gibby in front of the TV as they were watching the tape, doing a film session on what good he did and what he did poorly. For Gibby, this was more than just helping a friend. This was him wanting to do these things for a living as a coach. The learning of the game, the way he wants to interact with players, it is something he actually can see as a career.

Freddie was making great strides in his game. His shots had more flow and form. He played quick defense, (his reflexes from fencing were translating to the court, finally). However, what impressed Gibby the most, throughout, was actually Sam.

Gibby paused the video. Freddie looked over at him expectantly, "So, what do you think?" Freddie asked.

"Well," Gibby began, "You're starting to find your shot. We just have improve you range. That mid-range jumper is a very important tool to have but it's also very inefficient. We also have to teach you the jab step."

"Jab step?" Freddie inquired.

"Yeah," Gibby rewound the video, "You know that move where Sam took a sharp step towards your feet?" Freddie nodded, "That's called a jab step. It's generally used to create some space, since clearing space with your forearms could get you called for a foul."

Freddie still looked confused so Gibby played the video, "See how she took that sharp step? What did you do?"

"I took a step back."

"Right, you gave her the space she needed to make her move to the basket." Freddie nodded, "You recovered well. In fact, in that last game, your defense was pretty good. Quick hands and active feet… you were rarely caught out of position." Gibby was silent for a moment before continuing, "If you can polish your Defense and develop your 3-point shot, you're a shoe in to make the cut."

Freddie frowned, "Then how did I lose by eight points?"

"Oh, that's easy," Gibby said with a shrug, "she's better than you."

"But Gib, THAT much better?" Freddie replied incredulously.

Gibby paused the video again, "Fred, she was a high school All American. Didn't she have like four D-1 scholarship offers?" Freddie nodded, "Looking at this, she's got real potential to be a pro."

"Really?" Freddie said with genuine surprise.

Gibby threw his arms out to the side, "Dude! Sam can play, she has great defensive ability and the ability to hit almost any shot on the court. Besides her shot offensively is her handles." Freddie gathered a look of confusion again, "Her ability to handle the ball. I can see her crossing not just Division I girls, but guys as well!" Gibby pressed the back button on the controller to start the tape over again, "Makes me wonder why, in the world, she chose volleyball over basketball?"

Gibby restarted the video and began to show Freddie some of the pros and cons of his game. Freddie watched the tape and eventually came to the same conclusion as Gibby. Her shooting from was eactly the way he read in the basketball books. She had a quick release… and those ball handling skills, they were something similar to what he'd seen on the streets in New York over the summer, but it was more contained, more practiced. It was ready for the sanctioned courts.

Eventually, he was left with the same question as Gibby.

Why volleyball?

A/N: Hope you enjoyed the chapter and I am going to do what I can to get more to come!