A/N: Here's chapter fourteen and I decided to take a little break from football and build some character interactions with this chapter. Please review and tell me what you think. Once again I want to give thanks to DaveTheWordsmith and KODfreak for reviewing and giving great feedback, everyone you should check out their works because there is some great stuff there if you haven't already, especially "Choices" a great fic by DaveTheWordsmith. So here is the first interactive part of the story. I'm giving my readers the chance to name the play Jason and Riley used to hurt Kyle and Rex. Send your names for the play in a review and I will use the best one.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Boondocks, Aaron McGruder and Sony Pictures does.
Chapter 14 – The Beach Part 1
The week drifted by slowly without much practice time since they had yet to find a field. The day after they found out their field was useless Wuncler sent over a construction team to rebuild the field. The 360 by 160 feet rectangle that was once covered in green turf and white lines was now a giant hole as the field construction team went about re-levelling it. There was no way it would be done in time for them to get some practices in before their next game on the following Saturday though.
Without a field to practice on Huey had to continually think of new and inventive ways to squeeze in practices, from running laps in Meadowlark Memorial Park, to small defensive drills in his backyard. Today though it was Saturday and they did not have school so Huey had some special training planned for the team.
Already showered and dressed, Huey re-entered his and Riley's room a little after 7:30. His thug of a brother was still sleeping as he expected. Over the course of the week Huey had found out what his brother had done at George Bush High School and while inside he admitted running Kyle up the flag pole was funny he never said anything out loud, there was no need to encourage that kind of behaviour in Riley, Ed and Rummy. After such a humiliating event, Huey figured Kyle would try to retaliate, but so far they had seen neither hide nor hair of the defeated quarterback so Huey had to assume he was plotting something, but without knowing what that was, he decided to simply go on with his life and confront it when it came.
"Riley wake up we have somewhere to be today," Huey shook his brother as he passed. It was kind of mean to wake Riley this early in the morning on the one day he got to sleep in, but the team would be arriving soon for the team meeting he had called and Riley would be mad if he was not ready when Cindy arrived because she would have some embarrassing words for him.
"What?" Riley mumbled still half asleep.
"I said get up Cindy will be here soon. You want her to see you like this," Huey said motioning to the fact that Riley was wearing nothing but his boxers.
"Cindy...What?" he side when it finally registered in his head. He still had not lived down that incident with Gangstalicious six years ago and he did not need to add anymore fuel to the fire that was Cindy's insults.
Riley ran out of the room heading for the shower random clothes he had pulled of the clean pile on the floor beside his bed waving behind him.
Huey laid down on his bed looking up at the ceiling fan as it went about in its continuous circular motion. It reminded him of how he felt about their field situation. Every time he thought he found a good place to practice something went wrong and he was left at square one. So far their only option was really Meadowlark Memorial Park but as the weather was changing from summer to winter the people of Woodcrest were trying to squeeze as much time in the park as they could and there was rarely anywhere to practice. It especially did not help that the last week had been uncommonly warm for late October. Rather than October it felt like August. The park was good for conditioning training and he had to admit since the field had been destroyed and all they could do was conditioning his team was in a lot better shape than they were during their first game, fatigue would not be an issue in their next one.
Riley returned several minutes later fully dressed in a long white shirt and baggy black jeans. "Why are we havin' a team meetin' so god damn early nigga?" he grumbled flopping back down on his bed and pulling out his PSP from his nightstand.
"I have a special practice planned for today," Huey said.
"More conditioning," Riley grumbled.
"A special kind of conditioning Riley. We can't have everyone collapsing by the third quarter like last game," Huey said. "If we can't hold a full practice we'll have to work on what we can."
The door bell rang then and Granddad who was already down stairs shouted up to them. "Boys get the door."
"But ya already down dere," Riley shouted back.
"Get the damn door boy or I'll give you my belt," Granddad shouted back and Riley jumped out of his bed running to the door taking the stairs this time.
Behind him Huey followed slowly so by the time he got downstairs Riley was already inviting Jazmine and Caesar in. Behind them still getting out of their cars parked on the side of the road were Cindy and Hiro.
"Where's J?" Huey asked the bus should have arrived by now.
A motorcycle engine roared outside and an orange and black Yamaha peeled around the corner of the street. It came to a stop on the street outside the Freeman house. On the Yamaha was a tall man dressed in orange and black leathers and helmet to match the bike.
"Yo," Jason said taking off his helmet, his usual cocky smirk a full smile.
"Should you be riding that?" Huey asked with a raised eyebrow.
"The doctor cleared my last night," Jason said sliding his helmet onto the handle bars of his bike. "I'm pretty much fine now I just can't take part in physical drills yet. I've even stopped taking my medication and can sleep in my own bed. I guess I'm just a fast healer it seems."
"Dat's good to hear cuz I ain't gonna beat no beaten down nigga," Riley said with a smile offering his rival a fist bump. "Now we can see whose better, nigga."
"We already know whose better, me being healthy isn't going to change the fact that I'm the greatest," Jason said accepting the bump.
"You can prove that next Saturday," Huey cut in. "Until then we have a meeting to hold."
"About what?" Caesar asked. "Why did you tell us to bring these?" He held up his swim trunks. Normally he would expect a trip to the beach but with Huey who knew what they were going to.
"Today's practice."
"So ya found a field?" Cindy asked.
"Nah babe he didn't find a field," Jason said. As the only one Huey had told about his weekend plans, he was the only one who knew what was coming. All the time the two had spent trying to find a new field and the fact that his injuries had kept him off the field and on the sidelines with Huey who was busy running practices had strengthened their once tentative friendship and now when Huey had a football problem he went to the import. After all there was a reason Wuncler had imported him.
"We're going to the beach," Huey said much to the liking of his team. With the surprisingly nice weather the beach would have been a great idea that was until Huey added, "For conditioning practice on the sand."
"Ah nigga what da hell," Riley grumbled.
"You can play after we finish practice," Huey relented. "If you can still stand at the end. Let's go Riley" Huey said hoping into the driver seat of his Mustang. "I don't have enough seats for everyone so two of you are going to have to take another car.
"I'll take my bike. It's the first day I can actually use it and I'm not going to leave it in a driveway again."
"I'll go wit' you JJ," Cindy said. "I always wanted to ride a motorcycle, but my parents said it wuz too dangerous."
"Lucky I have a spare babe," Jason said tossing the red and black helmet he had hanging off the back side of his bike to Cindy. He grabbed his own helmet and got on the bike, kicking up the kickstand and stabilizing the bike with his foot.
"Cool," She said putting the helmet on. She hoped on the bike behind Jason and wrapped her arms around his stomach as Jason revved the engine and peeled into a U-turn before speeding off down the street toward the beach on the outskirts of the community.
As Huey started his own car and pulled out of the driveway Riley sat in the back with Hiro and Caesar fuming. "I can't believe she just went off wit' dat nigga," Riley grumbled folding his arms over his chest and staring out the side of the car.
"I think someone is jealous," Jazmine laughed.
"Over a white girl with a white boy at that," Caesar chimed in.
"Leave the boy guys. He just got his girl jacked by a white boy on a bike," Hiro could not help himself.
"Niggas shut da fuck up," Riley cussed shrinking further into his seat. "She ain't my gurl. She's just one of ma niggas. She wants a white boy she can have a white boy."
"Keep telling yourself that Riley," Caesar said narrowly avoiding a punch from Riley who had reached across Hiro to try and it him.
Jason and Cindy were the first ones to the beach not having to wait in traffic like Huey's much larger car. Putting down the kickstand, Jason slid off the motorcycle and put his helmet back on the handle bars. Behind him Cindy did the same.
"Looks like we're here first," Cindy said pulling off her shirt and shorts to reveal a light blue two piece swimsuit, with the top half covered by a short sleeve under armour shirt. "I assumed we'd be doin' some kind a practice and I don't wantta be floppin' everywhere.'
"We should relax before Huey gets here. He's going to run us till we drop once he does," Jason said unzipping his leather jacket and pants under which he was only wearing red and white swim trunks with a maple leaf on his pant leg. "With all that traffic they could be a while."
"So let's do somethin' while we wait," Cindy said going over to a small hut on the edge of the beach and getting a basketball.
"Nah I'm just too good for you, babe," Jason smirked shaking his head.
"Den you won't mind a bit of a wager JJ," Cindy challenged putting a hand on her hip and spinning the ball on her finger.
"What do you have in mind babe?" Jason said his interested peeked.
"Well ya say ya are better now so how about some one on one?" she said looking at the vacant basketball court in the middle of the sandy beach. The rims had chain mesh and the backboards were a little beat up. Since the beach was outside of Woodcrest, Wuncler did not care about its up keep and left it to the city who did not put fixing the equipment on the beach very high on their to do list. "Da loser does whatever da winner says for a day of deir choosing. So what do ya say JJ?"
"Alright, just don't cry when I beat you," Jason accepted never one to refuse of challenge. The wager did not matter, only the bragging rights that came with winning, especially when it was her sport of choice.
"First to eleven," Cindy said checking the ball. "They should be here by then."
"Let's go babe," Jason returned the ball and went on the defence.
Cindy turned her back to him dribbling the ball with her left hand. She faked right hanging the ball out before quickly bringing it back in to the left, but Jason did not fall for it. Instead he slipped is hand around her while she was bringing the ball back and smacked it out of her hands. Cindy stood there stunned while Jason scooted around her to grab the ball.
"How?" she said as Jason came back dribbling the ball through is legs.
"I'm a naturally gifted athlete babe. Football is not the only sport I play, just the one Wuncler was paying me to play," Jason bragged dribbling the ball behind his back. Suddenly he brought the ball around on his off side and blew past Cindy who was trying to guess which side he would bring the ball around. Once he was around Cindy his explosive first steps made it near impossible for Cindy to catch up. Approaching the basket with Cindy trying to catch up Jason did a simple finger roll for the first point of the game. "Be it football, basketball, hockey, or soccer I'm the greatest."
"We'll see about that," Cindy said accepting the check from Jason again. She rushed forward before suddenly stopping and jumping back for a fade away just before the half line. The ball did a perfect arc ending in a clanking of chains for a swish. "I can shoot from anywhere in front of half court."
"I can see that," Jason said accepting the check this time and when he Cindy went to guard him he went back to dribbling behind his back, but this time rather than bouncing it to his other hand for a wraparound he put all his strength into the bounce and sent the ball high over his head toward the basket. Cindy tried to jump to get the ball but it was at its peak when it passed over her head. Jason having already calculated the trajectory of the ball took off around the jumping girl to grab the ball as it was coming down. He took the ball straight to the basket and with two powerful steps jumped the rest of the distance slamming the ball through the hoop before dropping and holding on to the metal rim for a second in imitation of Riley's typical touchdown celebration. "I'm just too good." He dropped back to the ground and checked the ball to Cindy.
"So ya can jump, but can ya shoot," Cindy replied pushing Jason back to the three point line before faking a pivot to her left and jumping up for the easy shot as Jason went for the fake. "Yeah son. Dat's what I'm talkin' 'bout."
"Talk is cheap," Jason said a wide smile on his face. She was good he had to admit that, it would be a challenge to win this one, something he was not used to.
Jason advanced and Cindy gave him ground until the three point line. He tried to fake right and pivot left, but Cindy with her experience was one step ahead of him. While he faked right she followed just enough to make him think she had fallen for it and when he jumped p for the shot she was right there. The ball did not get far out of his hands before Cindy made her move and with a powerful slap she knocked the back behind him.
"Oh rejected dawg," she taunted before chasing after the ball. She recovered the ball before it went out of bounds and took it back to half. She rounded the line and came in on a slant and Jason went to stop her, but she pivoted inward and cut back across the court before Jason could react.
Any normal person would have been left in her dust, but Jason's explosive first step got him back in Cindy's face as she went up for a layup. Unfortunately for him, she was got the ball off just in time getting just over the leaping Jason's fingers.
"Can't stop dis now babe," Cindy said giving Jason his own smirk. "Ya can stop wit' the babe thing too, I ain't no one's babe."
Jason just smirked and worked his way into the key and got a hook shot in using his height to get the ball over Cindy's outstretched arms. "Babe."
Cindy replied with actions instead of words and drained two more after stealing the ball from him again.
Jason got the ball back again and came in cautious this time taking his time trying to find a hole in Cindy's guard. When he could not find one he decided to change things up. With a quick burst of speed he took a step toward Cindy and then a step back and to the side. His speed beat Cindy and he found a narrow opening under Cindy's arm which she had thrown out when he went to the side. With some force he pushed the ball under her arm and pushed by Cindy to catch up with it. Getting the ball he did a simple layup. "Five to four. I'm catching up."
"Ya can try but ya won't," Cindy said taking the ball to the outside of the key and threw up a simple bank shot over Jason.
Jason responded with a bank shot of his own and Cindy restored her two point lead with another fade away. "You're good I'll admit that, but I'm just better," Jason said using his strength to push through Cindy and slam the ball through the hope. "Pure talent will always beat experience Cindy."
"Maybe but talent and experience are unbeatable," she countered with another half court shot. "Nothin' but air. Whatcha got left?"
Jason took the ball to the basket again but before he could get his shot Cindy snatched the ball away from him and with her unique laugh took it back to half court trying to lengthen her lead. She tried another half court shot, but Jason was ready and smashed the ball out of her hands as she went up for the shot.
"See this," Jason said taking a jump shot from beyond half court. The ball sailed perfectly through the air and into the basket without even the clank of the chains.
"Oh so ya can shoot," Cindy laughed before taking the ball straight down the centre hoping to blow past Jason, but Jason reached out as she was passing and swatted the ball out of her hands.
"And I can play defence," he said taking the ball back and then mirroring her early move cut in on a slant out toward the boundary line before pivoting on his back foot and cutting in toward centre. Not expecting the sudden movement Cindy like Jason had done before fell for the first move and Jason took the easy bank shot to tie up the game. "Looks like it's all tied up again. We can end this anytime you're ready."
"I ain't quitting just cuz you caught up," Cindy said bouncing the ball with her knees. When Jason came toward her she changed back to her hands, she could not use such a dribble to get past Jason, but she wanted to show confidence. When Jason came in close to try and swat the ball, she bounced it around him and went the other way. Once around Jason who pivoted on his front foot followed.
Knowing she could not out run Jason Cindy grabbed the ball and tossed it at the backboard. It was a blind shot but she hit the right spot and it banked in to restore her lead. She sunk two more baskets while Jason managed to get only one after missing a shot off the backboard and the back of the rim.
"One more point," Cindy said as Jason returned her check. "If I win your mine for a whole day."
"I don't lose," Jason growled. He was no longer worried about the simple bet; he just did not want to lose.
"Oh yeah," Cindy said dribbling the ball through her legs and then behind her back like Jason had done at the beginning of the match.
Jason set up his guard knowing he had to find away to get the ball off Cindy before she took her shot because she had yet to miss and he knew she would not now. Cindy wrapped the ball around to her left hand and pushed forward backing Jason up. Both were panting know as the physical and mental exertion was taking its toll. They had been in almost constant motion for over twenty minutes at least win football they got small breaks between each play to regain their breath.
Cindy tried to go around him but Jason blocked her and she responded by trying to pivot back to the other side. Jason was not fooled but as she went one of braid ponytails came and smacked him in the face, stunning him slightly for a split second, but a split second was all Cindy needed and she got around him.
Jason chased after pushing his legs to catch up before Cindy got close enough for a sure shot. Cindy saw him coming from the corner of her eye and at his speed he would catch up to her before she could get her layup off and he would block the ball. Instead of driving the basket she held up and cut off to the outside of the key for the easy bank shot. Jason sled a little on the sand that had blown on the court from the beach and gave Cindy the opening she needed, she released a simple jump shot for the bank shot.
In desperation not to lose, Jason bunched the muscles in his legs as Cindy set up for her shot and after the ball was released he released the pressure jumping forward in the air toward the ball. He reached out with his hands to knock the ball away but it was too high to get a full hand on it. He did get his finger tips on it though, just enough to knock it slightly off course.
Jason and Cindy watched the ball both hoping for the complete opposite thing. Jason hoped his small interference was enough to knock the ball off its intended course so it would miss while Cindy hoped that Jason's last ditch effort had not been enough. The ball hit the backboard and angled in toward the basket. It hit the far side of the rim and fell through the chains.
"Yeah who's da greatest now!" Cindy cheered giving him the loser sign against her forehead.
"Alright I'll admit you got me this time. You're good, but I'll win next time," Jason said leaning over on his knees and then dropping to the sand covered asphalt court.
Cindy fell down next to him as Huey finally brought his Mustang up beside Jason's bike. "Looks like we were right. Eleven was da right number."
"What took you so long?" Jason called holding up his hand to wave at the newcomers. "We've been waiting for like half an hour."
"Traffic was a bitch," Caesar said.
"What da fuck are dem niggas doing?" Riley asked angrily seeing the two lying on the court almost head beside head.
Jason jumped up to his feet and pulled Cindy up to her feet by her outstretched and waiting hand.
"What were you doing?" Jazmine asked with a smile as they converged on the court.
"Just playin' some b-ball to pass da time," Cindy said as they made their way onto the near empty beach. "Don't forget what you owe?" She said back to Jason who as standing beside the seething Riley and Caesar who was trying to hold in his laughter while he watched Riley silently bugging out.
"I won't I always pay what I owe," Jason replied.
"What does he owe?" Jazmine asked with a playful smile.
"Dat's between us for now," Cindy replied throwing Jason an evil smile.
Beside him Riley curled his hands into fists and stared daggers at his rival his face screwed up in a mask of anger.
What is going to happen between Riley and Jason know that jealousy has been introduced to their rivalry? What does Huey have planned for the gang at the beach? With the win when will Cindy call in what she won and what will she ask for?
A/N: I do not know much about the small intricacies of basketball so please excuse any inaccuracies and such, my man sports are hockey and football thus the fic being a football fic. I would have used football still but I felt a break was needed from it and basketball would be a good sport for the Jason and Cindy to compete in since it is Cindy's sport in the show.