A/N: GAME TIME!
I think after her past experience, Jenna would be the perfect actress for a sports movie in the future.
Please drop a review and I'll see you next time!
The Los Angeles Youth Sports Association began at the start of August with their various pre-game tournaments.
Every participating high school competed with both their boys' and girls' sports teams, from softball to lacrosse.
Toward the end of the month, it was time for the basketball games.
Girls' teams commenced first, starting with the Northridge Vikings vs. the Whitney Otters. The Otters lost. Then it was onto the Pitney Dragons against the Burbank Tech Sharks. They put up a hell of a fight, but the Dragons emerged victorious. That was the end of the first day.
DAY TWO: The two winning teams then squared off against the Bradford Bears and the West Hollywood Tigers. Both newcomers were defeated.
It was now the third day, the final pre-season game, and it was down to the indomitable Northridge Vikings vs. the plucky Pitney Dragons.
Whispers around those following the competing schools mentioned the Dragons making quite the comeback after a disastrous year. And to add more to the story was the new captains for both teams. One was the shortest girl on her whole squad while the other was a former Dragon turned Viking. Couldn't get more dramatic for high school basketball than that.
Tambry and her team entered through the door to the gymnasium, Dragon fans on one side and Viking fans on the other.
It was easy to tell the Dragons side because it had some loud support from some oddballs from Hollywood Arts in the crowd. Mia and Alice were yelling their hearts out cheering on Jenna's old team. Lauren and Chase were close by, wearing the white and green school colors. Since the big show was around the corner, Lauren was the quieter one in the peanut gallery for fear of straining her voice.
"You guys are so cool for coming!" Jenna smiled.
Billy kissed her cheek, saying how he wouldn't miss this for anything.
"Just show up opening night and we'll call it even!" Lauren smiled.
Alice was clutching her Pitney pennant, ecstatic because she hadn't been at a school game before.
"Tell them we said good luck," nodded Mia. "And don't make those Northridge girls cry too hard."
The tall brunette blushed.
"I'd better run!" Jenna said, noticing the clock on the wall. "Gonna be starting soon!"
Chase smiled encouragingly.
"Go! Go have fun at sport."
Tambry noticed the gaggle of new friends the tall brunette had made recently and chuckled. Jenna got down to the floor and noticed Tambry's face.
"What?"
She tilted her head toward the stands.
"They seem nice," she told her.
"They ARE!" smirked Jenna. "And they would hang with you guys if you gave them a shot."
"Good to know," the team captain nodded.
"Nervous?" asked Alyssa.
The captain locked eyes with Steph across the way.
"Oh, yeah. Just keep it to yourself."
"Hey, don't let that traitor psyche you out!" Georgina huffed.
Jenna wandered down toward the benches and bumped into Coach Dickinson himself.
"Oh, shit!" she blurted out.
The grizzled man with the bushy grey mustache put his hand on his hip.
"Well, well, well, Parker. What brings you here?"
"I'm actually here to cheer on my friends."
He leaned on his walking stick.
"Tambry and the others told me what you did, training with them. Want you to know I appreciate the help."
Jenna smiled.
"It was kind of fun to get back into the fray again."
"Still Hollywood Arts?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Still Hollywood Arts," Jenna nodded.
"Still an actor?"
Jenna nodded yes.
The old man sighed and shrugged.
"Well, just wanted to be sure."
The tall girl smiled and started to walk away.
"I'll just get out of your hair."
"Well, wait a second, Parker."
She turned back.
"Huh?"
"You can sit up there and watch but...um...I really could use an assistant down here."
Usually there would be an assistant coach for a game but if one wasn't available, he would have the girls draw straws and one would get the position for that day. It was especially important this time because the Dragons had only five players. That meant they needed to be taken care of, quick with the water or ice or towels.
Jenna thought for a second and waved to her friends that she was staying down here.
"Okay, coach! Let's do this."
"Thanks," he nodded. "And Parker?"
"Yeah?"
"I might sound like a broken record, but it's good to see you again."
The girls assumed their positions, ready for the game to start.
Bethany was right across from Britt, shooting her a sour look.
"What the hell is your problem?" the girl with the nose ring sneered.
"Saw you and your teammate at the beach the other day," the redhead smirked. "Gotta say...didn't peg you for a homo but I can't say I'm surprised."
Britt before would have gone right for the throat, but she breathed with purpose and relaxed her features.
"Easy there, Northridge...green's OUR color."
"You think I'M jealous?" scoffed Bethany.
"Not my fault you're nowhere near my type," Britt shrugged.
The short Viking touched her cheek in mock intrigue and leaned in.
"Oh? And what is your type?"
Britt grinned with a wink.
"Tall, dark and gorgeous."
"Awww, babe!" blushed Jackie who was just to her right.
The redhead rolled her eyes and huffed in annoyance.
"Eyes on the prize, lovebirds!" shouted Georgina.
The ref came between them and with a blow of the whistle, released the ball into play.
Steph took possession straight away, dribbling on with a satisfied smirk. Her brood was covering her nicely, not allowing a single Dragon in giving her the room to make the first basket of the game. The ball bounced toward Alyssa, who took it and using only her eyes, signaled Jackie to get ready. Tambry had the girls rehearse tells that would ensure from even several feet away that player to player were on the same page. Jackie got the message that Alyssa was going to fake to her but in reality, she was going to assist the next shot.
SWISH!
The Dragons high-fived Alyssa as they ran down the court. They had a long way to go but respected every successful point they accumulated. The constant communication, whether strategic or for morale, ensured that the girls never forgot that they were a unit and every single one mattered.
Tambry smiled to herself.
(We got this, girls! Let's keep this up.)
Mia leaned in and whispered into Alice's ear and the girls nodded.
"LET'S GO, DRAGONS!" they shouted in unison.
WE'RE PIT-NEY!
YOU WILL SEE
BEAR WITNESS
OUR VIC-TOR-Y!
DRESSED TO IM-PRESS,
WE WON'T REST
'TIL THEY SEE OUR BEST...
Jenna's jaw dropped seeing her friends launch into the school fight song while Mia dazzled the crowd with her dance moves. She was like a one-woman cheer-leading squad. The others' clapping through the lyrics got the crowd to clap and sing along in sync to her.
"When the hell did they learn my old school's fight song?"
(Just like Gardell said, feed off the audience's energy and throw it right back at them.)
"Hey, wait a minute!"
Coach Dickinson turned to see the Northridge coach approaching him.
"What is this crap?" he asked, indicating Jenna and Mia's energetic display. "There's no cheerleaders at a pre-season game!"
Dickinson smiled and shrugged.
"You're right, but neither of those young ladies are cheerleaders. Heh, they don't even attend this school. Ain't nothing in the rule books that say a fan can't show their enthusiasm. As long as they stay in the stands and don't interfere with the game play. What do you think, ref?"
The guy in black and white nodded.
The Northridge coach grumbled and sulked back to his side of the gym.
They went on to keep up with the Vikings on the scoreboard, nearly neck and neck for half of the game.
This was all thanks to not just the plays they practiced, but the facial expressions and hand gestures to help the Dragons when they had to improvise. Whenever the Vikings gained an edge, the Dragons swooped in to even the score. They narrowed their gaze at their opponents, no more so than Steph.
(Where were these Dragons when I was on the squad? Going to make ME look like the weak link, huh? I'll show those sluts!)
Steph and Carol locked eyes and gave knowing nods. The tall blonde passed the ball to Steph when it came to her hands, and she dribbled down the court. Through the corner of her eye, she could see Alyssa gaining on her. Steph faked it to Carol but that didn't keep Alyssa's eyes off the ball. But it did function as the distraction needed for Carol to come up to Alyssa's blind spot and cause her to trip.
Alyssa landed hard on her shin, eliciting a cry of pain from the girl.
The people in the stands, particularly on the Dragons' side, stood on their feet on shock.
"TIME OUT!" shouted Dickinson.
The bell sounded, bring the game to a halt.
Alyssa winced while a snide Carol walked past her.
"Oops! That sucks."
Everyone rushed to the tall girl who was on the floor.
"Alyssa, are you okay?" asked Jenna.
"No," she grunted with tears in her eyes. "I don't know what it is, but my leg hurts really bad!"
Jenna assisted Tambry in helping her to the bench while the coach got ice.
"Oh, hell!" remarked the coach when he got a closer look.
They could all see the discoloration and swelling.
"Gaines, I'm sorry," he told Alyssa. "But you're gonna have to go to the hospital."
He was going to signal for her parents, but they were already coming. Alyssa's father helper her up so she could hop on her good leg out of the gym.
"This is terrible," huffed Dickinson. "We're down a player!"
Jenna saw how hopeless it looked. Had half the team not disbanded there would've been enough players to keep going. When she was playing, there were roughly a dozen girls so they could rotate their talent. Before, they had just enough people. Not anymore.
(That's it!)
"Coach, put me in!" offered Jenna.
He waved his hand.
"No way, Parker!"
"But if I don't play, we forfeit!" she argued.
"It doesn't matter," he sighed. "You're no longer a member of this team...hell, you're not even a student at this school anymore!"
Jenna felt bad. But he was right, the rules say an outside person can't just suit up and play.
"Then what do we do?" she asked. "Who's gonna take her place?"
"Me!"
Abby ran up to them.
"Abby?" Jenna asked, surprised.
"Yeah," she huffed. "I'm not gonna let my team get disqualified."
"But you're not on the team," Jenna pointed
Coach Dickinson walked over.
"That's not entirely accurate," he said.
They both looked at the man confused.
"I know you girls quit, but I didn't file the paperwork. Kind of holding out hope that some of you would come to your senses. Technically, you didn't officially quit."
Abby smiled.
"So, I'm still a Dragon?"
"Not yet," Jenna said, throwing a white and green uniform at her. "Not until you put this on."
"Sixty seconds!" Abby shouted, hoofing it to the locker room. "Time me!"
The tall former captain ran out and stopped at the sight of the current team captain.
"What up, Fun Size?"
Tambry just gave Abby an icy glare.
"Okay, I deserved that. Listen, I'm sorry for leaving. But I'm here now."
The shorter girl rolled her eyes and got back onto the court.
"What's the matter, Tam?" she asked, following her.
"Guess you're gonna want to be team captain again," Tambry said.
Abby looked at her.
"What? No way, I'm only playing on this team if you stay it's captain."
Tambry was surprised.
"Really?"
"Hell, yeah. Your squad's been kicking ass."
Tambry blushed.
"Well, I've had some help."
"And if you'll have me, I can be of help, too."
She hit Abby affectionately on the arm.
"Of course, I need your help! I need a fifth; I'm desperate."
Abby grinned widely and pumped her fists in the air.
"WOOO! DESPERATE! DESPERATE!"
Tambry laughed, shaking her head.
Both teams got ready at the center circle.
Steph glowered at the presence of Abby.
"Look who came crawling back!"
Abby smirked.
"Yes, yes, I took a long sabbatical but I'm back now."
"So what?" asked Steph. "Taking orders from pipsqueak over here?"
"Short jokes, really?" sighed Tambry. "Other than getting in my sun at the beach, a stack of shit this high doesn't bother me."
Steph cracked her neck.
"You wanna go, bitch?"
"Save it for the court," grinned Tambry.
"Ladies!" said the referee as he walked up. "Are we ready?"
Both captains nodded.
When the buzzer sounded, the ref threw the ball into play. Tambry in a surprising leap, smacked it away from Steph's reach and quickly passed it to Abby, who started dribbling down the court.
Tambry was in prime position to make a two-point shot but immediately became overrun with the Vikings' defense.
"TAM! HERE!"
Through the corner of her eye, she saw Jackie waving. She was open. Tambry shot the ball through the hole in the defense and Jackie had it. The muscular girl shot the ball and secured a three-point score.
"THAT'S MY GIRL!" shouted Britt,
"Thanks for the extra point!" Jackie taunted the Vikings. "But next time don't rush one of us. Just stand back and let me cook!"
Carol flipped the bird and mouthed "dirty fuckin' dyke." That invited a whistle blow from the ref, and a signal for her to hit the bench. The Northridge coach turned pale from embarrassment from the technical foul. He sulked as he picked a girl to go in her place.
Tambry looked at Jackie, concerned. There was trash talk in the game. It's expected. But that was too far.
"You okay?" she asked.
"Yeah," huffed Jackie. "Not the first time I was called that shit!"
Britt was seeing red but pushed it down and touched her girlfriend's arm.
"Let's show them!" she encouraged.
"Come on!" Georgina said, patting her teammate on the back. "Let that bitch watch her team get annihilated."
"Ahhhhh! I missed this!" grinned a sprinting Abby.
The girls chuckled at their unhinged compatriot.
Once the Vikings' understudy was in place, the game resumed.
Britt took off after Bethany, whom was in possession of the ball. She made a forced shot when she found herself cornered by Georgina as backup. They scored and Georgina got the ball back.
Her plan was to pass the rock over to Britt and then Tambry and back to her in a trick play. But Georgina could see her teammates were out of range thanks to the beefed-up Vikings' defense.
(Guess it's up to me.)
"COME ON 'GINA!" cheered on Jenna. "YOU CAN MAKE IT!"
The girl controlled her breathing and readied herself for the shot.
She got right by the hoop and pushed off on her best foot and her eyes widened with delight as she felt the coldness of the metal rim and focused her other arm on completing the arc and guiding the ball into the net.
A bunch of the crowd got on their feet, applauding.
Georgina pointed back at Jenna with the widest grin. Jenna beamed while holding out her arms and bowing out of respect.
"They're in trouble now!" Britt said. "We've got a slam dunk queen!"
The girl with braids felt on top of the world right now. A quick glance at the scoreboard showed the game wasn't over yet. Another five minutes to go and the Vikings led by four points.
"Awesome job," Tambry said, with the thumbs up. "Let's keep this up and we can beat them!"
The score was tied at 61 points each.
And only 45 seconds to go.
The ball was in the hands of Pitney once more and they needed to make it count. But a lot can happen in such a short amount of time.
"'Gina, here!"
Britt passed it to her teammate. Georgina quickly deflected the defense and slyly handed the rock to Jackie.
"Abby! Look alive!"
Jackie aimed for the girl, but her pass was intercepted by Bethany.
"Surprise, bitch!" taunted the redhead.
"On it!" shouted Tambry, in hot pursuit.
The short Viking took her shot, and it sailed well past the backboard, not hitting anything. Bethany put way too much heat on that one to compensate.
Tambry saw her chance and caught the ball on the rebound.
"Nice air ball," Steph huffed. "Now go out there and get her!"
Bethany grumbled and went after the Dragon captain.
As Tambry approached the opponent's side, she could sense the redhead on her heels.
She hastened her tracks at the sudden appearance of Abby.
"Where are we going?" she smirked.
Jackie and Georgina jumped in to reinforce the defense.
"Let's go, Fun Size!" shouted Georgina. "You got this!"
Tambry faked it to Britt, to distract the others for a second and went for it.
Tambry was all clear and dribbled to the basket and launched into her jump shot and tossed the ball.
It felt like it hung in the air for an eternity until it banged onto the rim and fell through the net.
The buzzer echoed through the gymnasium.
Final score: 63: Dragons, 61: Vikings
Before Tambry could come down from the high of her Hail Mary actually making it in, she was enveloped by her towering teammates. Jenna rushed to the court to congratulate her friends.
"WE DID IT!" smiled Tambry to Jenna.
"No way," the former Dragon shook her head. "You guys did it! I was just target practice."
Tambry and Jenna shared a silent look of gratitude.
She knew Jenna was being modest, but the team wouldn't be much of a team without her stepping up and becoming the leader they needed.
Dickinson was wiping the sweat from his head as he breathed a sigh of relief.
He was about to walk over and talk to his players when he felt a tap on the shoulder.
"Uh, coach?"
The man turned and he was met with four eager underclassmen.
"Can I help you girls?"
"We wanted to know when tryouts were..." one said.
"For the Dragons?" came another girl.
He was speechless for a moment.
"Yes, uh tryouts are next week. Don't move, I'll get you all some forms."
Coach Dickinson stepped away and caught up to his team.
"Tambry!"
"What's up, coach?" she asked.
"I think you girls are gonna have some company for the season," he smiled.
She glanced around the guy and saw the enthusiastic group of girls waving at them like they were getting the attention of a celebrity.
Tambry waved back with an awkward smile.
Jackie hugged the captain, along with Britt. The girls silently decided against a celebratory kiss as this was A LOT of people.
"Looks like there's hope for this bunch of misfits yet!"
"Couldn't have done it without all of you," she sniffed.
Georgina chuckled.
"Don't get all sentimental on us, cap."
"CONGRATULATIONS!"
The girls turned to see a pint-sized fan with dark hair.
"Hey, Alice!" smiled Jenna. "Ladies, this is Alice."
Then the rest of the Hollywood Arts gang ran up behind her.
"And... we've got Mia, Lauren, Chase and you already met Billy."
"So... new school meets the old school," quipped Britt.
The short blonde tilted her head for a moment and shrugged.
"They seem cool, I guess."
Tambry's eyes locked on Mia.
"What?" asked the Latina.
"Nothing. Captains have a way of smelling their own."
"I'm no captain; we're not even a team," the tan girl protested.
The green-eyed girl's lips curled into a smirk.
"Can't help it, you've got main character radiating off of you."
Mia's friends glanced over to her like the new girl was making sense.
She sighed and folded her arms.
"I don't know what you're talking about!"
A/N: I don't normally do fourth wall breaks but I couldn't resist with the two friend groups meeting for the first time.