I wish I would've said this in the first part, but this is going to be a very long series that will touch on some series issues. That being said, part 2 is rather long and still doesn't have any sex. There probably won't be sex until part 4 or 5. Sorry for that. But it's a slow burn romance with lots of build up. And since this will eventually be a 3 or 4 book series, it takes a bit to really get into the story.
So, here we are with Part 2. We left off with Marcela finding out that Sarah, the girl she played against in high school from her rival basketball team is not only her teammate on her college team, but now her roommate.
Sarah on the other hand has had a crush on Marcela ever since Freshman year of high school. We also get introduced to their teammates and that pretty much sums it up.
If you haven't read part 1, you're going to want to head back there and read because it'll make sense.
With all that being said, enjoy! And please leave your feedback in the comment section below. I really want to hear what you all think.
Sarah's Perspective
Practice
I arrive with Marcela long before practice begins. We both head to the opposite sides of the court and go through our warm-up routine. She works on her dribbling skills and I work on my shooting drills.
After a while, I head over to her. She sighs. "What now?"
"Think you can beat me in a game of 1 on 1?" I ask as I spin the ball on my finger.
"Bring it on," she says with a smirk. I hope she doesn't actually think she can beat me because that's not going to happen. I don't care how cute she looks in those shorts. Even if I melt when she looks at me with that confident smile, I'm not going to let her win. God, why does my heart pound in my chest as if it's fighting for my life when I'm around her? "Go ahead and shoot for the ball."
"Are you sure you want to do that?" I ask as she sets her ball aside.
"I'm not worried," she says. "Besides, I need to work on my defense."
"You're only setting yourself up for defeat," I laugh as I line up at the three-point line. I pull up and sink it. "Looks like it's my ball."
She grabs the rebound and tosses the ball over to me. After I check it in, she gets in her defensive stance as I put the ball in my pocket and pivot away from her. That look in her eyes makes my knees buckle. So determined. I pump fake, and she puts her hand up. I then go to drive it down the lane. Her body pushes up against mine, sending a shiver down my spine.
I dribble it behind my back and step back as her momentum takes her forward. I pull up and sink it. "Taking the lead to start."
I walk back to the top of the key. "So it's make it take it, huh?" she says, grabbing the rebound.
"Of course. That's how it always is," I smile as she passes me the ball. She gives me way too much space. As soon as I check it in, I pull up a three-pointer and sink it. "This will be a quick game. You're about to get skunked."
"Don't count on it," she says as she gets the rebound. God, the way she jogs after the ball, the swaying of her hips, the bobbing of her hair that's held out of her face by that headband, it all craves my attention.
As I check the ball in, she gets so close to me. I pivot and turn my back to her. She places her hand on my hip and a rush of heat courses through me. Oh god. Why is my heart thumping so loudly? Can she hear it?
I spin off her hand into a dribble and drive it down the lane. She's on me like green on grass. I stop dead in my tracks as she brushes up to me. I push my butt out into her. She leans up against me. I can feel the heat of her breath against my neck and it sets my heart on fire. I could easily get lost in the warmth. Before I realize it, she knocks the ball loose and grabs it. Shit!
She takes the ball back and squares up to me "Looks like someone got a little lazy," she says with that cocky smile. Then she stutter-steps me and as I react, shifting my weight to stop her, she crosses me over and takes the lane. I trail her to the basket as she goes to put it up, she dodges my attempt to block her and wheels the ball to the other side of the hoop and lays it off the backboard and in.
God, I have to admit that was hot. She moves so elegantly and she's quick. I'll give her that. "And you thought you were going to skunk me." Her laughter is such a sweet melody to my ears.
She checks the ball into me. Once I pass it back, I get on top of her, not giving her an inch. She pivots to the right, then drives it to the left. I'm not phased. She goes to cross me over, but fakes and stutter steps before she drops back and pulls up, sinking a mid-range jumper.
She's got skills and she's only gotten better since high school. "Coming back."
"Don't get too overconfident," I smile as I grab the rebound and pass it back to her. Once she checks it in, she turns her back to me and sticks her butt out. God, I just wish I could pinch it. She head fakes before dashing the opposite direction. I manage to get my body up against her as she tries to drive past me. She drops back and just as I think she's going to pull up, she crosses over and slips by me for an easy layup.
"All tied up," She grins. God, her teeth are so white and perfectly straight. She's got the kind of smile every ad company would kill for.
"Time to take off the training wheels," I say as I get the rebound and pass it to her. As soon as she checks it in, she pulls up and bricks a three, but she hustles and gets the rebound and puts it back in.
"Make that 4 to 3," she smiles. It's really not fair, she's way too much of a distraction to play against. I grab the rebound and once again, she checks it back, this time I close the distance and as she pump fakes, I knock the ball out of her hands and get a hold of it.
"Uh-oh, look who's got the ball now," I smile. I go at her, stutter-stepping before I cross her over and drive it to the rim. I stop on a dime and spin up to do a hook shot. It goes into no surprise of mine. "All day! All tied up now."
"You got lucky," she says, passing me the ball back. Once I check it in, I drive it immediately. She's caught off guard as I slip by her for an easy layup. "Crap."
"Guess who just took the lead back?" I smile. She gives me a sarcastic smile as she checks the ball in.
"Your shoes untied," I say. As soon as she looks down, I pull up for a three and sink it.
"Seriously?" she asks, raising a single eyebrow that sends a shiver down my spine.
"What? You fell for the oldest trick in the book," I laugh.
"Whatever," she sighs as she goes to get the rebound and chucks it at me. After she checks it in, she gets all up in my business. I find it so irresistibly cute how frustrated she gets when she's losing.
"So... How does it feel getting beat by a Gladiator all the time?" I ask and before she can respond, I dart to the right and then spin back to the left before stepping back to the three-point line and pulling up. It goes in of course. "Make that 9 to 4. I didn't think it was going to be this easy."
"Oh, shut up. I'm just getting warmed up," she says whipping the ball at me. God, I just can't resist egging her on like this. She's just too damn adorable.
After I check it in, she gets up in my face. I pivot and turn my back to her, pushing my butt into her. Then I twist off her and dribble it between my legs as I beat feet to the left and then cross her over as she tries to guard me. I step back to the three-point line and pump fake without picking up my dribble and she goes flying through the air as I take a step to the side and pull up. We both watch as the ball sails through the air and into the hoop. "That's game!"
"Best out of 3!" she says.
"Okay..."
We play another game and this time she barely beats me. In the third game, I manage to squeak by her for the victory.
"Best out of 5," she says, the frustration so visibly displayed across her beautiful face and I'm loving every second of it.
"You must really love losing, don't you?" I laugh. She grinds her teeth. As we play another game, we start to gain an audience as the team trickles in. She and I go at it like two cats fighting over a fish. This time, neither of us can pull ahead.
"Come on Dandi, don't let me down!" Cat yells as they all start to cheer us on.
"My money's on the 3 point shooter," Solette says. I can't help but smile and I can tell how much it ticks her off, by the way, her nose crinkles. I think the thing I like most about her is how transparent she is. She wears her heart on her sleeve. I'm the same way. If more people spoke their minds, there would be fewer hearts broken.
"Trust me, you made a good bet. The little Dandelion has no chance against her," Danielle says. Some people need to be a little less transparent. I turn to Marcela and it's as if someone turned the furnace on inside her. There's a fire in her eyes that wasn't there before.
"Since you won last game, you get the ball first," she says, hurling the ball at me. I check her the ball and she closes the distance as she passes the ball back. The way she puts her hand on my hip is a little more aggressive than last time. I pivot away and square up to protect the ball. She's leaning against me, her breath sets my skin on fire.
I juke right before spinning off her. I try to blow past her, but I am not able to shake her. I stop and give her just a little push off as I dribble the ball between my legs. As her momentum takes her off to the side I drive it up the lane. I make a break for the basket as I clear pass her. As I go to put in the easy layup, she nearly flies through the air out of nowhere and smacks the ball away as it leaves my fingertips.
"Ooooh shit, Dandi! Damn." Fionna yells. She gets the rebound and takes it back. As I gather myself and get on defense, she's in attack mode and drives it to the paint. It's taking everything I've got to keep up with her. There's no way she's getting that ball up past me. She goes up and I leap as high as I can before she twists and spins in the air, releasing the ball over her head. It bounces off the backboard and in. I look over at the team. Fionna leans back as she brings a hand to her mouth. "Daaaaamn!"
I'm a little embarrassed but mostly impressed by that move. She's improving. We're both breathing hard.
"Are you fucking serious, Danielle?" Usha says as she gets in Danielle's face. Everyone goes silent as they look over at Usha and Danielle.
"Alright ladies, let's get practice started," Coach Clayton says as she walks in.
Marcela's Perspective
Practice starts
I'm exhausted. I can't let up. There's no way I'm going to let Danielle get the best of me again. I can barely keep my head up and sweat is pouring down over my eyes. She blows by me and I'm desperately trying to catch up. She pulls up a jump shot and drains it.
I can't help but clench my fist. What do I have to do to beat her? I take the inbound pass and dribble it up the court. I have to fight her for floor space as I get up to the half-court line. She's on me like corn on a cob. Great, now farm references are taking over my thoughts. I stutter step and cross her over before I toss it back to Vertasha waiting at the three-point line. She pulls up and drains it.
Danielle beats feet down the court and I can't keep up with her. She's fast, I'll give her that. She crosses me over and takes the lane. Kathleen goes up to block her but as she jumps in the air she spins in mid-air and lets it go over her head and into the bucket. She stole my move.
I get the ball and drive it up the court. I dish it to Salenne. She pivots, spins off of Malynne, before crossing her over. Maly trips over her feet and lands flat on the floor as Salenne gets off the easy bucket.
"Damn! Salenne just broke that poor girl's ankles!" Fionna says as everyone laughs. I help Maly up off the ground. She looks so embarrassed.
"Subs!" Kennedy calls. I rush off the court as the starters take the stage.
"You must love getting beat," Danielle says as she walks by. "Why else would you lose so much?"
God, I hate her! Why is she such a bitch?
