E*ronmaxxing

 Our second game started with a bang.

Maria was the first to take charge. On the second play of the game, she stole the ball and broke through two defenders to get the breakaway layup.

It was the combo of me and Maria that really sealed the deal. Every offensive possession, we drove the ball down like clockwork, and they didn’t have a single answer to stop us.

Hokkaido High was the exact opposite of our last opponent. While they preferred to play fast and force you to play mistake, Hokkaido was the type of team to let the shot clock go down to zero on every possession.

Their pace was slower than most glaciers.

But in the end, that didn’t help them much either. Their players didn’t make any mistakes, but they were slower and less athletic than I was in elementary school. With great coaching that could work, but our Coach was the worst kind of opponent for them to face.

“Keep it up, girls!” I dribbled the ball down. The score was a hundred and ten to seventy. One minute on the game clock.

From the very first possession, Coach has given us one strategy and forced us to commit to it: shoving the ball down their throats.

Slow teams liked room to breathe. If we constantly attacked the basket, feints or not, eventually they would break.

I passed the ball to Ichika near the left wing. By this point, it was clear they had mostly given up, but with the shot clock expiring, we still had a possession to spare. Fukui High was watching. I wanted to give them a reason to get scared.

“Twin Apples!” I called out the name of a play. It was pretty simple in concept, with the entire goal being to get the center open for an easy layup.

Ichika passed the ball as I sprinted to the right. I blindly passed the ball behind me, where Maria took the ball and chucked it toward the basket. Shiori then perfectly caught the ball and leaped into the air for the perfect layup.

And thirty seconds later, our second game of the Inner High was over.

                                                                               ⬢ ⬢ ⬢

SWISH

The full moon shone brightly in the night sky as I walked out into the court. Luckily, our no frills salaryman hotel also included a full-sized basketball court in the back.

Maria and I were the only two people outside. I walked toward her as she threw up a second shot, and let that one pass flawlessly through the basket.

“Can’t sleep?” I asked.

“Nope,” she put up a third shot–another make. “I see you can’t either.”

“Guilty.”

Maria grabbed her own rebound and walked over, taking a seat on one of the cheap metal benches lining the court. “You know, when I found out I would be getting transferred to Japan, I didn’t really think much of it. I thought I would be spending the year playing for funsies and bowing out as the year ended.”

“Well, I’m the wrong teammate for that.” Maria chucked as I went on. “It was always Inner High or bust.”

“What did happen with your brother in the Inner High? I just realized you never told me.”

“Well, he lost, if that wasn’t obvious.” I sighed. “It was five years ago that his team made the finals of the Inner High. They were incredible, beating everyone who had the unfortunate luck to face them by fifty. It was like watching a team of professionals beat up on people who had never touched a basketball in their lives.”

“And you said they lost?”

“In the finals.” I paused. Even to this day, it still hurt me to talk about it, even if Yuma seemed to mostly have moved on. “In the first ten seconds of the finals, one of his opponents accidentally slammed their entire body on Yuma’s leg and broke the bone. Obviously, he couldn’t play after that. They lost by two.”

“So that’s why you didn’t want to mention the last Inner High back when we met,” Maria said.

“Pretty much.”

“And now you want to win it to avenge him.”

“I’d love to say my motivations weren’t that dumb, but you’re right on the money.”

“No such thing as dumb motivation. Do you know what I play for?” Maria asked.

“Enlighten me.”

“I just like the feeling of winning. I don’t have any goals like avenging anyone, I want the ego boost. Kinda selfish, huh.”

“Mine’s just as selfish,” I paused for a second, letting the night breeze flow through my hair.

In the moonlight, Maria’s face looked more radiant than ever. “Let’s play a quick game of scrimmage, one more bit of practice before the finals.”

“Before? You sure?”

“Heck yeah, I am. You scared? Is my five-foot-eight frame that intimidating?”

“I could pick you up and toss you across the court if I wanted to. You’re on!”

That's so hot…

Maria took up the ball as I took my place on defence. “It’s been a while since we had an actual one-on-one.” I said.

“Not since the first day of practice. I know you won that one, but I’ve improved a lot since then.”

“What a coincidence, so have I.”

Maria burst toward my right, before feigning a step backward.

I immediately dashed to cover her layup. From her body language, I can tell she wants the layup, but wants me to overcommit so she has the option for the midrange shot. I’ll have to keep my guard and play it safe.

But that was the wrong move. Instead of feigning another change, she blasted forth and spun right around me toward the basket.

“One to nothing.” She caught her own shot and grinned.

“For now.” I caught the ball and walked back to the three point line. “I didn’t really know what to think of you when we met, other than that I thought you were super hot.”

I did not just say that… I carefully moved the ball forward.

“D-do you still think that?” Maria asked, holding her hands high to block any potential threes.

“O-of course.” I drove toward the basket, only to get blocked by Maria’s defence. “I was super excited to meet you! Our old power forward had just gotten injured, and having you appear out of nowhere felt like a miracle.”

“Look where that miracle led us.” Maria blocked my layup and took the ball back. “I know we’ve fought a lot, but…” she hesitated, then seemed to come to some kind of decision. “What do you think of me now?”

“I…” Screw it. Give it all or go home empty, Aiko. “You want me to be honest? You’re all I can think about. Every time I was in the same room, I couldn’t help but look at your face! The smell of your shampoo is like a drug to me every time I smell it, and every night I fail to go to bed wishing I had the courage to confess to you!”

“Aiko, I…”

“It’s ok, you don't have to–”

But before I could finish speaking, Maria ran toward me and swept me up in a kiss.

This is amazing. That was the only thought I could form as my brain completely shut down from the happiness.

“We’ll now you have no excuse for any poor sleep.” Maria gently let me go as I struggled to breathe from shock. “With that out of the way, there’s nothing to distract you from winning the Inner High with your girlfriend.”

“G-girlfriend…” The word felt scary as I said it.

“Come on, it’s late. The Inner High awaits.”

“Y-yeah.” Maria dragged my malfunctioning brain along as we both completely forgot about our scrimmage. The Inner High finals were tomorrow, and we were going to come out as the victors.