Chapter Nine

Tryouts

Anike's POV

"Good afternoon Everyone. My name is Giwa Oluwafemi, but you can call me coach. Now, the both of you want to join the great Royals basketball team. Are you ready for the try out?"

The tall huge man wearing a complete jersey and a head warmer, who just introduced himself as the coach asked and my heart skipped a beat.

I looked at the other players who were sitting on the bench busy talking.

They all looked so smart and ready to play and I could see why the coach added great while introducing them.

I was first surprised to see Jayden and Jeff there from afar but Mariam who escorted me here because I was too nervous informed me that Jayden was even the captain of the team.

To be honest, am I ready?

I have only played with a group of people who do not seem as strong as these people and maybe that is why I have always won.

"Yes sir. I am ready."

The boy standing beside me said,

He was way taller than I was, he would be the same height as Jayden and Jeff and he also looked good. Looking at him already shows he is in their league.

I just look like a potato here.

"What about you?"

I turned to the coach, shocked with how all his focus was now on me.

"Yes sir, I am ready."

I muttered as quietly as possible.

Ahh, my God.

There is no energy in my response already.

I already sound so weak and he could feel it. The way he smiled after hearing me just made me feel like he could sense all my insecurities and weaknesses.

"Well, let's get to it. Korede will be playing with the boys while Anike will be playing with the girls. The boys first. Let us get to it."

He clapped his hands after he finished talking.

His voice was so loud and authoritative that the boys stood up at that second. They ran to the court while I walked to the bench.

I sat quietly while listening to the other girls talk.

"I have missed watching Jayden play."

A voice said and someone else chuckled.

"Me too. The boy is just so cute. I heard he has broken up with Sophia. Good riddance."

"God, he sat down beside me just now and I almost melted."

"It is Jeff for me. the perfect nerd and he is single."

"He has been single since forever. I don't care. All I see is Jayden. Look at him running."

Wow,

I kept quiet and kept on listening to all of them talk about Jayden.

They literally acted like I was invisible, and I almost wanted to greet them to confirm that I was real.

I could understand them, I am not a part of the team yet so they must be keeping their class.

Talking about the boys is what they did throughout the match.

I tried to enjoy it but some words coming out of their mouths made it hard to do that.

a skill that seems so hard turns out to look simple whenever they say something like, oh look at his hair! Or oh, look at him run! Or oh, I just love this guy! It was just so distracting but from what I watched, I knew the new guy really had skills.

He would surely be picked to be honest.

He scored a lot of goals against Jayden but Jayden is just so good that he got a double of his.

He did everything so seamlessly on the court and it just seemed like he was built for this.

"That's it boys."

The coach said after blowing the whistle.

Korede ran up to the coach with a smile.

I love his confidence.

From the look on his face, he already knows that he is in and that's so on point. I wish I could be that confident in myself.

I am only that way when it comes to books but aside from that I am always nervous with every other thing and that inferiority complex is getting worse ever since I stepped into this school.

"Korede welcome to the team."

The coach said and Korede beamed into a lovely smile making him look even younger and boyish.

"Aww, the new guy is so cute."

The particular girl behind me who has been talking the most said. she literally said my mind this time so I had no issues.

"He is cute but not as cute as Jayden."

"Girl, you and this Jayden sha. Confess to him na."

"Now, I know you hate Faith. Faith do not listen to Judith oo."

I chuckled silently at their little interactions but that stopped when the coach called the girls team.

My heart started beating so fast that I was scared the girls behind me would hear. I stood up and stared at the court.

The court made me remember the first day my dad taught me basketball. I was so happy back then and free.

I was a talkative too and I remembered laughing wholeheartedly as I bounced the ball so wrongly. It was nice, everything was truly great.

I haven't even talked to my dad in ages. It is like he has forgotten me but here I am remembering every single thing.

"Goodluck Anike."

I was shocked to hear that

.

I finally linked the familiar voice to the face since I was too lazy to turn back earlier. Judith is a little taller than me, thinner too, and was a dark skin beauty.

She looks really beautiful and her basketball jersey fits her perfectly.

Following her, the rest of the girls repeated what she said and I could feel my head swell and I kept saying thank you.

I ran to the court after them and stood in front of the coach.

"Let's see your skills Anike. Goodluck and stop being so nervous. We are one big family here. okay?"

I nodded,

"Thank you, sir."

"Now, let's start the match."

He grouped the team into two and placed me into the one with Judith.

She smiled at me when I walked up to them and I could not help but smile back.

I stood in the empty spot and the coach blew his whistle, starting the match.

It was just like I predicted.

These girls are good!

Really good.

I played my best; I really did but it just wasn't enough. I was good at defending and so I defended the ball and passed it to Judith.

Playing with her made me see that she was actually very good at what she does because with just one throw, the ball enters the net.

We kept like this for a while but it was obvious to me that I was struggling with them.

They are on a whole different level and sadly, I am not yet there.

When the defender from the other team decided to stop playing with me, she showed me her real skills and damn! The ball hardly reached my hand after that.

Thankfully after about eight to ten minutes, the coach blew the whistle and I ran up to him a little out of breath already.

"Why do you play basketball?"

The coach asked after staring at me for a while. I found this question to weigh a lot even though it was just a short one but more importantly, I found it hard to answer.

The waiting look on his face however made me talk.

"I play because of my dad."

He nodded,

"Why?"

Honestly, what is with the questions?

I know he does not know anything about my relationship with this said dad so I tried my best to not sound rude.

"Because he loves basketball. He taught me how to play too."

"Do you like basketball?"

That question was the easiest to answer,

"I love it."

He smiled but I already knew I was about to get rejected.

The person who got accepted was not even asked anything. His skills got him in but here I am, dying of embarrassment waiting for my rejection.

"I will be giving you two weeks to improve yourself. Let's have another try out next two weeks Friday. Judith, can you train her?"

Oh!

I breathed out a sigh of relief.

This is better than being rejected.

I turned around to checkout Judith,

"No sir, I am busy with preparation for exams. The morning and evening lessons for SS3 are starting next week."

"Oh, that is true."

The coach replied and looked round.

"Well, you need intense training and sadly, I am travelling. Jayden, can you train her?"

Ahh, maybe we should restart today.

Why is he asking the person I have done my all to avoid throughout the week if he would train me?

I am sure the guy feels the same.

It would have been better if it was Jeff not Jayden ooo.

I looked up from my foot after time had gone and not a reply was heard.

My eyes found him easily because he was standing and he was already staring down at me.

He had that scowl on and it made me look away immediately.

He is going to reject the offer.

Maybe I should just join the soccer team and be Mariam's partner in defending or join swimming.

It looks like this one is not for me in this place.

I glanced at him again but immediately looked away when he turned to coach,

"Yes sir. I will train her."

Eyy, what did I just hear?

Why is he agreeing to this?

I thought... wait first what is happening?

"Okay. Thank you, I want to see an improvement captain. I have a meeting to go to now so I welcome Anike and Korede. Judith and Jayden let's talk."

"Bye Coach!"

"Coach! Coach!"

The students cheered and I could feel the respect and love they had for the man.

I sat on the bench since I had to wait for Jayden to come back but still made sure to smile back and greet all the girls. They seem really nice and I could see what the coach meant by one big family.

"Hey Anike."

"What' s up Jeff?"

I greeted back when Jeff took a seat beside me.

"Don't be too worried, you played really well today."

"Thanks."

I have not sat alone with Jeff but he is comfortable to be with. The avoiding him plan also flew off the window.

"Training with Jayden might be strenuous. That boy is a robot I swear but trust me, in two weeks you would be really good except if you are Jada."

Well, that is comforting.

"Jada?"

He chuckled as if reminiscing about an event,

"Yeah, I remember Jayden and I trying to get her to play but she is not just for basketball. She is made for her soccer."

"Wow."

"I know right. She is just so cute."

Hmm, cute?

Jada is cute normally but there is a way he said it that made it sound more than that.

I glanced at him and he looked shocked.

"Do you..."

He ran down the steps,

"Bye Jayden,"

He said and that was when I saw Jayden was already here.

I walked down the steps slowly and I had no idea what to say or do.

"Uhm thanks for accepting to train me."

I said after a while of silence.

"You are welcome. I did it to show my gratitude."

I looked up at him,

Did I mention the voice?

"gratitude?"

"Yeah, for standing up to Aliya for my sister."

"Oh, yeah."

It is quite blaring that he loves his sister and that warms my heart. I wanted to smile but should I smile?

I smiled a little but he had the blank face on,

"We would be having training everyday after class. meet me here thirty minutes after class. it would be for two hours. You have great potential just a little more brushing to match this place. well to make this work you have to be devoted."

Wow, it felt good to hear him say I have great potential. Perhaps today was not a total failure.

I stayed quiet for a long while until he raised an eyebrow,

"Thank you."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow."

He said and my heart skipped a beat.

Anike better kill this crush.

Heyoo everyone,
Sorry for the late update!

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