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Flashback
*August 2nd 2064*
The hot sun beats down on the street court, baking the pavement and making the air shimmer with heat. The sounds that could be heard were the rhythmic thump of the basketball hitting the ground, followed by the swish of the net as the ball went through the hoop. Five girls stood on the street court, their hair pulled back in ponytails and their sneakers laced up tight. As the girls played on, a lone figure sat nearby, her gaze fixed on her books. She had been there for what felt like hours. The ball came hurtling towards her, catching her by surprise. It struck her in the face, knocking her to the ground.
"Ouch!" Said Tosin, as the sudden, sharp pain jolted through her body and they winced "Hey, what'd you do that for?"
"Sorry, my bad," the girl who hit Tosin with the ball said with a chuckle
"Just be careful while you play, okay," Tosin said, returning to her sitting position
"Um... I'm Shalom," the girl introduced herself with a warm smile, "what's your name?"
"I'm not obliged to answer," Tosin replied, still infuriated by the incident
"Oh come on, are you still angry? I said I'm sorry. It was a mistake," Shalom explained, her gaze searching through Tosin's eyes
"Why should I tell you my name?" Tosin asked, still skeptical about giving out her identity
"We could be friends," replied Shalom with a warm smile
"Go away, I don't have time to play around with you girls," Tosin said, fixing her gaze back on her books
"Come on," Shalom pushed persistently
Looking back up, Tosin finally replied, "Okay, it's Tosin. Are you happy now?" she sighed reluctantly
"Nice. Thanks, Tosin," Shalom said, a warm smile playing at her lips
"No problem," Tosin replied, fixing her gaze back on her books
"Please, do you have a minute?" asked Shalom
"Where'd that come from?" Tosin asked, looking back up at Shalom
"You see, we'd love to play a 3-vs-3 mini game but we are just a player short. It'd be great if you join us," Shalom explained
"No can do," Tosin replied, not persuaded by what Shalom said
"Please," Shalom pleaded her resolve unwavering
"No," Tosin said
"Why?" Shalom asked
"I'm busy" Tosin replied, her gaze still fixed on her books
"It's gonna be fun, you know," Shalom, trying to sound convincing
"I don't care!" Tosin replied, "And you're weird"
"What's that?" Shalom asked, not liking the sound of Tosin's tone
Tosin paused for a moment and looked up, her eyes looking into Shalom's before explaining, "It's pretty hard to see a girl in this country who is so into basketball like you are" She said
"Who cares? As long as it's fun, I don't care" Shalom said, a warm smile playing at her lips
"Oh? As long as you are having fun, you don't care if you lose?" Tosin asked with a cheaky smirk
"Oh no, it's nothing like that. Why'd you take it easy? Devoting yourself to it, pushing yourself beyond your limit and getting better at it every day so as to never lose to anyone. That's what makes it fun," Shalom explained with a smile
"Hmmmmm. Interesting," Tosin said
"So, what do you say?" Shalom asked, still trying to convince Tosin
"Well, I'm a beginner," Tosin said, a smile playing at her lips.
"It doesn't matter. Practice makes perfect," Shalom replied
"Alright," Tosin replied, standing up to join the girls on the court
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Back to the present
Now, Tosin couldn't have hoped for anything better. Just when she's looking to recruit members into the new basketball team, she ran into the girl from the street basketball court
"Hi, Tosin. It's been a while, hasn't it?" Shalom asked, a bright smile playing on her face
"Oooohhhh!!! Shalom!!!" Tosin called, jumping into an embrace "It's good to see you again,"
"Ooof," Shalom said as Tosin squeezed her tight, "Good to see you too, buddy," she said, a short laugh escaping her lips
The girls broke their embrace as the conversation continued
"How have you been?" Shalom asked, her eyes locked on Tosin's
Tosin smiled, her face lighting up, "pretty good, actually." she said
"It's good that you're doing well," Shalom replied
The girls' happy reunion soon turned sour as Shalom's bright smile faded slowly
"Hey, what's the matter?" Tosin asked, noticing the sudden change in Shalom's mood
"Please can we talk about it later? It's urgent... Alone" Shalom whispered into Tosin's right ear
"Oh, sure," Tosin nodded in agreement, understanding the gravity of the situation
Mrs. Lawal agreed to be the Coach of the new female basketball team.
The midday sun, usually a harsh glare, offered a softer light through the classroom window, painting the deserted desks in hues of pale gold. The boisterous cacophony of lunchtime, the joyous eruption of hungry students, was a distant hum. In the hushed silence, Shalom's footstep echoed faintly as she approached Tosin, who was still at her desk, a solitary figure amidst the empty chairs. Shalom's facial expression an indication that something was wrong.
"So, what is it?" Tosin inquired, her eyes searching Shalom's
"What do you mean 'so, what is it?'?" Shalom snapped, worry evident in her tone, "You haven't forgotten the promise we made last summer, have you?"
"Nope, I haven't. What about it?" Tosin asked, still trying to understand the situation
"Six of us promised to join the female basketball teams of our schools. Well, two of us ended up in the same school but this school doesn't have a female basketball team. Don't tell me you're not aware" Shalom explained, her tone laced with urgency
"Oh," Tosin said, a small smile playing at her lips
"What's that smile for? I'm talking about something serious and all you can do is smile? Take this seriously, will you?" Shalom complained
"I'm always serious," Tosin said, her gaze locked on Shalom's
"You're not," Shalom interjected, "Oh God! This is bad! This is bad! Really bad! I thought Charlie Queens Academy had a basketball team for girls because it's a very big school but I was wrong"
"Is that why your mood is like this?" Tosin asked, letting out a short laugh
"It's not funny, seriously," Shalom complained, "While we spend our next 6 years goofing around, the other 4 would have become pros, leaving us in the dust"
"I know, alright. That's why I'm creating one," Tosin said, revealing her plan to her friend
"What?" Shalom asked, surprised at Tosin's confession
"I'm creating a female basketball team. That was our Coach you saw me talking to this morning," Tosin explained, her confident evident
"Tooosiiiiinnn!!! You really are a life saver," Shalom jumped on Tosin happily into a warm embrace
"Yeah, yeah," Tosin said, "Good thing, you're calm again,"
"What'd you mean?" Shalom asked
"Nothing," Tosin replied,
"So, how many members have you recruited so far?" Shalom inquired, curiosity piqued
"Well, you're the third official member," Tosin revealed
"What?!" Shalom exclaimed, her tone a mix of shock and worry, "just 3?!"
"Yes, just 3," Tosin replied
"We need more," Shalom said, her tone laced with desperation
"Yeah but, there are two other girls I'm trying to recruit. It's tough but I know they'd join eventually," Tosin revealed, her confident know no bound
"Who?" Shalom asked, her curiousity piqued
"Eno in JSS2 and Oluchi our classmate," Tosin replied
"I see," Shalom said, understanding the situation of the new team
"I planned to talk to Oluchi later. As for Eno, I don't think she has resumed because I haven't seen her yet," Tosin explained
"I thought I saw Eno this morning," Shalom revealed, her tone a matter of fact
"Huh? Where?" Tosin asked, her interest piqued
"In her class," Shalom replied
"Alright, I'll talk to her," Tosin replied, a bright smile playing at her lips, "This is my chance,"
"Yeah," Shalom said with a smile "Yes!"
The bell was rung at the end of the school day. The hall was bustling with students rushing to their lockers to get their things and head home. Tosin stood at her locker, getting her things together. Sighting a girl through the window, carrying a backpack and walking, facing the direction of the entrance of the school, "Eno! Wait for me!" Tosin screamed as she hurriedly put her books inside her backpack and chased after the girl
"You again?" Eno said moments later as she sees Tosin running towards her, "what is it?" she asked, irritation evident in her tone
"Let's walk home together," Tosin said, smiling brightly, "I just want us to walk home together"
"Suit yourself," Eno said, picking up the pace, aiming to lose Tosin
"Hey! Wait for me!" Tosin screamed, trying to keep up
Tosin struggled to keep up with Eno as they walk home. The wind rustling their hair. "Why don't you want to join the basketball team?" Tosin asked suddenly
"Mind your business" Eno replied, her tone icy
"Okay, I'm sorry" Tosin said
Tosin decided not to ask Eno about basketball as they continued their journey home. She decided to resort to another method but she is unsure what it is. As the girls walked, they ran into a strangely tall girl
"Wow! Look at that. And here I thought my height was insane. How tall is she?" Tosin asked, her gaze locked on the strange girl
"Jesus! What are you doing here? Why in the world are you here?" Eno muttered, as her expression changed instantly, her eyes locked on the strange girl, her body trembling in fear
"Huh? Eno, do you know her?" Tosin asked, surprised at Eno's sudden change in expression
"Yes I know her," Eno replied
"Well well well, if it isn't the weak loser herself," the strange girl said, walking up to Tosin and Eno "I wonder what school you attend now. Well, it doesn't matter either way because I will always crush you without breaking a sweat. Just like I did the last time we played," she said, an evil grin playing at the corner of her lips
Tosin didn't want to get involved as she had no idea who the stranger was but she was getting irritated by her rude attitude towards Eno. She also couldn't stand the fact that Eno did nothing about it
"Hey young lady, I don't know what's going on but you are picking on my teammate way too much and I don't like it. I won't stand here and watch you insult my teammate. Watch your words!" Tosin warned, overflowing with confidence
"Tosin?" Eno said, surprise laced in her tone. She didn't expect Tosin to defend her.
The strange girl cackled with derision; her contempt evident in every note
"You guys are teammates, huh? Well, whatever you have to say to me, I'll hear it at this year's Christmas Champions Cup," the strange girl said before walking away
Moments later….
"Eno, what was that? How can you just stand there and watch her insult you like that?" Tosin asked, her frustration palpable, "I don't care about your history with her but don't let anyone look down on you, okay,"
"Tosin," Eno called
"Yeah, what is it?" Tosin answered
"Thank you," Eno said
"You're welcome" Tosin said, a warm smile playing at the corner of her lips
"The basketball team you were creating, is it too late for me to join?" Eno asked suddenly
"Of course, not," Tosin replied, her grin spreading even more
The next day, Eno officially joined the team. This made Tosin really happy as she'd successfully recruited Eno as she had hoped. The team also added 4 new members aside Eno but Tosin felt they need Oluchi in the team. Oluchi however has made it clear to Tosin that she doesn't want to join the team.
The girls were training after school hours. Eno displayed her signature monstrous slam dunk during the training. This was the same slam dunk that impressed Tosin few days ago
"Wow! That's one scary dunk. Do you want to break the hoop?" Mercy asked, her tone a mix of awe and caution, "Do you know how much a replacement hoop would cost the school?"
"Please, leave me alone. If the school doesn't want the hoop to break, they should buy original one that will last. Something that is durable," Eno replied, her tone firm
"Fweeeet! Gather around everyone" Mrs. Lawal yelled, her voice echoing through the gymnasium
All the girls formed a small huddle around Mrs. Lawal to listen to what she had to say
"We'll call it a day here," Mrs. Lawal said, her voice reverberating throughout the gym
"Awwwnnn, Coach we can keep going," Tosin said
"No. Resting is essential for every athlete. Overdoing it will do more harm than good," Mrs. Lawal warned, her tone firm yet calm, "Also, we have a friendly game coming up on Saturday. We need you all to be fully fit. We need to avoid fatigue at all cost."
"Who are we playing against?" Shalom asked, her curiosity piqued
"We'll be facing Rose Newton High School," Mrs. Lawal replied, her eyes scanning through the group
"Wow! This is our chance to get our first victory, guys! Let's do this!" Tosin said, her excitement palpable
"Yes!" the team chorused
"I wouldn't be so sure," Mrs. Lawal interrupted
"Coach?" Mercy said
"Until few years ago, Rose Newton High School has struggled. But recently, they've been participating in national competitions. Not to mention that there is a disturbing rumour about their roster this year" explained Mrs. Lawal
"What rumour?" Mercy asked, curiosity piqued
"Their team is especially formidable this year. They have talented rookies this year. Even more so, they've got their hands on one of the members of the Victorious Varsity" Mrs. Lawal explained
"That sounds familiar. What is this Victorious Varsity?" asked Tosin
"Well, historically, Nigeria has struggled to produce a competitive female basketball team to compete in the world stages. But recently, some insanely talented girls were born all over the country. Our Eno here is one of such girls" Mrs. Lawal explained
The team began to tease Eno as soon as they heard her name
"You guys should leave me alone" Eno said
"Among these talented girls in Nigeria, there were 5 girls who stood out because they could do stuffs that are not normal even for NBA and WNBA players. Those 5 girls are the Victorious Varsity" Mrs. Lawal explained "And Rose Newton High School's got their hands on one of those girls"
There was silence for twenty seconds as the girls felt intimidated by Mrs. Lawal's explanation
"Scary but not scary. We can beat them if we work hard and work together" Yelled Tosin
"That's the spirit Tosin" said Mrs. Lawal "They are humans like you. What is there to fear?"
"Well, we need to improve our skills at least" said Mercy
"Of course, and that's one of the reasons for this friendly match. We will see where you all are weak and work on it. We will try to get better at what we are good at too" Mrs. Lawal explained "One last thing, who should be our captain?"
"Tosin" Mercy said
"Huh?" Tosin said
"Captain Tosin" Shalom said, winking and smiling brightly
"Tosin, you are most suited to lead us" Eno said
"Why?" Tosin asked
"You created this team. Without you, there wouldn't have been a team in the first place. Be our leader" Abike, one of Tosin's teammates said
"TOSIN!!!" The team screamed
"Alright, from today, Tosin is our captain" Mrs. Lawal said "Make sure you clear everything before you go. Also, all of you should do some stretches before leaving. Dismiss!"
"Thank you very much ma!" The team yelled and bowed
The team soon finished stretching and clearing the club room, after which they all left the school at 7pm. Tosin was enjoying every bit of being with the members of the new basketball team. But she wished Oluchi was in the team
"Hi Tosin, hi Shalom" Oluchi said
"Hey, what's up?" Tosin said
"Hiiiii" Shalom said, smiling
"I hear you successfully created a female basketball team. Congratulations girl. You are something, I'll give you that" Oluchi said
"Thanks" Tosin said, smiling "Oluchi, if you want to join the team, the door is always open" Tosin said, smiling
"Hah! Don't get the wrong idea. Who said I was gonna join the team? I was only congratulating you on successfully creating the team. Anyways, see you girls tomorrow" Oluchi said, smiling as she walked past Tosin and Shalom
Moments after Oluchi left
"Hey, I think you should leave Oluchi alone. We have enough members already and we can play in official games too. We can also participate in official competitions. So, I think you should leave her alone" Shalom said
"I see Oluchi as a key member of this team. She's got something special. Something none of us has. You'll see it, soon" Tosin replied