Part 1 Alyssa had never really been a very active girl when it came to sports. She preferred the gentle sound of the piano or the joys of a good book to the adrenalin that came with a game of soccer or a foot race. While her sisters loved their little playground games and ran about without a care, she would sit on the sidelines and watch with a smile as bright as the sun. Perhaps that was how she developed the need for perfection. Watching others do great things while she watched was like an injection of pure inspiration that always went ignored. Building up into a mass of competitiveness that was dieing to get out. No one could have guessed what this would lead to until a few days into the hot summer when Alyssa was taking a walk through Who-Ville.
“Come on Alyssa. Just one game!” Despite not going to school, Alyssa had a small group of girls who seemed to follow her everywhere on her outings. Marry-Lin, Kathryn, and Kimmy were younger than her and for some reason had drifted toward her and now considered her a role model. The three girls circled Alyssa as she strolled down the street with her nose in a book like always. Since she’d left the house, they’d been swarming around her like little hummingbirds; bugging her to play a game with her, but Alyssa just waved her hand as if to dismiss them.
They didn’t get the hint.
“But Alyssa you never play with us!” Kimmy pleaded followed by a chorus of agreement from her two friends. “We could play tag!”
“Or hopscotch!”
“Or kickball!”
Alyssa didn’t seem to hear any of their suggestions as she turned a corner down the street and flipped the page in her book. She figured if she ignored them they would go away, but so far that hadn’t happened. They were still drawn to her like moths to a flame. Finally she couldn’t take it any more and snapped her book shut with a defiant thud. The little girls looked up at her with eyes wide as if expecting her to start yelling, but that never happened. “Girls….I understand that I’m a wonderful person, but you have to find some friends your own age to play with.” she stated; sounding like she was both sarcastic and annoyed at them.
The three of them stopped and looked at the ground is sorrow at having their older friend turn them down, but Alyssa, being one not to have much compassion, just kept walking. To bad for her, that silence and peace didn’t last long. “Alyssa!!!!!”
She came to a halt and scowled for a moment when she realized that her dad had caught her being mean to children. It was one of those things he was always hounding her about. Waving her hand in front of her face once as if to wipe away the urge to start cursing, Alyssa put on a smile and turned to meet her father’s eyes as he approached with the girls close behind him. “Alyssa I want you to apologize right now and then go play with these girls. They look up to you and it’s your job as a role model to be kind and caring toward younger Whos.” She’d heard this speech before.
It took all she could not to roll her eyes at him as he finished off with a “Be a Better person” monologue and then nudged Kimmy, Kathryn, and Marry-Lin toward her.
“Go play a nice game of basketball with them! Make some friends!”
How Alyssa wished that was it, but like always, her dad felt the need to follow her and make sure she went through with it. It was like being walked to her doom by an executioner as they wandered toward the park. Alyssa didn’t even know how to play basketball! As they neared the courts on the eastern side of Who-Ville, Alyssa sighed. This was going to be a long day. “Hey! Somebody is using our court!” Marry-Lin stated in a whinny tone.
Alyssa looked up at the group of boys playing a very rough looking game. A chill ran up her spine as they jumped and dunked and shoved like they were men obsessed, but she was more caught up when one of them approached her.
“Go home little girls…the court is no place for ladies.”
Part 2
| Alyssa looked at the blonde boy with pure disdain in her eyes. Who did he think he was? If there was one thing that made Alyssa mad it was guys thinking they were better than girls, and apparently Kimmy and her friends felt the same way. “You guys are just a bunch of bullies,” Marry-Lin stated with a stomp of her foot.
“Yeah. We’re just as good as you guys and probably better!” Kathryn chimed in.
Alyssa crossed her arms and glared at the boys as they all gathered around to join the argument that was soon to come. They were quite a large group; standing over them like giant statues, but Alyssa stood her ground. There was no way she was going to let these guys show her up. When the Mayor approached with the basketball, he seemed a bit confused about the sudden grouping of children. “What seems to be the problem fellas?” he asked.
A larger, dark haired boy towards the left tossed a rather beat up looking basketball to the blonde who caught it without even looking. Neither he nor Alyssa wanted to admit defeat and look away, but the Mayor’s insistent words got the better of them. “These jerks wont let us use the court because we’re girls,” Alyssa stated; her frown deepening as the stare down continued. The Mayor glanced between the two for a moment in an attempt to think of a compromise between the two. “I’m sure we can think of something kids. Why don’t we just-”
He was cut off when the blonde threw the ball and hit Alyssa square in the face; knocking her off her feet and onto the ground. Kathryn and the other two girls squealed in shock as Alyssa hit the dirt and held her now aching face and the Mayor simply stood there in pure surprise. Had this guy actually assaulted Alyssa with a basketball? Before anyone else could react, Alyssa was up and moving with the blonde bully pinned to the ground beneath her. She made the motion to raise her fist in a punch, but her dad was faster; pulling her off him with one tug and restraining her from behind.
The younger girls hid behind him as Alyssa thrashed to break free and attack her new enemy yet again. “Alyssa Jean, calm down!” he ordered. His daughter ignored his every word as she attempted over and over again to pull herself free, but the Mayor held fast and dragged her a few feet away. The group of boys laughed as they watched and the blonde stood up; marching over to them and leaning down to meet Alyssa’s rabid gaze. “The name’s Jared little lady. I suggest you watch yourself next time you come to OUR court.”
The Mayor thought about letting Alyssa loose on this guy, but he knew better. If he let her go now, there would be no stopping her and that would be bad. There had to be something he could do.
“I’m sure Alyssa could put together a team that could take down each and every one of you thugs!” he blurted out in rage. Everyone of them looked stunned, but the boys were quick to recover with laughter. Apparently they didn’t believe his words at all. “Yeah, I’d like to see that happen. Meet us here next week and we’ll settle this once and for all,” Jared said as he and his buddies turned away laughing.
“Dad why would you do that?! I can’t play basketball! If you had just let me beat them up this could have been avoided!!!” They all sat on a park bench as Alyssa paced back and forth in front of them; unhappy about her father’s way of handling things. He’d just bet her dignity along with every other girl’s in Who-Ville on a basketball game that she didn’t even know how to play. The Mayor shrugged a little in response. It had seemed like a good idea and he knew it would work if Alyssa would just give it a try.
Alyssa didn’t like to listen though. “Now I have to put together a team and learn how to play this stupid game! What do you have to say for yourself?” she scolded. Ned smiled.
“Good luck.” |
Part 3
| Alyssa sat in the front yard later that day with a basketball in her hands. She’d been staring at the orange sphere for almost 20 minutes; trying to decide what to do with it. It wasn’t like she actually knew how to play this stupid game and she wasn’t even sure how to use the ball. Kick it or throw it? Hold it or pass it? There certainly were a lot of questions swirling through her mind, but all of them went unanswered as Alyssa continued her staring contest with the ball.
“You do know that it isn’t going bite you, right?”
Jo-Jo stood behind her with his hands shoved into his pockets and a rather amused expression upon his face. How long had been standing there for? Instead of asking, Alyssa stuck her tongue out at her brother. It was bad enough that she didn’t know how to play the game and she didn’t need him making fun of her. “Hey, I don’t see you giving me any tips,” she snapped before crossing her arms and letting the basketball roll away. Jo-Jo gave a small laugh and picked it up; tossing it up into the air and catching it over and over again.
Alyssa watched out of the corner of her eye before getting aggravated and standing up to try and snatch it away. To her dismay, Jo-Jo had more skill than she thought. He moved to one side quickly while dribbling it in a rather professional manner and continued to avoid her every attempt to stop him. It was easy to say that his sister was far from happy about it. “Give me the ball Jo-Jo!” He shook his head and smiled at her in a taunting way which seemed to rile her up a bit. Alyssa moved to steal the ball once again and finally managed to knock it away long enough to snatch it up and hold it close.
The two took a moment to catch their breath and Jo-Jo nodded as if some unheard question had been answered. “Now that’s how you play defense.” he stated. Alyssa looked confused for a moment and then realized what he had meant. He’d just taught her a piece of basketball without her even noticing.
“Hey kids! Throwing around the old orange there? Let me try!” The Mayor had been watching them from the front steps the entire time; smiling away as the two struggled for control. Apparently he felt left out because within seconds he had the ball out of Alyssa’s grip and was dribbling it around the front yard with ease. Both Jo-Jo and Alyssa watched him in amazement as he began looping the ball and rolling it down his shoulders like he was a pro.
They were both frozen and he stopped to smile at the two. “What?” he asked innocently. Alyssa stuttered to speak, but the Mayor caught what she was trying to tell him. “Don’t you worry Al. Me and Jo-Jo are going to help you put together a team and then we’re going to teach you how to kick those boys to the curb!” he stated. Jo-Jo nodded a bit as if to show he supported what the Mayor had said and Alyssa’s lips curved into a broad smile.
As the daylight began to dim against the coming night sky, the family sat down for dinner with a rather unnatural silence about them. Even when they had their 12 seconds (which Alyssa once again said nothing for) they all seemed to be rather quiet about things. Perhaps it was just that kind of day for everyone. Alyssa, however, did have one thing to say to her sister Daisy. “So Daisy….you play sports?” Alyssa watched her sister nod as she chewed her food and bit her lower lip a bit before continuing. “You play basketball?”
Daisy nodded again and took a drink; apparently not in a talkative mood.
“Would you….consider…umm uh….” Alyssa cleared her throat to force the words out while she still had Daisy’s attention and tried to ignore the somewhat confused look she was giving her. “Joining my team…to beat these boys at the park?” She expected rejection and possibly for Daisy to roll her eyes. Alyssa expected to be left without a second player to help her out, but that didn’t happen. Daisy smiled brightly and gave a much more energetic nod to her.
“Sounds like fun! When do we start?” |
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