The next day, Vade found Jay at her regular spot: the park's basketball courts. No one ever went there and that was how she liked it. She dribbled the ball a couple times and shot. Swish. A three-pointer. Vade picked up the ball as it rolled off the court and tossed it back at her. Swish. Another one. It didn't hit the backboard, and it didn't touch the rim. A perfect arc. Every time.
"How do you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Get it in every single time?"
Jay shrugged.
"I just do."
And she proceeded to get another one in.
"You should try out for the basketball team."
Jay shrugged again.
She was pretty. Her hair was light brown, almost blond, with honey colored highlights. It fell in waves just past her shoulders, framing her tanned face beautifully. She was wearing jeans and a white t-shirt, covered by her leather jacket and black leather boots that hugged her calves.
"You want to know what I think?" Vade asked, stealing the ball from her.
"Not particularly."
"I think that you could do anything you want. You're smart, pretty, and incredible at basketball, and yet you do nothing. Your grades are average, but I’ve seen you learn things from Jim and the others so well. You have no friends at school but you charm everyone at the bar. If you tried, you could be the most popular girl in school. And I've seen you play basketball and yet, you are playing here, in an empty park all alone. Don’t bother with telling me you don’t have time because that is a terrible excuse. You’re free most afternoons. What I think is that you don't care enough to do anything worth doing and you are scared that you won't meet people's expectations. You have to give it a shot, take a leap and see what happens." The ball left his hands, soaring in an arc, hitting the rim and bouncing to Jay. She took the ball and threw it. Swish.
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