Hello!! Alright, well here is the next chapter! The first little bit of it is a lil summery about what has been happening sense the last chapter. So if its a little boringkeep reading! It gets better as it goes along. Thanks to everybody for reviewing my story! Please keep doing so.

 

 

            Its been two weeks since my first day of school. I have been hanging out a long with Carmen and everybody, school is getting harder and harder, and I still havent gotten a hold of Jeff. I keep on getting his answering machine.

 

            Today is Monday and it is also the first day for basketball try-outs. Kristy is going to try-out with me. Maddie is part of the newspaper so she cant, and Carmen simply doesnt want to. Ryan and Carmen and Todd decided to watch from the bleachers. Ryan and Carmen wanted to cheer us on and Todd because he was Kristys ride. Max had his after school job to go to.

 

            I was really thinking about not going to the try-outs, but we have been playing basketball in P.E and everybody keeps insisting that I am really good and should try-out. It took some convincing, but I finally agreed. Now I am regretting that decision.

 

            I am in my last class before the try-outs and you could say that I am getting steadily more nervous. Back home, I knew who the good players where. I knew who to look out for, but here I know nothing. What if Im not as good as everybody says I am or what if..

 

            My thoughts got interrupted by the shrill of the bell. I slowly got up and packed my things. As I headed to the gym, I quickly tried to remember everything my old coach had taught me before I left, but everything was a blue. I couldnt remember a single thing and definitely wasnt thinking straight. I reached the locker room door and pushed it open. Immediately I was surrounded by people laughing and talking to one another. There was just one problem. They werent girls standing there..they were guys.

 

            I started blushing furiously and quickly ran out and into the girls locker room. I started to blush even more when I thought about all of those guys standing there with nothing but towels on. I shook my head and tried to clear my head of everything except for the try-outs, but it wasnt working. A certain thought kept coming back and it was that I hoped that nobody noticed that I accidentally came in there. I didnt really exactly stand there long enough to find out if they did.

 

            I headed over to my locker and quickly changed into a blue tank top and some red shorts. I went into the gym and looked around at the stands. I saw Carmen, Ryan and Todd there. Ryan and Todd were talking, but Carmen noticed me and mouthed good luck. I smiled back at her, and headed over to Kristy who was already starting to warm up.

 

            She was so busy that she didnt even notice me coming up. I grinned and slowly snuck up to her. Just when I was behind her, I noticed that she was starting to turn around, so I quickly leaned over around her and dribbled the ball away from her.

 

            She gasped and turned around and saw me there laughing my head off at her.

 

            Ya know. I said. If you want to make the team, you should really work on your defense. I grinned to show her I was joking.

 

            She caught on quickly. Oh yeah? Lets see what ya got. Well do a quick game until the coach calls us in.

 

            I nodded. Alright, but dont come crying to me when you lose!

 

            I got the ball first. I went slowly as I always did the first time I play a person. I quickly faked left and ran up to the basket for a lay-up. I soon found out, that Kristy is a lot better then she seemed and it was getting to be a really good game. Other girls who were trying out soon came over to see what was happening and we now had a huge crowd all around us. The people who were in the stands also came down to watch. Our score was 9-8 with Kristy in the lead. It was my ball. I dribbled the ball for a couple seconds thinking about what I could do to make the shot when I saw her look down. She only did it for a second, but it was all I needed. I dribbled the ball over to the right and shot. I stood in anticipation as I waited and Kristy turned around. After what seemed like forever, the ball swished right into the net! I jumped up and down, but then remembered Kristy. I ran over and hugged her, so she would know that there were no hard feelings for me winning and her losing. I smiled and then heard the shrill of the whistle. I turned around and saw the coach walking toward us. Coach Mimber.

 

            Coach Mimber looked just like a basketball player. Tall and thin with straight light brown hair and blue eyes. She had her hair pulled up into a high ponytail and had a basketball under one arm and a whistle around her neck.

 

            She glanced at us. Not a trace of a smile anywhere on her face. Alright girls, its time to start the try-outs. Im going to call your name from this sign up sheet and then Ill give you a number.

 

            I glanced at Kristy but didnt get a chance to ask her if the Coach was always that strict and non-smiley.

 

 

                                            *~1 hr 30 min later~*

 

 

            The first day of try-outs was finally over with. We all have to wait a couple minutes so she can post who made it the next day. Tomorrow will be the final day and then she will post who will be on the team. Normally I would be just as nervous as everybody else, but I was especially nervous today. Coach Mimber caught up to me before I went in the locker room and said that she would like me to wait after the results are posted, because she would like to talk to me.

 

            I put my clothes in the locker and headed back into the gym. I quickly searched for Ryan or Carmen and jogged up to them. Ryan was nowhere in sight but Carmen was leaning against the bleachers.

 

            Hey Allie! All tired from your first day of try-outs? She grinned evilly.

 

            I groaned. Exhausted. Is the Coach always like that?

 

            Like what?

 

            I shrugged. I dont know. She just seems to. I tried to think of the best word. I dont know. Like she really dislikes me or something.

 

            No. Carmen wouldnt look me in the eyes. Shes not ever like that.

 

            I frowned at her, but didnt press the matter. For some reason, Carmen doesnt like talking about Coach Mimber. Just then, she came out of her office, which is in the girls locker room. She walked over to the wall next to the door, posted a piece of paper, and went back into the locker room.

 

            All of the girls, which must have been over 50, hurried over to see if they survived the first day. Several girls started crying while others started to jump up and down and hug each other. Since I had to wait and talk to Coach Mimber anyway, I didnt really want to hurry over there and fight the crowds, but Carmen noticed that she posted the names, and grabbed my arm and dragged me over there to see.

 

            The list was alphabetical order and I scanned down quickly to the Js. There was my name on the made it list. I smiled and turned around to hug Carmen, but she wasnt there. Ryan was though. Standing exactly where Carmen was five seconds ago.

 

            I grinned. Ryan! I made the list! The good list I mean. The list that says I come back tomorrow. I said embarrassed as I realized that I was rambling.

 

            He smiled and leaned down to hug me. Good job! I knew you would. Now all you have to do is make it another day and you will be fine.

 

            Thanks. I suddenly got nervous again as I remembered that I was suppose to go talk to the Coach. I have to go talk to Coach Mimber real quick. Where did Carmen go?

 

            Um, she had to go to work, but she said that she will call you as soon as she gets back. In the mean time, I will walk home with you.

 

            Great. Ill be right back then. I smiled and headed into the locker room. Her office is in the very back on the room. I walked over and saw her on the phone. I knocked on the door lightly. She looked up and saw me and motioned for me to come in and sit down.

 

            I timidly walked in and sat down on a chair by her desk. Coach Mimber had left to another area with her cell phone when I came in. I glanced around at her office. She has several certificates on her wall for different things. Her desk was extremely cluttered with important looking papers everywhere. She had a computer in the corner and next to them were photos. I got out of the chair and leaned over so I could look at the photos better. Most of them were of the same girl. One picture had the girl about 8 swinging on a swing set. Another had her about 4 and playing with dolls. A third picture had her about 12 and was at a concert, playing the clarinet. In each picture, the girl had bright fiery red hair and light green eyes. She looked exactly like a younger version.. of Carmen.

 

            I sat back down in the chair. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Carmen never told me what her last name was or anything about her life. And when I mentioned Coach Mimber, she got all weird and quite. But, Coach Mimber didnt look like Carmen. Carmen had bright red curly hair, while Coach had straight light brown. They looked nothing alike.

 

            Just then, Coach Mimber came back in and sat down in her chair. I pushed all thoughts of Carmen out of my head when Coach started talking.

 

            I bet you are wondering why I called you in here. She started.

 

            I nodded, but didnt interrupt.

 

            I understand that you just moved here. I looked over your transcripts from your old school and it seems like you are quite the athlete. Volleyball, soccer, softball, basketball. That is a lot of sports to do in one year when you think about it. But, when I saw your little.um well your little show with Miss Farris, well all of my doubts left right away. She smiled at me. Thats right, she actually smiled.

 

            I just sat there, shocked. I expected her to come in and yell at me or something. Not compliment me.

 

            You are quite good and I have no doubt that you wont make the team. In fact, I was wondering if you were thinking of joining professionally. Youwell defiantly are on the shorter side, but if your good enough, then that wont matter. Coach Mimber smiled (again).

 

            Well. I started. Actually, I havent really thought about a career in basketball. I love it and everything, but there are a lot of other things that I like to do also. Other sports, other things besides sports. Of course, that doesnt mean Im not dedicated or anything. Because I am. I added quickly.

 

            Coach Mimber chuckled. I believe you. Anyway, Im sorry this conversation took so long. I just wanted to tell you that even if it didnt seem like it, I really think that you are a great player. But I couldnt really single you out like that in front of everybody else.

 

            I nodded. Thanks for telling me. I was beginning to wonder. I started to get up. I thought about asking her about Carmen, but decided against it. I could always ask Ryan.

 

            I headed out back into the gym and headed over to Ryan. Well, she didnt have anything bad to say! I smiled. She said that I was an incredible athlete and that I should consider being a professional, even though I am really short.

 

            He smiled. Well of course! Nobody could ever say a bad thing about you. I know I couldnt.

            I blushed and didnt say anything. He took that as a good sign.

 

            So, I was wondering. How about we go to the movies on Friday night?

 

            Together you mean?

 

            He laughed. Yes, we would see the movie together. Like a date.

 

            I smiled. Ill let you know. Maybe at the end of our walk. Truth was, was that I didnt really know what to do. Ryan is really cute, and nice, funny, and sweet. But, I have only been broken up with Jeff for four weeks. But then, I havent talked to him in four weeks later. And everything is pointing to the fact that he has already forgotten about me and has a new girlfriend. So, why shouldnt I go out with Ryan? If Jeff can forget about me, I can forget about him.

 

            We continued to walk down the street. Our houses are actually pretty close to the school, maybe five minutes or so, but we always tend to walk really slowly so it takes us about 10 minutes. It was like that for another couple minutes. Us just walking and not really saying anything. It was weird, but the silence was actually comforting, which usually for me is not.

 

            So Ryan started.

 

            So I replied. Are you going to ask me for my answer or are you really that non persistent.

 

            I tried hard not to laugh when I saw the look on his face when he said that. Im kidding Ryan.

 

            He laughed. Okay, but I would like an answer. Can you give me one yet?

 

            I smiled. I would love to go on a date with you. Just give me the time and place. Just then we reached our houses. I smiled again at Ryan and headed inside. Another day went great. I pretty much already made the basketball team and I got a date with Ryan. Now all I had to do was survive the date, get a hold of Jeff, and figure out what is going on with Carmen. I guess its just been a typical day. With the goodand the bad.