A Brighter Tomorrow: My Journey with Julie

I decide to call the foul and hold out my stretched-out shirt to show where Stinger grabbed it. T.J. says he didn’t see what happened, and Stinger throws his hands up and insists he never touched me. Mike hesitates and looks his brother in the eye. Stinger just glares at me, clearly hunting for a way to call me out for stepping on his shoelace, but he has no proof.

Mike doesn’t wait any longer. He sighs and bounces the ball to me. Here I am again at the free-throw line. A pin-drop hush falls over the crowd and I can hear my own heart thumping. I plant my feet, dribble three times, raise the ball behind my head, and…

I make the first basket. Julie and Tracy go crazy. Stinger kicks the ground. The game is tied 34-34. I still have to make the second shot if we’re going to win.

Julie hugs me before stepping back to her spot next to Tracy, thanking me and saying that whether or not we win, she’s glad I was on her team. I whisper the same.

But at that moment, I realize Julie doesn’t care about winning at all. She cares about being a team and winning by skill, not tricks, even though Stinger didn’t play fair, and neither did I.

All eyes are on me now. Suddenly, I’m not so sure I want to make this basket, but I have to try. I push down the guilt and block out the shouting crowd. The ball releases from my fingertips, and I feel disappointment, then relief, when it bounces off the rim.

Julie and Stinger dive for the loose ball while the rest of us freeze, watching the battle. Julie snatches it first, but Stinger knocks it free, and they dive again with hands and elbows flying. Stinger almost has control when Julie slides low, scoops the ball from his grasp, and drives for the lay up to score two points.

I yell that the girls win. Julie and I jump up and down in a bear hug as the crowd cheers. Mike claps Julie on the back and gives us a good game. We all shake hands.

T.J. tells Stinger to admit it. The girls beat them fair and square. Tracy pumps her fist in the air. Stinger shrugs and looks at the hoop like he can’t believe what just happened.

I can’t help beaming at Julie. The win is sweeter now that we won because of her super-quick moves.

Mike bounces the ball toward his gym bag on the sidelines, with Stinger and T.J. following. We remind them they can’t leave so fast, that we made a bet. T.J. gulps, Mike smacks his forehead, and Stinger tries to run, but Mike pulls him back by his shirt. A bet is a bet.

Julie and I run over to the girls in the park who are practicing cheers. We explain about our Battle of the Sexes basketball game and our bet. The girls say the boys can borrow their pom-poms if they get to watch.

We drag the boys to the center green near the playground and picnic area. Julie hands them the pom-poms, and the two cheerleaders show them some moves. Julie and I gather our audience from the basketball game and invite kids from the park to come watch. Stinger turns three shades of red.

The boys shout G-I-R-L-S, waving their arms and kicking their big sneakers in the air like clowns.

Julie, Tracy, and I hoot and pump our fists in the air. T.J. is doubled over with laughter, and Stinger is grinning sheepishly. Mike hams it up with a shout of his own.

T.J. tries to cartwheel, but he falls over and lands on his backside. The crowd roars with laughter.

As the boys hand back their pom-poms and turn to go, Stinger calls over his shoulder that he’ll see us all on the courts at school.

Julie is all smiles on the way back to Gladrags. Standing in front of the store, I tell her it’s time for me to go home and that I hope she makes it on the team; if she can convince Stinger, she can convince anyone. She thanks me, and we share a goodbye hug.

As Julie disappears inside the shop, I realize she’s convinced me of something, too. I was so scared to be on a team without Chloe, but in just one game, Julie showed me I can make a difference on any team, even one I just joined. When I get home, I’m signing up for the basketball team at my school. I press myself against the wall of the building and make sure no one is looking before slipping off the ring.

A spin later, and I’m standing before the storefront that used to be Gladrags. Now it’s a coffee shop that sells chocolate shakes Zack likes. That’s when I realize there’s more to one team I need to be a part of.

I run upstairs to get Zack. I find him in his room, his eyes wet with tears.

I know I can’t fix Mom and Dad’s problems, but I can help Zack feel better about our move and our family. At the very least, I can make sure he doesn’t feel so alone anymore. I put my arm around his shoulders and we start to talk.