A month had passed as Alan raised his grades and lived the best life he could ever think of. Not only had his school life improved, but his status in the basketball group evolved as well. He was one of them without being one of them. After that one time he played, he never played again but still watched as he studied. His once F's and D's were now high B's in almost all his classes as he climbed the steps of education. Even Charlie and Eric were shocked at how fast Alan raised his grades, to the point of maybe wondering if he could jump a grade and just go into his senior year. Alan refused though, not caring about homework but more on the sport that bridge from homework. His GPA was now in the 3's, making him eligible to play the school sport that he had worked towards with late nights and a lot of notes.
"So, can you come to Kia's birthday party?" Max asked as he walked with Alan down the school hall.
"When is it?" Alan asked as he walked and studied. "How old is he turning?"
"18, and it's tonight." Max quickened his pace as Alan turned a corner without warning.
"I thought he was already 18?" Alan stopped and turned to Max who looked like a child, not caring to look at Alan as he smiled.
"His birthday was a month away, and you were new," Max argued back. "What if I found out you were a crappy friend and then you that we were friends and you wanted to go to his birthday party but he didn't want you to?" Max's voice picked up as he spoke with speed. "So I told you he was 18 just in case." Max looked guilty as he finished his sentence, not sure how to go about apologizing.
"You're fine, I accept you're a non-existent apology." Alan looked at Max as he smiled and laughed.
"Thanks for understanding."
"Sure."
Alan had plans at the end of school, but he didn't know if he could through with them. After blessing himself last time, Alan didn't think he could talk to Coach Duke face to face ever again. But he wanted to, so he would. The classes went slow as Alan waited for his last class to end, begging, hoping time would just go faster and faster but it didn't. After waiting a long ten minutes, he was free. Alan grabbed his bag as he followed the crowd of students out of the classroom, thinking about what he would say once the time came. Alan passed all the students as he headed towards the Gym, daring himself to back down now if he was truly a coward.
"Alan!" Anthony caught Alan's attention as he watched Anthony close a door behind him. "You watching again or just doing homework?"
"Neither. I came to talk to the Coach." Alan shoved his hands into his jean pockets as he felt his heart do cartwheels in his chest.
"What for?" Anthony was now facing to face with Alan as he stared down at his white friend.
"Just stuff." Alan blew past Anthony's question as he shrugged lightly
"I hope it's noting about MayMay, he might wring your neck," Anthony smirked.
"You would like that wouldn't you." Alan joked as he smiled. "But no, not this time at least." Alan was only partly joking as he whispered the last bit, not sure where he and MayMay stood. All he knew was that he was all over MayMay, and maybe it was the same for her.
"Well, he's in his office alone, right now. Be the best time if you want to talk to him in private." Anthony winked as he patted Alan's shoulder before walking past him towards the open Gym. "Good luck, bro."
Alan never responded to Anthony as he stared at the closed door that led into the Coach's office, he knew that this was his last chance to leave before it was too late. But he missed it, Alan knocked on the door and waited before he heard a 'come in' from the other side. Alan opened the door and looked inside to see a small room with an office and posters decorating the walls, the Coach calmly sitting behind the chair before glancing up at Alan.
"Alan, it's good to see you again." Coach Duke smiled as he sat up, pushing his glasses further up. "What can I do for you? Decided to join the team or are you still avoiding playing?" Coach Duke smirked. Alan laughed with awkwardness as he went back and forth with his weight as he leaned on his toes.
"I was wondering if I could try out." Alan felt the paleness on his face, it was odd. His hands were sweaty as he felt like his body was no longer his. "If it wasn't too late." Alan's words faded away as he sighed in relief, waiting for the Coach's answer.
"Well, I want to know why you didn't want to play a month ago. And what changed?" Coach Duke looked at Alan as he stood in front of the desk, shaking like a leaf in the wind.
"Um," Alan said as he searched his mind for an answer. "I just wasn't ready, my grades weren't high enough either. But- but there high enough now." Alan stuttered out as he placed the latest grade report in front of Duke.
"Okay," Duke looked deep in thought as his hand rubbed his chin will he stared down at the paper. "Are your parents here? They will need to fill out this paper." Alan watched as he grabbed a piece of paper from a drawer and placed it on the desk. "And I will need to meet them." Alan knew this was a problem, but he also knew how to get out of it.
"Can I take the paper home? I can bring it back Monday." Alan asked with hope.
"Sure." Coach Duke said with a smile.
"I don't know when you can meet my parents, they are very busy. But you will see them eventually." Alan let him know that he would meet them but didn't say when.
Duke nodded as he looked at the boy in front of him. It was odd to see a boy like Alan, very talented yet so unsure. Most who had talent knew it and used it. But Alan hid in the back, he was a dead fish in the stream, being pushed along with the other alive fish. But as Duke stared at him, he hoped that Alan would rise, he knew Alan would rise. The dead fish would swim again, and it would lead the rest of the fish.
"Great!" Alan smiled as he grabbed the paper and turned away from Duke, almost skipping out of the room.
"Remember, practice is after school every day. Then we have games Saturday, will you need a ride?" Alan paused as he looked back at Duke with confusion. "Games that are far away we use a bus, games that are close we use separate cars of choice." Duke answered Alan without him asking a question.
"I think Max will be able to give me a ride, maybe even Anthony." It was a long shot, but one of the two boys would help a fellow friend out.
"Good, I will see you Monday then, you won't be able to play this upcoming Saturday but you can watch." Alan nodded in understanding before walking out of the room. He paused as the door closed behind him, then he celebrated with joy as he jumped up and down.
"What's got you so excited?" MayMay stood right in front of him like she was there the whole time. Alan almost screamed as he backed away in a flash, grabbing his aching heart in fear it might combust.
"MayMay, you scared me." Alan sighed as he looked at his best friend.
"That's my job, is it not?" MayMay question with a raised eyebrow. "By the way, WE are going to Kia's birthday." There was no question, Alan followed MayMay as she led, that was their friendship.
"I was planning on going anyways." Alan rolled his eyes as he looked back at the paper in his hand.
"What is that?" MayMay leaned over the paper as personal space was not one of her worries. "Is that a-"
"Yes!" Alan almost shouted as he grabbed MayMay's shoulder. "I'm gonna join the team, May!" Alan squeezed her shoulders while he used her nickname. They smiled at each other, their bond being much deeper within one month than a normal friendship.
"That's amazing!" MayMay did shout as she too jumped up and down. "Now if you only listened to me a month ago, you would have been already playing." She sighed as she rolled her eyes in fake anger.
"My grades sucked. Even if I wanted to play, I couldn't." Alan reminded her. "Wanna get some food?" Alan questioned as he placed his arm over her shoulder. "I will pay." MayMay laughed as she followed along.
"Sure, the practice was canceled anyway. And since you paid, I'm all in." Alan and MayMay walked out of the school looking like the happy couple that they weren't, but that was okay. They were friends, close friends. And if Alan got what he wanted, they would become better friends, and maybe even a little more. But as Pipe would say, 'life gives you what you can handle, and a little more. Alan was handling life with an iron fist, what he wasn't ready for was the little more that was on its way.