Chereads / THE PERFECT SHOT: A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER / Chapter 8 - ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS; HARUKO'S SUDDEN IMPROVEMENT

Chapter 8 - ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS; HARUKO'S SUDDEN IMPROVEMENT

Hachioji academy's Basketball team)

(Girls running up and down the court)

Maeda-sensei: nice work girls keep it up, one more minute to go

Maeda-sensei: alright break, take five girls

Everyone: (breathes heavily)

Suzume: coach sure is being hard on us today isn't she?

Kotone: haven't you heard?

Suzume: heard what?

Kotone: we have a practice match coming up, so she is preparing us for it. Apparently it's the team that came fourth last year and trust me they are quite tough

Suzume: well, we'll have to work hard then

Kotone: yes definitely

Haruko: (drinks water)

(Haruko): (sigh), am I really at the level that I need to be , can I lead this team to a victory?

(Haruko looks up at the ceiling)

Sayaka: hey Haruko , is everything alright?

Haruko: oh Sayaka, yes everything's fine don't worry, I'm just thinking about a plan to lead the team to victory, I'm their captain after all

Kazue: (laughs), lead us to victory, you can't even score a single basket. I mean I have to admit that your defense is solid and you have an exceptional ball handle but how can we win a game if you can't even score. Honestly, you are a liability and you're not fit to be our captain

Sayaka: why you… I'm going to make you eat those words

Haruko: Mitsuko it's alright don't bother

Kazue: if we were to play against you seniors we would easily win just by strategizing. We wouldn't even need to guard you

Haruko: is that so?

( Haruko stands up)

Haruko: I challenge you to a five on five , choose whomever you want to be on your team and if you win I give up on being your captain

(Sayaka): Haruko…

Haruko: is that alright with you coach, I'll be taking out a lot of time out of our training session

Maeda-sensei: I don't mind it, however the part about giving up your role of being captain

Haruko: don't worry , I'm planning on winning this

Maeda-sensei: okay I'll take your word for it

Maeda-sensei: alright then , the game will be to twenty one, let's begin

( Maeda-sensei throws up the basketball)

(Kotone wins the tip off)

Suzume: nice one Kotone, let's go score some points

(Suzume dribbles the basketball up the court)

Kazue: alright everyone remember the plan

(Kotone): so that's her grand plan to double team me?

(Sayaka): oh so they are double teaming Kotone and the rest of us have a defender marking us . Nobody is guarding Haruko that's quite insulting .

Haruko: pass the ball

(Suzume passes the ball to Haruko)

(Suzume): wait is she going to shoot the ball?

(Kotone): I'll have to brace myself for the rebound

(Haruko): don't panic, remember what he taught you, remember how he shoots the basketball burn that image into your head

(Haruko shoots a two pointer)

(Kazue): there is no way that it's going to score

(Swoosh)

(Kazue): what it actually went in

(Kotone): whoa, she actually scored

Suzume: nice shot Haruko

Sayaka: nice shot , that was so cool

(Kazue): it must be a fluke

???: What ! how did she…

???: A steal , get back on defense

Kazue: come at me , Haruko

(Haruko passes the ball to Sayaka)

(Sayaka scores a layup)

Sayaka: nice pass

Haruko: yes

(Kazue): damn you

Kazue: hey, pass me the ball

???: Crap I messed up

(Suzume passes the basketball to Kotone)

(Kotone scores a layup)

(Kazue): I hate to admit it but their defense is solid

Maeda-sensei: the girls are looking really good out there

(Haruko steals the basketball)

???: Get back on defense

???: I won't let you go any further

(Haruko crosses between her legs and then behind the back)

???: Damn she's good

(Haruko shoots a two pointer)

(Swoosh)

Kazue: inbound the basketball quickly

(Haruko intercepts the pass)

Kazue: crap I didn't see her

(Haruko shoots a three pointer)

(Swoosh)

(Maeda-sensei): wait did she just make a three pointer

Sayaka : wow girl you're really on fire today

(Kazue): when did she become this good at scoring? I don't understand, was she pretending all this time?

(???): Damn their defense is tight there is no opening

Kazue: pass me the ball

(Kazue catches the pass)

(Kazue): I don't know whether she was pretending to be trash or not but I know one thing is for sure I will not loose

(Kazue goes up for a shot)

Suzume: not happening

(Suzume): a fake?

(Kazue goes up for a layup)

( Haruko blocks the ball)

(Kazue): what? But how? She was all the way over there

Suzume: okay I got it

Sayaka: pass the ball

(Suzume passed the ball to Sayaka)

(Sayaka scores a layup)

Maeda-sensei: the girls are looking great out there , it hasn't even been five minutes and they are one shot away from twenty one points. They have also stopped Kazue and the second years from scoring any points .

(Suzume dribbles the basketball )

Suzume: alright everyone let's score more points

(Suzume passes the basketball to Sayaka)

(Sayaka passes the ball to Kotone)

(Kotone passes the ball to Suzume)

(Suzume passes the ball to Haruko)

Kazue: this is not over , you will not score on me

(Haruko drives to the hoop)

(Kazue cuts her off with astounding defense)

( Haruko steps back and shoots a two pointer)

Kazue: no

(Swoosh)

Suzume: game over

Kotone: it was honestly a whole lot easier than I thought

( Kazue looks down)

( both Kotone and Suzume walks right past her)

Sayaka: nice shooting out there Haruko

Haruko: thank you Sayaka

Sayaka: where did you learn to shoot like that

Haruko: well , someone I met taught me

Sayaka: oh I see

Maeda-sensei: (claps) excellent work out there girls , that was some fine plays you made and also great defense, we will definitely go a long way this time around. You have all impressed me today so I will end training early. Go home and get some rest our practice match will be In a week.

Everyone: yes Sensei

Kotone: I'm beat

Suzume: me too , I'll be sleeping in tomorrow

Kotone: unfortunately, i don't have that luxury

Maeda-sensei: Haruko

Haruko: yes coach?

Maeda-sensei: come with me, I want to talk to you

(??? Gets punched in the gut)

(??? Gets kick in the face)

???:(Grunts)

???: damn this guy is tough

???: yeah I know , he kicked both our asses

???: you're going to regret attacking us you bastard, you messed with the wrong gang

Tadao: do I look like I give a damn, all you guys are doing is making empty threats

???: screw you the son of a...

(Tadao steps in ??? face)

???: the boss isn't going to like this, he's going to beat the hell out of you, you're screwed for sure

Tadao: I would like to see him try, oh and before you leave here I want you to tell him that my name is Tadao Inoue and he is to meet me here at 3 so that I can beat his life out of him

???: what?! You're Inoue , as in Tadao Inoue,the guy who took out that biker gang that was causing trouble in this neighborhood when you were only fourteen years old

???: oh shit , let's get the hell out of here

( the two boys ran away)

Tadao: haha, run away, you guys are a bunch of pussies

(Tadao walks away)