https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/ Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:33:55 +0000 MyBB https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-NaNoWriMo Fri, 04 Oct 2013 00:03:44 +0100 snowprincess]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-NaNoWriMo https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-A-Few-Seconds-book Tue, 22 Jan 2013 19:32:20 +0000 ThePhantom]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-A-Few-Seconds-book

My childhood was a constant struggle of up and downs, being anything but ordinary. Never meeting my father who had left my mother and I, and my mother who was my whole world, died of cancer when I was only five years old.  At the age of five, with nobody willing to take me into their homes, I was put into the system and was placed in a foster home. Moving into a a overly average 5000 square foot house that was secluded from others, occupied by a married couple and a daughter a year younger than me, I began my life in the city of Benham, Kentucky where the population barely exceeded 530.

 

Rick, my foster dad, a retired professional basketball player, was now the varsity basketball coach for the local high school team. Since he wasn't blessed with a son, he ingrained in me the fundamentals of basketball. Teaching me how to dribble, perform a correct jump-shot, and maintaining a formidable defense. After many years of training, playing on a wide-range of teams, and traveling to many major cities for training camps,I began to sneak upon my freshman year where I attend the high school my  foster dad coached.

 

The next year, I was a freshman, matriculating into the same high school my foster father both taught and coached at. By now I had hit my growth spurt and stood at six foot six and weighed approxiametely two hundred and ten pounds. It was prominent, as the son of the coach and hardcore training over many years, I would be playing basketball. Coaching twenty years at a perrenial losing school and obtaining two potientallly star quality players , my foster dad began to develop and new system for the varsity team. Since I wasn't going to be playing any games my freshman year, Rick put me on a rigid weight lifting program and provided me with the essential supplements for my success.

Not seeing any playing time my freshman year, I focused my attention on lifting weights, and if I was not working on fundamentals in basketball, I was spending every free moment in the weight room and using the weights to help me build more muscle. Initially my weight had dropped to a low of one hundred ninety pounds, but it slowly came back. By time freshman year was ending, I was back to my normal two hundred ten pounds, but now very little fat was visible on my body. I was bigger, leaner , and much quicker after just a year of being in the program. During the summer that year, My dad had paid for me to go join a summer basketball camp at University of Kentucky. Being a former University of Kentucky student athlete graduate, my dad had many colleagues and buddies who coached or were trainers for the sports teams. There I met a old college buddy of my father, who had played basketball with him and there I began my workout. Rick already had plans that as a sophomore, I would start at the small forward position along with the other guy, Blake, the point guard, the other potential star that came into the high school with me.

 

By time my sophomore year rolled around, people began taking notice on me. Girls who had once never looked towards my direction, were now taking second, longer looks and often smiling at me. I walked past my foster sister, Emily, and her friends and overheard one of her friends mentioning how muscular and hot I became. As nice as it was to receive attention i had not had before, my main focus was basketball and I had to remove those thoughts from my mind. After many workouts during the next couple of months, not to much longer the winter season came around and along with it came basketball season. Not really worried about not making varsity since I made it last year, I still worked to the extreme extent just in case they got a couple of decent recruits or transfer students.

Everyday after practice, I would make my way to a newly built, secluded health club called Fitness and finesse. My first day there I was shocked to see , Blake, our starting point guard, there working out by himself. Seeing as we were teammates I offered to workout with him and ever since we had been working out together both in the club's basketball court and weight room, developing good chemistry with each other.

 

Even though I tried to be oblivious to my surroundings if it was not related to basketball, but no matter how hard I tried I always seem my eyes always seemed to fixate themselves on Cara, one of Emily's friends, and a competitor with Emily for prettiest girl in our year. She was in all of my classes this year and although we did not talk often, she still sat beside me in some of my classes. Saying she was beautiful would be an understatement. She stood close to six foot two and was the co-captain of both the varsity basketball and varsity volleyball team. She had an amazingly fit, enticing athletic body for a modest sixteen year old. Her facial features were a sight to behold, she could have put any famous super model to shame, her golden skin smooth, her large deep cool gray eyes, and dirty blonde hair that stopped just below her shoulders.

 

Around this time, we were having a hardcore practice a week before our first game and then injuries began to play games with me. When I was going to collect a rebound, I landed awkwardly and later found out I had rolled my ankle. This injury put me in a ankle brace for about eight weeks, and would end my sophomore season before it even started. Since he wanted me healthy for the next year, Rick had me sit and heal for the whole year.  Since my injury, I had been working out light to maintain my body build and not let any muscle turn into fat. By the end of my sophomore year I had grown to six foot eight.

Early next year, Rick stepped into my room. He wore his stern "coach" face, and I knew this would be one of his many famous coach speeches. He sat at the edge of the bed and pondered about what to say.

 

"Son I want you to know, in order for this team to win more games, we need you on the court and healthy. Blake can't play every team by himself he needs help from another star," he explained.

 

"I understand, I'll do my best," I replied.

 

 Since my injury had healed, once again I was back on my regiment training program at the health club, working on the fundamentals and weight lifting with Blake. I was going into my junior season and since I had sat out my freshman year and was injured during my sophomore year, I was determined to make a my debut this year. As of right now, I was now six foot eight, and two hundred twenty pounds.

Since football season was coming to an end, we still had a month until our season started so we had work outs everyday after school from two to four. After three weeks of work outs, my verticle, speed, size , and basketball IQ were the talk of the school. Going one on one with our centers, small forwards, and power forwards, I dominated them all with ease, including the seniors. It came to the attention of a reporter who worked at UKP, a local news station, who was in charge of the sports section. Coming by the house, we had an thirty minute interview that was showed on the Friday night sports segment on UKP. Coming back from the weekend break, I was a celebrity at school, getting high-fives, chest bumps, and many jokes on my half of being nervous during my interview.

 

As a junior, my school was tried their best to put into our heads about our future, so I took an AP class on account of "preparation". I grabbed a seat in the back hoping to keep myself out of view. I was a extremely good student, rarely having to study since I was blessed with the gift of a photographic memory. By now I was now the talk of the school, and as the local news station described me,  the savior grace of Blaine High and the best player that the school has had since its first days.

I had never dated any girls from school, in fact I barely had the time for anything social the only person I really associated with was Blake, but sitting next to me was the basketball,volleyball all-star was Cara. She was a girl in the "in-crowd" along with my foster sister , Emily, who seemed to be the center of attention and dictated how the school was ran. I had only spoken to her a few times when she would spend a night with Emily,but it we only exchanged a greeting and an occasional conversation about basketball. As she sat down next to me, I couldn't help but glance at her, only to be caught by her and recieved a angelic smile. It began difficult to focus in class, as my mind began to wonder. Soon the bell rang and I was off to workouts.

 

After another month of school, our football team won the state championship as they were lead to victory by our quarterback,Phil Micheals, who was a top college prospect. Now we we upon the arrival of the basketball season. On Friday, the season started against our town rivals and past state champions, Winchester High. They were a highly skilled and depended heavly on their championship defense, led by their seven foot star center, Joe Edwards. This would be my first game as a starter, I had been waiting for this debut for the past three years. By time I was on the court, I silenced everything from my mind, but Blake and the sound of the ball dribbling. My goal was to score, get into their heads, and shut down Joe.

It was only the half time, but we had a 41-39 lead on the State Champions. With my ability to score, the elite, precision passes and driving skills by Blake, we had them on their heels wondering how we had gotten so good. Coach had me and Blake sit out the third quarter to rest and I had to watch as Joe and his team turned the tides and took a 62-43 lead going into the fourth quarter. Coming back into the game in the fourth quarter, me and Blake's chemistry exploded as we were throwing alley oops, behind the back passes, and set each other for three-point shots. Much to the chagrin of Winchester, they watched as their lead diminished from 62-43 to 65-63. Only making a three pointer off a bad defense play that left their shooting guard wide open. With 10 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the ball was back in my hands and I was at the the top of the key with their small forward guarding me. 10,9,8,7,6, I hit a quick double crossover on him easily getting past him, and spun on the incoming defender trying to help his teammate. 5,4,3,2,1. With the clock dwindling down on my way to the lane to make this game go into OT, I came face to face with Joe, who stood ready to block me at all cost, the star players going head to head. Coming to a stop, I pumped a jumpshot that got Joe into the air, and leaning into him, I through up a shot that miraculously went in, and earned a free shot as Joe was called for the foul. The crowd was silent as I stood at the line. Growing up, Rick told me free throws decide a game, so I was often practicing them. Bouncing the ball three times, flipping the ball in the palm of my hand, I bent my knees and let the ball soar towards the basket and watched as it hit the back of the net and signaled our victory. The crowd erupted into a deafening sign of applause and cheers as we took the win from the State Champions. I earned a few high fives from the guys, a fist bump from Blake, and a rare smile from Rick.

 

 We were off on the right track. I had a decent game finishing with a double-double with twenty-six points, 10 rebounds, a block, and three steals. The newstation was kind to me the next day, calling me Saint Jay, the man who let his hand show his team the way to victory over the state champs. I stayed home on Sunday to rest and invited Blake over for some video games. The next day at school, I recieved applaused in my classes. Cara turned to me in class and congratulated me on a great game and told me she had enjoyed watching me play. Giving her a small nod, I thanked her.

 

We won our next four games by large margins, The teams were seeing a whole new  Blaine basketball team that was dominating anybody they played.  I continued to average a double-double with twenty plus points and ten plus rebounds per game. I was just getting home from the health club when Emily walked into my room.

 

"Someone I know has been talking about you lately and is often hinting that she wants you to ask her out," Emily told me.

 

"Really? Someone told you about me?" I asked.

 

"Uh-huh, you interested in a date?" she asked a smile forming on her lips.

 

"Depends, who is she?"

 

"Well she's very pretty, smart athletic, my friend and really likes you." She replied " She sits next to you in your AP World History class."

 

"Cara?" I asked a little too eagerly.

 

"Bingo!" she smiled widely.

 

I looked at Emily like she was crazy. I didn't really believe her because she would often try to play tricks on me so I quickly found out not to apprehend what she tells me. She went on to tell me, that Cara had wondered why I never spoke to her,  was it because I already had a girlfriend. Knowing me  to be oblivious to anything but basketball,  Cara told her no , that my mind was just on basketball.

 

I thought about it the next couple of days, but my mind was on our back to back games on Thursday and Friday night. We played  and beat a easy team on Thursday, but tonight we played against the runner ups of last year's state championship, a certain playoff contender. This was of course another must win game to help boost our morale. My mind was completely focused on the game.

 

"Hey Devon, what are you doing after the game?" Cara asked approaching me.

 

"Just going home and resting," I replied.

 

"Oh, well a friend of mine is having a party after a game, and since Emily was going with Brandon, would you like to.... you go...with me," She said nervously.

 

"Sorry, I'm not the kind of guy to party," I said quietly.

 

"Yeah I know, Cara told me all you think about is basketball, but I figured I should ask anyway," she replied.

 

She seemed really disappointed and I thought back to what Emily had told me earlier. Before she could leave the classroom, I grabbed her hand.

 

"You going to the game tonight?", I asked.

 

"Wouldn't miss it, and neither will the rest of the student body," she beamed.

 

"Lets see what happens after the game," I told her.

 

She smiled instantly. "Okay!"

As we entered the court of the opposing team, we were instantly booed, letting us know we were not wanted here. Playing many years of basketball, I learn to drown out the noise of the crowd as they were irrelevant, however it is always better to know they are cheering for you. The home team's starting lineup was called up, receiving applause from their crowd. Then in a disturbed tone, they named our starting line up, receiving repetitive boos.

We lined up at the center of the court, waiting for the opening tip. With the ball in the air, our center quickly tipped the ball to the back court towards Blake, who picked up the ball and through a pass to me while I was running in a open lane, easily scoring. Me and Blake went to work quickly at the beginning of the game, using our provided chemistry to use a bunch of maneuvers and passes to break down their defense. We were had a good  eleven point lead of 39-28, at the end of the first half.

 In the second half they tried bringing two people to guard me instead of one. I figured I'd see this happen eventually, so I was always prepared for this. We performed a three man weave with our teammate,James, the shooting guard. Blake passes to me, then I to James, James back to Blake, Blake to James, and me for the cut in to the lane for a score. This method was only effective enough to bring the lead up by six points. Everytime I got the ball they would bring to people on me, so I would have to pass it to the open man for assists. We went up to a 72-46 lead at the end of the third quarter. Coach Rick to the starters out the game in the fourth quarter to let the second string get playing time. We never relinquished the lead ending the game 84-68. I finished the game with twenty points, seven rebounds, and a career high of fourteen assists. Looking around, I found Cara standing with Emily and I guess the guy she was taking to the party, Brandon. She smiled and waved me over when she saw me.

"Hey Devon, nice game today," she said.

"Thanks, it was a much needed win, now we can continue our undefeated season," I replied.

"You want to go to the party?" SHe asked

"Actually, how about I take you to dinner instead?" I asked.

"Sure!" she replied.

"Good, can you wait until I take a shower and get changed.?", I asked.

"Yes I'll meet you in the parking lot," she told me.

I walked into the locker room, jumped into the shower, satisfied with my now fresh scent, I got out and put my clothes on. Packing my game shoes, shorts, and jersey in my bag, I headed to the parking lot.

We walked over to my camaro. There was a few good things about having a former professional basketball player as a foster dad. Tossing my bag in the backseat, I opened Cara's door for her, then walked to my side and got in the drivers seat. I was taking her to a new five-star resturant that just opened up a mile from where we were.

"Do you have a curfew?" I asked her.

"No, My parents trust me," She replied.

We had a really good time, she ordered a roundhouse steak, and I just got a burger and fries. We talked about what I planned to do after high school, what college I was thinking about going to, where I was born, and just things about myself. Looking at my watch, I had noticed we had been in the resturant "for an hour and a half.

 "You ready to leave?", I asked her.

"Yes," she replied.

Paying for the dineer, I slipped a ten dollar tip and we headed for my car. I drove her to her house, got out and opened her door for her. She told me she had a great night. STanding on her tippy toes, she gave me a quick peck on the lips before hurring inside her house.

We easily won our next nine games by a margin of twenty or more, our dynamic offense being the deciding factor. We held all of our teams under fifty while we managed to score more than eighty each game; breaching the hundred point mark twice. Rick was getting calls from recruiters asking him what college I planned on attending. He kept all options open by telling them all that it was my decision after all.It was quite ordinary to see me on the news as it was always how many great plays I made that kept our undefeated season alive.

Ever since the night we had dinner after the game, me and Cara dated many times over the past couple of weeks, going out to eat, movies, and eventually her dragging me to a party. Soon, I found myself looking forward to spending time with her. She helped take my mind off everything and give me a chance to live my teenage life. We began kissing, which gradually turned into making out, but it never went further than that. Rick instilled into me to be a gentleman and always wait for the lady.

We were playing the worst team in our division, they were winless in and out of the division. This was the last game before spring fling the following week that was a week of games back to back to back and so forth. The game was followed by the annual spring dance. Spring break was only two weeks away.

It was a blowout , by halftime I had thirty-two points , sixteen rebounds, seven steals, and three blocks setting the school record for points , rebounds, and steals. The score was a easy  74-12. As in not to embarass them, Coach sat us out the second half, and we watched as our secondary team, pushed the lead to 114-42 by the end of the game. After the game I walked to locker room, showered, changed, and went to the cafteria where the dance was being held.

I arrived at the dance ten minutes late. I was greeted with applause from everybody as I entered the cafeteria. Looking around, I found Cara in the corner standing with Emily and her boyfriend, Brandon. Seeing as I finally made it, she came rushing into my arms.

"Hey big shot, great game even though you only played one half," she exclaimed.

"Thank you," I replied.

A repitive tap on the mic caught everybody's attention. Everybody turned towards the stage where our student council president, Leslie, struggled to turn the mike on. Banging on the microphone, resorted to a high screeching, that made everybody cover ther ears. After a couple of seconds, she got it working.

"Hey everybody and welcome to the Spring Dance !" she shouted into the microphone.

This earned a applause from the students.

"As you may know the results are in for Spring Fling Court." She turned to where the band was playing. "Drum roll please."

The drummer began a slow drum roll.

"Our Spring Fling King is....," she paused to let the suspense in the air." Devon Valentine!"

Everybody immediately turned to look at me. They began to clap enthusically. I held my head down in shyness and was gonna stand there had Cara not pushed me forward towards the stage. Walking up the stage, I stood next to Leslie who placed the crown on my head.

"Now for Spring Fling Queen..." She paused again to add the same suspense as earlier."Please welcome to the stage, Miss Cara Robinson."

Now it was her turn to blush, and act shy. Emily gave her a little nudge that caused her to make her way to the stage. She made her way to stand next to Leslie who placed the crown atop of her head.

"Now please congralute the Spring Fling Court!" she shouted. "May you guys take the honor of first dance."

We recieved applause. I led her down the steps and onto the dance floor. Placing my hands on her waist while she locked her arms around my neck, we began a slow dance. Soon the other couples took our lead , and we were surrounded by dancing couples.

We spent the rest of the night dancing, especially to the slow songs. I loved how Cara's body fit into mine. The warmth her body gave off onto my own. The band left around midnight, and everybody began to go home. I took Cara home, ending our night with a kiss.

 

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My childhood was a constant struggle of up and downs, being anything but ordinary. Never meeting my father who had left my mother and I, and my mother who was my whole world, died of cancer when I was only five years old.  At the age of five, with nobody willing to take me into their homes, I was put into the system and was placed in a foster home. Moving into a a overly average 5000 square foot house that was secluded from others, occupied by a married couple and a daughter a year younger than me, I began my life in the city of Benham, Kentucky where the population barely exceeded 530.

 

Rick, my foster dad, a retired professional basketball player, was now the varsity basketball coach for the local high school team. Since he wasn't blessed with a son, he ingrained in me the fundamentals of basketball. Teaching me how to dribble, perform a correct jump-shot, and maintaining a formidable defense. After many years of training, playing on a wide-range of teams, and traveling to many major cities for training camps,I began to sneak upon my freshman year where I attend the high school my  foster dad coached.

 

The next year, I was a freshman, matriculating into the same high school my foster father both taught and coached at. By now I had hit my growth spurt and stood at six foot six and weighed approxiametely two hundred and ten pounds. It was prominent, as the son of the coach and hardcore training over many years, I would be playing basketball. Coaching twenty years at a perrenial losing school and obtaining two potientallly star quality players , my foster dad began to develop and new system for the varsity team. Since I wasn't going to be playing any games my freshman year, Rick put me on a rigid weight lifting program and provided me with the essential supplements for my success.

Not seeing any playing time my freshman year, I focused my attention on lifting weights, and if I was not working on fundamentals in basketball, I was spending every free moment in the weight room and using the weights to help me build more muscle. Initially my weight had dropped to a low of one hundred ninety pounds, but it slowly came back. By time freshman year was ending, I was back to my normal two hundred ten pounds, but now very little fat was visible on my body. I was bigger, leaner , and much quicker after just a year of being in the program. During the summer that year, My dad had paid for me to go join a summer basketball camp at University of Kentucky. Being a former University of Kentucky student athlete graduate, my dad had many colleagues and buddies who coached or were trainers for the sports teams. There I met a old college buddy of my father, who had played basketball with him and there I began my workout. Rick already had plans that as a sophomore, I would start at the small forward position along with the other guy, Blake, the point guard, the other potential star that came into the high school with me.

 

By time my sophomore year rolled around, people began taking notice on me. Girls who had once never looked towards my direction, were now taking second, longer looks and often smiling at me. I walked past my foster sister, Emily, and her friends and overheard one of her friends mentioning how muscular and hot I became. As nice as it was to receive attention i had not had before, my main focus was basketball and I had to remove those thoughts from my mind. After many workouts during the next couple of months, not to much longer the winter season came around and along with it came basketball season. Not really worried about not making varsity since I made it last year, I still worked to the extreme extent just in case they got a couple of decent recruits or transfer students.

Everyday after practice, I would make my way to a newly built, secluded health club called Fitness and finesse. My first day there I was shocked to see , Blake, our starting point guard, there working out by himself. Seeing as we were teammates I offered to workout with him and ever since we had been working out together both in the club's basketball court and weight room, developing good chemistry with each other.

 

Even though I tried to be oblivious to my surroundings if it was not related to basketball, but no matter how hard I tried I always seem my eyes always seemed to fixate themselves on Cara, one of Emily's friends, and a competitor with Emily for prettiest girl in our year. She was in all of my classes this year and although we did not talk often, she still sat beside me in some of my classes. Saying she was beautiful would be an understatement. She stood close to six foot two and was the co-captain of both the varsity basketball and varsity volleyball team. She had an amazingly fit, enticing athletic body for a modest sixteen year old. Her facial features were a sight to behold, she could have put any famous super model to shame, her golden skin smooth, her large deep cool gray eyes, and dirty blonde hair that stopped just below her shoulders.

 

Around this time, we were having a hardcore practice a week before our first game and then injuries began to play games with me. When I was going to collect a rebound, I landed awkwardly and later found out I had rolled my ankle. This injury put me in a ankle brace for about eight weeks, and would end my sophomore season before it even started. Since he wanted me healthy for the next year, Rick had me sit and heal for the whole year.  Since my injury, I had been working out light to maintain my body build and not let any muscle turn into fat. By the end of my sophomore year I had grown to six foot eight.

Early next year, Rick stepped into my room. He wore his stern "coach" face, and I knew this would be one of his many famous coach speeches. He sat at the edge of the bed and pondered about what to say.

 

"Son I want you to know, in order for this team to win more games, we need you on the court and healthy. Blake can't play every team by himself he needs help from another star," he explained.

 

"I understand, I'll do my best," I replied.

 

 Since my injury had healed, once again I was back on my regiment training program at the health club, working on the fundamentals and weight lifting with Blake. I was going into my junior season and since I had sat out my freshman year and was injured during my sophomore year, I was determined to make a my debut this year. As of right now, I was now six foot eight, and two hundred twenty pounds.

Since football season was coming to an end, we still had a month until our season started so we had work outs everyday after school from two to four. After three weeks of work outs, my verticle, speed, size , and basketball IQ were the talk of the school. Going one on one with our centers, small forwards, and power forwards, I dominated them all with ease, including the seniors. It came to the attention of a reporter who worked at UKP, a local news station, who was in charge of the sports section. Coming by the house, we had an thirty minute interview that was showed on the Friday night sports segment on UKP. Coming back from the weekend break, I was a celebrity at school, getting high-fives, chest bumps, and many jokes on my half of being nervous during my interview.

 

As a junior, my school was tried their best to put into our heads about our future, so I took an AP class on account of "preparation". I grabbed a seat in the back hoping to keep myself out of view. I was a extremely good student, rarely having to study since I was blessed with the gift of a photographic memory. By now I was now the talk of the school, and as the local news station described me,  the savior grace of Blaine High and the best player that the school has had since its first days.

I had never dated any girls from school, in fact I barely had the time for anything social the only person I really associated with was Blake, but sitting next to me was the basketball,volleyball all-star was Cara. She was a girl in the "in-crowd" along with my foster sister , Emily, who seemed to be the center of attention and dictated how the school was ran. I had only spoken to her a few times when she would spend a night with Emily,but it we only exchanged a greeting and an occasional conversation about basketball. As she sat down next to me, I couldn't help but glance at her, only to be caught by her and recieved a angelic smile. It began difficult to focus in class, as my mind began to wonder. Soon the bell rang and I was off to workouts.

 

After another month of school, our football team won the state championship as they were lead to victory by our quarterback,Phil Micheals, who was a top college prospect. Now we we upon the arrival of the basketball season. On Friday, the season started against our town rivals and past state champions, Winchester High. They were a highly skilled and depended heavly on their championship defense, led by their seven foot star center, Joe Edwards. This would be my first game as a starter, I had been waiting for this debut for the past three years. By time I was on the court, I silenced everything from my mind, but Blake and the sound of the ball dribbling. My goal was to score, get into their heads, and shut down Joe.

It was only the half time, but we had a 41-39 lead on the State Champions. With my ability to score, the elite, precision passes and driving skills by Blake, we had them on their heels wondering how we had gotten so good. Coach had me and Blake sit out the third quarter to rest and I had to watch as Joe and his team turned the tides and took a 62-43 lead going into the fourth quarter. Coming back into the game in the fourth quarter, me and Blake's chemistry exploded as we were throwing alley oops, behind the back passes, and set each other for three-point shots. Much to the chagrin of Winchester, they watched as their lead diminished from 62-43 to 65-63. Only making a three pointer off a bad defense play that left their shooting guard wide open. With 10 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the ball was back in my hands and I was at the the top of the key with their small forward guarding me. 10,9,8,7,6, I hit a quick double crossover on him easily getting past him, and spun on the incoming defender trying to help his teammate. 5,4,3,2,1. With the clock dwindling down on my way to the lane to make this game go into OT, I came face to face with Joe, who stood ready to block me at all cost, the star players going head to head. Coming to a stop, I pumped a jumpshot that got Joe into the air, and leaning into him, I through up a shot that miraculously went in, and earned a free shot as Joe was called for the foul. The crowd was silent as I stood at the line. Growing up, Rick told me free throws decide a game, so I was often practicing them. Bouncing the ball three times, flipping the ball in the palm of my hand, I bent my knees and let the ball soar towards the basket and watched as it hit the back of the net and signaled our victory. The crowd erupted into a deafening sign of applause and cheers as we took the win from the State Champions. I earned a few high fives from the guys, a fist bump from Blake, and a rare smile from Rick.

 

 We were off on the right track. I had a decent game finishing with a double-double with twenty-six points, 10 rebounds, a block, and three steals. The newstation was kind to me the next day, calling me Saint Jay, the man who let his hand show his team the way to victory over the state champs. I stayed home on Sunday to rest and invited Blake over for some video games. The next day at school, I recieved applaused in my classes. Cara turned to me in class and congratulated me on a great game and told me she had enjoyed watching me play. Giving her a small nod, I thanked her.

 

We won our next four games by large margins, The teams were seeing a whole new  Blaine basketball team that was dominating anybody they played.  I continued to average a double-double with twenty plus points and ten plus rebounds per game. I was just getting home from the health club when Emily walked into my room.

 

"Someone I know has been talking about you lately and is often hinting that she wants you to ask her out," Emily told me.

 

"Really? Someone told you about me?" I asked.

 

"Uh-huh, you interested in a date?" she asked a smile forming on her lips.

 

"Depends, who is she?"

 

"Well she's very pretty, smart athletic, my friend and really likes you." She replied " She sits next to you in your AP World History class."

 

"Cara?" I asked a little too eagerly.

 

"Bingo!" she smiled widely.

 

I looked at Emily like she was crazy. I didn't really believe her because she would often try to play tricks on me so I quickly found out not to apprehend what she tells me. She went on to tell me, that Cara had wondered why I never spoke to her,  was it because I already had a girlfriend. Knowing me  to be oblivious to anything but basketball,  Cara told her no , that my mind was just on basketball.

 

I thought about it the next couple of days, but my mind was on our back to back games on Thursday and Friday night. We played  and beat a easy team on Thursday, but tonight we played against the runner ups of last year's state championship, a certain playoff contender. This was of course another must win game to help boost our morale. My mind was completely focused on the game.

 

"Hey Devon, what are you doing after the game?" Cara asked approaching me.

 

"Just going home and resting," I replied.

 

"Oh, well a friend of mine is having a party after a game, and since Emily was going with Brandon, would you like to.... you go...with me," She said nervously.

 

"Sorry, I'm not the kind of guy to party," I said quietly.

 

"Yeah I know, Cara told me all you think about is basketball, but I figured I should ask anyway," she replied.

 

She seemed really disappointed and I thought back to what Emily had told me earlier. Before she could leave the classroom, I grabbed her hand.

 

"You going to the game tonight?", I asked.

 

"Wouldn't miss it, and neither will the rest of the student body," she beamed.

 

"Lets see what happens after the game," I told her.

 

She smiled instantly. "Okay!"

As we entered the court of the opposing team, we were instantly booed, letting us know we were not wanted here. Playing many years of basketball, I learn to drown out the noise of the crowd as they were irrelevant, however it is always better to know they are cheering for you. The home team's starting lineup was called up, receiving applause from their crowd. Then in a disturbed tone, they named our starting line up, receiving repetitive boos.

We lined up at the center of the court, waiting for the opening tip. With the ball in the air, our center quickly tipped the ball to the back court towards Blake, who picked up the ball and through a pass to me while I was running in a open lane, easily scoring. Me and Blake went to work quickly at the beginning of the game, using our provided chemistry to use a bunch of maneuvers and passes to break down their defense. We were had a good  eleven point lead of 39-28, at the end of the first half.

 In the second half they tried bringing two people to guard me instead of one. I figured I'd see this happen eventually, so I was always prepared for this. We performed a three man weave with our teammate,James, the shooting guard. Blake passes to me, then I to James, James back to Blake, Blake to James, and me for the cut in to the lane for a score. This method was only effective enough to bring the lead up by six points. Everytime I got the ball they would bring to people on me, so I would have to pass it to the open man for assists. We went up to a 72-46 lead at the end of the third quarter. Coach Rick to the starters out the game in the fourth quarter to let the second string get playing time. We never relinquished the lead ending the game 84-68. I finished the game with twenty points, seven rebounds, and a career high of fourteen assists. Looking around, I found Cara standing with Emily and I guess the guy she was taking to the party, Brandon. She smiled and waved me over when she saw me.

"Hey Devon, nice game today," she said.

"Thanks, it was a much needed win, now we can continue our undefeated season," I replied.

"You want to go to the party?" SHe asked

"Actually, how about I take you to dinner instead?" I asked.

"Sure!" she replied.

"Good, can you wait until I take a shower and get changed.?", I asked.

"Yes I'll meet you in the parking lot," she told me.

I walked into the locker room, jumped into the shower, satisfied with my now fresh scent, I got out and put my clothes on. Packing my game shoes, shorts, and jersey in my bag, I headed to the parking lot.

We walked over to my camaro. There was a few good things about having a former professional basketball player as a foster dad. Tossing my bag in the backseat, I opened Cara's door for her, then walked to my side and got in the drivers seat. I was taking her to a new five-star resturant that just opened up a mile from where we were.

"Do you have a curfew?" I asked her.

"No, My parents trust me," She replied.

We had a really good time, she ordered a roundhouse steak, and I just got a burger and fries. We talked about what I planned to do after high school, what college I was thinking about going to, where I was born, and just things about myself. Looking at my watch, I had noticed we had been in the resturant "for an hour and a half.

 "You ready to leave?", I asked her.

"Yes," she replied.

Paying for the dineer, I slipped a ten dollar tip and we headed for my car. I drove her to her house, got out and opened her door for her. She told me she had a great night. STanding on her tippy toes, she gave me a quick peck on the lips before hurring inside her house.

We easily won our next nine games by a margin of twenty or more, our dynamic offense being the deciding factor. We held all of our teams under fifty while we managed to score more than eighty each game; breaching the hundred point mark twice. Rick was getting calls from recruiters asking him what college I planned on attending. He kept all options open by telling them all that it was my decision after all.It was quite ordinary to see me on the news as it was always how many great plays I made that kept our undefeated season alive.

Ever since the night we had dinner after the game, me and Cara dated many times over the past couple of weeks, going out to eat, movies, and eventually her dragging me to a party. Soon, I found myself looking forward to spending time with her. She helped take my mind off everything and give me a chance to live my teenage life. We began kissing, which gradually turned into making out, but it never went further than that. Rick instilled into me to be a gentleman and always wait for the lady.

We were playing the worst team in our division, they were winless in and out of the division. This was the last game before spring fling the following week that was a week of games back to back to back and so forth. The game was followed by the annual spring dance. Spring break was only two weeks away.

It was a blowout , by halftime I had thirty-two points , sixteen rebounds, seven steals, and three blocks setting the school record for points , rebounds, and steals. The score was a easy  74-12. As in not to embarass them, Coach sat us out the second half, and we watched as our secondary team, pushed the lead to 114-42 by the end of the game. After the game I walked to locker room, showered, changed, and went to the cafteria where the dance was being held.

I arrived at the dance ten minutes late. I was greeted with applause from everybody as I entered the cafeteria. Looking around, I found Cara in the corner standing with Emily and her boyfriend, Brandon. Seeing as I finally made it, she came rushing into my arms.

"Hey big shot, great game even though you only played one half," she exclaimed.

"Thank you," I replied.

A repitive tap on the mic caught everybody's attention. Everybody turned towards the stage where our student council president, Leslie, struggled to turn the mike on. Banging on the microphone, resorted to a high screeching, that made everybody cover ther ears. After a couple of seconds, she got it working.

"Hey everybody and welcome to the Spring Dance !" she shouted into the microphone.

This earned a applause from the students.

"As you may know the results are in for Spring Fling Court." She turned to where the band was playing. "Drum roll please."

The drummer began a slow drum roll.

"Our Spring Fling King is....," she paused to let the suspense in the air." Devon Valentine!"

Everybody immediately turned to look at me. They began to clap enthusically. I held my head down in shyness and was gonna stand there had Cara not pushed me forward towards the stage. Walking up the stage, I stood next to Leslie who placed the crown on my head.

"Now for Spring Fling Queen..." She paused again to add the same suspense as earlier."Please welcome to the stage, Miss Cara Robinson."

Now it was her turn to blush, and act shy. Emily gave her a little nudge that caused her to make her way to the stage. She made her way to stand next to Leslie who placed the crown atop of her head.

"Now please congralute the Spring Fling Court!" she shouted. "May you guys take the honor of first dance."

We recieved applause. I led her down the steps and onto the dance floor. Placing my hands on her waist while she locked her arms around my neck, we began a slow dance. Soon the other couples took our lead , and we were surrounded by dancing couples.

We spent the rest of the night dancing, especially to the slow songs. I loved how Cara's body fit into mine. The warmth her body gave off onto my own. The band left around midnight, and everybody began to go home. I took Cara home, ending our night with a kiss.

 

]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-The-Phantom-book Tue, 22 Jan 2013 00:53:42 +0000 ThePhantom]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-The-Phantom-book A preview of the story i am writing. editing is not finished and some parts may be altered, but hope you like it so far(:

Prologue

In a world with elves, fairies, and fire breathing dragons, powerful magic flourished, brave knights, Kings ruled, and mythical creatures roamed the land. A war had been raging for nearly 20 years. The war between two of the strongest clans in the world. A bitter rivalry as one clan fought to desstroy the world and rebuild from scratch and the other clan fighting to protect the world from harm. It was a dark time for all who lived on Earth. A dark evil swept the world, the world was on the brink of destruction, and the battlefield was in ruins. There seemed to be no end to this ongoing battle.

However, a brave man from the Dymid clan, the Magician stood on the front of this war and had been doing so for most of his eternal life. When the war broke out,he, the new head of the Dymid clan, and prince of the land of Yuran, had only just begun his eternal life at the age of seventeen when he had to fight to protect the world, This man and many other nations joined forces to keep peace in the world. This war was a mistake that was for his younger self  to blame.

When he was younger, a mere apprentice and stranger to the world of magic that laid in front of him, he had been given a fortuitous gift from destiny. For destiny gave them the strongest magic wielder to ever bless the earth with his magnificence. A modest, wise older man who belonged to no clan, and didn't believe in good or evil as he remained nuetral. His knowledge, good-nature, and powerful magic that ran throught the blood in his veins than anyone who lived during or before his time. He was known as the eternal mage. 

When the Magician, his best friend the Wizard  and their good friend and great mistake, the Mage, came to train under him and they learned more in 24 hours then most mages learned in a year alone. Everything seemed to good to be true. Sadly, time would prove  that just the case. For one day love began to brew, ambition began to settle, and jealousy took its place.

The day came where the Wizard would fall for the Mage, and while the Mage actually loved the Magician, the Magician was so determined to become the successor to the Eternal mage, that he failed to see the jealousy of the eternal mage. The master challenged his pupils to a contest, to see if they were capable enough in order to claim the title of being his students and becoming masters. It was this challenge that shattered all bonds, that shifted the destiny of the world forever, and bring the great war upon the earth. Their task to break the bonds of mortal men and claim immortality through the use of magic.

No one had ever tried such a dangerous experiment before in the history of the world, and for good reason. Magic was powerful, but not that powerful. When someone tried to use more than he should the side effects could be catastrophic. However these students were not mere peasants. Their strong lineage traced back all the way back to the first mages to ever walk the earth. Even at a young age , the trio were some of the most powerful and feared mages to live; besides their master of course.

The task they had been given was supposed to be done alone and in secret from everyone. Only one of them could graduate as the master and they all wanted to earn the prestigous title. The Magician was so clouded by the prospect of living forever and gaining the title that they were lost in their goal. He never stopped to think what he was doing was wrong. How could he? He was young and naive.

It turned out that it hadn't just been a contest between mere friends. Their master was also working on his own solution. His knowledge, power, and experience with the most poweerful types of magic known to man gave him a strong edge and before any of the others had even thought about the idea of immortality, he began to master it. None of his students would graduate and take his title.  The Immortal Sage would always be the one true master.

In fear that his students may discover the solution, he bagan feeding each of them lies in order to distract them from their work. Eventually the bonds of the three began to crumble slowly, as they gave in to these lies. After fighting with one another over the love of the Mage, the two best friends turnt their back on each other leaving the Mage to decide her side. 

When she sided with the Magician, the Wizard left them in an outrage. Devoting himself in his studies, trying to find the solution to eternal life, and plotted to kill his best friend. The Immortal Sage planned everythign and knew nothing could stand in his way now.

Or, at least that's what he expected to happen. Overwhemed with greed and sorrow,the Wizard happened to stumble upon his master's notes on eternal life. Finding the notes valid he stole them and left the palace in a frantic retreat and found haven in a farm just on the outskirts of the capital city. He began to inscribe his body with strange markings, and infuse himself with magic and spells. Believing he had found the solution, he soon realized all his work was for not, as his solution backfired. So much magical energy had been used in his body that it caused an overload and a large explosion was the affect. 

The explosion had left the capital city where they all lived and studied, in ruins. However, the Wizard had survived the explosion, but he was far from the man he used to be. His body may have survived the explosion, but due to the dark magic he used, his mind went into a deep state of sleep and was lost and had been replaced with a being of pure instinct. What was once a body of flesh, was replaced with a high energy substance that glowed in the dark aftermath. Two doted red eyes. Eyes that looked for prey and needed to feed, yet the only thing that could feed it's hunger was magic.

Thus started the war. The mistake that changed the course of history. The twenty year long battle that took place.

Over the years of feeding and growing stronger, the being had gained intelligence as well. It began to manipulate the weak minded men and women into becoming it's slaves.  Soon it had gathered ninety-five percent of the world under it's control. The combined forces of the fairies, the elves, and man had little hope of winning the fight. They were at the apex of extinction.

Only the Immortal Sage, and his two pupils, stood tall and fought on.

]]> A preview of the story i am writing. editing is not finished and some parts may be altered, but hope you like it so far(:

Prologue

In a world with elves, fairies, and fire breathing dragons, powerful magic flourished, brave knights, Kings ruled, and mythical creatures roamed the land. A war had been raging for nearly 20 years. The war between two of the strongest clans in the world. A bitter rivalry as one clan fought to desstroy the world and rebuild from scratch and the other clan fighting to protect the world from harm. It was a dark time for all who lived on Earth. A dark evil swept the world, the world was on the brink of destruction, and the battlefield was in ruins. There seemed to be no end to this ongoing battle.

However, a brave man from the Dymid clan, the Magician stood on the front of this war and had been doing so for most of his eternal life. When the war broke out,he, the new head of the Dymid clan, and prince of the land of Yuran, had only just begun his eternal life at the age of seventeen when he had to fight to protect the world, This man and many other nations joined forces to keep peace in the world. This war was a mistake that was for his younger self  to blame.

When he was younger, a mere apprentice and stranger to the world of magic that laid in front of him, he had been given a fortuitous gift from destiny. For destiny gave them the strongest magic wielder to ever bless the earth with his magnificence. A modest, wise older man who belonged to no clan, and didn't believe in good or evil as he remained nuetral. His knowledge, good-nature, and powerful magic that ran throught the blood in his veins than anyone who lived during or before his time. He was known as the eternal mage. 

When the Magician, his best friend the Wizard  and their good friend and great mistake, the Mage, came to train under him and they learned more in 24 hours then most mages learned in a year alone. Everything seemed to good to be true. Sadly, time would prove  that just the case. For one day love began to brew, ambition began to settle, and jealousy took its place.

The day came where the Wizard would fall for the Mage, and while the Mage actually loved the Magician, the Magician was so determined to become the successor to the Eternal mage, that he failed to see the jealousy of the eternal mage. The master challenged his pupils to a contest, to see if they were capable enough in order to claim the title of being his students and becoming masters. It was this challenge that shattered all bonds, that shifted the destiny of the world forever, and bring the great war upon the earth. Their task to break the bonds of mortal men and claim immortality through the use of magic.

No one had ever tried such a dangerous experiment before in the history of the world, and for good reason. Magic was powerful, but not that powerful. When someone tried to use more than he should the side effects could be catastrophic. However these students were not mere peasants. Their strong lineage traced back all the way back to the first mages to ever walk the earth. Even at a young age , the trio were some of the most powerful and feared mages to live; besides their master of course.

The task they had been given was supposed to be done alone and in secret from everyone. Only one of them could graduate as the master and they all wanted to earn the prestigous title. The Magician was so clouded by the prospect of living forever and gaining the title that they were lost in their goal. He never stopped to think what he was doing was wrong. How could he? He was young and naive.

It turned out that it hadn't just been a contest between mere friends. Their master was also working on his own solution. His knowledge, power, and experience with the most poweerful types of magic known to man gave him a strong edge and before any of the others had even thought about the idea of immortality, he began to master it. None of his students would graduate and take his title.  The Immortal Sage would always be the one true master.

In fear that his students may discover the solution, he bagan feeding each of them lies in order to distract them from their work. Eventually the bonds of the three began to crumble slowly, as they gave in to these lies. After fighting with one another over the love of the Mage, the two best friends turnt their back on each other leaving the Mage to decide her side. 

When she sided with the Magician, the Wizard left them in an outrage. Devoting himself in his studies, trying to find the solution to eternal life, and plotted to kill his best friend. The Immortal Sage planned everythign and knew nothing could stand in his way now.

Or, at least that's what he expected to happen. Overwhemed with greed and sorrow,the Wizard happened to stumble upon his master's notes on eternal life. Finding the notes valid he stole them and left the palace in a frantic retreat and found haven in a farm just on the outskirts of the capital city. He began to inscribe his body with strange markings, and infuse himself with magic and spells. Believing he had found the solution, he soon realized all his work was for not, as his solution backfired. So much magical energy had been used in his body that it caused an overload and a large explosion was the affect. 

The explosion had left the capital city where they all lived and studied, in ruins. However, the Wizard had survived the explosion, but he was far from the man he used to be. His body may have survived the explosion, but due to the dark magic he used, his mind went into a deep state of sleep and was lost and had been replaced with a being of pure instinct. What was once a body of flesh, was replaced with a high energy substance that glowed in the dark aftermath. Two doted red eyes. Eyes that looked for prey and needed to feed, yet the only thing that could feed it's hunger was magic.

Thus started the war. The mistake that changed the course of history. The twenty year long battle that took place.

Over the years of feeding and growing stronger, the being had gained intelligence as well. It began to manipulate the weak minded men and women into becoming it's slaves.  Soon it had gathered ninety-five percent of the world under it's control. The combined forces of the fairies, the elves, and man had little hope of winning the fight. They were at the apex of extinction.

Only the Immortal Sage, and his two pupils, stood tall and fought on.

]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-MonsterMMORPG-story-announcement-board-comments-section Sun, 23 Dec 2012 08:39:02 +0000 fjkulit]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-MonsterMMORPG-story-announcement-board-comments-section
ANNOUNCEMENT:
-casting list-
CHARACTERS (do not complain; it was randomly picked)fjkulit [me] is the narrator)
Guider- main
Odairu- companion
Almedha- companion
Zach- main character's brother
Ghost- rival #1
Ace- rival #2
Knost- legendary trainer
Glace- ANCIENT SAGE #1
Shadow- #2
Remmy- #3
Tobias- #4
Viper- #5
Sanji -#6
Staff- #7
Valmara- #8]]>
ANNOUNCEMENT:
-casting list-
CHARACTERS (do not complain; it was randomly picked)fjkulit [me] is the narrator)
Guider- main
Odairu- companion
Almedha- companion
Zach- main character's brother
Ghost- rival #1
Ace- rival #2
Knost- legendary trainer
Glace- ANCIENT SAGE #1
Shadow- #2
Remmy- #3
Tobias- #4
Viper- #5
Sanji -#6
Staff- #7
Valmara- #8]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-MonsterMMORPG-story Thu, 20 Dec 2012 05:55:46 +0000 fjkulit]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-MonsterMMORPG-story
please do not post comments/anything here, i shall make a separate thread.

applicants: please go to this link and post if you would want to join
current applicants:
GK = valmara
fjkulit = fjkulit
staff = staff
knost = knost
rock = odairu
zach = zach
shadow = shadow
irem = remmy
zerion = ace
ghost = ghost
icy = glace
shock = tobias
uchiha = straw hat
guider = guider
viper = viper
kamen = almedha]]>
please do not post comments/anything here, i shall make a separate thread.

applicants: please go to this link and post if you would want to join
current applicants:
GK = valmara
fjkulit = fjkulit
staff = staff
knost = knost
rock = odairu
zach = zach
shadow = shadow
irem = remmy
zerion = ace
ghost = ghost
icy = glace
shock = tobias
uchiha = straw hat
guider = guider
viper = viper
kamen = almedha]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-MonsterMMORPG-story-applicants Thu, 20 Dec 2012 05:54:39 +0000 fjkulit]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-MonsterMMORPG-story-applicants the monsters. i'll be the one to pick. (we will all start from the beginning)]]> the monsters. i'll be the one to pick. (we will all start from the beginning)]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-MonsterMMO-Adventures-Special-1 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 02:30:23 +0000 Alex330]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-MonsterMMO-Adventures-Special-1 ]]> ]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-Book-Census Tue, 30 Oct 2012 13:03:37 +0000 fjkulit]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-Book-Census

TAKE NOTE- young adults, teen fiction, etc. Will not be considered as a genre

FORMAT
TITLE - AUTHOR* - SUB GENRE
*please take note that you may only use your username here


This is how it will look like (I'll start)
FANTASY
The End of Darkness - Fjkulit - romance, adventure


SCHOOL
The Last Symphony - Fjkulit - romance




ACTION
Biohazard (1,2) - Rock127 - action, adventure


MYSTERY
The Dark Moon - Rock127 - School

POST NOW

]]>

TAKE NOTE- young adults, teen fiction, etc. Will not be considered as a genre

FORMAT
TITLE - AUTHOR* - SUB GENRE
*please take note that you may only use your username here


This is how it will look like (I'll start)
FANTASY
The End of Darkness - Fjkulit - romance, adventure


SCHOOL
The Last Symphony - Fjkulit - romance




ACTION
Biohazard (1,2) - Rock127 - action, adventure


MYSTERY
The Dark Moon - Rock127 - School

POST NOW

]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-For-The-Love-of-the-Game-book Sun, 21 Oct 2012 04:38:34 +0100 ThePhantom]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-For-The-Love-of-the-Game-book I OWN ALL MY CHARACTERS SO PLEASE DON'T USE THEM Copyright © 2012 Jermaine Easton a.k.a (JayEaston)
My childhood was a constant struggle of up and downs, being anything but ordinary. Never meeting my father who had left my mother and I, and my mother who was my whole world, died of cancer when I was only five years old. At the age of five, with nobody willing to take me into their homes, I was put into the system and was placed in a foster home. Moving into a a overly average 5000 square foot house that was secluded from others, occupied by a married couple and a daughter a year younger than me, I began my life in the city of Benham, Kentucky where the population barely exceeded 530.

Rick, my foster dad, a retired professional basketball player, was now the varsity basketball coach for the local high school team. Since he wasn't blessed with a son, he ingrained in me the fundamentals of basketball. Teaching me how to dribble, perform a correct jump-shot, and maintaining a formidable defense. After many years of training, playing on a wide-range of teams, and traveling to many major cities for training camps,I began to sneak upon my freshman year where I attend the high school my foster dad coached.

The next year, I was a freshman, matriculating into the same high school my foster father both taught and coached at. By now I had hit my growth spurt and stood at six foot six and weighed approxiametely two hundred and ten pounds. It was prominent, as the son of the coach and hardcore training over many years, I would be playing basketball. Coaching twenty years at a perrenial losing school and obtaining two potientallly star quality players , my foster dad began to develop and new system for the varsity team. Since I wasn't going to be playing any games my freshman year, Rick put me on a rigid weight lifting program and provided me with the essential supplements for my success. Not seeing any playing time my freshman year, I focused my attention on lifting weights, and if I was not working on fundamentals in basketball, I was spending every free moment in the weight room and using the weights to help me build more muscle. Initially my weight had dropped to a low of one hundred ninety pounds, but it slowly came back. By time freshman year was ending, I was back to my normal two hundred ten pounds, but now very little fat was visible on my body. I was bigger, leaner , and much quicker after just a year of being in the program. During the summer that year, My dad had paid for me to go join a summer basketball camp at University of Kentucky. Being a former University of Kentucky student athlete graduate, my dad had many colleagues and buddies who coached or were trainers for the sports teams. There I met a old college buddy of my father, who had played basketball with him and there I began my workout. Rick already had plans that as a sophomore, I would start at the small forward position along with the other guy, Blake, the point guard, the other potential star that came into the high school with me.

By time my sophomore year rolled around, people began taking notice on me. Girls who had once never looked towards my direction, were now taking second, longer looks and often smiling at me. I walked past my foster sister, Emily, and her friends and overheard one of her friends mentioning how muscular and hot I became. As nice as it was to receive attention i had not had before, my main focus was basketball and I had to remove those thoughts from my mind. After many workouts during the next couple of months, not to much longer the winter season came around and along with it came basketball season. Not really worried about not making varsity since I made it last year, I still worked to the extreme extent just in case they got a couple of decent recruits or transfer students. Everyday after practice, I would make my way to a newly built, secluded health club called Fitness and finesse. My first day there I was shocked to see , Blake, our starting point guard, there working out by himself. Seeing as we were teammates I offered to workout with him and ever since we had been working out together both in the club's basketball court and weight room, developing good chemistry with each other.

Even though I tried to be oblivious to my surroundings if it was not related to basketball, but no matter how hard I tried I always seem my eyes always seemed to fixate themselves on Cara, one of Emily's friends, and a competitor with Emily for prettiest girl in our year. She was in all of my classes this year and although we did not talk often, she still sat beside me in some of my classes. Saying she was beautiful would be an understatement. She stood close to six foot two and was the co-captain of both the varsity basketball and varsity volleyball team. She had an amazingly fit, enticing athletic body for a modest sixteen year old. Her facial features were a sight to behold, she could have put any famous super model to shame, her golden skin smooth, her large deep cool gray eyes, and dirty blonde hair that stopped just below her shoulders.

Around this time, we were having a hardcore practice a week before our first game and then injuries began to play games with me. When I was going to collect a rebound, I landed awkwardly and later found out I had rolled my ankle. This injury put me in a ankle brace for about eight weeks, and would end my sophomore season before it even started. Since he wanted me healthy for the next year, Rick had me sit and heal for the whole year. Since my injury, I had been working out light to maintain my body build and not let any muscle turn into fat. By the end of my sophomore year I had grown to six foot eight.
Early next year, Rick stepped into my room. He wore his stern "coach" face, and I knew this would be one of his many famous coach speeches. He sat at the edge of the bed and pondered about what to say.

"Son I want you to know, in order for this team to win more games, we need you on the court and healthy. Blake can't play every team by himself he needs help from another star," he explained.

"I understand, I'll do my best," I replied.

Since my injury had healed, once again I was back on my regiment training program at the health club, working on the fundamentals and weight lifting with Blake. I was going into my junior season and since I had sat out my freshman year and was injured during my sophomore year, I was determined to make a my debut this year. As of right now, I was now six foot eight, and two hundred twenty pounds. Since football season was coming to an end, we still had a month until our season started so we had work outs everyday after school from two to four. After three weeks of work outs, my verticle, speed, size , and basketball IQ were the talk of the school. Going one on one with our centers, small forwards, and power forwards, I dominated them all with ease, including the seniors. It came to the attention of a reporter who worked at UKP, a local news station, who was in charge of the sports section. Coming by the house, we had an thirty minute interview that was showed on the Friday night sports segment on UKP. Coming back from the weekend break, I was a celebrity at school, getting high-fives, chest bumps, and many jokes on my half of being nervous during my interview.

As a junior, my school was tried their best to put into our heads about our future, so I took an AP class on account of "preparation". I grabbed a seat in the back hoping to keep myself out of view. I was a extremely good student, rarely having to study since I was blessed with the gift of a photographic memory. By now I was now the talk of the school, and as the local news station described me, the savior grace of Blaine High and the best player that the school has had since its first days. I had never dated any girls from school, in fact I barely had the time for anything social the only person I really associated with was Blake. But sitting next to me was the basketball,volleyball all-star was Cara. She was a girl in the "in-crowd" along with my foster sister , Emily, who seemed to be the center of attention and dictated how the school was ran. I had only spoken to her a few times when she would spend a night with Emily,but it we only exchanged a greeting and an occasional conversation about basketball. As she sat down next to me, I couldn't help but glance at her, only to be caught by her and recieved a angelic smile. It began difficult to focus in class, as my mind began to wonder. Soon the bell rang and I was off to workouts.

After another month of school, our football team won the state championship as they were lead to victory by our quarterback,Phil Micheals, who was a top college prospect. Now we we upon the arrival of the basketball season. On Friday, the season started against our town rivals and past state champions, Winchester High. They were a highly skilled and depended heavly on their championship defense, led by their seven foot star center, Joe Edwards. This would be my first game as a starter, I had been waiting for this debut for the past three years. By time I was on the court, I silenced everything from my mind, but Blake and the sound of the ball dribbling. My goal was to score, get into their heads, and shut down Joe. It was only the half time, but we had a 41-39 lead on the State Champions. With my ability to score, the elite, precision passes and driving skills by Blake, we had them on their heels wondering how we had gotten so good. Coach had me and Blake sit out the third quarter to rest and I had to watch as Joe and his team turned the tides and took a 62-43 lead going into the fourth quarter. Coming back into the game in the fourth quarter, me and Blake's chemistry exploded as we were throwing alley oops, behind the back passes, and set each other for three-point shots. Much to the chagrin of Winchester, they watched as their lead diminished from 62-43 to 65-63. Only making a three pointer off a bad defense play that left their shooting guard wide open. With 10 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the ball was back in my hands and I was at the the top of the key with their small forward guarding me. 10,9,8,7,6, I hit a quick double crossover on him easily getting past him, and spun on the incoming defender trying to help his teammate. 5,4,3,2,1. With the clock dwindling down on my way to the lane to make this game go into OT, I came face to face with Joe, who stood ready to block me at all cost, the star players going head to head. Coming to a stop, I pumped a jumpshot that got Joe into the air, and leaning into him, I through up a shot that miraculously went in, and earned a free shot as Joe was called for the foul. The crowd was silent as I stood at the line. Growing up, Rick told me free throws decide a game, so I was often practicing them. Bouncing the ball three times, flipping the ball in the palm of my hand, I bent my knees and let the ball soar towards the basket and watched as it hit the back of the net and signaled our victory. The crowd erupted into a deafening sign of applause and cheers as we took the win from the State Champions. I earned a few high fives from the guys, a fist bump from Blake, and a rare smile from Rick.

We were off on the right track. I had a decent game finishing with a double-double with twenty-six points, 10 rebounds, a block, and three steals. The newstation was kind to me the next day, calling me Saint Jay, the man who let his hand show his team the way to victory over the state champs. I stayed home on Sunday to rest and invited Blake over for some video games. The next day at school, I recieved applaused in my classes. Cara turned to me in class and congratulated me on a great game and told me she had enjoyed watching me play. Giving her a small nod, I thanked her.

We won our next four games by large margins, The teams were seeing a whole new Blaine basketball team that was dominating anybody they played. I continued to average a double-double with twenty plus points and ten plus rebounds per game. I was just getting home from the health club when Emily walked into my room.

"Someone I know has been talking about you lately and is often hinting that she wants you to ask her out," Emily told me.

"Really? Someone told you about me?" I asked.

"Uh-huh, you interested in a date?" she asked a smile forming on her lips.

"Depends, who is she?"

"Well she's very pretty, smart athletic, my friend and really likes you." She replied " She sits next to you in your AP World History class."

"Cara?" I asked a little too eagerly.

"Bingo!" she smiled widely.

I looked at Emily like she was crazy. I didn't really believe her because she would often try to play tricks on me so I quickly found out not to apprehend what she tells me. She went on to tell me, that Cara had wondered why I never spoke to her, was it because I already had a girlfriend. Knowing me to be oblivious to anything but basketball, Cara told her no , that my mind was just on basketball.

I thought about it the next couple of days, but my mind was on our back to back games on Thursday and Friday night. We played and beat a easy team on Thursday, but tonight we played against the runner ups of last year's state championship, a certain playoff contender. This was of course another must win game to help boost our morale. My mind was completely focused on the game.

"Hey Devon, what are you doing after the game?" Cara asked approaching me.

"Just going home and resting," I replied.

"Oh, well a friend of mine is having a party after a game, and since Emily was going with Brandon, would you like to.... you go...with me," She said nervously.

"Sorry, I'm not the kind of guy to party," I said quietly.

"Yeah I know, Cara told me all you think about is basketball, but I figured I should ask anyway," she replied.

She seemed really disappointed and I thought back to what Emily had told me earlier. Before she could leave the classroom, I grabbed her hand.

"You going to the game tonight?", I asked.

"Wouldn't miss it, and neither will the rest of the student body," she beamed.

"Lets see what happens after the game," I told her.

She smiled instantly. "Okay!"
As we entered the court of the opposing team, we were instantly booed, letting us know we were not wanted here. Playing many years of basketball, I learn to drown out the noise of the crowd as they were irrelevant, however it is always better to know they are cheering for you. The home team's starting lineup was called up, receiving applause from their crowd. Then in a disturbed tone, they named our starting line up, receiving repetitive boos.
We lined up at the center of the court, waiting for the opening tip. With the ball in the air, our center quickly tipped the ball to the back court towards Blake, who picked up the ball and through a pass to me while I was running in a open lane, easily scoring. Me and Blake went to work quickly at the beginning of the game, using our provided chemistry to use a bunch of maneuvers and passes to break down their defense. We were had a good eleven point lead of 39-28, at the end of the first half.
In the second half they tried bringing two people to guard me instead of one. I figured I'd see this happen eventually, so I was always prepared for this. We performed a three man weave with our teammate,James, the shooting guard. Blake passes to me, then I to James, James back to Blake, Blake to James, and me for the cut in to the lane for a score. This method was only effective enough to bring the lead up by six points. Everytime I got the ball they would bring to people on me, so I would have to pass it to the open man for assists. We went up to a 72-46 lead at the end of the third quarter. Coach Rick to the starters out the game in the fourth quarter to let the second string get playing time. We never relinquished the lead ending the game 84-68. I finished the game with twenty points, seven rebounds, and a career high of fourteen assists. Looking around, I found Cara standing with Emily and I guess the guy she was taking to the party, Brandon. She smiled and waved me over when she saw me.
"Hey Devon, nice game today," she said.
"Thanks, it was a much needed win, now we can continue our undefeated season," I replied.
"You want to go to the party?" SHe asked
"Actually, how about I take you to dinner instead?" I asked.
"Sure!" she replied.
"Good, can you wait until I take a shower and get changed.?", I asked.
"Yes I'll meet you in the parking lot," she told me.
I walked into the locker room, jumped into the shower, satisfied with my now fresh scent, I got out and put my clothes on. Packing my game shoes, shorts, and jersey in my bag, I headed to the parking lot.
We walked over to my camaro. There was a few good things about having a former professional basketball player as a foster dad. Tossing my bag in the backseat, I opened Cara's door for her, then walked to my side and got in the drivers seat. I was taking her to a new five-star resturant that just opened up a mile from where we were.
"Do you have a curfew?" I asked her.
"No, My parents trust me," She replied.
We had a really good time, she ordered a roundhouse steak, and I just got a burger and fries. We talked about what I planned to do after high school, what college I was thinking about going to, where I was born, and just things about myself. Looking at my watch, I had noticed we had been in the resturant "for an hour and a half.
"You ready to leave?", I asked her.
"Yes," she replied.
Paying for the dineer, I slipped a ten dollar tip and we headed for my car. I drove her to her house, got out and opened her door for her. She told me she had a great night. STanding on her tippy toes, she gave me a quick peck on the lips before hurring inside her house.
We easily won our next nine games by a margin of twenty or more, our dynamic offense being the deciding factor. We held all of our teams under fifty while we managed to score more than eighty each game; breaching the hundred point mark twice. Rick was getting calls from recruiters asking him what college I planned on attending. He kept all options open by telling them all that it was my decision after all.It was quite ordinary to see me on the news as it was always how many great plays I made that kept our undefeated season alive.
Ever since the night we had dinner after the game, me and Cara dated many times over the past couple of weeks, going out to eat, movies, and eventually her dragging me to a party. Soon, I found myself looking forward to spending time with her. She helped take my mind off everything and give me a chance to live my teenage life. We began kissing, which gradually turned into making out, but it never went further than that. Rick instilled into me to be a gentleman and always wait for the lady.
We were playing the worst team in our division, they were winless in and out of the division. This was the last game before spring fling the following week that was a week of games back to back to back and so forth. The game was followed by the annual spring dance. Spring break was only two weeks away.
It was a blowout , by halftime I had thirty-two points , sixteen rebounds, seven steals, and three blocks setting the school record for points , rebounds, and steals. The score was a easy 74-12. As in not to embarass them, Coach sat us out the second half, and we watched as our secondary team, pushed the lead to 114-42 by the end of the game. After the game I walked to locker room, showered, changed, and went to the cafteria where the dance was being held.
I arrived at the dance ten minutes late. I was greeted with applause from everybody as I entered the cafeteria. Looking around, I found Cara in the corner standing with Emily and her boyfriend, Brandon. Seeing as I finally made it, she came rushing into my arms.
"Hey big shot, great game even though you only played one half," she exclaimed.
"Thank you," I replied.
A repitive tap on the mic caught everybody's attention. Everybody turned towards the stage where our student council president, Leslie, struggled to turn the mike on. Banging on the microphone, resorted to a high screeching, that made everybody cover ther ears. After a couple of seconds, she got it working.
"Hey everybody and welcome to the Spring Dance !" she shouted into the microphone.
This earned a applause from the students.
"As you may know the results are in for Spring Fling Court." She turned to where the band was playing. "Drum roll please."
The drummer began a slow drum roll.
"Our Spring Fling King is....," she paused to let the suspense in the air." Devon Valentine!"
Everybody immediately turned to look at me. They began to clap enthusically. I held my head down in shyness and was gonna stand there had Cara not pushed me forward towards the stage. Walking up the stage, I stood next to Leslie who placed the crown on my head.
"Now for Spring Fling Queen..." She paused again to add the same suspense as earlier."Please welcome to the stage, Miss Cara Robinson."
Now it was her turn to blush, and act shy. Emily gave her a little nudge that caused her to make her way to the stage. She made her way to stand next to Leslie who placed the crown atop of her head.
"Now please congralute the Spring Fling Court!" she shouted. "May you guys take the honor of first dance."
We recieved applause. I led her down the steps and onto the dance floor. Placing my hands on her waist while she locked her arms around my neck, we began a slow dance. Soon the other couples took our lead , and we were surrounded by dancing couples.
We spent the rest of the night dancing, especially to the slow songs. I loved how Cara's body fit into mine. The warmth her body gave off onto my own. The band left around midnight, and everybody began to go home. I took Cara home, ending our night with a kiss.]]> I OWN ALL MY CHARACTERS SO PLEASE DON'T USE THEM Copyright © 2012 Jermaine Easton a.k.a (JayEaston)
My childhood was a constant struggle of up and downs, being anything but ordinary. Never meeting my father who had left my mother and I, and my mother who was my whole world, died of cancer when I was only five years old. At the age of five, with nobody willing to take me into their homes, I was put into the system and was placed in a foster home. Moving into a a overly average 5000 square foot house that was secluded from others, occupied by a married couple and a daughter a year younger than me, I began my life in the city of Benham, Kentucky where the population barely exceeded 530.

Rick, my foster dad, a retired professional basketball player, was now the varsity basketball coach for the local high school team. Since he wasn't blessed with a son, he ingrained in me the fundamentals of basketball. Teaching me how to dribble, perform a correct jump-shot, and maintaining a formidable defense. After many years of training, playing on a wide-range of teams, and traveling to many major cities for training camps,I began to sneak upon my freshman year where I attend the high school my foster dad coached.

The next year, I was a freshman, matriculating into the same high school my foster father both taught and coached at. By now I had hit my growth spurt and stood at six foot six and weighed approxiametely two hundred and ten pounds. It was prominent, as the son of the coach and hardcore training over many years, I would be playing basketball. Coaching twenty years at a perrenial losing school and obtaining two potientallly star quality players , my foster dad began to develop and new system for the varsity team. Since I wasn't going to be playing any games my freshman year, Rick put me on a rigid weight lifting program and provided me with the essential supplements for my success. Not seeing any playing time my freshman year, I focused my attention on lifting weights, and if I was not working on fundamentals in basketball, I was spending every free moment in the weight room and using the weights to help me build more muscle. Initially my weight had dropped to a low of one hundred ninety pounds, but it slowly came back. By time freshman year was ending, I was back to my normal two hundred ten pounds, but now very little fat was visible on my body. I was bigger, leaner , and much quicker after just a year of being in the program. During the summer that year, My dad had paid for me to go join a summer basketball camp at University of Kentucky. Being a former University of Kentucky student athlete graduate, my dad had many colleagues and buddies who coached or were trainers for the sports teams. There I met a old college buddy of my father, who had played basketball with him and there I began my workout. Rick already had plans that as a sophomore, I would start at the small forward position along with the other guy, Blake, the point guard, the other potential star that came into the high school with me.

By time my sophomore year rolled around, people began taking notice on me. Girls who had once never looked towards my direction, were now taking second, longer looks and often smiling at me. I walked past my foster sister, Emily, and her friends and overheard one of her friends mentioning how muscular and hot I became. As nice as it was to receive attention i had not had before, my main focus was basketball and I had to remove those thoughts from my mind. After many workouts during the next couple of months, not to much longer the winter season came around and along with it came basketball season. Not really worried about not making varsity since I made it last year, I still worked to the extreme extent just in case they got a couple of decent recruits or transfer students. Everyday after practice, I would make my way to a newly built, secluded health club called Fitness and finesse. My first day there I was shocked to see , Blake, our starting point guard, there working out by himself. Seeing as we were teammates I offered to workout with him and ever since we had been working out together both in the club's basketball court and weight room, developing good chemistry with each other.

Even though I tried to be oblivious to my surroundings if it was not related to basketball, but no matter how hard I tried I always seem my eyes always seemed to fixate themselves on Cara, one of Emily's friends, and a competitor with Emily for prettiest girl in our year. She was in all of my classes this year and although we did not talk often, she still sat beside me in some of my classes. Saying she was beautiful would be an understatement. She stood close to six foot two and was the co-captain of both the varsity basketball and varsity volleyball team. She had an amazingly fit, enticing athletic body for a modest sixteen year old. Her facial features were a sight to behold, she could have put any famous super model to shame, her golden skin smooth, her large deep cool gray eyes, and dirty blonde hair that stopped just below her shoulders.

Around this time, we were having a hardcore practice a week before our first game and then injuries began to play games with me. When I was going to collect a rebound, I landed awkwardly and later found out I had rolled my ankle. This injury put me in a ankle brace for about eight weeks, and would end my sophomore season before it even started. Since he wanted me healthy for the next year, Rick had me sit and heal for the whole year. Since my injury, I had been working out light to maintain my body build and not let any muscle turn into fat. By the end of my sophomore year I had grown to six foot eight.
Early next year, Rick stepped into my room. He wore his stern "coach" face, and I knew this would be one of his many famous coach speeches. He sat at the edge of the bed and pondered about what to say.

"Son I want you to know, in order for this team to win more games, we need you on the court and healthy. Blake can't play every team by himself he needs help from another star," he explained.

"I understand, I'll do my best," I replied.

Since my injury had healed, once again I was back on my regiment training program at the health club, working on the fundamentals and weight lifting with Blake. I was going into my junior season and since I had sat out my freshman year and was injured during my sophomore year, I was determined to make a my debut this year. As of right now, I was now six foot eight, and two hundred twenty pounds. Since football season was coming to an end, we still had a month until our season started so we had work outs everyday after school from two to four. After three weeks of work outs, my verticle, speed, size , and basketball IQ were the talk of the school. Going one on one with our centers, small forwards, and power forwards, I dominated them all with ease, including the seniors. It came to the attention of a reporter who worked at UKP, a local news station, who was in charge of the sports section. Coming by the house, we had an thirty minute interview that was showed on the Friday night sports segment on UKP. Coming back from the weekend break, I was a celebrity at school, getting high-fives, chest bumps, and many jokes on my half of being nervous during my interview.

As a junior, my school was tried their best to put into our heads about our future, so I took an AP class on account of "preparation". I grabbed a seat in the back hoping to keep myself out of view. I was a extremely good student, rarely having to study since I was blessed with the gift of a photographic memory. By now I was now the talk of the school, and as the local news station described me, the savior grace of Blaine High and the best player that the school has had since its first days. I had never dated any girls from school, in fact I barely had the time for anything social the only person I really associated with was Blake. But sitting next to me was the basketball,volleyball all-star was Cara. She was a girl in the "in-crowd" along with my foster sister , Emily, who seemed to be the center of attention and dictated how the school was ran. I had only spoken to her a few times when she would spend a night with Emily,but it we only exchanged a greeting and an occasional conversation about basketball. As she sat down next to me, I couldn't help but glance at her, only to be caught by her and recieved a angelic smile. It began difficult to focus in class, as my mind began to wonder. Soon the bell rang and I was off to workouts.

After another month of school, our football team won the state championship as they were lead to victory by our quarterback,Phil Micheals, who was a top college prospect. Now we we upon the arrival of the basketball season. On Friday, the season started against our town rivals and past state champions, Winchester High. They were a highly skilled and depended heavly on their championship defense, led by their seven foot star center, Joe Edwards. This would be my first game as a starter, I had been waiting for this debut for the past three years. By time I was on the court, I silenced everything from my mind, but Blake and the sound of the ball dribbling. My goal was to score, get into their heads, and shut down Joe. It was only the half time, but we had a 41-39 lead on the State Champions. With my ability to score, the elite, precision passes and driving skills by Blake, we had them on their heels wondering how we had gotten so good. Coach had me and Blake sit out the third quarter to rest and I had to watch as Joe and his team turned the tides and took a 62-43 lead going into the fourth quarter. Coming back into the game in the fourth quarter, me and Blake's chemistry exploded as we were throwing alley oops, behind the back passes, and set each other for three-point shots. Much to the chagrin of Winchester, they watched as their lead diminished from 62-43 to 65-63. Only making a three pointer off a bad defense play that left their shooting guard wide open. With 10 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the ball was back in my hands and I was at the the top of the key with their small forward guarding me. 10,9,8,7,6, I hit a quick double crossover on him easily getting past him, and spun on the incoming defender trying to help his teammate. 5,4,3,2,1. With the clock dwindling down on my way to the lane to make this game go into OT, I came face to face with Joe, who stood ready to block me at all cost, the star players going head to head. Coming to a stop, I pumped a jumpshot that got Joe into the air, and leaning into him, I through up a shot that miraculously went in, and earned a free shot as Joe was called for the foul. The crowd was silent as I stood at the line. Growing up, Rick told me free throws decide a game, so I was often practicing them. Bouncing the ball three times, flipping the ball in the palm of my hand, I bent my knees and let the ball soar towards the basket and watched as it hit the back of the net and signaled our victory. The crowd erupted into a deafening sign of applause and cheers as we took the win from the State Champions. I earned a few high fives from the guys, a fist bump from Blake, and a rare smile from Rick.

We were off on the right track. I had a decent game finishing with a double-double with twenty-six points, 10 rebounds, a block, and three steals. The newstation was kind to me the next day, calling me Saint Jay, the man who let his hand show his team the way to victory over the state champs. I stayed home on Sunday to rest and invited Blake over for some video games. The next day at school, I recieved applaused in my classes. Cara turned to me in class and congratulated me on a great game and told me she had enjoyed watching me play. Giving her a small nod, I thanked her.

We won our next four games by large margins, The teams were seeing a whole new Blaine basketball team that was dominating anybody they played. I continued to average a double-double with twenty plus points and ten plus rebounds per game. I was just getting home from the health club when Emily walked into my room.

"Someone I know has been talking about you lately and is often hinting that she wants you to ask her out," Emily told me.

"Really? Someone told you about me?" I asked.

"Uh-huh, you interested in a date?" she asked a smile forming on her lips.

"Depends, who is she?"

"Well she's very pretty, smart athletic, my friend and really likes you." She replied " She sits next to you in your AP World History class."

"Cara?" I asked a little too eagerly.

"Bingo!" she smiled widely.

I looked at Emily like she was crazy. I didn't really believe her because she would often try to play tricks on me so I quickly found out not to apprehend what she tells me. She went on to tell me, that Cara had wondered why I never spoke to her, was it because I already had a girlfriend. Knowing me to be oblivious to anything but basketball, Cara told her no , that my mind was just on basketball.

I thought about it the next couple of days, but my mind was on our back to back games on Thursday and Friday night. We played and beat a easy team on Thursday, but tonight we played against the runner ups of last year's state championship, a certain playoff contender. This was of course another must win game to help boost our morale. My mind was completely focused on the game.

"Hey Devon, what are you doing after the game?" Cara asked approaching me.

"Just going home and resting," I replied.

"Oh, well a friend of mine is having a party after a game, and since Emily was going with Brandon, would you like to.... you go...with me," She said nervously.

"Sorry, I'm not the kind of guy to party," I said quietly.

"Yeah I know, Cara told me all you think about is basketball, but I figured I should ask anyway," she replied.

She seemed really disappointed and I thought back to what Emily had told me earlier. Before she could leave the classroom, I grabbed her hand.

"You going to the game tonight?", I asked.

"Wouldn't miss it, and neither will the rest of the student body," she beamed.

"Lets see what happens after the game," I told her.

She smiled instantly. "Okay!"
As we entered the court of the opposing team, we were instantly booed, letting us know we were not wanted here. Playing many years of basketball, I learn to drown out the noise of the crowd as they were irrelevant, however it is always better to know they are cheering for you. The home team's starting lineup was called up, receiving applause from their crowd. Then in a disturbed tone, they named our starting line up, receiving repetitive boos.
We lined up at the center of the court, waiting for the opening tip. With the ball in the air, our center quickly tipped the ball to the back court towards Blake, who picked up the ball and through a pass to me while I was running in a open lane, easily scoring. Me and Blake went to work quickly at the beginning of the game, using our provided chemistry to use a bunch of maneuvers and passes to break down their defense. We were had a good eleven point lead of 39-28, at the end of the first half.
In the second half they tried bringing two people to guard me instead of one. I figured I'd see this happen eventually, so I was always prepared for this. We performed a three man weave with our teammate,James, the shooting guard. Blake passes to me, then I to James, James back to Blake, Blake to James, and me for the cut in to the lane for a score. This method was only effective enough to bring the lead up by six points. Everytime I got the ball they would bring to people on me, so I would have to pass it to the open man for assists. We went up to a 72-46 lead at the end of the third quarter. Coach Rick to the starters out the game in the fourth quarter to let the second string get playing time. We never relinquished the lead ending the game 84-68. I finished the game with twenty points, seven rebounds, and a career high of fourteen assists. Looking around, I found Cara standing with Emily and I guess the guy she was taking to the party, Brandon. She smiled and waved me over when she saw me.
"Hey Devon, nice game today," she said.
"Thanks, it was a much needed win, now we can continue our undefeated season," I replied.
"You want to go to the party?" SHe asked
"Actually, how about I take you to dinner instead?" I asked.
"Sure!" she replied.
"Good, can you wait until I take a shower and get changed.?", I asked.
"Yes I'll meet you in the parking lot," she told me.
I walked into the locker room, jumped into the shower, satisfied with my now fresh scent, I got out and put my clothes on. Packing my game shoes, shorts, and jersey in my bag, I headed to the parking lot.
We walked over to my camaro. There was a few good things about having a former professional basketball player as a foster dad. Tossing my bag in the backseat, I opened Cara's door for her, then walked to my side and got in the drivers seat. I was taking her to a new five-star resturant that just opened up a mile from where we were.
"Do you have a curfew?" I asked her.
"No, My parents trust me," She replied.
We had a really good time, she ordered a roundhouse steak, and I just got a burger and fries. We talked about what I planned to do after high school, what college I was thinking about going to, where I was born, and just things about myself. Looking at my watch, I had noticed we had been in the resturant "for an hour and a half.
"You ready to leave?", I asked her.
"Yes," she replied.
Paying for the dineer, I slipped a ten dollar tip and we headed for my car. I drove her to her house, got out and opened her door for her. She told me she had a great night. STanding on her tippy toes, she gave me a quick peck on the lips before hurring inside her house.
We easily won our next nine games by a margin of twenty or more, our dynamic offense being the deciding factor. We held all of our teams under fifty while we managed to score more than eighty each game; breaching the hundred point mark twice. Rick was getting calls from recruiters asking him what college I planned on attending. He kept all options open by telling them all that it was my decision after all.It was quite ordinary to see me on the news as it was always how many great plays I made that kept our undefeated season alive.
Ever since the night we had dinner after the game, me and Cara dated many times over the past couple of weeks, going out to eat, movies, and eventually her dragging me to a party. Soon, I found myself looking forward to spending time with her. She helped take my mind off everything and give me a chance to live my teenage life. We began kissing, which gradually turned into making out, but it never went further than that. Rick instilled into me to be a gentleman and always wait for the lady.
We were playing the worst team in our division, they were winless in and out of the division. This was the last game before spring fling the following week that was a week of games back to back to back and so forth. The game was followed by the annual spring dance. Spring break was only two weeks away.
It was a blowout , by halftime I had thirty-two points , sixteen rebounds, seven steals, and three blocks setting the school record for points , rebounds, and steals. The score was a easy 74-12. As in not to embarass them, Coach sat us out the second half, and we watched as our secondary team, pushed the lead to 114-42 by the end of the game. After the game I walked to locker room, showered, changed, and went to the cafteria where the dance was being held.
I arrived at the dance ten minutes late. I was greeted with applause from everybody as I entered the cafeteria. Looking around, I found Cara in the corner standing with Emily and her boyfriend, Brandon. Seeing as I finally made it, she came rushing into my arms.
"Hey big shot, great game even though you only played one half," she exclaimed.
"Thank you," I replied.
A repitive tap on the mic caught everybody's attention. Everybody turned towards the stage where our student council president, Leslie, struggled to turn the mike on. Banging on the microphone, resorted to a high screeching, that made everybody cover ther ears. After a couple of seconds, she got it working.
"Hey everybody and welcome to the Spring Dance !" she shouted into the microphone.
This earned a applause from the students.
"As you may know the results are in for Spring Fling Court." She turned to where the band was playing. "Drum roll please."
The drummer began a slow drum roll.
"Our Spring Fling King is....," she paused to let the suspense in the air." Devon Valentine!"
Everybody immediately turned to look at me. They began to clap enthusically. I held my head down in shyness and was gonna stand there had Cara not pushed me forward towards the stage. Walking up the stage, I stood next to Leslie who placed the crown on my head.
"Now for Spring Fling Queen..." She paused again to add the same suspense as earlier."Please welcome to the stage, Miss Cara Robinson."
Now it was her turn to blush, and act shy. Emily gave her a little nudge that caused her to make her way to the stage. She made her way to stand next to Leslie who placed the crown atop of her head.
"Now please congralute the Spring Fling Court!" she shouted. "May you guys take the honor of first dance."
We recieved applause. I led her down the steps and onto the dance floor. Placing my hands on her waist while she locked her arms around my neck, we began a slow dance. Soon the other couples took our lead , and we were surrounded by dancing couples.
We spent the rest of the night dancing, especially to the slow songs. I loved how Cara's body fit into mine. The warmth her body gave off onto my own. The band left around midnight, and everybody began to go home. I took Cara home, ending our night with a kiss.]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-Possible-Investment-o-o Wed, 03 Oct 2012 18:16:30 +0100 Ghost]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-Possible-Investment-o-o https://idwlimited.com/index.php/books.html

I just spent 5(Lazy)months worth of lawn mowing for the book in the middle, hoping to one day make an investment off of it, at first i was excited, but now im looking at my wallet and im face-palming myself. I know that they WILL be worth a lot more later on, but i just don't know how much more T^T

Your thoughts?]]> https://idwlimited.com/index.php/books.html

I just spent 5(Lazy)months worth of lawn mowing for the book in the middle, hoping to one day make an investment off of it, at first i was excited, but now im looking at my wallet and im face-palming myself. I know that they WILL be worth a lot more later on, but i just don't know how much more T^T

Your thoughts?]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-What-book-are-you-reading-now Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:34:00 +0000 orboknown]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-What-book-are-you-reading-now ]]> ]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-Books-Social-Thread Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:33:14 +0000 orboknown]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-Books-Social-Thread ]]> ]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-hey-everyone Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:27:29 +0100 orboknown]]> https://forum.monstermmorpg.com/Thread-hey-everyone ]]> ]]>