Page 75 of On Merit Alone
“And let me guess, Ira King gets what he wants.”
“Generally.”
“And how are you going to get what you want now?”
He tipped his chin to the side, thinking for a second. “How about we change the rules? First shooter gets to ask the other a question?”
I immediately squirmed but hesitated to deny the challenge. How bad could it be? “Fine. Me first?”
He smiled. “No, sweetheart. You just went. My turn.”
My stomach turned.Damn.
Grumbling, I crossed my arms. “Fine. Go ahead, take your shot.”
He smiled, and I should’ve known by that smile alone that I was being set up. But I’d grown accustomed to nice guy Ira. So I didn’t even see it coming.
Backing up to mid-court Ira set and shot the ball with perfect form. It went sailing through the air and straight through the net, zero backboard in sight.
I blinked. He blinked. I glared. He smiled. “Your turn.”
I blew out hot air. What a little faker. Taking the ball down mid-court I lined myself up where Ira had just been standing, looking at him for confirmation that this was right. He nodded but when I set to take my shot, he said, “Hold up. Not so fast.”
“What?” I asked.
“My question, remember?”
“Oh,” I deadpanned. “Now?”
“Yep.” He popped the p, smug and happy with himself and his plan. He let his eyes do that trailing thing along my body as he thought of something to ask. “So… why do you play, Mer?”
Prickling, uncomfortable sensations crawled up the back of my neck. His question was simple yet… not. I speared a look at him. “That’s the big thing you wanted to know about me? Why I play?”
“I’d like to know the real reason, yeah,” he said. “Cause I can’t seem to figure you out myself.”
“Hmm.” I bounced the ball instead of answering right away. Naturally, I stopped at nine dribbles, my ritualistic number when I was playing for real. My family number, before they were no more.
When I took the shot, I missed. A hiss of disapproval shot out of my mouth as I turned to Ira with my arms over my chest. He raised his eyebrows waiting for the answer, and I fidgeted.
“Because I love it?” His expression immediately told me thatwasn’t going to cut it. I sighed, watching the ground. “I play because… because it’s a part of me. I know everyone says that, but the game is like another limb or a major artery in my heart. It’s the only thing keeping it beating at this point.”
“So, you don’t have plans to stop any time soon?”
I shivered. “No. Never.”
He nodded, then tipped his chin at me with a spreading smile. “Alright, c’mon. Lose the shirt.”
I laughed loud and slipped out of my shoes instead. “Yeah right, King. Nice try. My ball.”
Taking the ball up closer, I set up for my shot but this time used my non-dominant hand to lead. Both Ira and I were righty’s, so shooting lefty was unnatural. But I used to practice the shot for fun when I was younger, which is why it went in even from the free throw line. I could tell Ira was impressed as he stepped up to the line behind me.
Before he went for his shot, I asked, “What more is there for you besides basketball?”
He bounced the ball once, then shot with his left hand. It wasn’t even close and I couldn’t hide the smug smile that crossed my lips at the sight of his airball. As he passed by me to retrieve it, he pinched my cheek with a grumble. As he returned, he dribbled absently as he thought of his answer.
“I don’t really know,” he said. “I think one day I'd like to coach. Maybe start an organization. Give back to the sport that gave me so much, you know? I don’t know what I want exactly. All I know is that I’ve been searching for this feeling of more… and I want to find it.”
I nodded. “Well, I think you’ll be great at all those things when you’re ready for them. I mean look how you helped me. Halfway to coach already.”
