Netball Nonsense

• Austine Chen, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2015

“Arghhhh!!!” I growled. ‘We were losing!’ I moaned in my head. I was playing netball with my team and the opposing team was winning five, four. What made matters worse was that the opposing team was our rival netball team and my former best friend - not to mention our best player defence AND attack was playing on THEIR team. Dawn had won a scholarship to Canby Private School (which specialized in sports) from swimming recently.

Back to the game - the ball was already in Dawn, their goal shooter’s hands and I could do nothing to stop the scream that was erupting in my throat. I felt my eyes screwing up as my lips drew back to snarl at Cora, our unsuspecting goal keeper, and Alexis, our goal defence. I shot an icy glare at Dawn. I was momentarily surprised at my venomous feelings towards my former best friend, but the passion to win took over as I yelled, “Come on guys! You know how Dawn shoots, defend her!”
Cora and Alexis quickly got down to business, working together like a perfectly engineered machine, faking blocks, darting around Dawn like over excited electrons circling an atom. Immobilized by her confusion, Dawn lost the ball because of the three-second rule. “YESSSSS!!!!!” I shouted punching the air, as Cora and Alexis indulged in a victory dance. Alexis passed to our center, Cassandra, who passed the ball to me. I yelled at the top of my lungs, “ELLIE!” I kept my eyes on Ellie, our goal shooter, while actually passing to Tama, our goal attack. Tama took an immeasurable stride and shot the ball through the hoop. Now the score was five, five. It was Cassandra’s ball, so I got ready to dash in and catch the ball. The referee blew her whistle and I darted in, edging the wing defence. I grasped the whizzing sphere and passed to Ellie. The goal defence intercepted my ball and passed-or at least tried to pass to wing defence. I smiled smugly and caught the ball. Faking a high throw, I bounce-passed to Ellie. She squinted in the brightness of the sun, as everything seemed to go in slow motion.

The ball dropped through the hoop, just before the BEEP signaled the end of the game. The Rubies were jumping up and down and squealing as we shook hands with all the Stars. I sighed as Dawn came over to me. “My dad’s taking us to Super Smoothies,” she informed me. I rolled my eyes I wish it was one of the other girls, but I just answered “Whatever.”

At Super Smoothies, I decided on a Malicious Mango while Dawn wanted a Superb Strawberry. In the line she started “I’m sorry, but I can’t control if Canby is your rival team I-”
“I didn’t mean it like that,” I buried my head in my hands. She grinned and stuck out her hand. We performed our secret handshake and made up.