I can't believe it happened to me!

• Nicola Althous, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2005

I CAN”T BELIEVE IT HAPPENED TO ME!
By Nicola Althous


“Steph! I can’t believe it happened to me!”
“What did it feel like?” she asked.
“Well, I’ll tell you. I’d said to Mum, “Mum, I’m going out for a walk, OK?”
“Sure.” she had said.” Would you please take Ben and the dog too? It would mean so much to me.”
“But I’m going to meet Steph at the game, so I can’t.”

I was only five when I started loving the sport of basketball. Now I’m twelve and I still love it.

“OK, fine, you don’t have to take them.”
“Yes!” I said as I ran out the door like a bolt of lightening. I met up with you, Steph, at the game. When I was running towards you I bashed into one of the players. His name was Harry.
“Er, Sorry!”
“Are you OK?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry I bashed into you.” I said a bit shakily.

He left, so I kept on running to you, Steph.
“I just bashed into the captain!”
“Come on, let’s get some seats.”
We watched the game for a long time. One of the girls fell and hurt her leg. She was out of the game, and sat on the bench.

“Hey you! Come down here!” a man called to me. “Come on, hurry up!”
So I got up and ran down to the coach, and said, “Yes sir? You called me?”
“I need you to play for our team. If you want.”
“But you have lots of people! “ I said.
“But they’re injured. We have no one else. So you go out there and give what you’ve got, girlie.”

I could not believe it. I was going to play for the best team in Canberra. I was shocked! My dream was coming true!

I ran to the dressing room and put on the uniform, and ran out onto the field.
“Pass the ball!” I yelled to the other players, and a minute later I had the ball. I put my hands on it and felt the tight grip of the ball on the palm of my right hand. It felt like a crocodile’s scales being tightened. I bounced the ball and then I passed it to another player. They scored a goal! And we won the game!

“I felt wonderful, Steph! We had won and it was because I was playing!”

And that was the big day I played for Canberra’s basketball team!