Playing the Court (Lauren/You/Camila)

Chapter 13

(Y/n)'s pov

I went home after I saw the horrible condition of the court, and decided that the next day I would bring everything to clean it. The next day, I immediately started to pick up all the trash and place it back in the dumped over bins. It was around noon when I finally had all the garbage picked up, and started on the backboard. I set up the ladder, and climbed up and held onto the rim to scrub the words off. I heard a car door close and looked to see Lauren walking over to me.

"Hey." She said, looking up at me and squinting because of the sun. "I heard about this. I hoped it wasn't true."

"What do you want, Lauren?" I said, going back to scrubbing the paint with the brush.

"I just want to tell you I'm not doing the comic strip." She said.

"That's a mistake." I stopped scrubbing to look at her when I said it.

"Well, maybe some people aren't ready to expose themselves to the world like you and your basketball."

"Maybe you are ready, but you're just scared." I said and it got quiet. I sighed, and began to climb down the ladder. I walked over to where she was standing and sighed again.

"Well, did you at least meet with them?"

"Yeah, yeah. I mean, the editor loved my stuff. He just wanted me to change it to something totally different. It's really not that big of a deal. I guess I just wanted to say thanks."

"Wow. Did Lauren Jauregui just say 'Thank You'?" I asked. We both smiled at each other before she started again.

"Look, if Demi did this, I'm sorry." She apologized for her girlfriend.

"Why do you stay with her, anyways?"

"Sometimes it's good. Sometimes there is no one else." Once she realized what she said, she turned around and headed for her car.

"Hey, Lauren." I said for her to turn around. "That editor is wrong."

She smiled at me and silently thanked me as I just nodded. She got into her car and smiled before leaving.

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Ally's pov

I wiped off the counters at Karen's Café as the phone rang.

"Hello, Karen's Café?" I answered.

"I'm calling for Ally Brooke."

"This is her."

"Hey. It's Demi Lovato. Um... I really need your help."

"Sorry, this isn't her." I said before quickly hanging up.

"What was that?" I heard Karen laugh.

"Uh, wrong number." I lied.

"You just said this was her. What, did you forget your name?" We both laughed.

"What's up?" She said.

"This girl wants me to tutor her, and I said 'no' because she's kind of a bad girl."

"You know her?"

"Not really. I just know of her."

"Dangerous?" She asked.

"No." I looked at her. "What? You got that look."

"What look?" She said innocently.

"The look my mom always gives me when she wants to give her two cents."

"Well, Ally, I think you have pretty good instincts, so I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but just to play devil's advocate, if this girl came for tutoring, maybe she is trying to change." I groaned at her wise words as she walked up to me and put someting on the counter.

"Maybe there is something worth saving." She said and removed her hand, revealing two pennies from (Y/n)'s jean pocket. I sighed at her antics.

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(Y/n)'s pov

"Well, (Y/n). I owe you an apology." Uncle Keith said under the hood of the car as I was in the driver seat waiting to start it up.

"For what?"

"I told you not to take things personally, but they are making it personal. Alright, let's give her a try." I tried to start up the engine, but all it did was sputter. A knock rang throughout the garage as the engine sputtered.

"Sorry, we're closed." Keith yelled. The door opened anyway and Zendaya walked in.

"Hi, I'm Zendaya."

"I'm Keith. I have some paper work." He excused himself.

"I heard about the court."

"You heard about it, or you were there?" I said angrily.

"I don't buy into that mob-rule nonsense, all right? I play good defense, I live my life. That's it." She said holding her hands up innocently.

"Yeah, and what about the rest of the team?"

"(Y/n), the girls on the team, they're in a tough spot. Because of the suspension earlier in the season, most of these girls are younger, and they aren't going to stand up to Demi. It's not right, but that's the way it is."

"Yeah, well, the way it is doesn't work for me. And it doesn't work for my friends."

"Yeah, I know, but that's kinda why I came here. This thing can get really messy if someone doesn't take the high road, and I know it's not my place to ask, but I was just hoping that you could rise above it."

"I don't think I can do that."

"Okay. Just know that if you do, the team's gonna come around. They are going to see that you are a good person and a hell of a player."

"And if I can't?"

"Then I got your back." She smiled.

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"So they trashed the court?" Ally asked as we walked down the river front near where the burn boat was.

"Yep."

"What else?"

I sighed, "They broke into my locker and soaked my stuff. I don't know how much longer I can put up with this."

"Do you think they are going to let up anytime soon?"

"No chance. And you want to know why?"

"Why?"

"Because Demi controls the team. And there is no way in hell that she is going to back off." I said as Ally looked a little lost in thought after my explanation.

"What are you thinking?" I said as I stopped walking.

"This weird thing happened at the tutoring center." She looked like she was going to finish her thiught, but quickly shook her head. "It's not important. Nevermind."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Are we still going to see that movie?" She said, changing the subject.

"Yeah... sounds like fun." I said, trying to figure out what was wrong.

"(Y/n)... how far do you think she is really gonna go?"

"I don't know." I said truthfully. "As far as she wants to until somebody stops her."

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The next day was my movie 'date' with Ally. I was walking down a alley that led right to the movie entrance because I had to hurry. Ally should already be there with our tickets, so I was fast walking. I heard a van pull up to the street I just came from and someone call my name. I turned around to see Ariana, Demi's best friend. My vision suddenly got blinded as I felt something go over my head and two people grab my arms, leading me to the direction of the van.

A/N An update to the people who 'hit' Dan with a car. You kind people. Comment and vote.