𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗶𝘃𝗲 |-| Basketball Ends in Blood

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𓈒∘☁︎ Libra ☁︎∘𓈒

Before I'd come back to school, my phone had been blown up by text messages.

At first, my friends had routinely checked up on me while I was in the hospital, and I'd responded in earnest, eager for the distraction. Then, once I was released, they kept it up during the interrogations. I barely responded then. The policemen had sorta bummed me out with everything — though maybe it was because everything had hit me by then — but either way, I'd hit a massive depressive spiral.

After radio silence on my end, they gradually stopped messaging me, and I haven't heard from them since. That made it worse. Despite how I begged to go back to school, I couldn't even leave my room. I barely ate.

Then Pisces started messaging me. She added me on Instagram one day, and messaged me a simple "hi," and it went on from there. We talked every day, and slowly but surely, I was able to leave my safe little bubble and was even so adventurous as to venture down to the kitchen now and then.

And today was my first day back, and I was crawling with nerves. Pisces had been messaging me non-stop, but I was too distracted to reply. I just kept on thinking about what everyone would say to me, and how well my nerves would fare in such a loud, crowded place. I was the last to come back, so all eyes would be on me.

─── 。゚☆: *. .* :☆゚. ───

First period, thank god, I had Art & Design. Everyone in that class was either too shy or too self-absorbed to say anything to me. Except for Sagittarius, my desk partner. The second I had sat down she'd gushed about how pretty I looked, though seemed embarrassed to say it. I murmured my thanks, also embarrassed.

I always liked a good complement, but I'd had a minor crush on Sagittarius for most of the semester since she was just so pretty and nice. I think because of my awkwardness due to my feelings, we'd barely talked before, and certainly nothing so far as complementing me. It was always my clothes or my hair. Never my skin or my eyes.

You're reading into it again, I chided myself. But hey, it's my first day back, and only a week until winter break. Might as well be ballsy.

"Sorry I wasn't here to help finish our project. I mean, I know you weren't here much either, but you definitely got a head start." I chuckled. She smiled, and I melted. Maybe not as minor of a crush as I thought. But the way her hair just perfectly fell on her shoulders, and the relaxed yet confident air she had about her was just...

She fiddled with her daith piercing, which was just a simple golden ring. "No problem. Mr. J was nice and just gave us full marks, 'because of what we've been through.'" She quoted, and a small weight was lifted off of my shoulders. Hopefully, every teacher would be like that, and I wouldn't have to worry about homework until we got back from break.

"Awesome," I grinned and pulled out my sketchbook. "Is he giving us any assignments for the rest of the week?"

"Nope." I didn't expect him to. "He said he's too busy grading, and that this week is just a free week, and we can treat it like a study hall."

"I love Mr. J."

"Who doesn't?"

And we just sat and talked like that for the rest of the period. I haven't been this at-ease and happy in months.

After class, Pisces spotted me in the hallway and ran up to me from behind, giving me a bear hug. Or, she tried to, but I accidentally elbowed her in the gut. Hard. I helped her back up and got a proper hug this time. It's been a while since I've gotten one of those since I'd refused so vehemently while stuck in my room. But right now, it just felt right.

          

"Congrats on making it back!" She cheered. She had on a nice pink frilly top, and a headband that matched, and it complemented her hair so well I just had to tell her.

"You look so cute! Special occasion, or are you always dressed to a T?"

She flushed, happy for the compliment. "I had to look perfect to welcome you back, of course! Oh! This is Leo and Cancer, by the way." I only then noticed the two people lingering behind Pisces. I guess I'd just tuned them out, my brain assuming that they were strangers.

The boy, Leo, wasn't that much taller than me, had rows of cornrows, and looked almost deflated as if he were only standing because he had a metal pole taped to his back. The girl was taller than us all and also seemed timid.

"Hi," I smiled, and they returned the favor. "What class are you going to?"

"Computer science." Said Cancer.

Leo furrowed his eyebrows at Cancer's answer but kept on, and shrugged. "Gym."

"Me too!" Chimed in Pisces.

"Oh, wow, so do I."

"I'll walk with you guys then," Cancer said, and we were off.

Apparently, Leo had met Pisces in a similar way that I did, and Cancer had also only met her after the accident. From what I could tell, the small girl was actively seeking out everyone from the accident, which I found a bit weird, but whatever. Everyone had their own way of coping, I guess.

─── 。゚☆: *. .* :☆゚. ───

It was a choice day in gym. While usually, I'd walk the track, Leo convinced Pisces and me to play some basketball with him. "I don't wanna talk to anyone else, and shooting hoops alone so just sad," he'd said.

So we did. Dribbling and passing Pisces and I did a 2v1 on Leo, though he was still winning by a smidge. It was fun, despite never participating in basketball prior during choice days.

At one point, Leo stood between me and the basket and had his arms up high so I couldn't score. Pisces was behind him, urging me to pass, and she didn't realize that I couldn't. So I took a step back, began to dribble, and started running. Instead of moving out of the way as I'd expected, Leo stayed put, though what was happening began to dawn on him.

The next thing I knew, I was on the ground, clutching my stomach, and curled into a ball. There was just suddenly so much pain I thought an organ had exploded inside of me.

Pisces and Leo ran over and bent over me, worried. "I didn't even touch you," Leo said, though it sounded less accusatory, and more like he was questioning this fact himself. But he was right; he hadn't touched me.

Pisces said she'd go get the teacher, and I squeezed my eyes shut after that. Leo was panicking, unsure what to do, but I didn't have the energy to truly pay attention. I was convulsing on the ground, stamping my feet as if impatient in waiting for the teacher, but I was just hurting.

I heard the teacher's voice over me, and if he were addressing me he was sorely mistaken in the assumption that I could form a coherent sentence. I just kept on muttering obscenities, as if that would make it better.

I felt someone touching me, and instantly shrieked, before opening my eyes. It was Pisces, and she gently asked me if I could raise my shirt. Squeezing my eyes shut again, I let her do whatever, and somewhere in their conversation I caught the word 'blood', and Leo sounded even more freaked out than before.

What a shitty first day back.




⊹₊⋆☁︎⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆☁︎⋆₊ ⊹

|  A/N |

Now that we have everyone, things'll start to pick up real soon

。・゚゚・  ・゚゚・。

Aries: I hate looking in the mirror

Cancer: Aw come on now, don't be so hard on yourself. Self-love is a very important thi-

Aries: No I mean it's a funhouse mirror and it makes me look like a bobble-head

Cancer: ...oh

ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

Libra: Team Edward or Team Jacob?

Taurus: Team Edward, duh. Everyone knows they get together

Libra: That isn't the point

Taurus: What's the point?

Libra: It's who you like better!

Gemini: Oh, I always thought it was who was a better match for Bella

Libra: That's only a small part of it

Taurus: Well I'm still team Edward. Didn't Jacob go for her baby or something?

Leo: Team Jacob pre-the-whole-baby-thing

Sagittarius: Team Alice

Virgo: Team I hate them all except for Charlie

Aquarius: Love Charlie

You've reached the end of published parts.

⏰ Last updated: Aug 01, 2023 ⏰

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hi I hope all is well! please consider continuing this book! it's so good!

1y ago

HELP THIS OMES SO FUNNY HOW DO YOU COME UP W THEM

1y ago

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