Birthday flashback (1)

Alex. So he really was foreign. Xuan thought as Alex turned to her, "Are you really here to meet someone?" he asked.

Xuan shook her head.

Alex: "Are you here to play?"

Xuan nodded.

Alex: "You want to shoot some hoops with us?"

Xuan nodded again.

Alex's handsome face broke into a smile as he said, "Come on then."

Ying Xuan smirked as she took her position at one end of the court. She took off her heels and her jacket. All the boys took defensive positions across the court.

Xuan dribbled the ball in her hands for a few seconds before she began to run. She crossed among the boys so swiftly that most of them gave up and just stared at her open mouthed.

Alex was among the few that continued to try and block Xuan's way and stop her.

Ying Xuan had crossed the whole court and was almost at the other end. Alex was hovering behind her just like a shadow. Xuan gave a boy a clever dodge and was about to shoot when suddenly Alex lost his footing and he came tumbling down on Xuan.

The two fell on the floor and the ball flew from Xuan's hands and out of the court.

The boys flocked around them as Alex stood up. He ran his hands through his hair and said, "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I must have slipped. But da*n you're good."

Xuan chuckled as she got up and dusted her pants.

"Man she's good!! Do you play for a state level team?" Yan asked, jogging to reach them with Xuan's things in his hands.

Ying Xuan's smile faltered. She had always wanted to play for a team, but her not being able to speak created a communication barrier whic Xuan hadn't ever tried to overcome.

She had once tried out for her school's basketball team, and she was easily the best, but the coach hadn't accepted her in the team saying that basketball was a team sport and she couldn't be in a team if she wasn't able to communicate with the other players properly.

Alex seemed to notice Xuan's look as he cut in, "Hey, what about this? You guys need to practice playing as a team right? You've got a match?" Xuan looked up from her thoughts to see the boys nodding.

"But how will we ever be able to practice as a team? We haven't got enough players." Yan whined.

Alex's lips curved into a half smirk as he spoke, "We have. All of you in one team, me and. . . . ." he looked over at Ying Xuan, and all the other boys did too.

Xuan nodded and one of the boys raised an eyebrow, "But won't it be unfair? Five against two?"

Alex grinned, "Oh please! The two of us can literally wipe the floor with you all. Go on now. We'll take a short break. Take this time to discuss strategy."

Ying Xuan chuckled as the boys went over to a corner to discuss strategy and she went to another corner to sit down.

Xuan was wearing black skinny jeans and a white crop sweater, not exactly the best outfit to play. She sat down and was fanning herself when Alex walked over with a water bottle.