the fillers...
John crossed his arms.
"U are a shooter. I get it. But of course, u need to run too. Its a running sport."
"I understand coach. Ill lose weight." Rome cant think what hardships he will go thru. he can only sigh for being stubborn.
"Alright. Lets get ur height and wing span, mitts and shooting first. Lets do the physical exercise next month."
"I understand." Rome doesn't think of the scholarship because he can pay. Its anticlimactic too.
With that, Rome undergone the test.
And now, the two old men and Abby are all mouth watery.
"Abby, ill close my eyes. Look."
He dribbled and run with his eyes closed, stopped and hurled the ball thru the rafters.
Its Hollywood movies shot.
Abby and the two old men eyes the ball high in the air.
SPLASH.
"Amazing. How did u do that? Never mind. Do it again on the other end."
Abby run towards under the basket. Got the ball and laid it in.
Passed to him the ball with force.
What arm strength. He thot receiving it from her.
Eyes closed still.
SPLASH!
SPLASH!
SPLASH!
SPLASH!
Repeated catch and shoot.
Repeated bottom of the net.
John and David are now numb to such scene at this point.
In their minds, as coaches, they are thinking how to incorporate the style of Rome to the team.
Even if Rome is fat, just give the ball then let him shoot at the logo. Done.
They thot that they found a gem waiting to be fully polished.
How can they be satisfied of Rome just shoot casually? They want to add his bball skills too.
"Rome, how did u practice like these? A thousand shots a day?"
Abby standing at the free throw line.
Breathing evenly. Aimed to the basket. Then shoot the ball.
SPLASH.
"Hmmm. Muscle memory I guess?" He cant tell that he has 100x luck right? He needs excuse. Now that she assumed, he will let it be.
Receiving the ball. Abby stopped and look at him in the eye.
"Muscle memory? Yeah. But ur range, its incredible. Even my dad cant do that stuff." She took another shot. "I saw a video of his when he shot full court. Made 500k. Miss 100K. At least NBA was not cheap giving 100k that time."
"Ur dad? Is he playing bball too?"
He sounded surprised. And started to recall Hornacek player.
Then a light bulb lit up.
"Wait. Ur father is not Jeff Hornacek, isnt he? The guy who has unusual free throw ritual?" He butted in before Abby could answer.
Abby laughed lightly.
She then imitated her father's weird but cool free throw.
Wiping his face three times for his three kids to kiss him without sweat.
"Haha. Ur that little girl at the all star game. haha" A clip of Jeff participating 3point contest. He dont know what year tho.
Her actions confirmed it.
"Hahaha. That's why ur so good at bball. It runs in the family then. Ur grandpa and dad."
Abby smiled hearing him. "I guess but I dont really play bball much. I just like it because its bonding time for me and dad and my siblings."
She explained.
"Hmmm. U dont play? I thot ur on the women's team." He has no idea really.
Abby shook her head. "Im on the volleyball team."
"Volleyball?? Wow. cool. I like women's volleyball than men. Its fun."
Abby looks at him weirdly. "Why because we wear short shorts?" She teased him and chuckled.
Rome shook his head and even his hands. "Well, aside from that, girls are cooler. U know, when u fly and smash, man, that's exhilarating." Rome counted the times he saw NCAA women's volleyball.
Aside from bball in NBA, Ncca women's volleyball is his 2nd fave.
Abby did not felt his nonsense. "Really?"
"Uh huh. Its true that women are equal to men. Hehe."
"Hahaha. Ur weird." Abby laughed because Rome can say that.
Men in america are all macho and sensitive guys are cast out. Duh.
"Ahm. Good weird or bad weird?"
He passed laid the ball and passed it to her.
And scratched his head.
Abby held the ball and laughed at the embarrassed Rome.
"Dont scratch ur head. It shows. That ur unconfident. Its not cool to see for a 6 foot 8 inches fat guy scratching his head embarrassingly."
She rebuked and laughed at him. She is having fun talking to Rome.
Rome rolled his eyes.
"Not fat. Just big boned."
"I dont get the difference." She laughed.
"Hey." Rome burnt. haha
She snorted and passed the ball to him.
"Good weird."
Rome laughed.
"U too. Ur good weird."
"Right? My friends also tells me that. Haha" Abby cracked.
"Ur a handful too." Flatly said by him.
"Thank u...." She seemed proud of it. haha
Dribbling the ball. He slammed it to the stands with all he got.
50x Luck.
The ball bounced to the rafters.
Ding ding ding
Swishhh.
Abby shaking her head by the entrance.
"Damn big guy. U have to teach me these tricks." She cant help but amazed by Rome's 100% shooting rate.
"Hehe. Its called talent Abb, talent." He winked at her.
Abby just look at him in daze.
All of a sudden she hit his shoulder.
"Haha. U smug. I didn't know. Haha. Shameless." But she considers in her head. I mean, every fucking time Rome throws the ball.
The ball will always find its way to the basket.
Fucking talent.
"If u call urself talent. Then what else do the NBA players have?" She asked him.
"Honest?" Serious Rome.
"Hmmm."
"Not in my eyes. If I play NBA when I'm thin and ripped, I can just throw the ball after the inbound. It won't be fun anymore tho." He is dead serious.
Abby listened to him as she looks at his eyes.
She cant help but smile.
"Yeah. Ur right. It won't be fun anymore. That's why u will learn the basics to make it fun for u. Honestly, ur a freak of nature. Even Lebron, Kobe or Jordan cant shoot the way u do."
Abby said what she feels for Rome. For her, he is a freak of nature.
Honestly? She just said that to not hurt his feelings. She heard big guys have low self esteem because no more meat down there. Which by the way she have no privilege to prove..yet..
"A freak? Really. First weird, now freak. Decide young lady what it is."
"Hahaha. Both. Come on, lets grab lunch. I have practice at noon with the team."
Rome shrugged and followed her.
"Hey Abb, u say practice, do u know a gym where I can exercise?"
He will start tomorrow to lose weight.
"The arena have a gym. Ill tell gramps tonight for u to use it." Confident like she owns the place. Haha
The eyes of Rome lit. "Really? Great. Lets exercise together then. I dont know how."
Rome just wants to be with her.
Like hell Abby cant tell what's he doing.
She rolled her eyes.
"Nice try buddy."