Shootin’ Some B-ball (Paris)

[Harmony Muller-Barton]

Harmony had never claimed that she was the greatest basketball star. Not that she would admit to totally sucking at it either. The dribbling part she could handle, she was fairly well coordinated. But she had never been that great of a shot.

Being short didn’t help much either.

But she had found herself spending more time here in the gym anyway. She always brought along her stereo, which she cranked to full volume. And something about throwing balls around made her feel a little better about life. Even if only for the short time until someone or something else pissed her off.

“Stupid uncle,” she mumbled to herself as she flung the ball towards the net. It bounced of the rim and rolled away from her. Even though her last conversation with him hadn’t been a complete yelling competition, she couldn’t help but with that Josef was a little less lame.

“Why does my family have to suck so much?” she continued to mutter as she went to retrieve the ball.

She heaved the ball towards the rim again, only to be surprised as it actually went through. “Nothin but net,” she yelled, surprised at her own shot. She did a backflip before going to get the ball again. But then she felt a little childish for being so excited at finally making a shot. She turned around to look around the rest of the gym, hoping that no one else has seen her.

[swayyahs2]

Paris poked her head into the gym just as a basketball went through the hoop with a swish. Her brown eyes traveled to the shooter and found the shooter to be a short girl with brown hair. Paris smiled as she watched her mini celebration after making the shot.

"Nice shot!" Paris commented, stepping fully into the gym.

Paris hadn't shot hoops actively since fifth grade. She played all of her elementary school career and had been one of the best players. Seeing this little kid shoot brought back many good memories to her.

Paris dropped her bag on the floor and held her hands up for the ball." Mind if I take a shot?".

She just wanted to see if she still had it after having not played the past four years.

[Harmony Muller-Barton]

Harmony frowned slightly when she saw the other girl. She didn’t like looking like an idiot in front of anyone else. But the girl didn’t comment on it. In fact she joined her in celebrating.

“Yeah,” she said, returning the grin. “It was, wasn’t it.”

She walked over to retrieve the ball again and tossed it to the other girl. Harmony watched the other girl as she tossed her bag on the floor. She’d found that most of the students here at Hammel could be friendly at first. But most of them also turned out to be complete idiots or extremely annoying. She wondered which group this girl might fall into.

“Sure, go ahead,” she said, passing the girl the basketball. “See if you can do better.”

[swayyahs2]

Paris smiled at the girl's cocky show of attitude and caught the basketball she tossed with ease. See if she could do better? well she wasn't claiming to be all Pro or anything but she didn't suck if that's what the girl was expecting. Paris dribbled the ball over to the free throw line. She had to relax if she wanted this to go off correctly. She bounced it a couple times and looked up at the hoop looming before her. She got into her shooting stance and with a flick of the wrist, sent the ball souring to the hoop. Swish. All net!

Though she was happy she made it, she didn't make a show of celebration like the little girl did. She turned to her and shrugged.

"Ehh, just luck I guess" She said, downplaying it. She didn't want to come off as a show-off.

She tossed the ball back to the girl and said." My name is Paris by the way".

[Harmony Muller-Barton]

Harmony watched the girl make her shot and frowned slightly. She knew she wasn’t the best at basketball, but she also didn’t like being shown up. In anything. Harmony smiled at the girl’s downplaying. Not sure if she was just trying to be cool, or if she was just being a coward who didn’t want to start anything.

None of these idiots have backbones, she thought to herself.

Catching the pass from Paris, Harmony couldn’t help but grin at the other girls’ name. “Paris?” she asked. “Like the city in France? Guess I’m not the only with idiot parents set on stupid cute names. Mine stuck me with Harmony.” She made a vomit noise and then laughed. She wasn’t picking on the other girl, just her parents.

She wasn’t really worried about offending Paris. If she was, then Harmony wouldn’t mind pointing out that her stupid name went well with her. And if she wasn’t, well…it was about time she found someone in this place who wasn’t a complete moron.

[swayyahs2]

While she wasn't the biggest fan of her name, Paris felt that it was better than all the originals out there. The girl said her name was Harmony. Atleast it was different. More Parents should take notes.

"Hey! they may not be the best but they aren't boring names like Becky Sue or Mary or Sara" Paris pointed out. " I'll take my name anyday over those".

She didn't want Harmony to think she was offended because afterall she got mix reactions when she told people her name. She just learn to let people's comments roll of her back unless they pushed her too far.

"You know I've heard some really suckish names, worse than Paris or Harmony. There's the actress that named her kid Apple" Paris said while rolling her eyes." Who wants to be named after a piece of fruit?".

Paris giggled. when she put it that way, maybe Paris wasn't so bad afterall.

[Harmony Muller-Barton]

“I’d rather have a normal name than some stupid leftover hippie crap,” she continued. Harmony had been hating her name for years, there was no way this girl was going to convince her it wasn’t that bad now.

“Just cuz some parents are more of an idiot that my mother,” she said, starting to dribbling the ball. “Doesn’t make my mother less of one.”

She dribbled the ball between her legs a few times before working her way towards the hoop. She took a shot, and frowned as bounce off the backboard in at a wild angle. “Keep your stupid name if ya want. I’m changin’ my the first chance I get.”

[swayyahs2]

Paris was starting to think the girl might have some ill feelings towards her mother, but Paris wasn't going to pry, it wasn't her place to.

She shrugged her shoulders." suit yourself and yes, I'm keeping my name".

Paris caught the ball as it bounced off the backboard and did a lay-up, shooting the ball in. She clearly still had it. Maybe when she got a chance to go home, she could gather up old friends and play a game at th courts. If her stupid power ever got under control.

"Sooo...are you a freshman here? you look kind of young".

[Harmony Muller-Barton]

Harmony was really starting to get annoyed by this girl’s easy going attitude. Paris was starting to remind her of her uncle. And every other lame person in the place. No one stood up for what they thought. Everyone avoided a fight. Maybe it had to do with all the people with powers in the area. Maybe everyone was just afraid that if they said the wrong thing to the wrong person they would end up getting their head blown off.

Or maybe they were all just wimps.

“Suit yourself,” Harmony repeated, mocking her. Watching Paris make another shot didn’t help Harmony’s view of the girl either. She got the ball again, starting to dribble it between her legs again.

“What’s it to you?” Harmony asked, avoiding answering her question. “I don’t think grades really matter in the place.” She scowled to show her feelings towards ‘this place’.

She heaved the ball towards Paris again. “So ya wanna play a little 1-on-1?” She grinned. Even if Paris had a better shot, Harmony figured she could annoy her enough to break her concentration. And if that failed, maybe Harmony would just punch her.

[swayyahs2]

Paris was not in the mood to engage in a petty fight with a little kid. She didn't have the nicest temper, and thought she should save the kid from seeing it.

"While I'm no fan of being here, I do think it's important to have some smarts. Being ignorant is not cute".

She caught the ball Harmony chucked her way and weighed her challenge." You sure you up for playing. Don't want to embarrass you. I don't take challeneges lightly".

[Harmony Muller-Barton]

“I’ve got enough smarts,” Harmony said. “Whose gonna need half the stuff they teach us anyway. Who cares what year Columbus showed up? Not me, that’s for sure.” She scowled at Paris. Harmony wasn’t a fan of being called ignorant. Or cute.

“Embarrass me?” she asked, mockingly. “Trying to get out of a little game already?”

Harmony didn’t care if Paris was older than her. Or obviously a better shot. There was no way she was backing out of this now.

“I’ll even let ya have the ball first,” she continued, grinning.

[swayyahs2]

"Oh I'm not tryna get out of a game, I was just looking out for your best interest" Paris stated." but since your obviously so gangho to play, I guess I got time to school you".

Paris shook her head and smirked." With all your big talk, I'll let you have the ball first".

Paris didn't have any intentions on going easy on her. If she can talk big, she'd better have something to back it up. Talk is cheap. Maybe the girl will take something away from this.

[Harmony Muller-Barton]

“Well I don’t need anyone to look out form my best interest,’ she said. “I can take care of myself, thank you. I’m not a baby. Jeez, you sound like my mom.” Harmony scowled a the girl, starting to wonder if many she should just punch her now.

Harmony got the basketball, dribbling it with ease as she headed to the half court line. “Fine,” she said. “Have it your way then. Half-court, first to eleven points.”

She waited for Paris to get ready and then took off towards the end of the court. This was the easy part. She could dribbling forever, but eventually she’d have to make a shot if she was going to win. Still smirking at Paris, she went for a lay-up…and missed horribly. It bounced off the bottom of the rim and started rolling towards the half-court line. Harmony ran to get her re-bound, but she wasn’t sure she’d reach it before Paris.

[swayyahs2]

"No one said you were a baby! damn, stop taking offense to everything!" Paris said, placing her hands on her hips. She was beginning to think the girl got her kicks being so difficult. "And I'm sure I'll be the first to eleven points. So go head take your shot!".

She watched Harmony take off for the hoop dribbling the ball. She missed her lay-up horribly and Paris shook her head. Why did this kid challenge her? The ball rolled towards her and Paris picked it up. She tossed it back to Harmony.

"Try it again!".

Paris assured herself she wasn't going to go easy on her but really she could see it wasn't going to be much of a game.

[Harmony Muller-Barton]

Harmony was really getting annoyed by this girl. Just because she’s like two days older than me she thinks I’m some stupid little kid. She almost growled when Paris tossed the ball back to her.

“You try it again!” Harmony yelled, hurling the ball back to Paris. “I’m not gonna take your free hand-outs.” She stopped her way towards Paris, her fist clenched and her face reddening from her anger.

“Go ahead take your stupid shot, old fart,” she said, inches away from Paris’s face. “I don’t have all day.”