Page 130 of Bad Prince
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“You gonna smile tonight?”
“I always smile.”
She snorts.
“That thing you do with your lips doesn’t count.”
I shrug.
When we run out onto the court, the noise hits like a wave.
Music pounding. Posters shaking. The student section already on their feet.
The lights are brighter during games.
Hotter.
The wood floor gleams under them.
I step to the line.
Ball in hand.
The crowd hums.
I tune them out.
One bounce.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
I close my eyes for half a second.
This is mine.
Toss.
Jump.
The ball rockets across the net untouched.
Ace.
The roar is immediate.
My teammates slam into me.
I don’t look up at the stands.
Not yet.
