"Excuse me can I get by you?" A junior I believe asks me. "Oh sure." I reply kicking my boots forward and hopping aside. I'm standing in my underwear in the girls locker room another girl takes the opportunity of me not being in the way to scoot past me too. This is embarrassing. Blushing furiously I make an effort in hiding my face with my hair. I snatch my shorts which are sitting on the bench and tug them on careful not step on the cold concrete. I brush back my hair and slick it into a ponytail. Tying my shoes and picking up my bags I step out of the locker room ready for try-outs. Well only physically ready, my insides are turning as my legs carry me down the hall. Stepping into the gym is like kindergarten all over again. You want to play with the other girls but you're afraid they won't want you to. You know most of them fortunately but still they aren't your best friends. Walking slowly towards the center of the crowd stepping in line as the coach calls out roll. He seems nice but still there's too many girls for three teams. Finally the Varsity Coach says what makes everyone's eyes drop to the ground and stare at our shoes like they are the most interesting thing in the world. "There are two days for tryouts. By Wednesday the teams will be announced. Try your hardest because you will all be competing for a spot."

Wearily I peel off my jacket collapsing on the sofa. "How was practice?" my little brothers ask "Tryouts," I say not letting him call it practice. "Tryouts" he corrects himself. "It was alright not my best performance though." He nods understanding or just simply being polite. Groaning I force myself off the couch I want to just crawl into bed but I can't. I still have homework and I definitely have to shower.

“BALL!” I shout to Deena. She whirls the ball to me. I grip it hard and snap it at the next girl in line. Next we run lines, lay-ins, we practice our rebounds, and finally our cool down. Push it! I command to myself. My legs are ready to give out. My side hurts and my throat is on fire! Still I keep running, until the drill is over. “Okay ladies bring it in.” Coach B calls out to us. We make an effort to jog. “Tomorrow we will officially practice at 6 a.m. I expect you to be here at 5:45 though or else your late. And if you're late what do you think happens?” “We run.” I found myself saying among other girls. Oops I wasn't even sure I was on the team. Coach B nodded. “Round up the balls and see you tomorrow. Lady Tros on three! One two three LADY TROS!” I jogged to the nearest ball tucking it under my arm as I bent to grab another one. My friends Brittany and Lizzy each scooping up a ball too. We hurried to the door. “Brittany, Lizzy Coach Chamberlain would like to talk to you.” Coach B says to them on our way out the door. We hurry to the other gym anxious to get out of here. My insides are flipping. I didn't make it. I wasn't called to talk to Chamberlain. My other friend Sammy is sitting on the bench putting her stuff away. “Did you talk to Chamberlain?” I ask. “No did you?” “No.” We stare down at the gym floor before picking up our stuff getting ready to walk out.

“Hey Em. Still waiting.” Lizzy says as she walks out of the building only to find me sitting on the sidewalk. I am so curious to hear what Chamberlain told Lizzy and Brittany that I almost blurt out. “So what happened?” Instead I just nod and smile Lizzy's brown eyes won't make contact with mine. Oh my gosh she has pity on me! “I didn't make it.” What! I'm taken back. SHE didn't make it!? That means I did! “Oh wow I'm sorry.” I say numbly. “Oh well it doesn't matter.” She sits next to me on the sidewalk. Together we wait for our rides. Try-outs are horrible. Getting cut is even worse. But people having pity on you beats both. Reaching into my pocket I take out a couple of crumpled dollars. “Wanna grab some ice-cream my treat.” She smiles and says “Okay but next time it's on me.” We laugh running across the street to the Ice-cream parlor not caring whether we'll have to walk home later. The worst is already over.