“This is it.  We were down twenty-two points and now we are within two.  There are forty seconds left on the clock, that’s enough time for a lot to happen, but let’s not let a lot happen.  I don’t want the ball to cross mid-court with more than twenty seconds on the clock.  Then, I want the ball in Rider’s hands with 5 seconds left in the corner.  Rider, sink the three and its Miller time.  Hands-in Gentlemen!”  After the rah-rah cheer, the Midshipmen hit the court.  Styles took the ball on the in-bound and slowly made his way toward mid-court but Washington swarmed on him with a double team and he was forced to pull the ball up and pass it.  Jones took the pass but as soon as he went to dribble a Washington player knocked it away and the ball shot toward the Washington basket.  Styles reacted quickly and was able to run down and grab the loose ball.  He turned around, saw Rider open and launched a pass the length of the court.  Liam wasn’t expecting it but he came away from his corner to take the pass.  He had no idea how much time was left on the clock, but he turned and launched the shot anyway.  As the ball passed through the hoop the stands exploded like a nuclear blast.  Liam looked up at the scoreboard before his teammates jumped on him and began smacking him hard on the back; high fiving all around and other things Liam couldn’t concentrate on.  He could only see that there was still ten seconds on the clock.  He’d taken the shot too early.  Liam pushed Styles toward the basket and they both started sprinting down court.  Washington inbounded the ball, passed the length of the court and it looked like they were going to get one last shot before the clock ran out.  Liam and Styles double-teamed the player with the ball forcing him to pull up his dribble short.  He was about five feet behind the three-point line.  He didn’t need a three-pointer to win but there were only four seconds left.  He had no time.  With the two of them in his face he did the best he could to set and launch a last second desperation shot.  The ball missed the basket entirely and the game was over.  Liam could finally celebrate with his new teammates; they had won the game in very dramatic fashion.

The cadets who had attended the game stormed the court and were jumping up and down celebrating.  Liam seemed to be the man of the hour having accounted for the majority of the Midshipmen’s offense.  There in the middle of all the jumping and high-fiving, his eye was caught by the brightest set of green eyes he had ever seen.  Standing there on the sidelines clapping like a wild-woman was Lisbeth Harrington.  She was smiling at Liam.  Liam pushed his way through his teammates and fellow cadets on his way to her.  Suddenly, he felt a pair of small, soft hands cover his eyes and a high-pitched voice whisper, “Guess who?” into his ear.  Liam knew that voice and he spun to see Ashleigh standing behind him.  Before he could react, she wrapped her arms around his neck and moved her lips into his for a warm and passionate kiss.  What Liam didn’t see was the hurt look on Harrington’s face as she turned and left the stands.  Liam pushed Ashleigh away and turned to continue his way to where Harrington was.  When he turned, he saw she wasn’t there.

“Hey, what gives?”  She put her hand into the waistband of his shorts pulling him back to her, “how about we go behind the gym and celebrate?  You’re the basketball stud here just like at Memorial.  Just wait 'til I tell everyone back there how you rocked this little gym.” she laughed a deep and sexy laugh.  Liam reacted by pushing her away from him again.

“Get off Ash, I don’t want you here.”
“What the hell?  Since when don’t you like a little of this?” and she pulled her top down just enough to show him her low-cut lacy pink bra.

“Let’s see, that was about when I needed your help and you couldn’t be bothered to come give me a ride.  You don’t care about me and you never have.  It was always about this,” Liam motioned to the crowd, “you love being with a star.  Well, you aren’t with me anymore, so go jump on someone else’s lap.”  Liam pushed her aside and walked toward the locker room.

“But.. Liam!” Ashleigh yelled after him.

Liam turned and walked backward and pointed at her, “Consider us broken up Ashleigh.  We’re done!”