"Brian!" she reached out to give him a hug.
"I'm not hugging you until I get my surprise!"
"Give me a hug and I'll show you your surprise."
"Okay!" After they gave each other a big hug, Liz walked back to her car and opened the door and out popped Zach and Darren.
"Hey, Littrell!" said Darren.
"What are you guys doing here?! When I asked you guys to come down for a while you said you had to concentrate on your work!"
"Nah, man. That was just a lie. Liz here had already asked us out!" answered Zach.
"So where are you guys staying?" Brian asked.
"Here at your place."
"Oh, I see. Lizzy here asked you to come down here, knowin' that y'all would stay at my place."
"Yep, you got it," everybody answered in unison.
"So you guys wanna join our game?" asked Brian.
"What are the teams gonna be?"
"Well," said Liz before Brian could answer, "Darren and me, against B-Rok and Zach." Darren was on the Varsity basketball team all through high school, and he played a little bit in collage. Liz knew that she could win against Brian and Zach. "Now you're definitely goin' down B-Rok!" Liz smirked. Brian and Zach looked like they were going to be sick, they knew they wouldn't win, even if Liz was really bad.
A while later, the score was tied 26 to 26. Darren was being guarded by both Brian and Zach at the time. Brian's mini score board had 5 seconds left on the clock. Darren quickly passed the ball through Zach's legs to Liz. Brian turned and grinned knowing she wouldn't make the shot. Liz looked at him, turned toward the basket, and threw the ball with all her might. To her and Brian, the ball seemed to move in slow motion. 5...4…3…2…1…and the ball swooshed through the basket.
"Ah!" Liz screamed. "I can't believe I made that shot! Darren, we won!"
"You go girl," Darren joked. "That was a great shot! We won!"
"See, Brian? I told you I'd win one time or another!" Liz shouted as she gloated.
"So, Liz, how are we going to celebrate our great victory?"
"I dunno. Let's all go to the movies."
"Yeah, that sounds great. But I can't go until next Friday night."
"Okay, that's fine."
"Hey, Nick will be here, so invite Megan too!" Brian said smirking as Liz laughed.
"We'll call you about the time of the movie, etc."
"Yeah," She said grinning. "Now we have to discuss the loser's punishments."
"Um…uh…we uh...never said that there would be a punishment," Brian said as he turned red.
"Brian, how many times have I had to do something embarrassing after I've lost to you?"
"Umm…but I'm your best friend!"
"Yep, and I'm gonna make you pay!"
"Darren, man, be nice. You're living with me for a while, in my house."
"That doesn't matter. Hmm, what should the losers have to do, Liz?"
"Gee, Darren, I really don't know," said Liz in her most sarcastic voice. "Whatever shall they have to do?" she asked, laughing hysterically.
Lauren M. Elizabeth "Littrell" © 1999
