“I’m captain.” Clare shouted as she walked onto the court.
“And I’ll be the other captain.” JC said with a smile.
“Now, teams.” Justin said, probing the captains to pick players.
“I’m having Justin.” Clare said before JC could speak.
“Chris…you’re with me.” JC said unimpressed that his rival had picked his star player.
“Lib…you’re mine.”
“Fat one, with me!”
“Sorry dude, but I gotta go ring my girl.” Joey said as he walked off the court to go inside and use the phone.
Joey had been dating his girlfriend for eighteen months, since she’d finally given into his constant requests to join him on a date. They were the perfect couple, it was very rare they argued and they kept each other in check. She kept Joey grounded, never letting fame go to his head and Joey kept her going whenever she felt like giving up.
“Give Lisa our love.” Libby shouted after Joey as he disappeared around the corner.
Lisa was away for the weekend getting some experience in the line of work she wanted to take. She’d gone to school with Libby back in the UK and had decided to move out to Florida with Clare and Libby to try and get her architect’s degree. She’d always wanted to travel the world and thought a move to the sunshine state would be the best place to start. She was studying at the same University as Libby and as a project drawn up the plans for the additions Clare had organised for the fan club.
“So that just leave Lance to be the last addition to the losers side.” Libby said with a smile as she turned to JC and Chris.
“Them’s fightin’ words, them is!” JC responded in a silly voice.
“We’re over here. You’re over there. Ain’t nothin’ between us but the gel in your hair! “ Clare teased as she picked up the basketball and through it at JC, who caught it and threw it back.
“Ooh… I know you didn’t talk about the hair!” he exclaimed stepping slowly toward her.
Clare threw the ball back at him and smiled as she took a step away for every step he took toward her, “So tell me JC, why do you use so much gel? Is it ‘cos you wanna get noticed? That’s it, isn’t it? You wanna get noticed.”
“Oh, you really want your team to lose, don’t ya?” JC retaliated.
“What? With the team you’ve got, I can say I’m sweatin’ it!”
“Hey!” Chris shouted to her.
“Sorry Chrissie but you’re the opposition… you suck!”
 Of course in reality Clare knew she had no chance of beating JC’s side. She and Libby had only been playing basketball for the past year or so, since the guys had got them to learn the game, so they weren’t the expert players that they pretended to be. The other girls who usually played along were the strength of the female’s side but they were all missing today. Clare and Libby knew they’d have to pull a few unfair moves if they were to win this game and even then they’d more than likely lose.
“Okay children,” Justin said walking in front of Clare, taking the ball from JC, “Time to play ball.”
Justin took off toward the hoop and Lance followed. Lance tried to get hold of the ball but Justin bounced it around him and only noticed Chris was on his tail when he lost the ball to him. Just as quickly as Chris had the ball he had it bounced away from him by Libby, who took off to the hoop. JC ran over and took the ball from Libby so Clare went after him. She was the shortest player so she had no chance of getting the ball from him but she knew she had to stop him scoring. She ran over and jumped on his back.
“Come on Clare that’s cheatin’!” Lance shouted as he stood by Libby.
“Shut it, PooFu!” Libby said as she pushed him.
Everyone laughed as JC made his way to the basket with Clare still on his back. Justin tackled JC and won the ball. He jumped up and dunked it in the basket, “Score! “ he shouted victoriously as Chris got hold of the ball and passed it to Lance.
 Clare jumped off JC’s back and landed awkwardly causing her to fall backward onto her backside and then onto her back, “Okay, that’s it,” she said sitting up, “I’m not playing this game no more.”
“You can’t quit now. We just got started!” JC said going after Justin who had now got hold of the ball.
“Okay well, I want Chris on my team. You get Libby”
“Clare!” Libby shouted glaring a look her way.
“Sorry Lib but your lack of ball skills is letting the side down.”
“My lack of ball skills, don’t you mean your lack of height?”
“Oh, I’m supposed to be sorry that I’m short. I don’t think so, the best thing’s come in small package’s.” Clare said as she got to her feet.
“Yeah, but the best ball players come in over 5ft.”
“Ladies, ladies,” JC said breaking up the slanging match, “it’s just a game!”
“We know.” Clare said as she and Libby flashed each other a smile.
“What we doin’ tonight?” Chris asked changing the subject.
“Clubbin’. What else is there to do?” Joey said as he joined them back on the court.
“I’m down for that.”
“Chris, you’re always down for anything that involves alcohol!” Clare exclaimed with a smile.
“I know. You in?”
“You know me, always ready, willing and able to go out on the town to drink and dance the night away.”
“I’m in,” Justin said as he went after the ball that had bounced off after JC’s attempt at the hoop, “How about Mr. Serious over there?”
“Yeah, he’s comin’.”
“Libby?” Joey asked her as JC shot a look at Clare.
“Why not? Anything to take my mind off Dan!” Libby replied.