Post by CJ Phoenix on Jan 14, 2022 1:50:40 GMT -5
"A Test I Detest"
Narration By: Maya Misako
We open to cheers from a packed crowd during the ESPYs. Tons of athletes from around the world have gathered for this annual event. Standing on the stage is WNBA legend Candace Parker. She has an envelope in her hand as she's about to present an award.
Candace: And the award for female athlete of the year goes to...............Maya Misako!
The crowd erupts as Maya happily makes her way onstage. The look on her face showed equal parts joy and disbelief. She gives Candace a hug and then she grabs the trophy. Maya raises the award high into the air, taking it the moment like time had stopped just for her. The sound of the audience chanting her name brought tears to her eyes.
"MAYA!"
"MAYA!!"
"MAYA!!!"
All of the sudden, the chants started to sound more like questions.
"Maya?"
"Maya??"
What followed was a loud *BANG* that shattered the very fabric of reality. Or rather it sent her crashing back into reality. The source of the sound was a textbook being slammed onto the floor next to her by one of her teachers. Maya nearly hopped out of her seat from the sudden scare that tore her from her sleep. As she rubs her eyes to adjust to being abruptly awakened, she can hear her math teacher speaking with a very annoyed tone in her voice.
Teacher: MAYA!! You know good and well you don't have the grades to be sleeping in my class!
That lady yelling at me is Ms. Kurrine. Built like an average soccer mom with the face of a duck and a bossy attitude. I still can't believe the teacher I hate the most is teaching the subject I hate the most. Sometimes I yell out "AFLAC!" just to piss her off when she gets on my nerves.
Maya yawns as she replies.
Maya: Okay, sorry. Sheesh. You didn't have to call me out like that.
Ms. Kurrine: I'll call out whoever I want, whenever I want, miss 25 on her last quiz. Being a student athlete doesn't excuse a lack of intelligence. So since it's clear you can't handle two things at once, you should focus more on being a student before your grades drop even further.
See what I mean? All of that was unnecessary. I APOLOGIZED to her, and she responded with a personal attack. This is why I don't apologize to people. I could've let it go, but I was cranky from being woken up. Little did she know, gossip travels fast, and I learned a lot over the Christmas break. Her fault, not mine.
Maya: Isn't trying to handle two things at once what turned you from a Mrs. to a Ms.?
The entire class falls silent. The teacher's whole demeanor changes. Her face turns red with fury, especially when the students proceed to laugh. She points at the classroom door.
Ms. Kurrine: OUT! FRONT OFFICE! NOW!
Maya doesn't hesitate to grab her things and exit the classroom. It wasn't the first time that she's been kicked out of class, and it sure won't be the last. She holds her head down, knowing she's in trouble again. Once she reaches the office, she sees a female coach talking to a girl who has a pass in her right hand while her left wrist was taped up. When the two see Maya approaching, the girl smiles and waves while the coach folds her arms in disappointment.
Coach Riley's awesome. Intense, but caring. Like me, she leads the state in technical fouls. Can't say she doesn't stand up for her players. The short girl she's talking to is one of the few people I can truly call a friend. Isabella Crimson, future WNBA superstar. An honor student with a calm and optimistic attitude. It makes me sick sometimes, but she's gotten me out of trouble more times than I can count....so we're cool. On the court, she's the point guard while I play small forward, and she's the one the coach usually sends to calm me down when things get heated. Unfortunately, Izzy took an awkward fall during a game last week and messed her wrist up. Thankfully, it wasn't too serious, but coach Riley isn't taking any chances. Oh, and I also cheat off her in history class to get easy 'A's.
Riley: Really, Maya? You're back here again?
Maya: You know Ms. Kurrine doesn't like me.
Riley: I heard her call up the front office. You were sleeping in her class.
Maya: I can explain.
Riley: I'd rather you not. Listen, Maya. You're gonna have to do a better job in your classes. You're a badly flunked test away from being on probation and a few incidents away from getting cut from the team.
Maya: Seriously!?
Riley: Seriously. You have to learn to control yourself, Maya. Skipping classes. Failing quizzes. Being a menace on the court is one thing, but that doesn't mean you can be one off of it. I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to bench you this week. You can still attend practices, but you won't be playing.
Maya: But coach! I'm still passing my classes.
Riley: Barely! You have two tests coming up this week. Your status on the team will depend on how you do on them. Better drop a pair of aces if you want to get your starting spot back.
The coach walks off. Maya looks disheartened as she clenches her fists. After a few seconds, Izzy walks up to her.
Izzy: It's okay. You'll do fine.
Maya: I hope so. My future's riding on my success in high school. I can't stand this dump, but I can't just bite my tongue everyday either.
Izzy: Relax. Coach didn't say you had to become a pacifist. She just wants you to learn how to compose yourself. Less fury, more focus, you know.
Maya: Yeah. Sure. I guess I'm still upset about last week.
Izzy: Didn't you go to that Action Wrestling event last week? I thought you enjoyed it.
Maya: I did, but my parents ruined it.
Izzy: How so?
Maya: Remember how I was all excited about potentially attending Hope's Peak Academy?
Izzy: Yeah.
The tone in Maya's voice becomes somber.
Maya: My parents shot that idea down immediately. They didn't even consider supporting it. Another unrealistic dream in their eyes. Plus, I'm pretty sure I just racked up another week of detention. That's just gonna give them more reason to say 'I told you so'. Maybe they're right.
Izzy responds in a serious, but comforting voice.
Izzy: No. They're wrong. Just because your parents don't believe in your goals doesn't mean that you have to give up on them.
Maya: I know, but I just took a step forward and got knocked back a mile. Do you know how hard it is for me to stay awake in a boring class? It's like they're reading me bedtime stories. That's why I don't show up half the time.
Izzy: You're going about this the wrong way. Let's look at this like a basketball game.
Maya: Okaaaayyyy?
Izzy: Picture this. You're down 10 at halftime and you've had a rough game so far. Sure it doesn't look great at that moment, but it's not too late to come back, right?
Maya: Right.
Izzy: Since we obviously can't score 10 points in a single possession. How do we overcome that deficit?
Maya: One possession at a time. Take good shots. Get stops on defense, and chip away until the other team's lead is gone.
Izzy: Exactly! That's what you have to do here. Instead of overwhelming yourself with trying to fix everything at once. Solve one problem at a time. Start with the classes. Find a way to stay awake in them, or at least not get caught napping, and you're less likely to get in trouble.
Maya: I guess I could try that.
Izzy: Then come the tests. Since you'll be awake more during class, it should be easier for you to take them. The easier it is for you, the more likely it is that you'll do well. When you do well, coach will put you back in the lineup. On top of that, putting up a good score should help towards persuading your parents that getting into Hope's Peak would be good for you.
Maya: Wow. I never thought of it that way. Thanks a lot. It's still easier said than done though.
Izzy: Are you gonna let that stop you?
Maya: Of course not!
Izzy: Good. I'd hate to come back and you're not on the court with me...or on the team.
Maya: Yeah that would suck. That reminds me. How's your wrist?
Izzy slowly raises her left arm.
Izzy: It's fine. I'm ready to get back out there, but the doctor said two weeks. My folks won't let me take this off, and coach won't let me play because of it.
Maya: Good. You need to give yourself time to heal.
Izzy: But I can move it just fine.
Maya: Rome wasn't built in a day, Izzy. If the doctor said two weeks, you're not gonna be 100% in 24 hours.
Izzy: I don't have to be.
Maya: But it's better if you are. Picture this. You're down for 14 days with an injury and you're halfway through the recovery process.
Isabella glares at Maya, prompting the latter to smirk.
Izzy: Don't. You. Dare.
Maya: Since you obviously can't stuff seven days of healing into one-
Izzy: I'm going to class, Maya.
Isabella shakes her head and laughs to herself as she walks away.
Maya: You have to rest up one day at a time. You shouldn't even be at school. I wouldn't.
Izzy: Byyyeeee Maya!
Maya: Hmph. Fine. Bye Izzy. See you at practice!
Once again, Izzy was there when I needed her. She was right. If I'm gonna get to Hope's Peak Academy, I have to earn it. That means I need to find a way to survive my boring ass classes and.....ugh study. Thankfully, my genius brain came up with a solid strategy. Studying while I'm in detention since I actually DID get stuck there for a week. Perfect way to pass the time....until I got home and had to sit through my parents babbling about my behavior. Psshhh, they don't understand.
==> Flash forward to the girls basketball team playing a game without Maya and Izzy. Both of which were in the stands all game. They look heartbroken as the final buzzer sounds in a 54-50 loss.
Staying awake in class was a STRUGGLE! I had to secretly text on my phone, talk to the people around me, and do some drawing so that it looked like I was taking notes. Then there was the basketball situation. Practices were just as brutal mentally. The court was right in front of me, but all I could do was spectate. It wasn't like Izzy's situation where she was out because of something out of her control. It was partially my own fault that I couldn't play. A star reduced to a spectator because of one little failed quiz and an argument with a duck. How infuriating, especially considering we lost both of the games I missed by a grand total of seven points. SEVEN! I could've won us those games. If we end up missing the playoffs because of that, I'm gonna be SOOOOOO pissed! It's also scary to think about quickly privileges like this could be taken away from me. What if I make it big in the squared circle, but I miss out on a huge event because I slapped a fan at a house show or something? They wouldn't be that hard on me...right? Right!? I can't deal with this. I gotta get these grades up so that I don't have to worry about any of that nonsense.
==> Friday
Finally, Friday came. Test day. This was my chance to right the ship. I was nervous, but I wore a confident smile because I'll never let any teachers see me sweat over some schoolwork. I had a game plan for this. I walked into my math class, managed to avoid quaking at the duck, and sat at my desk. I was ready. I stared down the paper the moment I received it. I knew what I had to do.....cheat off the smart kids because I STILL didn't understand this shit! Luckily, I spent the week pretending to be friends with everyone around me so that they could be generous enough to let me peek at their work. Alright, nerds. I made a deal with my parents that if I did well on both tests, they'd buy me Affluenza merchandise, so make me proud!