#bergen_county

"Oh, jeez. That's complicated."

"It's... like... Glamour is hard to force. It's... it's a spark, right? A special moment when everything falls in place..."

"I know it is possible to muse yourself, but it's hard."

"Like... on the court? When you -know- you're going to make the shot?"

She nods. "Kinda!"

Adam still looks frustrated, upset.

After a long moment. "C'mon. Let's go back to your house. I wanna see if this works."

"Uh... I don't think it's that easy, Adam..."

"Why not? You said, like, it's a spark, right? So let's try to make a spark."

A worried frown, but she nods. "...Okay. Just.. well, I mean, don't get upset if it doesn't..."

"Gotta start somewhere, right?" A grin, and they head back.

Dagmar follows.

Back at the Barn..........

"Ok." He sets the stick aside. "Get your ball?"

A nod, and she heads inside to retrieve it.

When she returns, he's.... not wearing a shirt, and stretching out.

(Sorry))

Though... that is about the reaction. Sam stares, holding the ball in her hands.

Adam snaps his head from side to side, limbering his neck, and pops up. "You wanna stretch out?"

"Um. I'm good."

She heads the rest of the way down to the driveway.

He nods. "Ok.... ok, this is just for fun, right, try and find that spark. So no winner/loser thing; we're just shooting for fun. Cool?"

She bits on her lower lip, tense and worried.

"Cool?" Less certainly. "What's wrong?"

"Um. Maybe you should do it?" She bounce-passes the ball to him.

"Well, yeah." Obviously "But there's no challenge, no.... it's not -fun- unless there's another team, right? Someone to go up against."

"I guess..."

He passes it back. "Yeah, you know, a challenge. Fun!" He grins. "Ok, pass it back, I'm taking it out. This is not a fair tip-off." Maybe a little teasing?

A subdued nod, a pass. She's still tense, but she tries to fall into a ready pose.

He walks it off the court, nods again to make sure she's ready, and then dribbles, getting the feel of it. He sways back and forth, bouncing, then steps out, heading towards her.

She's holding back - there's a stiffness, a hesitancy to her movement that was not there this morning.

"You ok?"

She nods. "Uh-huh."

"Ok...." He starts in to the basket, trying to dodge around her.

Even holding back, she is big, with a broad wingspan and wide hands.

"Whew...." He keeps the ball but backs off, taking her in again.

"Ok..... " He drives again, heading straight for her and twisting to get under her arms to the basket.

That hesitancy again, reaction slowed.

He takes it, gets under her arm (although she's turning fast right behind him) and she's got a chance to close on him before he positions for the basket....

A shuffle-step back, frowning.

He scoots away with her, jumps, stuffs it..... he lands and catches the ball. After a moment he turns to her. "Nothing?"

"I told you, it doesn't... it's hard to predict..."

She rubs at her face, wiping away a thin sheen of sweat.

"Yeah, well.... let's try again. Give me something to play off, ok?"

Another tiny nod, shoulders hunched.

"Ok.... Ok, I'm gonna take it out one more time but then you do it and I'll guard. Ok." He bounces off court, turns, focuses......

She mumbles what sounds like an 'ok'

He bends low, dribbling, and comes out, heading for the basket (not her, if there's a difference).

She makes an effort at guarding, spreading her arms... and then pulls them back from full extension. A line appears between her eyebrows.

Her holding back lets him through, because he is NOT holding back... he hits net, catches the ball..... turns. "Nothing?"