#bergen_county

"You threw 22 meters at Atlanta!"

"Holy shit kid," She looks startled at this. Whatever she was expecting, this was not it. Her face breaks into a smile "That's way before you were born. You follow shotput?"

She blushes and ducks her head. "I hurl in the spring. Shot, hammer, and disc. I'm okay at javelin, but..." She shrugs. "Um."

"I just... I... I wanted to meet you? Sorry."

"Wait, what's your name?" SHe inquires

She sticks out a broad hand. "Sam King." A beat. "Samantha."

She shakes the hand, "I know you too. You broke regionals in track last year, competing with a bunch of seniors, and winning I might add as you probably remember. " Her grip is STRONG... not meant to crush, but one can feel the power in her hand, and she's not even a troll. Definitely not doughy despite first appearances. "I was impressed. I was going to check you out later this year when I recruited for track. "

She blushes again. "Uh."

"I.. uh. Yeah. I like track." Oh, you sound like an idiot, Sam

"More than Basketball?" The Squeeze asks bluntly. Straight forward woman

"Honestly? Yeah."

"Huh..." She looks her over, pondering

She rubs the back of her neck. "I know you got stuff. But. Um. it's an honor, ma'am."

"Look, Sam, you prefer Sam right?" She pulls out her phone

"Y-yeah..."

"I know you probably are drooling all over the Lady Vols chances, or hoping for Sunny Cali, or for some reason, Conneciticut... but if you love Jersey, and if you're interested in staying close to home ..." She shows her the phone "take a look at this."

The Lemmons Scholarship?

"It's not as big as some scholarships, " She admits "But it's plenty big for BCC... and, while you don't seem afraid of competition, there's a LOT fewer people eating it up or trying for it. It's Shotput and track, not Basketball...less popular, less glory. But your performance last year was good enough that if you plan to stick with it? I'd take a chance on you and vouch. "

"I don't want to go to California. My family is here..."

"Well then," THe Squeeze smiles "I can offer you something those snobs can't. A college where you'll be appreciated close to home. You're good, Sam. You're really really good at basketball. I could offer you a scholarship for that instead, but oddly, because we knew we couldn't beat out the others, we offer less for that. This old track scholarship? I set it up back when I was young and cocky. It was in demand for about 10 years while I was still semi famous... then, interest waned and now it sometimes collects dust in the file because young women dont know their own power. You got power. You got drive. And you got a love of your family. We'd be happy to have you at Bergen Community College. "

"I..." She falters. "I need to talk to my dad?"

"Sure..." She nods "And, to be fair, you should see who else is going to hunt you and listen to them even if going there will make you talk with a really silly accent" she says her own Jersey accent magnified "Know what I'm tawking about?"

That gets a little grin. "Forget about it."

A chuckle "There's a right broad. Lemmons Scholarship. Your dad can look it up online and you and your fam chat about it. Be happy to have you"

"Yes, ma'am."

And they part

More practice... more play... and a chance ot talk to Lupe and May..

Sam is a bit on another planet.

"Hey, I almost hit your head in that last pass, what's wrong?" Lupe says 'You're not here... and May is acting like she wants to eat face"

"That... the scout from BCC? She's an Olympian."

"She medaled in shotput!"

"TWICE."

"Okay..." Lupe says "I mean, Shotput's fine but.." She notices the way her friend's eyes are glowing with delight "This is a big deal for you, isn't it?"

"Lupe, an Olympian. Like... like Valerie Adams, or Michelle Carter..."

"I get it" Lupe's face breaks into a smile "But they're scouting for Basketball players. So we should strut our stuff there don't you think?"

"Right, yeah."

"Did you get her autograph?" may asks

"No. Shit! I should have asked."

"You should have" May says and passes the ball smoothly "I'd give anything to be scouted I think . Fay says I shouldn't be ashamed of being agressive"

"You should go somewhere awesome. Like Harvard."

"Or Yale. And then meet all the great authors and become a famous writer."

She blushes "Well, I mean..."

That's when someone yells out "Gonzalaes.." The coach.. with one of the scouts

May stops to look at lupe

"Lupe... kick ass." A covert thumb's-up.

Lupe swallows , for once the little spitfire looks nevous, but then she sees May's smile and nod, and Sam's thumb's up, and straightens her shoulder and heads over, walk confident

May whispers "I wonder which scout THAT Is?"

The idea of Lupe moving away is.. .she wouldn't leave her pack, right?

"I.."

"Shit."