In the wake of their devastating defeat to Wyse, the Queens retreated to the sanctuary of their hotel rooms. A heavy silence permeated the air as they congregated in Mrs. Lawal's room for an impromptu team meeting. The weight of their situation was palpable, and the coach's words only served to drive the reality of their circumstances even deeper into their hearts
"Girls, it pains me to say this, but our journey in this competition has come to an abrupt end. We have no choice but to return home." Mrs. Lawal stated solemnly, her voice tinged with regret. A fresh wave of tears cascaded down the cheeks of several players as the finality of her words sank in
"But…." Mrs. Lawal's gaze swept the room, her eyes searching for one face in particular. "Wait a second… Where is Tosin?" she asked, her voice tinged with a mixture of concern and annoyance
Mercy spoke up, her voice hesitant. "Now that you mention it, she wasn't on the bus either."
Mrs. Lawal's expression turned stern, her lips compressing into a thin line. "Geez… That girl, she's always doing this after games."
Shalom raised her hand, her eyes wide with concern. "Coach, can I go and fetch her?"
Mrs. Lawal shook her head, her voice firm. "Don't bother. The meeting has started. If you miss any part of it, it's your loss. Besides, I can't let any of you go back. It's raining. I will look for her after the meeting."
The meeting proceeded without Tosin. Her absence a palpable void in the room. Meanwhile, under the relentless downpour of rain, a lone figure stood on a court outside the arena, donning the Queens' pink number 10 kit. Drenched in rain, she focused on the hoop before her, a basketball clasped tightly in her hands
Unbeknownst to her, an enigmatic feminine figure emerged in the rain behind her, umbrella in hand. The identity of the stranger shrouded in mystery, she observed the troubled girl with a piercing gaze
Back in Mrs. Lawal's room, the meeting continued, heavy with emotion and uncertainty. Mrs. Lawal spoke, her voice tinged with a blend of sorrow and determination. "It's saddens me to acknowledge the end of our journey in this year's Christmas Champions Cup. But let us remember, this is not the end of our team's legacy"
"Of course, not." Tolu replied, her face streaked with tears. "We will be back"
Mary, her curiosity piqued, questioned, "Is the Christmas Champions Cup the only high school basketball tournament in Nigeria?"
"I haven't heard of any others," Oluchi admitted
Eno, reminiscing about her early days on the court, revealed, "In primary school, we participated in three basketball competitions."
With a sigh, Mrs. Lawal explained. "There are, in fact three high school basketball competitions. The Christmas Champions Cup is the most prestigious, offering nationwide recognition and opportunities for national team consideration. The other two, the Easter cup and the summer street ball, offer alternative platforms for students to showcase their skills."
Kevwe, spoke up, her voice determined, "I guess that means we get back to work as soon as we return to Lagos"
"Not quite," Mrs. Lawal responded, prompting a wave of surprise among the Queens
"What do you mean, Coach?" Mercy asked, curiosity mingling with concern
"I have a proposal," Mrs. Lawal said, her voice steady and resolute. "What if, instead of participating in the Easter Cup and the Summer Street ball, we dedicate our time to rigorous training for the next Christmas Champions Cup? This may be Eno's final chance to win a title in high school, but we can make it our most successful run yet. Imagine defeating every team, even those featuring members of the so-called Victorious Varsity, and cementing our status as the best team in Nigeria. What do you say?"
A silence blanketed the room as the Queens absorbed their coach's bold proposition. The weight of their decision hung heavily in the air
"Some of you have skills you want to refine, while others need to identify areas for improvement. You've got eight months to do that. So would you rather compete in these two tournaments and potentially waste valuable time, or would you rather commit to a rigorous training regimen? What will it be?" Mrs. Lawal asked her gaze moving from one player to the next
In a resounding chorus, the Queens answered, "WE WANT TO GET STRONGER!"
With a satisfying nod and smile, Mrs. Lawal acknowledged their resolve. "We have our answer. You may all retire for the night. I will go fetch Tosin." Turning to Mercy, she added, "Please lock the door and keep the key for me. I shall return shortly."
Just as Mrs. Lawal left the room, Tolu's phone rang, the shrill sound cutting through the noisy room
"What?" Tolu snapped, her eyes fixed on the screen
As the rain relentlessly poured all over the arena, Tosin stood before the hoop, her heart heavy with disappointment and frustration. Her Queens' pink number 10 kit clung to her skin, drenched in the storm that refused to subside. Tears streamed down her face, indistinguishable from the raindrops, as she held the ball tightly in her hands.
"So, this is where you were hiding," a voice called out from behind Tosin.
Tosin turned to see Mrs. Parker, the enigmatic foreign lady who got her a new pair of sneakers recently, standing with an umbrella, shielding herself from the torrential downpour.
"I thought it was strange that you weren't on your team's bus"
"Oh, it's you" Tosin said. She then turned back to face the hoop
Mrs. Parker's expression turned serious. "That was a disaster-class performance you showed today. I was disappointed"
Tosin shrugged, her voice laced with despair. "What does it matter? It's all over"
Mrs. Parker's eyes narrowed. "One defeat and that's it? That's all it takes to crush your resolve? I thought you were going to be the best basketball player the world has ever seen. Was that a lie?"
Tosin spun around, her eyes flashing with anger. "What business is it of yours?" she snapped. "Leave me be if you have nothing more to say"
Mrs. Parker's expression turned cold. In a sudden, unexpected move, she dropped her umbrella and rushed towards Tosin, delivering a sharp slap to her face. Gripping Tosin's cheeks in her hands, she forcefully reminded her, "Listen to me. It's not over, you can still be the best. Remember, winners never quit, quitters never win."
Tosin began to cry again, her tears mingling with the rain as Mrs. Parker released her face. Composed once more, Mrs. Parker spoke of a new opportunity, one with a condition.
"I'll take you to the United States if you win the Christmas Champions Cup next year" she said
Tosin's eyes widened, her mind racing with the implication
Finally, she spoke, her voice firm. "Challenge accepted"
A slight grin crept across Mrs. Parker's face, recognizing the return of Tosin's former determination. "She's finally back to her old self." she thought
"Are you sure? Your opponents are the Victorious Varsity, you know" Mrs. Parker said
Tosin's gaze hardened as she replied, "What have I got to lose?"
Just then, Mrs. Lawal appeared, concern etched on her features. "Tosin, what on earth are you doing here?"
"Coach!" Tosin exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise at the sight of Mrs. Lawal
"What are you doing here?" Mrs. Lawal asked, a hint of disappointment in her voice. You missed the team meeting again. You're the team captain; you should know better"
Tosin hung her head in shame. "I'm sorry, Coach. I didn't mean to-"
"This is your last warning," Mrs. Lawal interrupted, her tone firm yet laced with concern. "We need you, Tosin, our leader. Don't let us down."
"I understand, Coach. It won't happen again." Tosin promised
Mrs. Lawal handed Tosin a sweater, her expression softening. "Now, put this on before you catch a cold"
Turning to Mrs. Parker, Mrs. Lawal inquired, "And who might you be?"
"Oh, I'm Mrs. Liv Parker. It's a pleasure to meet you," Mrs. Parker introduced herself, extending her hand for a handshake
"Nice to meet you too." Mrs. Lawal said, cautiously accepting the gesture
"Coach Lawal, I have a favour to ask," Mrs. Parker began, her tone direct yet respectful
"What's that?" Mrs. Lawal asked, her curiosity piqued
"Can I take Tosin under my wing for eight months? She'd still attend school, but she won't participate in your team's training. Instead, she would come to my place for private coaching after school," Mrs. Parker explained, her request hanging in the air between them
"What are you…" Mrs. Lawal started
"Please," Mrs. Parker interrupted, her expression more serious than ever
At the hotel, Tolu stood outside, the night's stillness was broken by the rhythmic patter of rain against her umbrella and the muffled voice on the other end of the phone call. Clutching her umbrella in her left hand and her phone in her right, she listened intently to the stranger's words
"You're Tolu Fashola, correct?" the voice inquired
"Yes, sir," Tolu confirmed
"Well, Tolu, I'm Pique Rodriguez, a recruiting agent for Universitat de Barcelona," the man introduced himself
"Okay, sir," Tolu replied, her curiosity growing
"We watched your game against Wyse International High School, and we are impressed by your performance in the game" Pique said, his tone warm and encouraging
"Thank you very much, sir," Tolu said, a hint of surprise in her voice
"We are interested in scouting you to join our school's female basketball team. Thus, we'd like to offer you a scholarship to study any course of your choice at our university" Pique explained
Tolu's eyes widened in shock as she processed the unexpected offer. "Huh?" she blurted out