The Queens gathered around Mrs. Lawal, their eyes bright with anticipation and determination. Their shared ambition to become the best team in Nigeria fueled their enthusiasm, their hearts beating with the rhythm of their dreams
"Welcome back to school, guys," Mrs. Lawal began, her voice reflecting the pride she felt for her dedicated team. "I know we didn't truly have a break, but that's because we are committed to our shared goal. And speaking of returning to the team, we have our Captain and Ace, Tosin, rejoining us"
The air erupted with a cacophony of cheers, applause, and praise as the Queens celebrated Tosin's return. Their collective joy brought a blush to Tosin's check, her gratitude for her teammates' supports evident in her smile
"Welcome back, Tosin," Mrs. Lawal said, a warm smile playing on her lips
"Thank you, Coach," Tosin replied, a hint of playfulness in her voice. "Thank you very much, everyone"
Mrs. Lawal, her eyes twinkling with amusement, couldn't resist teasing her star player. "How was your training with Mrs. Parker? I'm sure she taught you a lot of valuable skills."
Tosin nodded in agreement. "Yes, Coach. It was a great learning experience"
As the excitement began to settle, Mrs. Lawal turned her attention to the new member of the team. "We also have a new member joining us today – Teni. Some of you may have already gotten a hint of her position through her impressive performance earlier, but let me formally introduce Teni, our new shooting guard"
Mercy's heart sank as she absorbed the information, her fears mounting with each pressing moment
"Welcome, Teni," Mrs. Lawal continued, her voice filled with warmth and reassurance. "This is your home now. Feel free to be yourself"
"Thank you, Coach," Teni replied, a hint of uncertainty in her tone. "If I may…"
"Yes, Teni?" Mrs. Lawal questioned; her eyes locked on the new recruit
"It's the ace's job to lead the team to victory, right?" Teni asked, her bluntness taking the group by surprise
"That's right," Mrs. Lawal confirmed, her curiosity piqued by Teni's line of inquiry
"I'm not satisfied with Tosin as the ace. This team needs a new ace." Teni declared, her unwavering gaze fixed on her new teammates
"What do you mean?" Shalom interjected, her voice laced with irritation
"I'm saying I want to be the team's new ace," Teni replied bluntly, her confidence refusing to waver.
"Hey, new girl, you just joined the team and you want to be the ace?" Oluchi retorted, her annoyance palpable, "How annoying"
"Is that a bad thing?" Teni questioned, her straightforward demeanor unrelenting
"No, it's not a bad thing," Mrs. Lawal chimed in, her tone measured and fair
"Coach, Tosin has led the team until now," Tolu argued, her voice tinged with concern. "We can't just transfer leadership to a newcomer just like that"
"Yeah, I understand how you feel," Mrs. Lawal acknowledged, her gaze sweeping across the team. "But you see, Teni is right. She has the right to become the captain or ace just as much as anyone here"
Teni's lips curled into a satisfied grin as she glanced at her teammates, their reaction a mix of surprise and frustration
Noticing Teni's grin, Mrs. Lawal continued, her voice firm yet understanding, "However, Teni, it seems that nobody wants you to be the ace right now. So, it's not going to happen."
"In that case," Teni countered, her determination unwavering, "how about a duel between Tosin and I? one on one. We will put the ace role on the line. Whoever wins, becomes the ace"
Intrigued by the proposition, Mrs. Lawal turned to the rest of the team. "That's a good suggestion. Is everyone okay with this?"
Expressing their faith in Tosin's abilities, the Queens chorused, "Yes!"
"Tosin, will you accept the challenge?" Mrs. Lawal asked, locking eyes with her captain
"Yes, Coach, I'm game." Tosin replied, smiling
Mrs. Lawal's tone grew serious as she warned Tosin, "Just so you know, if you lose, you will no longer be our ace"
Unfazed by the gravity of the situation, Tosin's grin remained firmly in place. "I'm still the Captain, though"
As the Queens surrounded Mrs. Lawal, eager to see how the duel unfolds, anticipation hung in the air. The stage was set for an intense one-on-one duel between Tosin and Teni, and their teammates watched with bated breath as the two players stepped onto the court. With a sharp blow of her whistle, Mrs. Lawal signaled the start of the duel. Tosin took possession of the ball, her rhythmic bouncing punctuated by a confident smile
"Tosin, you're nothing special and I'm going to prove it," Teni declared, her expression a mixture of anger and determination
Unfazed by Teni's provocation, Tosin remained focused, silently strategizing her next move as her eyes locked onto her opponent. Suddenly, she made a swift move, faking a shot and darting towards the hoop. The Queens erupted in cheers, but amidst the excitement, Tolu and Mrs. Lawal watched with intense seriousness. Tosin leaped into the air, her body arcing gracefully as she executed a layup.
In a burst of speed, Teni rushed back to block the shot, her fingers making contact with the ball just in time. Snatching possession, she rhythmically bounced the ball, her gaze hardening as she addressed Tosin. "I've heard rumors about your monstrous jumps, and I was eager to experience them firsthand. But it turns out they were just lies. Like I thought, Tosin, you're nothing special and I'm about to prove it"
A bright smile graced Tosin's lips as she taunted, "Be my guest"
Teni's irritation bubbled the surface. "I hate how you act like you are better than everyone else."
Tosin's smile widened, her words laced with amusement. "Nope, not everyone – just you. Face it! I'm better than you, angry bird"
Teni's expression darkened, her anger reaching its boiling point. "You'll pay for that"
With a fierce determination, Teni drove past Tosin. Tosin dashed back, but couldn't stop Teni's shot. With the sound of a satisfying swish, Mrs. Lawal blew the whistle, signaling the end of the duel
"You really are nothing special, Tosin," Teni said, her angry look still evident. "I'm surprised that an amateur like you could lead the team to the nationals. Wonders never cease"
Tosin watched Teni calmly, her expression unreadable.
Sensing the tension, Mrs. Lawal stepped forward, addressing the group with a calm authority. "With the outcome of the duel, we have our new ace – Teni." she announced
The Queens exchanged uneasy glances, the weight of this sudden shift in dynamics settling heavily on their shoulders. Among them, Tolu's gaze remained fixed on Tosin, her eyes narrowed in a mixture of confusion and concern
The Queens continued their training until dusk. As the clock struck 7pm, the Queens began to pack up, the day's events weighing on their minds. Oluchi approached Tosin, who was washing her face at a nearby tap, her brow furrowed in thought
"Hey, Captain," Oluchi began, her voice tinged with uncertainty, "I'm still trying to wrap my head around your defeat at the hand of Teni in that duel"
Tosin offered a small smile, her tone light and unconcerned. "Oluchi, it was an interesting duel, right? She's just the best one here"
Oluchi's skepticism grew, her eyes searching Tosin's face for answers. "Sorry, but I'm having trouble accepting that you lost to Teni. It makes me question your true motive. Do you really want to be the best? It doesn't make sense. You seem to have gotten worse after your nine months training with Mrs. Parker. What happened to you?"
Tosin's smile remained, unfazed by Oluchi's questioning as Oluchi made her way out of the school. Tolu, however, approached Tosin, carrying both their bags
"You know, Oluchi isn't the only one mad at you for losing to Teni," Tolu said, her eyes locked on Tosin's. "We all are"
Tosin turned off the tap, cleaned her face with a white towel before facing Tolu, "I get it. I understand how you feel but Teni is just that good."
Tolu's gaze hardened, her frustration mounting as she pushed for answers. "Yeah, right. While we're all angry that you lost to Teni, the reason why we are angry is different"
Intrigued, Tosin raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued by Tolu's words. "What do you mean?"
Tolu's eyes narrowed, her voice steady and determined. "The others might not have noticed, but I did. Tosin, you held back in that duel. The jumps, speed, your move – they weren't like the Tosin I know. And considering you were away training for nine months, I expected an even better Tosin. But the duel proved that you've gotten worse"
A small chuckle escaped Tosin's lips before she responded, her tone thoughtful and measured. "Tolu, I can't beat you, can I?"
Tolu allowed a small smile to grace her lips, her eyes never leaving Tosin's. "You bet"
Tosin's smile widened, her voice filled with revelation as she confessed, "I did hold back during the duel"
Tolu's eyes widened, surprise evident on her face. "Why?"
Tosin paused, considering her words before she explained. "I was testing Teni. I wanted to see how good she really is"
Tolu's curiosity was piqued. "And what did you find out?"
Tosin's expression turned thoughtful. "Teni is good – her shooting accuracy is the best on our team. Teni being a shooting guard is bad news for Mercy; she could lose her spot in the starting line up soon. I'm worried about Mercy"
Tolu's eyes narrowed. "Okay, what about your ace status? Aren't you worried that you lost it?"
Tosin smiled, "Hey, Tolu, slow down. You guys seem to get the wrong idea. The truth is, I was never truly the ace."
Tolu's confusion was evident. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Do you remember Teni's definition of who an ace is?" Tosin asked
"That it was the ace's job to lead the team to victory?" Tolu replied
Tosin nodded with a smile, "That's right. Now, let me ask you: Is our team really built around Oluwatosin Folasade?"
Tolu's expression turned thoughtful. "What are you trying to say?"
"You see, for instance, our game against the Charlottes four years ago – you led us to victory, Tolu"
Tolu laughed in disbelief. "Me? I don't think that's true"
Tosin continued. "Yeah, it's true. You were superb in that game. Shalom could have been the MVP if you weren't there, but you were there and you were just the best. In our game against the Rose Mary High School Team last year, Eno led us to victory. You can see that it's been everyone."
"I see," Tolu said, her expression turned understanding
"The Queens is a team made of aces. This is the truth. Every single one of us is an ace. Now you can see that I haven't truly lost my ace status" Tosin concluded
Tolu smiled, impressed. "Wow, Tosin, I envy your wisdom."
Tosin chuckled. "Hey, don't tease me now."
Tolu handed Tosin her bag as they laughed and walked out of the school premises, Mrs. Lawal, who had been eavesdropping on their conversation, came out of hiding and smiled to herself. "Tosin, you are something else. You've matured so much within such a short time"
Meanwhile, Mrs. Lawal wasn't the only one eavesdropping on Tosin's conversation with Tolu.
"Well, I'm a little puppy in the midst of Lions, aren't I, Tosin?" Mercy muttered