Promise Cooper

Promise Cooper had no intentions of being the star she had become. She'd only joined this team to occupy time in her 10th Grade year. Her mother always worked late and her sisters were always involved in their own things; rather it was Julia hanging with the older girls learning about hair styling or her younger sister Sylvia having play-dates with the twins down the street, Promise was usually left all by herself. The first quarter of the year was so boring and Promise was simply in need of something; anything to do. She wanted to hop in the game of life and leave her mark. When basketball season started up, she tried out and made the team. She'd never really played competitively before, but was a pretty athletic and active teenager. She's become an unsung hero and helped lead her team to the playoffs. Who knew hopping in the game of life would start with hopping in the game of basketball. Promise was shaping up to be an all-star in both of them. There was three minutes left to play in the semi-finals of the Montana State Playoffs for Girls basketball. Promise's team, the Dinkenburg Deltas were losing 80 to 81 to the Skyview Heroines with 6 seconds left.


"We've made it this far. I don't see how we can mess thing up now ladies". Promise's coach spoke boisterously. "I've seen prime talent this season that I haven't seen in my 7 years of coaching Girls' basketball here in Dinkenburg." Dikenburg was a small town on the outskirts of Montana. Promise had moved there with her family three years prior. Promise didn't like Dikenburg at first . It was nothing like the city she grew up in. This town was quiet, small and civil. It's not that Promise didn't like things peaceful. She just didn't like too much quiet. Over the past three years, a lot of her tastes and interests changed and she began to warm up to the small town with the population of 12,000.

"Promise, I need you to touch up that defense. Fiona Mathers is kicking your butt out there. You doing well with guarding the outside, but you can't let her get an inside lane. That's you weakness, and there is no one there to back you up if she gets past the first step. Meanwhile, when she's on defense, she stealing the ball from you almost every time" Promise nodded attentively. "It won't happen again. I will try my best coach." "I don't need you to try, and need you to succeed.", Promise's coach said in a warming tone. "Who are we?" "Deltas". "Who?" "Deltas!". "Alright!", yelled Promise's coach as the team ran back onto the court.


Promise ran back on the court to get in position. Her mind started wondering and the time before the play actually began seemed to be in slow motion. She began thinking about her mother, who never showed up to any of the games all season. She looked around at the crowd of yelling people, and could identify many of her teammates parents. She saw her best friend Samantha Martin's dad. He played in a local band called "Easter Clothes". A few weeks ago, he and the band performed at an all-ages show and Samantha had invited Promise to come. It was incredible. Promise's mother wasn't anywhere near as interesting as a rock star. She only worked as a waitress at "Grandma's Cupboard", a dinner downtown next to the local bar "Bottom's Up". Promise wasn't complaining, but it would be interesting to have a parent who did something out of the ordinary, or at least one who shows up to the games from time to time. "Maybe I'd even play better", Promise thought to herself.
A whistle jolted Promise out of her daydream and the play on the court had started. The ball was in bounced. "Promise!" Her teammate yelled out as she passed the ball to her. Promise dribbled up the left side of the court. On the way, she glances out the side of her eyes, and sees none other than her mother, standing there with excitement. "Wow!" Promise thought, "She here! This is wonderful." Before she could finish her excited though, Fiona Maters stole the ball and headed up the court. She laid the ball into the hoop as time ran out.