-SIX-

Life seem to continue on as usual with the basketball team's improved marks, it gave her father the chance to still be the team's Coach, meaning the basketball players couldn't run away from his suicides and push ups.

At the moment, Worm and Kate were walking across the school courtyard towards the buses. Worm had basketball practise while Kate was needed at the sports store this afternoon. "What are you doing this weekend?" She asked, realising that they hardly had any chance to spend some time together.

"Sorry Katie, Ma has to work a day shift on the weekend and I've got to look after Jeremy." They stopped beside the bus that Kate needed to take.

"How about I come over?" Kate asked hesitantly, he never really talked about 'home' and they usually meet up in public.

"I don't think…" He didn't really like the idea of her seeing where he lived, it was the polar opposite to her house. He was ready to make up some excurse when he saw the flicker of disappointment over her face. "This weekend will be fine." His answer brought the light back into her eyes. "You got a pen?"

Kate quickly grabbed a notebook and pen from her shoulder bag, afraid that he'd change his mind and handed the supplies to him. "What time do you want me to come over?"

"Say one." He wrote down his address and handed the note book and pen back over. "I'll see ya this weekend." He pulled her into an embrace and kissed her lips before pulling back.

"The weekend." She promised before getting onto the bus for her shift at the store.

Saturday afternoon, Katie hoped off the public bus at the address shown on the piece of paper in her hand. She had to walk a block to find the right street and was greeted to an old apartment building, there was weeds in the garden but the lawn in the court yard was maintained. She quickly looked at the piece of paper again, reminding herself of the number and started looking at the doors for the right one.

When she reached the door that matched that numbers on the piece of paper, Kate realised that she was nervous about spending alone time with him. She took a calm breath and focused on the sound of the TV coming from behind the doorway before knocking to announce her arrival.

She could briefly hear the footsteps coming towards the door and hoped that it wouldn't be Worm's mother who answered it, the thought made her grow more anxious. Kate was relieved to see Worm open the door, he had a frown between his eyebrows but it shifted at seeing the visitor.

"Katie, you're early." He smiled anyway at her.

"Jaron!" A young voice called form inside the house to the man standing in front of her.

"Bad time?" She questioned.

"Come in." Worm stepped away from the doorway and let Kate through before closing the door behind them. "Jeremy's hungry." He filled her in on the situation.

At the sound of his name, a little boy around the age of six came running down the hallway but paused at the sight of the stranger in their house. "Who are you?"

She tried to hold back the small laugh that wanted to escape at the boy's blunt question. She bent down and held her hand out. "I'm Kate."

The boy glanced beside her to Worm and seem to have gotten the 'OK'. He reached forward and shook her larger hand. "I am Jeremy." He was still looking at Kate when he spoke his words to his older brother. "Are my noodles ready?"

"Almost Buddy." At the reminder of the two minute noodles on the stove, Worm walked into the kitchen that was joined to the lounge and took the saucepan from the flames.

"Are you my brother's girlfriend?" Jeremy questioned again.

Kate was slightly shocked at the blunt question, finding that kids simply asked straight out than circle around the situation. To answer his question, Kate wasn't sure how she should answer. They had agreed to give their relationship a try and acted like a couple but the situation seemed easier without the label on them.

"She sure is." Worm answered, his back turned to the sink as he drained the noodles from the hot saucepan. He didn't seem to notice that Kate had paused in her answer or the fact that her face held a smile at his confession.

"Yuck!" Jeremy answered, pulling a face as if he'd tasted something sour.

"You don't like girls?" Kate asked, finding the boy's expression comical.

"Girls' have germs!" Jeremy stated and reached towards Worm who held his noodles for him. Worm went to place the bowl on the kitchen table when Jeremy spoke up again. "Can we watched a movie?"

Worm looked over to Kate, lifting an eyebrow in communication and received a soft nod. "Sure Jer." Jeremy run ahead of the adults and started searching through the DVDs while Worm and Kate took to the couch. With a DVD picked, Jeremy opened the player and inserted the disc before racing to the couch to get comfortable next to Kate.

"What movie did you choose?" Kate asked, seeing the little boy grin.

"My favourite!" He said loudly, making Worm groan at hearing the choice.

Before she could ask Jeremy which was his favourite, the DVD started playing and the title appeared on the screen – Tarzan.

X:X:X:X:X:X

Kate had gotten a lift home by her mother from school that day, they were making a lasagne for dinner when the men pulled up to the drive way. Her father was the first to speak before her mother could ask them about their day. "We're playing in the State Tournament." He sounded over joyed about the team reaching the finals.

"That is fantastic news Honey." Her mother walked over and embraced the Coach.

Damien was quick to make his way upstairs to his bedroom and Kate followed him straight up. "You nervous?" She said once reaching his door and taking a seat on his mattress.

"It's against St. Francis." He said bluntly, not sure how he felt about teaming up against them as they'd already lost against them once. He also knew how forceful they would be as a team having watched them play and train with them for a bit.

"You guys have improved over the months." She tried to encourage him.

"This game could mean scholarships for us." Damien talked about his thoughts, wanting to get it off his chest.

"And I have faith that you guys will play a good game." Once again trying to boost him. "Just keep practising and… you're a team. One person struggles, you all struggle. One person triumphs, you all triumph." Kate repeated Lyle words from the beginning of the team's struggle.

"As a team." Damien repeated softly to himself.

The weeks leading up to the State Tournamentseem to catch up until the point that Richmond stood on the basketball court with St. Francis opposite them and the empire between the teams.

Kate sat on the stands with her mother, adrenaline running through her as she watched the game kick off and wondered how the team must be feeling about this game. She focused on the ball traveling up and down the count, her eyes drifting to Damien and Worm to check on them though out the game.

She couldn't help but notice that the ball seem to be drifting into one area of the court more – St. Francis scoring hoops while Richmond tried to defend against them.

It had reached the fourth quarter when the Coach called for time out to the empire and called the Richmond team off the court and onto the sidelines. Kate could see them huddled together and wished she was down there to hear what was been said, because her father's words seem to make them stand up slightly taller as they reached back onto the court.

It seemed that their efforts against St. Francis couldn't help turn the numbers around, they gave the opposite team a run for their money but it wasn't enough to win the game – 68/70.

The court didn't hold the same aggressiveness between the two basketball teams, they each congratulated one another on the good game and gave praise were it was deserved. St. Francis crowd cheered for their team while the boys headed back to the locker room with slouched shoulders.

The Richmond supporters left the stand and crowded around the doorway of the locker room, waiting for their boys to greet them and show them how proud that were of their achievements – they had won every game in the session except one.

After the game, school continued on the weekdays with basketball practice still happening because the team couldn't think of anything better to do on their Wednesday afternoons than play a game against one another. Officially, the session was over and the Coach was on leave but the boys found a way around it – they moved their practice to the outdoor court and encourage each other. Not only did it keep them fit, it gave them time to improve their skills as opportunities had been given to them after the game with St. Francis. Richmond may have lost the game but their performance had caught the eyes of those above them.

Like from the beginning, Kate came to sit on the picnic table and watch the boys' play their game. Worm quickly noticed her appearance and came to her side, an excited expression touched his face. "Guess what?" He didn't wait for a reply and shared his news that he'd received that afternoon. "I've got a scholarship!"

Kate instantly wrapped her arms around him. "Oh my God, I'm soo happy for you!" She reached forward and kissed his lips briefly. "Who's it with?"

"San Francisco State University." He answered without hesitation. "I'd be playing as their point guard."

"San Francisco?" She asked, knowing that there was quite some distance between San Francisco and Richmond.

"Yeah…I know you've still got a few more years of school but I hope that doesn't change anything between us." Worm said quietly, almost pleading that she didn't suddenly turn away from him.

"You mean a long distance relationship?" Kate asked to double check she was on the right path.

"I heard it's not the easiest thing, but I need you with me."

It wasn't a 'I love you' but she was aware how foreign it was for Worm to express himself to her and his words meant something to her - he had said 'need' not 'want'. "I'll always be by your side." She promised in return and leaned forward to give him another kiss.

"Hey Kate!" Lyle bounce over to them, leaving the game for a moment. "Why don't you join us?"

She was taken back by the invitation. Yes, she had helped the guys and could speak to them outside of the gym but she didn't think they'd want her on the court with them. "Really?" She questioned, eyes flickering to the boys still playing. "That would make the team odd."

Cruz run off the court, a light layer of sweat already covering him. "Take my place, I could use a break." He took a seat on the table and gave the girl a nudge towards the court when she didn't move.

She couldn't help the smile at her lips as she joined the boys on the court – it was like the good old days in her childhood though she had new friends and a future ahead of her.