Twin shadows spread from Kim's feet as she sprinted toward the opposite end of Middleton High's outdoor basketball court, dribbling the ball between nimble hands. Her boyfriend coursed behind, guarding her from the other team's elbows and feet. There were just seconds left in the fourth quarter when Kim screeched to a halt outside the three-point line and hoisted a shot that plunked straight into the bucket.
Bzzzt. "Red team wins!" The PE teacher wandered off, bored at the predictable outcome.
Monique and Felix jumped up to high-five Kim, and Ron gave her a quick, sweaty hug. The other team wandered off the court, grumbling about how unfair it all was. "What's this, like the millionth time they've wiped us? Why do we keep getting the same teams?"
"Dude, you need some cheese with that whine!" Ron called after the losing team, skipping on ever-klutzy feet to catch up with his redheaded girlfriend. "Naco break?" he smiled hopefully. Nearly horizontal red light streamed through the trees, and brighter light from above made dusky maroon shadows on the asphalt.
Kim smiled back, always intrigued at the open affection on Ron's face. "Sure," she replied. "After showers. I stink."
Ron started toward the boys' locker room. "I dunno," he called, "I thought that last shot was pretty good." A well-timed hair scrunchy, flung like a rubber band, just missed his left ear. Ron grinned and winked.
Cool air from the locker rooms enveloped the two as they entered separate locker rooms. Shadows disappeared as the high schoolers got ready for another Friday evening.
Ron emerged first and sat on a school bench, waiting for his friends. A red sunset spread out over Middleton. Three pale discs hung in the sky, nearly drowned by the brighter light of a second sun. Ron sighed. Just another Friday. Didn't anything unusual ever happen anymore?
Author's note: This is a sequel to the story Kim Eternal