Vibe Check Champion (Chapter 7)
[Link to previous chapter](https://www.reddit.com/r/BallbustingStories/comments/pheoof/vibe_check_champion_chapter_6/)
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## Chapter 7
“Wake up, lazy bones. We’re going for a run.” Aunt Sally gave me another kick after I rolled over. “Don’t make me give you another Backbreaker.”
As soon as I opened the zipper, the wall of smell smashed me like a dumptruck. It was even worse than yesterday.
“What time is it?” I asked as I held my hand a few inches in front of my face—could barely see it. “Who’s going with—”
“That’s it. No more questions.”
“But—”
“If you’re not ready by the count of 10, I’m throwing you straight out the window.”
Knowing she was dead serious, I scrambled out of the sleeping bag, knocking into Aunt Sally’s boots as I crawled for the drawers. She hovered near my ear, loudly chanting each number as I whirlwinded through my clothes.
“Do I even get to take a shower before we—”
“No!” Aunt Sally yanked my shirt completely on, then gave me a shove out the door.
I fell onto the carpet, only to be met with a foot on my back.
“Good morning.” Trista stepped up and over me, then turned around at the steps to finish tying her sneakers. “Ready for a workout? It’ll be a short one today.”
“No it won’t.” Aunt Sally pressed one foot onto my butt as she tied her combat boot. “Five miles last time, so let’s push for seven today.”
“But I can’t even run one!” I said, crawling towards the bathroom as soon as Aunt Sally’s foot lifted. “Can I at least—”
“No time for breakfast.” Aunt Sally twisted her second boot against my buttcheek as she leaned down and began tying it. “Trista, go grab our little piggy an apple.”
“Okay,” Trista said as she headed towards Mom’s room, “but she doesn’t like to get woken up this early!”
They both snickered as Aunt Sally tied her final knot. “I said get an *apple*, not a delicious apple sock!”
“Oh.” Trista laughed as she scraped a finger in her ear and headed down the steps. “Three delicious apples, coming right up.”
As soon as Trista disappeared into the kitchen, Aunt Sally leaned down and whispered in my ear. “Although if little piggy keeps it up with his annoying questions…”
“No more annoying questions. I promise, I promise.” Even though I brushed five times last night, I still couldn’t get the taste out of my mouth. Mom’s sock definitely had to be one of the worst tasting “apples” I ever—
“Tick tock, tick tock.” Aunt Sally stepped off of me as she looked at her watch. “If you’re not outside and running in sixty seconds, there’ll be hell to pay. Now go take your bathroom break.”
“Yes, Aunt Sally,” I said as I scrambled away. “Whatever you say, Aunt Sally.”
Aunt Sally caught an apple that Trista tossed up the stairs, then took a huge bite as she leaned over, adjusting her boot.
“I really like the sound of that,” Aunt Sally said. “On training day, we do whatever I say.”
* * *
I was dying—worse than dying.
I collapsed onto the grass, panting like a dog, ribs feeling like an alien was about to explode out of my chest. I didn’t care what Aunt Sally or Trista or anyone would say, there’s just no possible way a human can run that long. It’s just not possible!
A shadow blocked my view.
I didn’t want to open my eyes, so I kept squeezing my eyelids even tighter, hoping it would go away.
“Bobby? Is that Bobby The Bobber?”
There’s only one person who still called me that name. My eyes jerked open as I stared up at the most beautiful thing I ever knew—Kelly, our neighbor, hottest girl in town.
“Why are you wearing pajamas?” Kelly giggled as she flung her perfect ponytail in the sunlight.
My mouth wouldn’t work. No sound came out as my lips flapped like a fish.
“Water?” Kelly said as she offered her water bottle. “Fresh, I just grabbed it from tennis practice.”
I ripped it out of her hands and began gulping it down.
“Whoa, were you just stuck in the desert for six months?” Kelly giggled as she continued digging in her bag. “Or maybe you were bobbing for apples again.”
The empty bottle crunched in my hands. That was one of the most embarrassing days of my entire—
“Who would’ve thought I’d be seeing you today,” Kelly said as she rested her tennis racket on one shoulder. “So, what have you been doing the past few years, Bobber?”
“Thanks for the…” I said, taking in a huge breath as I licked the final drops of water off my lips. “I really needed it.”
“You always need water, Bobber.” Kelly laughed as she began spinning and catching her racket in the air. “Remember my birthday party, when you gulped down so much water you accidentally—”
“Pajamas!” I said. “Long story, my crazy aunt woke me up and rushed me out of my—”
“There you are!” Trista sprinted over to us, then continued jogging in place as she spoke down to me. “We’ve been looking all over for you. We lost you miles and miles ago. Aunt Sally is super pissed with you.”
“Maybe if you gave me my apple for breakfast, I wouldn’t have—”
“So you *do* still bob for apples!” Kelly hung onto Trista’s shoulder as she laughed.
“Kelly!” Trista said as she gave her a hug. “How’ve you been? I haven’t seen you since your awesome party five years ago.”
“Well, speaking of my birthday party,” Kelly said, using her racket to point to the tennis courts. “Bobber here fell down. Right outside my practice.”
“Bobber!” Trista hung onto Kelly’s shoulder for support this time. “I forgot about that name you gave him.”
Kelly smirked as she looked down at me. “So I came to check on him, thought he could’ve used some water. But if I knew it was actually Bobber, I would’ve brought a giant bucket instead!”
“Ha ha, very funny.” I sat up, rubbing my ribs. They still hurt like hell. “Do you know how long it took me to get rid of that nickname?”
“It should’ve never stopped!” Trista cracked up as she rested a dirty sneaker on my leg.
“So,” Kelly said, “you never told me why you have pajamas on.”
“He didn’t?” Trista twisted her foot.
“Training,” I said, smacking Trista’s foot off of me. “It’s for my—”
“Next amazing episode of America’s Funniest Home Hits?” Kelly rested her sneaker on my other leg as my eyes nearly shot out of my head.
“Exactly!” Trista said. “Bobby keeps on losing to me and my—”
“Whoa!” Kelly put her hand over Trista’s mouth. “No spoilers. I haven’t even seen episode 2 yet.”
“I directed this time.” I hesitated. “Well, the beginning at least, but it still needs to go through lots of editing before we—”
“That’s hilarious!” Kelly couldn’t stop laughing as she stared at Trista’s phone. “Is that a green apple hanging out of Bobber’s—”
“Yeah.” Trista was trying to hold back her giggles as she flicked through her phone. “Remember my mom’s behind-the-scenes photos? Well, since my aunt is visiting, we had to take a lot more.”
“Hold on, hold on. Go back one,” Kelly said. “Why’s there a big X on those pants?”
“Do you really wanna know?” Trista smirked as she flicked to the next picture. They both burst into laughter as I felt myself melting into the ground.
“X marks the spot!” Kelly sputtered out as she almost fell over. “It looks like you each took one. Can I get a picture too?”
“Sure, no problem,” Trista said as she took a few steps back. “Anything for a fan.”
“No way, no how!” I started to crawl away, but Kelly shoved her sneaker in my ribs.
“It’ll only be pretend,” Kelly said as she rested her foot on my chest, “I won’t actually kick you.”
“No way!” I grabbed onto her leg as she pressed down harder. “You weren’t even supposed to see those pictures. They weren’t edited yet.”
“But she did!” Trista said as she moved a little closer. “Just give her what she wants or she’ll stand on you.”
“Can I?” Kelly bounced her leg slightly as I screamed. When Trista shrugged, she stepped right up and posed. “This is awesome.”
“Squishy, isn’t he?” Trista took a few pictures, then used my stomach as a step as she walked to the other side and held up her camera. “Act like you’re going to smash him with your tennis racket.”
My entire body jumped as the tennis racket flew a million miles per hour straight towards my—
“Perfect!” Trista stepped on my leg as she showed Kelly the photos. “What do you think?”
“Looks like his tennis balls are gone for good!” Kelly couldn’t stop giggling as she stomped her foot on my chest. “You see what happens when you don’t give me what I want, Bobber?”
I grabbed onto her legs and couldn’t speak—my lips flapped like a fish as her sneaker dug right into my searing ribs.
“So,” Trista said, “are you doing anything this weekend?”
“Have a big tennis match.” She flicked her racket in the air and caught it. “Why? Do you need some help with your next episode?”
Trista nodded yes as she took a few steps back. “Only if you hit him for real this time.”
“Sorry, Bobber.” Kelly reeled back her tennis racket as I tried to scream. “X marks the spot! For real this time!”
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[Link to next chapter](https://www.reddit.com/r/BallbustingStories/comments/pqbe7x/vibe_check_champion_chapter_8/)