The court was still alive with motion — sneakers squealing on polished wood, voices cutting across each other, the thud of the ball echoing off the high walls. The three‑on‑three rotations moved fast, players swapping in and out without a pause.
Darius's shirt clung to his back, his breath steady but his legs sending quiet warnings. The drain was there — not enough to slow him yet, but enough to remind him it was coming.
Malik was already feeling it. He trailed the boy he was guarding by half a step on every move, his arms heavy, his chest rising and falling like he'd been running uphill for miles. Darius caught the look on his face — grit mixed with frustration — but there was nothing to do for him now. Malik would have to push through it himself.
The whistle shrilled. Darius's squad — him, Kenny, and Luis — started with the ball. Kenny passed it in to Darius, and the moment it touched his hands, the rhythm took over.
He faked right, watching the defender shift his weight, then slid left into open space. A quick pass to Luis in the corner, a fake to throw off his man, a drive along the side — and the ball was back in Darius's hands as he curved toward the front.
One bounce. Lift. Release. The ball dropped cleanly through the hoop.
They hurried back to defend. Darius stayed low, eyes locked on his opponent. When the pass came, he stepped in front, knocking it loose. Kenny grabbed it and rushed forward. Darius sprinted alongside, caught the return pass, and laid it gently off the backboard into the net.
The other team tried to respond, but Darius was locked in — moving his feet, contesting shots, calling out to his teammates.
It was 4–3 when Kenny spotted him open. Darius rose, the defender's hand flashing too late. The ball left his fingertips and spun perfectly.
Straight in.
Luis threw his hand up. Kenny followed. Darius raised his too, chest heaving but grinning. They'd taken the set.
On the sideline, Coach Anderson watched the switch. "Darius looks good, doesn't he?"
"Yeah," Assistant Coach George said. "For a newcomer, I'm impressed. He's putting our starters to shame."
"But do you think he can keep that up until the end of the session?"
"The way he's going right now? I think so."
As George spoke, Darius caught another pass in the next run and sank a long shot to take the lead.
Anderson chuckled. "I don't think he will," he said with a grin. "But I don't know… let's see."
By the time the final whistle blew, both Malik and Darius were sprawled on the floor, their chests rising and falling like they'd been through a war. Around them, the regulars were still on their feet, chatting, stretching, grabbing water.
Coach Anderson called them in. "Well done today, boys. That was a good session. This'll be solid prep for Saturday against the Riverside Hawks. Let's keep our focus until then. Go rest up — see you Wednesday."
The huddle broke. Darius and Malik stayed on the floor a moment longer, breathing in the relief that it was over.
A faint chime rang in Darius's head. The Hustle System's panel slid into view:
TRAINING SESSION COMPLETE
Effort: Tier A Defense: Tier B Stamina: Tier B+
Overall Grade: B (89%) – XP Gained: +450
Darius exhaled. So close.
A shadow fell over them. Darius looked up to see a tall, lean boy with messy red hair, freckles scattered across his nose and cheeks, and a wiry build made for speed. His forearms were toned, his green eyes carrying a spark of mischief.
"Don't worry," the boy said with a chuckle. "You're not the only ones who've suffered on their first day."
He offered both hands. They took them gratefully.
"I'm Daren," he said. "Captain of the team."
"Wassup, man," Malik mumbled, still catching his breath.
"Sup," Darius said.
As they walked toward the locker room, Daren grinned. "You'll get used to it. Just a matter of time."
Inside, the place was loud — players laughing, smacking each other with towels, talking trash. Malik and Darius exchanged a look; Darius laughed.
"Always like this," Daren said. "Unless we lose. Then Coach would kill us if he heard us having fun." He waved them over. "Come on, I'll introduce you."
He pointed to a tall, broad‑shouldered boy sitting quietly on a bench, scrolling through his phone. His hair was cropped short, his posture relaxed but alert. "This is Eli, our vice‑captain."
Eli looked up briefly, gave them a nod, then went back to his phone.
They moved down the row. "That's Kenny, Luis, Marcus, Jaylen, Troy, Owen, Chris, and Devon." One by one, the boys greeted them — some with quick nods, others with wide grins.
"Welcome to Bayview, boys," Daren said.
"I appreciate it… captain," Darius replied, shaking his hand.
Daren laughed. "No problem. That's why I'm the captain, right?"
Eli stood and walked over, looking them both in the eye. "I hope you guys don't hold us back. We're planning to win the Junior State Championship this season. We don't need anyone slowing us down." His gaze lingered on Malik.
Malik stepped forward, closing the gap. Eli was tall — taller than most kids his age — but Malik didn't flinch. "You got a problem, bruh?" he asked calmly.
The room went quiet. The two stared at each other for a few seconds, tension thick in the air.
"No," Eli said finally. "Just letting you know." He stepped back to his locker.
Daren smiled. "Don't mind him. He's just competitive. But he's right — this is our last year together before high school. We want that JSC title. We'd appreciate your help."
"I mean, what's sports without the need to win?" Darius said, packing his bag.
"Exactly," Daren said.
"Don't worry, Cap. We'll do our best."
They shook hands again.
The ride back was quiet at first. Malik stared out the window, jaw tight.
"What's up with you?" Darius asked.
"Nothing, man."
"Doesn't look like nothing to me."
"You saw how those dudes looked at us? Like we're kids. Like we don't belong."
"So? We don't — not yet. We've got to prove it."
"Yeah, whatever. I just don't want dudes staring me down every time I play."
"So, you're gonna be pressed every time we go to practice?" Darius gave him a light shove. "Boy, you better fix that face. Mom and Pops paid for us to be here. Imagine if they saw you looking like that after day one."
Darius chuckled. "You always want to be in your feelings. We're here to play. The rest doesn't matter."
Malik smirked despite himself. The two laughed as the bus rolled them home.