(A few minutes later)
"Coach! Sorry, I am…"
The squeak of sneakers on polished wood, the echo of bouncing balls, the stench of sweat and resin filled in as Xander shoved the gym doors open and rushed in… almost stumbling in hurry.
Wheee… fweet!!!
A sharp shrill whistle cut the air like a blade.
Everyone froze. Heads swiveled.
"Hale!" Coach Henderson's voice boomed across the court. "What the hell do you think this is, prom night? You are half an hour late, you look sloppy, and…" his eyes narrowed, "...where the hell's your jersey? You haven't even changed…is this practice or circus???"
Xander clenched his jaw, his chest still heaving.
He hadn't even stopped running since leaving his house…well maybe in the corridor (and maybe that pause made his heart thump even more… whatever… no time for that… )
" Coach…I …uh…forgot…"
"Don't even." The coach's hand slashed through the air. "Bench. Now. You wanna play captain, you better learn to show up like one. You think this is a monopoly? You think Victor over there strolls in whenever he feels like it? Being captain is a privilege,boy! If you don't act like one, that privilege can be scratched!!!"
At the mention of his name, Victor leaned back against the wall, spinning a ball lazily on his finger, a smirk plastered across his face. His crew…Dylan and Chase…snickered loud enough to be audible.
"Yo, looks like golden boy finally tripped," Chase muttered, elbowing Dylan.
"Bout time," Dylan snorted. "All that hype and worshipping…"
Xander's loyalists on the sidelines shifted uncomfortably. Matt rubbed the back of his neck. "Coach, c'mon… it's one slip. He's never this late…maybe he had his reasons…"
"Zip it, Matt," Coach barked. "I don't play favorites."
Victor's smirk widened. "Guess captain forgot how clocks work,huh!Coach,on this note. I did see Xander slipping away with his car in the middle of class hours. Wonder where he went knowing full well how important this practice was…" he drawled just loud enough for everyone to hear.
Coach turned his gaze at Xander as if he had committed murder.
"That's because I had gone to fetch my jersey… "
Coach raised one brow. " And… where is it??!!"
Victor's boys laughed harder.
Xander's fists curled so tight his knuckles cracked but he couldn't utter another word.
Every instinct screamed to snap back, to shut Victor's mouth with one swing, but he bit down so hard it hurt. His pulse pounded in his ears.
Coach stepped closer, whistle swinging from his neck like a goddamn gladiator era weapon. "You think I'm running a charity here, Hale? You think you're too good for rules? You wanna be treated like royalty, Hale, you know you have to earn it. Right now, you look like a damn rookie who couldn't care less. Is that what you have been training for??!!!"
" I am sorry, Coach," Xander forced out, voice low, tight.
"What was that?"
"I sincerely apologize for my carelessness, sir." He lifted his chin, meeting the coach's glare dead on, though every muscle in him screamed rebellion.
Victor muttered under his breath, just loud enough for Xander's ear. "Good dog."
The burn in Xander's chest flared, but he swallowed it down. Not here. Not now. He'd eat the words, chew the humiliation, because blowing up meant giving Victor exactly what he wanted.
Victor's time would come… oh yeah… soon enough!!!
So he just nodded once. "Won't happen again."
Coach's eyes bored into him another moment, then he blew the whistle. "Get your ass on the bench. And if you ever pull this crap again…you're done."
The gym roared back to life, sneakers squealing, balls bouncing, laughter echoing.
And Xander sat down, jaw tight, silent.
The whistle screeched again. "Line up! Let's go, boys…fast breaks!Everyone focus!!!" Coach Henderson barked, voice cracking like a whip."State finals aren't won by daydreaming! Time to sweat! "
The team groaned but snapped into formation, running suicides till their lungs screamed. Bodies pumped. Muscles rolled.
Xander sat on the bench, towel draped around his neck, leg bouncing in a restless rhythm. Tap, tap, tap…sharp, impatient.
His jaw clenched, eyes narrowing on every sloppy pass, every stumble. His blood boiled with every second wasted on the sidelines.
"Damn, Xan looks pissed," Matt muttered between gasps, sprinting to the baseline.
"Captain benched for final practice." Chase snorted, loud enough to echo. "That's gotta sting for a long time."
Victor smirked, jogging backward as if he wasn't even breaking a sweat. "Nah, he's comfortable. Dog's just waiting for his master to call him."
That earned him a chuckle from Dylan.
Xander leaned forward, elbows on his knees, his fists flexing open and closed.
Every muscle screamed to explode onto the court, but he sat, cool mask plastered on his face. Only the bounce of his leg gave him away.
Then the doors creaked open again. A ripple spread through the gym.
"Cheer's here," one of the guys muttered fixing his hair.
The cheerleaders poured in, ponytails bouncing, pom poms tucked under arms, floral,fruity perfume slicing through the gym stench of sweat and rubber. They filled the bleachers in a wave of chatter and giggles.
"Oh my god, is that Xander sitting there?" one whispered.
"Why's he benched?" another chimed.
"Bet Coach is just making an example. You know he'll run the court once he's in."
Their whispers weren't subtle, not even a little.
Xander could hear every single one. Could feel Victor's annoyance as his name fluttered through the air like a chant.
Finally…finally…Coach Henderson blew the whistle.
"Hale! You've sat long enough. Show me why you still are the Captain. Get in there!"
The buzz around the court seemed to drop into slow motion.
Xander stood up as the towel slid from his shoulders.
His smirk curled…slow…deliberate.
He grabbed the hem of his tee and peeled it off, muscles flexing, abs cut and gleaming under the fluorescent lights. Underneath, his black sleeveless tank clung tight, outlining every line of him.
The gym cracked with whistles and claps. A few cheer girls screamed his name till their voices went hoarse.
"Damn, Cap's back."
"Let's gooo, Hale!"
Xander rolled his shoulders, eyes flicking to Victor. One eyebrow cocked, that same infuriating smirk plastered across his face.
"Watch close, Vic," he drawled under his breath as he sprinted onto the court. "This is how it's done."
He slid into formation…even the floor squeaked…every movement dripping with swagger. And the little audience? They ate it up…claps, whoops, wolf whistles echoing through the gym… chanting… " Xander! Xander! "
Victor's jaw ticked, smirk faltering.
And Xander winked, like he owned the whole damn court. Alpha vibes!!!