Extra Basket
Chapter 45 - 32: Conflict

Chapter 45: Chapter 32: Conflict

July 3, 2010 – Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Virginia

The day after their game against Orlando, Ethan Albarado was walking down the familiar hallway of Oak Hill Academy, making his way to class. The usual buzz of students chatting filled the air, but there was something different today. His thoughts lingered on the recent game, where Vorpal Basket had managed to pull off an unexpected victory.

As Ethan pushed open the door to his classroom, his gaze swept over the room. There, sitting in their usual spots, were Coonie Smith, Kai Mendoza, and Jeremy Park. They were all 2nd-year middle school students, just like him. Coonie was leaning back in his chair, casually chatting with Kai, while Jeremy was scribbling something in his notebook. Ethan didn’t see Lucas, though. He wasn’t surprised—Lucas often arrived late, especially when it came to these types of mornings.

Ethan’s lips twitched into a small smile. "I remember this from the novel..." he thought, reflecting on the scene in the original storyline. He could picture it perfectly: Lucas standing out in the hallway, trying to compose himself before walking into class.

Ethan took his seat near the window and pulled out his notebook, feeling the usual rush of energy that came before a big game, despite the fact that today was just another ordinary school day. The quiet chatter of his classmates seemed distant as his mind wandered back to the Orlando game.

Coonie, who had noticed Ethan’s distracted look, smirked from his seat. "Almost late, huh?" Coonie said, half-teasing. His voice was smooth, but there was a glint of amusement in his eyes. He seemed to be enjoying Ethan’s obvious lack of focus.

Ethan shot a grin back, raising an eyebrow in mock offense. "Almost but not late," he replied, leaning back in his chair and glancing around the room. As he spoke, he scanned the doorway again, but Lucas still hadn’t arrived.

Kai Mendoza, who was sitting across from them, gave a slight chuckle and nudged Coonie. "Maybe Lucas is already in the hallway, trying to sneak in"

"He’ll be here in a minute," Ethan said, leaning forward, trying to dismiss the thoughts that had been plaguing his mind. He wasn’t just waiting for Lucas to show up; he was bracing himself for the next phase of this journey. One that was bound to involve more than just the basketball games.

As the classroom settled down, the teacher, Mr. Erwin, stepped in. His graying hair and serious expression instantly commanded the attention of the students. He had that no-nonsense aura that made everyone sit up straight, but even with his strict demeanor, there was a subtle warmth to him that allowed the class to get away with the occasional moment of humor.

Lucas, still sweating from whatever had caused his late arrival, burst through the door with a sheepish expression plastered across his face. His disheveled hair was even more out of place than usual, and his uniform was a little more wrinkled than it should’ve been. He looked around, breathlessly catching his breath, and then, in his usual dramatic flair, he shouted toward the front of the room.

Then Ethan couldn’t help but grin as he watched the scene unfold before him. Lucas, looking disheveled and clearly out of breath, barged into the classroom with his usual energy. He looked like he’d sprinted halfway across the school just to get there. His hair was slightly messy, his shirt damp with sweat, and his cheeks flushed from the rush.

"Sorry I’m late, teacher!!" Lucas’s voice was full of genuine, playful apology, and the enthusiasm with which he shouted it almost made it seem like he was more excited than regretful.

The whole class immediately looked toward him, and there was a collective pause as Mr. Erwin’s eyes narrowed in mock disapproval.

"YOU’RE LATE, GRAVES!" Mr. Erwin’s voice was stern, but his eyes had that twinkle of mischief, like he was only playing along with Lucas’s antics. "Go stand outside the classroom!"

Lucas froze for a moment, blinking in disbelief. "Sir, yes sir!" He snapped to attention, as though he were part of a military drill, his voice full of exaggerated obedience.

The entire class erupted into laughter.

Ethan, who was sitting closest to the door, couldn’t help but chuckle, his shoulders shaking with laughter.

Coonie, who had been casually leaning back in his chair, gave a loud, half-amused, half-annoyed sigh. "Idiot..." he muttered, shaking his head. But even he couldn’t suppress the smile that tugged at the corner of his lips.

Kai, ever the troublemaker, was snickering quietly, almost snorting in his attempt to keep his laughter under control. Even Jeremy, who usually kept to himself, had a slight grin tugging at his mouth as he shook his head at the spectacle.

Lucas stood by the door for a few moments, then did an exaggerated about-face and gave a salute to the class before stepping outside. He knew this was all in good fun, and he had been in this exact scenario enough times to know it was part of the routine. As soon as the door closed behind him, the laughter grew louder, echoing off the classroom walls.

It was one of those rare, carefree moments that Ethan and his friends could appreciate, a lighthearted break from the tension building in the background. Despite everything going on with the team and the looming challenges ahead, this small moment of humor reminded Ethan of how much he appreciated these people. They were all so different, yet in moments like this, they felt united in a way that made everything else seem manageable.

After a few seconds, Mr. Erwin looked over at the class, raising an eyebrow, his voice cracking with a slight smile. "Alright, alright. Enough laughing. Focus."

But it was clear that even the teacher had a hard time staying serious in the face of Lucas’s antics. Ethan sat back in his chair, feeling the weight of the day lift slightly. "(As expected of the protagonist of this novel)" he thought, a small, genuine smile crossing his face as he turned his gaze toward the window. For just a moment, things felt normal. And that was exactly what he needed.

.....

[After class, they have free time, so they decide to go to the gym.]

As the group of teammates walked towards the gym, Ethan couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. The strange sense of uncertainty lingered in the air as they made their way down the hallway. He glanced sideways at Lucas, who had a serious expression on his face.

"Ethan..." Lucas said, his voice low, pulling Ethan’s attention away from the surroundings.

"Hmm?" Ethan replied, glancing over at his friend.

"I have something to say..." Lucas said, sounding more thoughtful than usual.

Before Ethan could respond, they were interrupted by a sudden commotion up ahead. They turned the corner and saw their senior teammates—Evan Cooper, Brandon Young, and Ryan Taylor—panting heavily. Their clothes were disheveled, and they looked like they had just come from an intense workout or a fight.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed as he recognized their fatigued states. "What happened?" he asked, rushing toward them.

Josh Turner, the shooting guard, was leaning against the wall, his face displaying a mix of frustration and sadness, his injuries still evident from the previous games. He didn’t offer much explanation but just stared at the ground, lost in thought.

Evan, the point guard, leaned against the doorframe, struggling to catch his breath. "We ran into some people from Eastgate," he muttered, still gasping. "Those guys... they’re on a different level."

Before anyone could say more, a voice cut through the air, sharp and confident.

"Are you Ethan Albarado?" a new voice asked, its tone carrying an air of challenge.

Ethan turned toward the source of the voice, squinting as he saw a Korean boy who looked to be around their age, his height standing at 5’8". The boy was dressed in a basketball uniform, and his posture exuded an undeniable air of confidence.

"Who are you?" Ethan asked, wary of the stranger’s sudden approach.

The boy grinned, a mixture of cocky and playful. "I’m Miho Park—the captain of the Eastgate Wildcats."

At the mention of Eastgate, Ethan’s mind immediately raced. "(Miho Park?)" he thought. "(No way... the Miho Park? The captain of the Wildcats?)"

Ethan’s mind quickly connected the dots. Miho Park was no ordinary player. The Eastgate Wildcats were a fierce rival team from Boston, known for their high-level play. Miho himself had a reputation for being an outstanding player, someone who had faced off against the best in the region. The appearance of Miho and his team in Mouth of Wilson was unexpected, to say the least.

"What did you do to my teammates?" Lucas demanded, his gaze shifting from Miho to the rest of the Eastgate crew, who stood behind him with their arms crossed. It was clear Miho wasn’t just here for a friendly visit.

Miho shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh, them? We were just playing a casual 3v3," he said, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "But to be honest, I thought it would be more competitive. Instead, we were left disappointed. Their play? Garbage."

Davis Conner, the reliable and strong power forward from Eastgate, stepped forward with a bemused look. "Captain, you sound like a villain right now."

Miho blinked in mock surprise. "Did I? Hehe, sorry, sorry."

He chuckled, clearly unfazed by the tension he had just created.

Ethan’s hands clenched into fists. "You think it’s funny to disrespect my teammates?" His tone grew darker, as anger began to bubble up inside him.

But before he could say more, Armi Hassuf, the shooting guard, who always seemed to be the thoughtful one in their team, gave a slight nod. "Yep, sounds pretty villainous to me."

Ethan was confused. "(Why is he here?)" His mind raced. "(Miho Park... the captain of Eastgate Wildcats. Why would they come here now? In the novel, Eastgate didn’t make an appearance until much later. What’s going on? Wasn’t it supposed to be our loss to the Orlando Hoops that set everything in motion?)"

Ethan looked at Miho with narrowed eyes. "( The story’s changing because of what happened yesterday. We weren’t supposed to win against Orlando. But now, it seems like other teams are noticing us. Why is Miho here now, and what does this mean for us moving forward?)"

Lucas, glanced at Ethan, his expression unreadable. They both knew that things were getting more complicated.

Miho’s smirk deepened as he crossed his arms, clearly enjoying the tension he had created. His gaze lingered on Ethan for a moment, and the air between them grew heavy with the weight of his words.

"I didn’t come here to make enemies," Miho said, his tone still light, but there was a sharp edge hidden beneath his casual demeanor. "But I came here to see what this team was all about. Since you defeated my rival team, the Orlando Hoops... you defeated Alec Storm, my rival."

Ethan’s eyebrows furrowed at the mention of Alec Storm. He hadn’t expected this level of attention from Eastgate, let alone from their captain. The Orlando Hoops had been one of the top teams in the area, and defeating them had been a huge win for Vorpal Basket. But to think that it had drawn the attention of a player like Miho, someone so highly regarded—this felt like a whole new level of complication.

Miho then turned his gaze toward Ethan, his expression unreadable but still calculating. "They said that if you’re here, and Lucas Graves, we would lose..." Miho’s words hung in the air like a challenge, the insinuation in his tone unmistakable. It wasn’t just about the game yesterday. It was about reputation, about what people expected from Ethan and Lucas, the new faces of the school basketball scene. People were starting to take notice.

"What?" Ethan said, his confusion growing as he processed Miho’s words. He wasn’t sure if Miho was talking about their victory over Orlando or something else entirely. But one thing was clear: Miho was sizing him up, evaluating him like a predator looking at its prey.

Miho’s eyes flickered with something more intense now, a spark of curiosity that Ethan couldn’t quite place. "It seems like everyone trusts you, huh?" Miho said with a knowing smirk. There was an undeniable hint of respect in his voice, but it was wrapped in a layer of challenge. Miho didn’t just want to test Ethan’s ability; he wanted to see if the hype around him was real.

"Let’s play a game, Ethan. Just us—1 on 1."

Ethan blinked, surprised by the sudden proposition. The challenge was clear, and the gym seemed to fall silent for a moment as everyone else waited to see what would happen next. Ethan’s teammates exchanged glances, unsure whether to intervene or stay quiet. They all knew what Miho was asking: a direct confrontation. A chance to test Ethan, to measure his skills in a way no one else had before.

"What?" Ethan repeated, still processing Miho’s request. He wasn’t sure if he was supposed to be flattered or annoyed by the proposition. But one thing was certain—Miho Park wasn’t the type to back down from a challenge. And now, it seemed like he was pulling Ethan into a personal showdown.

To be continue

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