THE CHALLENGE

  By the time we reached our dorm room, my muscles were aching from practice, but I couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened on the court. Jace and I had actually worked well together. It shouldn’t have bothered me as much as it did, but there was something unsettling about realizing that the guy I had spent seven months hating could actually understand my playing style. I pushed the door open and tossed my gym bag onto my bed, only to find Jace already sitting at his desk with his laptop open.

  You’re quiet, he remarked without looking up. I’m tired. You’re thinking. I frowned. Do you always analyze people this much? Only people who interest me. My fingers paused around the zipper of my bag. I looked at him, but his attention was still on his laptop. Maybe I had misunderstood him. Whatever. He finally looked up, and a small smile tugged at his lips. “You’re easy to annoy.” You make it easy. He chuckled and returned to whatever he was doing.

  I changed out of my training clothes and headed toward the small bathroom attached to the room. After a quick shower, I returned wearing sweatpants and a loose shirt. Jace was still at his desk, but this time he was watching game footage on his laptop. I stopped behind him. Is that our practice? Yeah.Why are you watching it? Because Coach wants us to improve our coordination.” I crossed my arms. We did fine. We could do better. I moved closer despite myself. On the screen, I watched us run through the offensive drill. Jace paused the video just as I passed him the ball. You’re too slow here, he said, pointing at the screen. If we face a stronger defense, they’ll intercept this. I frowned. I wasn’t slow. You were. I wasn’t. He looked at me. Do you want me to lie? No. Then you were slow. I rolled my eyes, but I leaned closer to the screen. Annoyingly, he was right.

  For the next twenty minutes, we watched the footage together. The more we studied it, the more I realized why Jace was the team’s captain. He wasn’t just talented. He understood the game differently. He noticed small things I would have missed, and he knew exactly how to adjust when a play wasn’t working. I hated admitting it, but I respected him. When the video ended, Jace closed the laptop and leaned back in his chair. You’re good, Carter. I looked at him. Really? Really. The sincerity in his voice caught me off guard. There was no teasing, no arrogance, and no challenge behind his words. Thanks, I replied quietly. He nodded, and for a few seconds, the room became strangely quiet.

  My phone buzzed. I glanced at the screen and saw a message from my mother. How was your first day? Are you settling in? A smile appeared on my face as I typed a quick response, telling her everything was fine. I didn’t mention Jace. I didn’t want her worrying about me, especially after everything she had sacrificed to get me here. When I looked up again, Jace was staring at me. What? Nothing. You’re staring. He shrugged. You looked happy. I slipped my phone into my pocket. My mom texted. Close with your family? Very. He nodded slowly. That’s good. Something about his expression changed. His eyes dropped to the floor for a moment before he looked away. You? I asked. He was silent. What about your family? He shrugged. They’re fine. That doesn’t sound convincing.You ask too many questions. I smiled faintly. Now you know how it feels. He laughed under his breath, and I decided not to push him.

  The next morning, Coach called us into his office before practice. I walked in expecting a routine discussion, but the moment I saw the serious expression on his face, I knew something was wrong. Jace entered behind me and closed the door. Coach motioned toward the chairs. Sit. We did. He leaned forward, clasping his hands together. The university tournament starts in six weeks. I nodded. I know. And I’m changing the starting lineup. My stomach tightened. Jace’s expression remained unreadable. Coach looked directly at me. You’re starting. For a second, I thought I had heard him incorrectly. I’m sorry? You heard me. You’ve earned it. A rush of excitement spread through me, but before I could react, Coach continued. However, there’s one condition.

  I waited. You and Jace will be the main offensive pair. My excitement disappeared. Jace glanced at me. Coach continued, Your styles complement each other. Jace is strong at driving and creating space. You read the court well and have excellent passing ability. If you two learn to trust each other, we have a serious chance of taking the championship. The word championship immediately brought back the memory I had tried so hard to bury. Jace must have noticed because his eyes briefly met mine. I’ll do it, I said. Jace nodded. Me too. Coach smiled. Good. Then start acting like teammates.

  We left the office together. The moment the door closed behind us, Jace looked at me. Congratulations. Thanks. You deserved it. I smiled slightly. You too. He nodded, then stopped walking. Carter. I turned around. There’s something you need to know. What? His expression became serious. The team doesn’t want you here. My smile disappeared. “What are you talking about? Not everyone. He lowered his voice. Some of the guys think you took a spot that belonged to them. I frowned. So? So don’t expect everyone to welcome you.” I stared at him. Are you warning me? I’m telling you to be careful. Before I could respond, he walked away.

  During practice, I quickly understood what he meant. A few players barely acknowledged me. One of them, a shooting guard named Blake, deliberately ignored several of my passes. Another player laughed when I missed a shot during drills. I tried not to let it bother me. I was here to play basketball, not make friends. But during a scrimmage, Blake took things too far. I drove toward the basket, and he stepped directly into my path. We collided hard, and my shoulder slammed against the floor, sending pain through my arm. The whistle blew immediately. You okay? Coach shouted. I pushed myself up. I’m fine. Blake walked past me with a smirk. Watch where you’re going, rookie.My jaw tightened, but before I could respond, Jace stepped between us.

  Apologize.Blake laughed. For what? Jace moved closer. You knew exactly what you were doing.Relax, Captain. Jace’s expression hardened. I said apologize. The gym became silent. Blake’s smile disappeared. Fine. Sorry. Jace stared at him until he walked away, then turned toward me. You hurt? I rubbed my shoulder. No. You sure? Yes. He studied me for another second before handing me the ball. Then let’s finish. I nodded and returned to the court. Something about that moment stayed with me. Jace could have ignored what happened, but he stood up for me. I didn’t understand why that mattered so much.

  After practice, I returned to the dorm alone. Jace had stayed behind to speak with Coach. I opened my laptop and began working on an assignment when a notification appeared on my phone. It was from an unknown number. You don’t belong here. I stared at the message, my stomach tightening. Another one arrived. Leave the basketball team before the tournament, or you’ll regret it. My heart began beating faster. Before I could respond, another message appeared with a photograph attached. It was a picture of me standing outside the training hall earlier that day. Someone had been watching me.

  My fingers tightened around my phone as another message appeared. This is your first warning, Carter. The dorm door suddenly opened, and I nearly dropped my phone. Jace walked inside, his basketball bag hanging from his shoulder. He stopped when he saw my expression. What happened? I quickly locked my phone. Nothing. His eyes narrowed as he dropped his bag onto the floor. “You’re lying. I’m not. He stepped closer, his gaze fixed on me. Carter, who texted you? I looked away, my heart pounding. I didn’t know why, but something told me that whatever was happening wasn’t just about me. Someone wanted me off the team, and judging by the look in Jace’s eyes, I had a feeling he already knew more than he was telling me.