I HAVE TO say coach Coleman Kind of had a point. I thought his options for them were quite shrewd. For us the participants, we were a dozen. The only thing we found confusing, was who were on the starting five and who were the substitutes.

  ''Our team needs a captain- A well deserved captain.'' He empathized.'' Trials began Now of whom are going to be our starting lineup and the others, our substitutes.''

  The guys looked Nonplussed about that sentence, we had all assumed he'd make the starting five team, from the ones with undeniable skills, you know, the ones he saw that would potentially send us home with the trophy. I mean we already thought the vice deserved the captain's spot, seeing he earned it priorly but it appeared to be not only the captain's spot everyone was playing for but a fair spot on the starting five team while the ones who weren't as good as the chosen players be the substitutes. To be honest, none of us had ever hear or seen this done before, it was alot strange and the guys around me made that obvious, this was truly first hand witness between the whole lot of us. Starting from the first shot at that discarded more of subtle eliminated those he thought or perhaps didn't want in the team, to now recasting a new team, .

  But I guess he had a reason.Tino's theory was on the only reason why we were having these captain trials was because coach Coleman didn't find the vice as an actually potential captain, well I thought that was obvious I mean he did sing about it, but he also said that he hadn't been the supposive best vice he was intended to be, and Tino said that most of the guys didn't even get why he was vice, well maybe because of the substitute coach, coach Coleman had stepped on leave for a couple of months, most of everyone preferred coach Coleman than his substitute, mainly because his substitute, commenced a full session of favoritism rather than talents. Hence why I thought coach Coleman had been clearly waiting for an opportunity to undo the done.

  But I thought it was alittle too much to actually cast a whole team out just because you didn't agree with your stand by buddy alot of these guys were pissed that they had to do more try outs just so that they could play against the Rangers. But I wish I could say I was surprised of everything I was hearing but I wasn't, he obviously had a huge problem with the current team and wasn't having it, I just wished the guys understood that, I did feel sorry for the odds of the guys who thought they were already part of the starting five team. One of them would be my good friend Tino.

  I saw Tino's expression shift. The glow in his brilliant, bright eyes dim out, until you could hardly see any left. His huge smile fade off like a pup never going to see his treasured owner ever again. I guessed he already thought he was on the starting five. I conjectured, he noticed me studying his face, because he hazily shifted his expression back to his positive side, with a smile twice as wide as his first. It was self evident, something was different. He was trying hard to hide his melancholy. He put his hand over my shoulder.

  ''This is great bud,'' He said with a big smile, ''Now you can workout a spot. . .'' He added sounding resolute.

  I looked right into his honest eyes that never told lies. That were truthful enough to deny his dumbfounded smile. I didn't understand why he put on such an act infront of me, I already understood that he wanted to be on the team more than anything. I knew how he felt and I didn't want to overlook it. I looked him in the eye again, wanting to say something; to show some sort of reassurance; something to help his sour feeling, however when I opened my mouth to speak no words came out. I felt like I went mute. My head replayed my very thoughts searching for what exactly I was to say, and it finally hit me, I had no idea on what to say, my words failed me, I couldn't think of anything, it was though my words escaped my mind to some place else.

  And so, I ended up playing along with his act and just nodded. And hoped we'd both make it to the playing team. Coach Coleman divided us into two teams, of which he called The Rivers and The Robins. I was on the Robins' team.

  I prefigured how to earn a fair chance on the starting five was a no brainer, of course exellent shooting, great footwork, incredible defense skills, and you'd be up for consideration. Presumably, easy for a guy familiar with his team mates, because we'd be evidently including team cooperation, but for me they were all strangers, I'd never played with them. Unlike me, the Robins seemed to pay little attention at the notion of , two of our gurads, Roderick the tallest amongst us, Simon, Roderick kept on firing orders and acting like he was our supposive captain, when he couldn't even tell were left or right was.

  Simon was fade up from taking orders from Roderick that he ignored him every time he asked him to pass the ball. Roderick was obviously ticked off about that, he just couldn't keep it, not even for the team's sake which I was pretty sure should have be a good player priority. No, he decided to run Simon across the floor in what seemed like a rebound. I thought that was a mindlessly move it got him turn out and he was out before it hit ten minutes of the game. We were the first's members to have a turned over that wasn't a good sign, I presumed it was going to be alittle hard picking the starting five from here. You could cross team cooperating out, for the Robins and while coach was on it no serious conductive behavior.

  Fortunately for Federico, Owens was picked instead. I hoped he was a better gurad than Roderick, regarding he was an indiscreet speaker. The Rivers had already some scores; free throws mostly, we would too if Roderick hadn't been fooling around. I and Francis were the team's forwards, I was determined to score us a score the slightest chance I had the ball in my hands.

  Francis had it first, bouncing it toward the center but he had Ryan Austin to fret about he was right next to him, wanting to swipe the ball the first chance he got. Francis swiftly chest passed me it, I was right in front of him, I swore I didn't think things through when I immediately tossed it out of my hand into the loophole, I guess I played the moment of the basket in my head one too many times. The ball made rounds around the ring before falling in. My aiming was on the field, giving us a miracle score higher than The Rivers.

  The Robins were thrilled they high fived me. That was some sort of motivation I was trying to demonstrate infront of them, my throwing I had always acknowledged to be great, it was ten times better than my footwork. However, our moment of brief excitement was over, the next score was scored by none other than Branden Richards, he scored a shot right on the foul line. And after that basket, it nearly equaled our scores. Right after that basket, I saw he's eyes briskly search the room until they met mine, he's lips stretched as they formed a sly smirk.

  As team players hauled around him, one grisping him by the shoulders, the others hogging him, yep including Tino.

  All that for a score that hadn't even tied ours, I could have rolled my eyes, it was a good shot of three points that's it, they didn't need to make it such a big deal. We were apparently leading and we weren't squealing around like that. I thought their act of team motivation was obviously them ridiculing our little joy over our pretty good score.

  We were already half of the game when school was officially over for everybody else. We got some students come in to watch us play. And a few to cheer us on- by us I mean the The Rivers, I hardly thought anyone of them were here for the Robins, heard a couple of girls cheer out Branden's name, they had obviously come to see Branden Richards play.

  During the game I noticed how well Owens played, his defence was great, it made me wonder why he didn't want a part of the team. What was unfortunate was when he lost, good three points to Branden Richards, he shoved that shot down just as it came scoring by, the smug on Branden's face was frustrating, I couldn't tell which one I disliked more, his tremendous playing or his presumptive looks.

  One of the Rivers, Ron who pretty much looked clueless of what he was doing ended up clumsy slamming right into Simon's face, knocking him right off his feet. Everything was fine, except for Simon's bloody nose, coach Coleman benched Ron and Simon was out for a time out and first aid, which coach Coleman did a pretty good job at. Roderick was back on and so was Federico.

  Federico's leisure time was over, he stormed on the field looking more jaded than usual. I hardly thought Federico could play, I wondered if he had ever played. Apparently, I wasn't the only one questioning Federico's skills, despite him being at the center they rarely tossed him the ball, the most active players were Branden Richards, some guy called Reagan Tino and surprisingly Ryan Austin who hardly got a basket.

  Francis had Ryan Austin cornered at the center circle, the closest pass was to Federico; whose hairless skinny legs couldn't stop trembling, Roderick was actually doing a good job blocking Branden's view, I mean he was the one guy taller than Branden, most of the guys here were either shorter than Branden or his exact height.

  Ryan Austin had no choice but to toss it to his closest allie, Federico, I knew he didn't want to due to his hesitation and the lack of confidence in his eyes as he stared at Federico, but it was Francis or his shabby team mate. It was the moment I was waiting for, he didn't notice me right at Federico's neck, he just assumed Federico'd miraculously swoop it in his arms and in terrific luck shot a basket, but unfortunately for him I had been waiting for him to do that so that I could make my move, I hazily slide infront of Federico and scooped the ball in my hands instead of Federico, I didn't think he'd be that pissed, I actually considered I did him a favor, bounced the ball a couple of times, passed an opponent and made another generous throw and it bounced right into the ring and I goofily moon walked with excitement. As Francis and Roderick threw high fives passed me. I glanced at our scores on the board, it was a shittyass tie.

  Just when we thought the game was getting better, and we were actually doing great, and I was ticking off Branden just enough to make his girls cheer for me as well, Our time was officially up, Coach Coleman blew his whistle signaling the game was over.

  We walked over to our sweaty teams, raving about our swift moves and baskets. As coach Coleman came in between the teams. Some players sat right on the floor as he started talking.

  ''You lil' Rascals were actually better than my Mama and her mates on a Tuesday afternoon at a basketball play park.''

  The teachers here had a creative way of putting things. We frazzledly muttered at that.

  ''Alright. . . Alright.'' Held his hand up.'' I'll admit it was good. . . For something that can't even be called practice! You folks played fairly.''

  I guess that was kind of fair.

  He glanced at our sweaty faces as he made a stop on one, Federico's, he tossed the tower across his neck on the sweatyless Federico. As everyone sniggered at the sight of Federico's face it looked like he was trying to hurled up.

  Coach Coleman cleared his throat, having our attention again. ''Our starting five are. . . Keep in my mind boys these were our most productive players. . .'' He said.'' Reagan Thomas, Owens Marco, vanz Valentino. . .'' He mentioned as we made an applaud for them, Tino was right beside me, I was so elated for him, he was finally on the starting lineup. I never doubted him, I threw my arm around his neck and shook him, a little as we grinned at each other. I was also thrilled to hear that one of our members got in.

  ''Our subs' we'll be. . .''

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  At that moment I wondered to hear two things, our incomplete team and where I was on the team, better question where was The Dark swan? I got distracted by Federico, he seemed to praying, was my first guess, praying he wasn't a part of the substitutes, I was quite baffled not because he looked ridiculous standing there crossing his fingers and shutting his eyes as tight as he could but the fact that he thought he actually was put into consideration as a sub. My thoughts were back on myself wondering if I made a cut in. It bummed me out just thinking about being a sub and not part of the starting five. Optimistically thinking, I was still a cruel part of it. Besides, I was still just a shitty newbie.

  ''Francis Oscar, Ryan Austin, Simon Smith. . .''

  They had a light applaud. I gingerly thought. As my face was received with absolute disappointment, staring at coach Coleman, I was too confident that I'd be apart of the starting five or atleast a substitute. I was no where on the team, my efforts and hard work was for something alright- disappointment.

  My concerntration drifted away from the voices as coach Coleman began talking about selecting the other substitutes from the other guys, he even made a joke about finding another as good as Marco Owens.

  Amongst my thoughts, I put alot of focus on another player who hadn't been put, Branden Richards the guy who was better than his entire team- , wasn't on the team. How was this team any different from the previous one, Marco clearly replaced Branden was the only contrast including the incomplete team, I wondered what was he thinking? Were the substitutes going to be joined in with the starting lineup? Questions raced through my mind.

  I returned back to everyone when Tino nudged me to listen to what coach Coleman was still blabbering about.

  ''Now. We come down to our competitive players. Who each scored twenty points. Branden Richards and Nicky Walker.''

  My heart skipped a dumbfounded beat, it had been such a long time since I thrilled to be called ''. Tino gave me a swift pat as they applauded for the both of us. Although Branden didn't seem as excited as me, he actually looked really calm, though he had never doubted his input.

  ''I have to say Nicky your playing is better than your acting.'' He jeered as everyone sniggered, I scratched my neck, reddening with embarrassment.

  ''Like I said before we Need a well deserved Captain.''

  My eyes buggled at the hearing of my consideration as captain. I was flustered, I couldn't believe my ears, I could hear my thumping heart in my ears, my breathing racing as I stared at coach Coleman.

  ''Our captain's based on his great skills, talents and a team player.''

  He picked up the ball behind his shin, tossed it in the air, as everyone's eyes were on it, I didn't realize how slow time went as it span up, and how impatient I was becoming every second, the anticipation was killing me, it was as if my heart just halted right in my chest, I was so still it felt deathly. It finally came back down, as I noticed that little smirk coach Coleman had on, he's face never looked so mischievous and yet amusing, his eyes conveyed hawk sharpness and brightly motioning with malice shadowed in them, he ended everyone's miserable wait as he casually tossed the ball to the left, time slowed to a crawl and I painfully watched it land, right into Branden Richards arms.

  And that's when My heart sunk right into my numb feet. As I stared at Branden catch the ball, my gut splashed with utter most disappointment and left a bitter tang of pain in my throat, that bobbed an awful aftertaste of bile to linger on my tongue, forcing my body to still, rage coursed with my veins and, my features tightened, casting my thick brows that lowered to my bleary eyes.

  I didn't understand it, I was just as good as him- well not better but I was just as good as him. I watched him. Practically studied him motions. That shitty smug smirk of his widened on his shittyass face as his River teammates showered him with pampering comments and made obvious remarks about I and him, like I wasn't standing right there, it was deafening- Defeating to watch. I couldn't help but grumble inside my head, cursing every shred of his prominent luck.

  My jaw clenched tightly, staring else where. A deep part, so deep I didn't even want to acknowledge it, that tiny part of me, felt a bitter taste at that part of me that hated to admit of just how much he deserved it. He was with no doubt the best player here, it was just too hard to come into terms with it, looking at it as, I was the one they mocked, the loser who obviously, lost to Branden Richards. I could hear them, I just didn't want to see them any more, rotating my eyes around the room to avoid looking at his victory, I instead caught sight of coach Coleman studying me blankly.

  His tongue clicked and angry thoughts crossed my mind that here came, the taunts by someone who could actually tell it to my face, he spoke loud enough to disable the sounds coming from the left side, but it was directed at me only. ''Nicky, you are a good player, but I also need the team work trait which I'm sure will come around as you work with everyone as our vice.''

  I stared in disbelief, I hardly thought about the last position that was obviously waving in face, but I never thought I would get it, I mean I just lost captain position to Branden Richards, I couldn't think of anything but agony.

  My crooked ears felt thick with wax, that couldn't be right. My rage completely disenagraded, as The Robins, Federico and Tino cheered me on, patting my back and congratulating me. I felt as if glee slapped me, right in the face several times, I couldn't hide my excitement, I beamed widely, regretted it alittle because my mom's happy double dimples would proudly exhibit on my face, and I hated them. I guess, the Vice was great as well, it was actually excellent for a newbie like myself, I was a part of the starting five.

  Coach Coleman finished off by telling us that the real practice began tomorrow, he even let us skip the running as it was time for us to all leave for home, I was pretty tired to make a round for my fence session, besides, I was at least thirty five minutes late. But, I had a valid excuse and I was sure Mr. Pablo'd understand.

  The game was over and Everyone was heading out. Tino enthused about being on the team as we walked out of the gym room.

  ''We're on the team!'' He threw his fists in the air multiple times. ''And my bud's our New vice, how's that feel? ''

  ''Stupendous. He went from a non player to the vice captain.'' Federico rolled his eyes at Tino, he actually sounded envious he wasn't a part. ''Poor Reagan Thomas he didn't save his spot or upgrade to Captain.'' Federico sneered.

  When I thought about it, like that way, it made me feel less of a champion and more of a shitty player stealing asshole. I was sure Andrew Thomas' brother would have loved to be captain just like his older brother, he did manage to be vice captain but was demoted to a regular player that must have stung.

  I had no idea he was vice but it wasn't like I chose myself to be there, I was okay with being a regular player until coach Coleman suggested I was up for captain consideration, I then felt this urge to obsess for a higher position either that or I was just amazed I was competing with Branden and actually wanted to beat shittyass at this, I'll leave that open.

  I glanced around the room everyone was almost out, I noticed that he was still there, talking to Branden.

  ''Um. . . Guys I'll catch up with you in a bit.'' I rhetorically said to them as quick as I could already pulled out from their incoherent arguing, immediately walking back in.

  I plodded over to them, faltering quite uneasy of what I was going to say and how it as going to be received, as Reagan instantly seemed to acknowledge me, he gloomily ceased talking. He features were caked with unsubtle comptemptous, he didn't even try to hide it. I crossed a thought, if I was the last person he wanted to see or did Branden Richards beat me at that too.

  ''Hey. Reagan is it? Um. . . . Right, Sorry about the game, look. I didn't think I was even going to be a part, I didn't play to take your spot, I solemnly just wanted a spot on the team that's it.'' I tried to explain, I wasn't that much of good when it came to apologies.

  ''Yeah, whatever.'' He muttered, now trying his hardest not to scowl. He's strange hazel eyes avoiding eye contact.

  Branden curiously although filtered into a blank gaze, stared at me the entire moment of my pathetic apology, before he slowly torn away back to Reagan, their eyes met and the end of his lip quirked into sort of cunning smirk at Reagan Thomas, as I furrowed deeply noticing quickly something strange about his sapphire blue eyes, they seemed like they were implying something- telling some subtle story, like an inside joke they only knew, one I obviously didn't know, but Reagan seemed to know exactly what it was because it changed his spiteful expression, as it began to mirror Branden's.

  Reagan's line of sight averted back to me, a quick assortment of eager, thoughtful, more courteous this time. ''Let's call it, Pretty boy, good game?'' He stuck out his hand, and I noticed he was smiling, a blank smile that never made it to his eyes.

  I ignored the stupid name call, but couldn't ignore that sudden, strange smile,

  I wondered if that look Branden gave him was to help me out, clear out the toxic tension between I and Reagan, a thought immediately bombarded my mind of how coach Coleman did just brag about Branden not nearly ten minutes ago about, him being built on team spirit. I highly doubted if he wanted to see his new teammates hold grudges on each other. I mentally, shrugged this one out, no ill will at play.

  I took out my hand to shake in on it, we shook on it, our hands touched and for some reason, it was not me drifting off and imagining things but this hand shake was a little bit longer than I anticipated. . . Three. . . Four. . . Five. . . Six . . . Seven. . . Seconds.

  It was getting awkward, my mind drifting as our hands shook, something was wrong, I felt something really awful was about to happen, my eyes misgivingly, connected back at Reagan's now mischievous grin, he looked like a horrid sadist, his strange hazel eyes that had sprinkled blue flecks around the band of the pupil, loomed something rather eerie inside them, I inadvertently wondered too deep in them, enough to see the depths of absolute darkness gleamed with unadulterated loathe, and when I glanced at Branden they was hardly any human left in his, I shrewdly decided that maybe this wasn't such a good idea, to come alone and actually daftly apologize right away to a guy who probably hated me, I figured it was time to leave before their ominous thoughts became real.

  I was through with that awkward handshake I wanted to let go, when he strongly grisped even tighter, forcefully bringing me to him, rushing to lean directly into my ear. He spoke in a low measured monotone voice, devoted to emptiness and it was that, that scared me the most.

  ''Listen Westlake,'' Cold whispers brushed against my ear, registering a horrific echo attached inside it, reverberating into my whole being, causing me to halt deathly still. ''I think, it's obvious I'm Not a fan of you. Considering being friends with me or making it a lot better is so bitchass idiotic of you.'' A pinch of sarcasm had been introduced by this time. ''You really are as stupid as you look, I don't care if coleman chose you for my shitty spot, this won't be the end, truth be told, I don't want it to be ever.''

  I faltered at the hearing of his words, my response was to break off, and shove him off me, then quickly head out as fast as I could but it appeared that he was stronger than me, the grisp around my hand tightened even more, this time a death grip, draining the blood right off it, that it had started to turn blue black and my face was just as torn but I still decided to hold up a less confused horrified face but I couldn't convince my eyes to correspond, the fear in my eyes was undeniable.

  ''Not so fast isn't this what you wanted?'' He was scoffing now, taking every hint of pleasure at my frightful fret. ''Fine. If you still wanna be friends consider me as that friend who will Never leave you alone, you better not scream like a bitch cause I will break your bones. '' He's whispering kept on decreasing by the time he hit the last word it was like a bare hiss in the wind into my ear.

  He then proceeded to crush my hand in his hand before I could make a move, his left knee at the speed of a shitty heart beat jerked my right knee as sharp as he could, releasing this agonizing pain I had never experienced before, and reality slowed that down for me to feel every inch of his rage and my bitchass pain, it ached intensely before my leg went numb as he aggressively pushed me to the floor.

  I fell right on my back. My head hitting the hard floor like a brick in ice cold water, I was sure he was going to hit me again but this time in my lower abdomen, I wanted to do something- Anything but my body ached from that fall, I felt like I was in no state to retaliate. I just laid there stupidly, wanting to get on with it so that he could leave afterwards I was sure that was exactly what he was going do, but it appalled me that he didn't, he just sadistically scoffed more, like he had already done enough, his cold devoided eyes leering at me as if I was , and I'd remain nothing as long as he watched, and it happened so fast that it occurred to me that he had just laid out a mirror for me on earlier on's events.

  Reduced me to what he felt when Coleman gave me his spot, satisfied with his cruel retribution, he strutted away, like nothing ever happened, he didn't even look back to what he had just done to me the cold bastard just kept his pace. His watch on the other hand, kept an eye on us the entire time, my sight non committedly, caught on him, biting my tongue so hard, I swore it would split, to keep the choking agony in my throat.

  He just witnessed all that and did nothing! What the actual hell! He didn't stopped him, I came to an acute actual thought that this was what it all meant between the two of them. Any chances of my wellbeing, were never put on the table to begin with, nothing was said by him because not only did he not give a shit but perhaps the whole team player attitude was just a facade or was it only to the people he detested couldn't step a foot in that circle.

  My impression of Branden was totally misinterpreted, I had a million questions bombarding in my head, right there and then, but I'll admit the only one I wanted badly answered was, Who really was Branden Richards?