25. WHEN RIVALS PLAY

25. WHEN RIVALS PLAY

He stiffens in shock for a moment, and I think I’ve made a stupid decision. What was I thinking?

This isn’t me..

I’m not this brave nor bold.

I’m about to stop when his mouth opens and he kisses me back, placing his hands on my back and pressing me into him. My mind goes blank, and I think I’m going to pass out.

I’ve never experienced anything like this before. I don’t know if it’s because it was my first kiss or it’s because of him, but I liked it all the same. Cheers and whistles sound around us and his arms tighten around me, rubbing my back and squeezing me. I felt a bulge dig into my stomach and pull away from him with a blush.

“Good luck, captain.” I breathed and bit my lips lightly, reveling in the way my lips were still feeling from his kiss.

“I’d say you’re trying to set me up if I didn’t know any better.” He whispered and used me as a shield from the crowd to adjust himself to conceal the hard on that was poking me in the stomach.

It made me feel good that I could make him feel like that with just a kiss.

I didn’t even turn to look at Kieran as I gave all my attention to my soon to be boyfriend.

‘Soon to be boyfriend’. I loved the sound of that.

They both stand opposite each other and shake hands. Kieran and Andrew, I mean, Andrew wasn’t subtle enough and I could still see his bulge. I giggled and walked back to sit on the bleachers beside the court, screaming his name along with those who were rooting for him.

Someone taps me from the back and I turn to see Chloe.

“Coach’s call was an emergency. She asked us to keep practising and left us. But who is going to do that? I just made Glenda stay and dismissed everyone else. Well, everyone except Emily. She is to help her practise, of course. I hope they lose a few teeth in the process.” She snorts.

“You have a mean streak. You know that, right?” I laughed as I helped her onto the seat beside me.

She gives me a once over and whistles.

“I bet Andrew is all hard right now seeing you like this.”

“Chloe shut up.” I laughed.

She wasn’t wrong though.

“Well, he was a few minutes ago after I kissed him,” I said with a shrug of my shoulders, shocking her with my declaration.

“Shut up. No way girl. You made the first move? In front of everyone? Who are you and what have you done to my virgin friend, you whore?” She teases

“Chloe!” I smacked her arm but grinned at her.

“Kieran provoked me enough, so i should probably thank him for the dose of confidence.” I shrug just as the whistle goes off and everyone is on the edge of their seats. The ball is thrown high into the sky, and as it comes falling down, I become anxious and get up from my seat. The suspense is too much.

“Kieran” His supporters call out at the same time as Andrews', each wanting their favored person to get the ball. In a one on one basketball game, who ever grabs the ball first gets the advantage. It determines the momentum of the game.

“Andrew!” I screamed in support along with the others as they both jumped, reaching for the ball.

Hands reach up and they both touch it at the same time but Kieran’s grip is stronger and he manages to get the ball first, creating a disadvantage for Andrew.

He passes the ball to Andrew all of a sudden and everyone goes quiet.

What was he doing? He was supposed to be running and gunning for the net like his life depended on it.

“Go on ahead, let me see how much you’ve improved, Captain ?" He steps out of his way and motions Andrew forward.

Omg! He had no respect for sportsmanship. That was so disrespectful. I balled my hands into fists.

Maybe, I could use one of these dinners as an opportunity to poison him. I hated his cockiness so much, God.

He was making me have murderous thoughts and I don't even have murderous thoughts.

Why was he doing this to me ?

Andrew grabs the ball and bounces it on the hard floor.

Making it the only sound in the gym.

He doesn’t make a move forward or back as everyone watches this play out..

Andrew jumps, landing a three pointer and Kieran’s eyes widen with uncertainty.

Yes, that’s right Kieran Castles, you are about to be humbled like never before. You have every right to be scared.

Natural talent would never outperform hard work and dedication in the end. I smiled and watched Andrew proudly.

The crowd goes wild as the buzzer sounds, counting the basket, and the ball bounces back on the floor.

“I'd advise you, Kieran. I’m not as kind as you, so I won’t be able to return the favor. Come at me with everything you’ve got and don't hold back. You’ll need it.” I read Andrews lips as he whispered to Kieran.

Kieran takes possession of the ball and Andrew drops into a defensive position, ready to stop him from scoring but before we can sit back down to watch. The buzzer goes off and Andrew is sitting on his butt with eyes wide, staring at Kieran who had just made a three pointer too, at the centre of the court.

That was so fast,I didn’t even see how he got Andrew on his ass. I knew Kieran was good but not that good.

Shooting baskets from the middle of the court was not an easy feat, especially for high schoolers. They were both beasts in the high school basketball world.

“Not Kind ? Don’t go saying things you don’t mean. I could let you be kind if I wanted to. Don’t get cocky because you made a basic move.” Kieran laughs.

A basic move?

Is he crazy ?

Andrew gets up and the play continues.

He is in possession of the ball this time round, and he begins to dribble it as Kieran takes a defensive stance. He breaks past him easily, heading for the basket, but Kieran crosses him again. Kieran is fast but Andrew is fast too. It’s hard to predict who will win. The play is fierce and they both keep stealing the ball from each other but, in the end, Andrew breaks through and makes it to the basket, dunking the ball, but Kieran's hands come up to slap it back so hard, he doesn’t make the basket. Andrew falls back from the strength of it.

“That’s enough fun for you, Marin. From now on, don’t even try to make baskets. I’ll stop you. Just focus on trying to defend and reduce the gap with which I will beat you,” Kieran says.

He’s so bold. Just because he stopped him one time.

I rolled my eyes at him but I really shouldn’t have.

I should have known that Kieran only ever says what he means. His threats are never empty.

When Andrew tries to score, he blocks him so hard, his ass ends up on the floor. He’s ankle was broken by now and even I could tell by the way he was walking, but he refused to stop when asked.

Kieran was using his ankle-breaking move in addition to this to keep him on the floor most of the game.

It was terrible and sad.

At this point, it's like watching a horror movie or more like experiencing it. This was even worse than their first match. It’s like Kieran has gotten even better or maybe he had been holding back then and was now going all out. The three pointer in the beginning was the only basket Andrew had gotten.

Kieran was in the lead position with a whooping one hundred and eight points and Andrew was still at three.

Andrew tries to get up after breaking his wrist whilst trying to ease his fall and Kieran bends down to whisper into his ears just as his eyes find mine and my eyes lock onto his lips, trying hard to focus on reading them.

“I should probably give you five minutes to catch up whilst I go off the court and wipe that kiss from her memory. I’m so mad I can’t seem to take it easy on you. That will surely appease me and you can take a break from sitting on your ass.” He laughs like he’s sharing a joke but the intensity in his eyes says otherwise.

Andrew grabs the ball, ignoring him and jumps to dunk the ball with his fierce strength again, but Kieran blocks it.

Andrew couldn’t think clearly after falling so far behind. He’d just keep making mistakes. I fist my hands hating the way the game was turning out.

“You might be dreaming if you think I’d stop any time soon. I’d rather lose my feet than let you have her.” He says, and I want to scream at him to stop being stupid. He couldn’t keep playing with all those injuries, but no one could force him to stop. That was the rule.

“I wasn’t asking, but I’d take you up on the offer.” Kieran smiled wickedly.

Andrew lets him get possession of the ball but as he tries to score, Kieran slaps it away again. I don’t notice anything wrong until Andrew tries to walk and he wobbles on his feet.

“You have five seconds to be back where you belong.” Kieran smiled wickedly.

Andrew falls with a scream, clutching his knee as his leg falls into an awkward position.

“I call that the delay knee. I use this move for special opponents only, and congratulations, Marin, you just made it on the list. This time round, I'm using it because I want to end the game immediately. It’s boring asking for a time-out. Don't you agree ?”