Chapter 62

"Jack."

Allison walked up worriedly, wanting to stop him.

Allison knew Marcus's basketball skills - they were really strong. Jack was definitely no match for him.

After all, Marcus had almost made it to the professional league back in the day.

Jack would only embarrass himself playing against him.

"It's fine."

Jack gave Allison a reassuring look, then slowly took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, revealing his smooth, defined forearms.

Jack's forearms didn't look as bulky as Marcus's, but they were lean and well-defined, all corded muscle and strength.

"With just the two of us, let's go one-on-one. First to ten points wins."

Marcus smirked, his eyes full of contempt as he sneered at Jack. "You want to go one-on-one with me? Are you sure?"

Jack didn't say anything, just walked calmly toward the basketball court.

Marcus's face darkened. He looked coldly at Jack's back, already deciding he would crush Jack and make him look like a fool in front of everyone.

And while he was at it, he'd show off his basketball skills - maybe he could win Allison's heart.

The setting sun cast a warm glow over the court.

The two men stood on the court, their shadows stretching long across the ground.

Marcus held the basketball and tossed it to Jack. "You go first."

Jack batted the ball back.

Looking at Marcus, he said, "You go first."

Then he spread his arms in a defensive stance.

Marcus didn't hold back.

He dribbled with both hands.

Then launched his attack on Jack.

Marcus was fast, his hands flying, the basketball flowing smoothly between them.

He faked once and easily broke through Jack's defense.

"Smack!"

With a crisp sound, Marcus jumped lightly and shot the ball.

The ball went straight through the net.

One to zero.

"Nice one, Marcus!"

"Cool!"

"Marcus really deserves to be our school's former basketball team captain. Watching him play is pure pleasure."

"Hahaha, look at Jack, he didn't even react."

"Can't believe he dared to challenge Marcus. Wonder where he got the nerve."

People around them praised Marcus while openly mocking and ridiculing Jack. To them, this match was a one-sided crushing from the start.

Allison stood on the sideline, her hands unconsciously clenched tight, her knuckles slightly white from the pressure. Looking at Jack's figure, her eyes were full of worry.

After a moment's hesitation, Allison suddenly waved and shouted loudly to Jack, "Jack, you can do it!"

Marcus, who had just scored and was feeling proud, immediately darkened when he heard Allison cheering for Jack.

Marcus continued dribbling, staring hard at Jack, his eyes full of hostility.

He didn't understand.

Why would the elegant, sexy, beautiful Allison be so warm toward a guy like Jack?

He was so much better than Jack.

Damn it!

Jealousy made Marcus's face twist with anger.

The more Allison acted this way, the more he wanted to humiliate Jack.

Marcus drove forward with the ball. This time, he didn't test the waters - he used his strong body to charge straight through.

After that first basket, he'd figured out Jack's skill level.

Once again, Marcus easily broke through Jack's defense.

He shot the ball.

It went cleanly into the basket.

Marcus scored another point.

2-0.

Marcus raised his eyebrows at Jack smugly, his face full of provocation.

Jack's expression remained calm.

He tossed the ball back to him, letting him continue attacking.

Marcus snorted coldly.

He attacked Jack without mercy.

3-0

4-0

5-0

...

Marcus broke through Jack's defense easily every time. The score quickly reached 9-0.

Just one more point, and Marcus would win.

The people around them, who had been excited at first, were now losing interest.

To them, Jack and Marcus weren't even on the same level.

Compared to the agile Marcus, Jack looked stiff and mechanical.

He couldn't defend against Marcus at all.

"Jack, it's over!"

9-1

"What!"

The sudden turn of events shocked everyone.

The whole court instantly fell into dead silence.

Everyone around them stood with their mouths hanging open, as if someone had grabbed them by the throat, unable to make a sound.

Marcus froze in place, the smugness still on his face before it could fade, now frozen into complete shock and humiliation.

"Just lucky, that's all. Again!"

Marcus said.

He tossed the ball to Jack, then walked straight up to him and started defending.

To him, Jack stealing the ball once was just luck.

But luck.

Doesn't come around often.

Against absolute skill, luck means nothing.

He wouldn't let Jack break through his defense.

Jack's lips curved slightly upward. He started dribbling. His handles weren't as flashy as Marcus's.

It was extremely simple, just basic high and low dribbles and rhythm changes.

Yet it gave off a feeling of being flawless.

"Don't even think about getting past me!"

Marcus said in a low voice, his face full of confidence. He believed Jack absolutely couldn't get past his defense.

Just then.

Jack moved.

No extra movements, just a simple between-the-legs pullback, followed by a sudden shift of his center of gravity to the right.

Marcus instinctively slid right. The moment his center of gravity shifted, Jack instantly pulled the ball back to his left hand and shot past him on the left like a ghost.

A very simple fake.

But incredibly fast.

Marcus couldn't react at all.

By the time he turned around, Jack had already passed him and was standing one step inside the three-point line.

Jack looked back at Marcus.

His eyes calm.

Then he raised his hand gently.

"Swish!"

The ball went cleanly through the net again. The crisp snap of the net was like a loud slap across Marcus's face.

"Whoa, that was fast!"

"Marcus couldn't even defend against him."

"Is this the same clumsy Jack from before? He's like a different person!"

The people around them couldn't help but cry out in surprise. Just moments ago, Jack's movements had been stiff, making him look like a slow robot, but now he was more agile than a monkey.

They'd seen that last play clearly - though it was just a simple fake, Jack's speed was so fast that Marcus had no time to react.

He was completely different from before.

"Way to go, Jack!"

Allison couldn't help but jump up and cheer for Jack, her beautiful eyes full of delight.

Her full chest rose and fell with her jumping, creating an enticing curve. The hem of her short skirt flew up with her movements, her long, straight legs completely exposed.

Allison was like a dazzling rose, passionate and bold, radiating an intensely sexy energy that made people's blood race.

"Damn it!"

Marcus's hands clenched into fists, his teeth grinding audibly. The woman he liked was now cheering for another man.

This feeling... was worse than being killed!