Chapter 129 GET OUT OF MY SIGHT
Chapter 129 GET OUT OF MY SIGHT
UNKNOWN'S POV
The entire court feels wrong even before the team steps onto the court.
No one says it out, but the air itself is thick with tension and heat.
Several eyes keep sliding to Micah Brooks, withdrawing immediately he turns to face them.
The usual practice chatter and banter is nowhere to be seen or found today, and this has become the norm for the King University Titans, at least for their previous three practices.
Max rolls his shoulders uneasily, glaring at anyone staring at his bruise for too long.
Team captain Dante, is surprisingly… busy with his thoughts.
His gaze drifts up and down, and even misses a pass to him in everyone's shock.
Caleb, who is always known to be silent, is now the one watching over all of them, at least trying to coordinate the rest of the teammates now that both the Captain and vice-captain are… otherwise occupied.
Tyler, who's caught in the middle of Micah and Max, keeps stealing glances between the both of them, his gaze lingering on Micah with the same uneasy look he's had since the rumors blew up.
When Coach blows his whistle and starts then on defensive drills, it all goes downhill from there fast.
Max times his closeouts perfectly, so whenever he's close, he'll body slam or drive his shoulders right into Micah with unnecessary force.
The first time it happens, everyone brushes it off as Max's usual actions, and Micah just dusts himself off and continues playing.
The second time when Max does this again, Micah answers by catching a rebound ball and firing it right at Max's midsection hard enough to cause him to wheeze in pain.
Everyone stopped and stared in shock.
“Again!” Coach barks out, either not noticing it, or choosing not to speak about it.
They continue playing after that, and Max bodies Micah once again but he does it with his hip, right under the basket.
Micah simply spins, showing off his athletic and lithe figure, before throwing a chest pass that hits Max straight on the shoulder.
Max grunts and winces, but says nothing as they continue playing.
The next possession, he full on body slams Micah into the padding after a loose ball.
The impact this time is unmistakable and loud.
Everyone stops to help Micah, who just shoved Max, and fires a harsh ball at Max's legs.
Dante should have stepped in by now.
He always intervenes the exact moment things start becoming heated and violent during practice.
Today, not only did he show up late for practice for the first time, he's unfocused and staring blankly in a different direction.
It's like his soul has been taken from him and he's just left standing there.
Caleb finally moves instead, and steps firmly between Max and Micah before they kill each other.
“Enough! Both of you!”
Neither of them listen to him.
Tyler mutters something under his breath, before nudging Dante softly with his elbow.
Dante blinks, like he's finally coming too before frowning at staring confused at the scene in front of him.
The tension stops the drills as Micah and Max are no longer playing anymore, they're hunting each other till one drops first.
The rest of the team is unsure of what to do, who to support it if they should interfere or ignore it.
Especially since Dante seems weirdly so out of it, and stays out of it all.
Coach finally has enough of it, and blows his whistle loudly.
“Everybody stop! Right now!”
The court freezes and stares with tension as a red faced Coach Ramirez stalks tight in the middle of the court with his trusty clipboard clutched tightly.
“I have never– in all my years!– seen a group of grown men look this stupid and undisciplined right on my floor! You both look like damn street fighters, and not a team playing for the most important night of their lives in a month’s time!”
Nobody moves or says anything.
Micah is panting harshly, with a red bruise already forming on his shoulders.
Max on the other hand still has a blooming bruise on his jaw, plus the bruises he'll be sporting under his clothes from Micah.
Coach points at the whole group with fury.
“I don’t care what personal garbage y’all are dragging in here! I don’t care who looked at who, who said what, or who feels whatever the fuck what! You will leave it outside that door when you enter to play!”
Everyone starts looking even more tense.
Coach Ramirez is swearing.
He never swears, but their actions today… inspired him.
“The second attitude like this walks into my court, you become a liability when playing! And I do not keep liabilities on my team!”
He lets the silence sit for a second, before exhaling harshly.
“Practice is over. All of you, locker room now! We are going to talk about this like proper adults. If you have any excuses, you can clean your locker out right now!”
The players all silently file right in the lockers without a word of complaint.
Coach waits for the last player before shutting the door behind him.
“Now, I have scouts coming to our next two games, and we have a conference title in sight. Some seniors here are hoping this catapults them straight to their NBA dreams, whilst others are hoping to enter and become a sports agent from that title alone!”
Some players subtly look in Tyler and Max's direction.
After failing to get scouted several times, they all know it's practically their last season.
Tyler's still okay since he's practically rich and his family already owns a sports team, but Max desperately needs this.
“And instead of preparing like your lives depend on it, you're out here body checking and slamming balls into each other's?”
His eyes land on Max, then on Micah, before settling on Dante and sighing.
“You two,” he says, jabbing a pointed finger between Max and Micah.
“Whatever this is, ends today. I see one more cheap shot or intentional violence, and that's it, you'll both be benched. I don't care how talented you are, I will end both your seasons myself!”
He glares at them for a while, before raising his head to look at the rest of the teammates.
“And for the rest of you, no more whispering or sharing rumors like children! If you cannot get your head straight and in the game, then get the hell out of my program!”
“I will not let you all ruin a very good season like this because of your stupid staring, or the fact you don't know how to prioritize things.”
Coach looks between everyone, letting them know the severity of their actions and what it can cost them.
“You all have until tomorrow morning to decide whether you still want to be here and play, or if you want to clear out your lockers and get the hell out. Am I clear?”
A much more subdued chorus of “Yes Coach” is the reply he gets.
“Good. Now get out of my sight, all of you!”