Chapter 137 WHAT'S THE EVIDENCE

Chapter 137 WHAT'S THE EVIDENCE
DANTE'S POV

I'm sitting down finally after staring at Micah for a long time when Max finds me.

I groan slightly, not wanting to involve myself with this buffoon right now.

The hallways outside the library, right opposite the practice facility, is almost empty and devoid of the usual chaos from the team.

Because of midterms, it's now reduced to distant footsteps and the occasional bounce of a ball from somewhere in the corridor.

I should be grateful for the silence right now.

Instead it just magnifies the approaching footsteps that are getting on my nerves the closer they come.
I could've sworn I came here to be alone.

I don't turn around to look at the person. Maybe they'll get the memo soon.

"Enjoying yourself?"

Max's familiar voice carries that irritating tone I've now come to hate.
Why the hell does he sound so smug?

I close my eyes and turn the other way.
I already know where this is going, and I'm not interested right now.

"Go away, Max."

He laughs in reply instead.

"Oh, come on, Captain. Are you sure you don't want to hear this?”

I finally turn to look at him, and he's smiling.
It's not the usual smug one he loves to wear, and looks oddly victorious.

That's odd. Didn't I threaten him not too long ago? What is he so happy for?

"I've been meaning to talk to you, you just walked away from the library before I could catch you.”

"I haven't."

He steps closer to me, dropping his tone a decibel.

"I heard a lot of things about Micah this week, you know?"

My jaw tightens. Haven't we already had enough?

"I heard from most people that Alison is the one who started spreading the rumors, and has been busy telling everyone that he kissed someone."

He tilts his head in my direction.

"Isn’t that interesting for you, Captain?”

I say nothing for the entire time.
What in hell's name is coming now?
Haven't I and Micah been through enough?
… Do I have to get rid of him too?

"And then I saw you."

My stomach instantly turns cold.
I– I've been careful the entire time, only letting us be exposed to fish out the person that bugged our place.

How would he even–?!

"In the library."

He grins as my stomach settles back to its position.

"I saw the way you were looking at him, you didn't even look at Alison in that manner."

I stare at him for a long time, narrowing my eyes on him.

"I wasn't completely sure before," he takes another step closer to me. "But now..."

His smile widens with a full on stupid gleam.

"Now I'm very sure of it."

I don't move, or blink for a long time. My breath catches itself in my lungs, as thousands of scenarios run themselves through in my mind.

Max laughs, throwing his head back like he just heard the funniest thing.

"The great Dante King, himself."

He shakes his head like he himself can't believe it.

"Gay."

He says the word once again like he couldn't believe it himself.

"You're actually gay."

Something inside me finally pulls tautly, and snaps.

I close the distance between us, before he can finish the breath in his lungs.

His back slams harshly against the wall, as my hand closes around the front of his shirt and pins him there.

His smile disappears with a grimace as he grunts softly.
Then it returns fully.

"You should really learn when to shut your mouth, Max "

"Or what, Oh captain my captain?"

His voice is strained and comes out choked up, but this prick is still trying to provoke me?
Does he not know how easy it would be for me to ruin everything, and get rid of him?

"Try me."

He laughs again once more like he just heard something funny.

"You know what's funny about all of this?"

I don't answer him, but he answers quickly.

"I could destroy you in a second with this information."

I almost smile.
Oh, naive foolish Max.

"With what?" I say, clearly humoring him.

"You know with your little secret."

He says it cockily like he's holding a loaded gun and pointing it right to my head.

"One sentence from me, and everyone will find out that the mighty Dante King is sleeping with the rookie on his own team."

I stare at him for a moment, but he says nothing after.

"And then?"

"Then your season, and your career in basketball is finished!"

His confidence grows with every word, as his voice starts growing louder and louder.

"I'll make sure every scout is watching me instead of you!"

He pushes against my arm, but I don't budge, wanting to hear his “grand plans”.

"I'll make sure you're too distracted and pulled in several directions by the press to even perform well on the court."

I don't loosen my grip on him, but he doesn't care. He's too far gone.

He looks directly into my eyes.

"I tell everyone what I know, and that's the end of it for you and Micah."

For a moment, neither of us speaks as the victorious gleam in his eyes is looking at me in a challenging manner.

Then I laugh. I try to hide it for a moment, but I can't hold it in any further.
My little chuckles aren't loud or even amused, but it's funny he's telling it to me

Max frowns in response.

"You think I'm joking with you?"

"Oh no, I know you're not joking."

I look him directly in the eyes, shaking my head faintly.

"I just think you're not only slow, you're also quite stupid."

His expression hardens.

"You have nothing against me, Max."

He blinks with surprise.

"What? I clearly told you–"

"At best.” I interrupt him calmly. “All you have against me is a flimsy rumor.”

I lean closer to whisper in his ears.

"You weren't even quite sure it was me until about thirty seconds ago."

His confidence flickers in his eyes, but he quickly regains it.

"You have no proof about anything." I continue, puncturing his stupid facade of confidence.

"So..."

I smile, raising my head back to my height.

"What's the evidence you'll use to threaten me with anyway?”