The Basketball Boy From Beverly

Bucky 1

He could see Bucky already, immediately he stepped in the hallway. For some reason he wasn’t sure of, he wasn’t scared of him. Gray quickened his pace and kept his gaze down, to make the action look accidental.

He walked past and brushed his edged elbow past Bucky’s huge arms. They stared at each other for a second. “Watch where you’re going boy”, Bucky threatened. “It’s the second time. There won’t be a third”

Gray smiled confidently at him. “You better make sure there isn’t a third”, he said and kept walking.

“What did you say?”, Bucky asked, daringly, walking towards him.

“I’m sure you have a class now, Bucky”, he replied. “Don’t get detention”

Gray turned and continued walking, without looking back. Bucky wouldn’t attack. According to Connor, he was just like Kevin.

“What was that about?”, Chloe asked and closer her locker, as Gray smiled past. “You seem to be a lover of trouble. Not every trouble will leave you alive”

“This one doesn’t have to show mercy. I won’t be showing mercy either”, Gray replied. “What’s up, Chloe?”

“I see you found out my name… what do you need it for now?”

“So I can call you Chloe… whenever I want to”

She walked past him, holding her books under her arm. “It’s funny how you get yourself in trouble and refuse to fight back. What are you? A masochist?”

“What’s the point of fighting back, exactly?”, he answered. “For the weaker, it’s okay to make them feel strong by letting them land a few successful hits and probably knock you out…. For the stronger, you are not going to win so take your beating and let it end quickly”

She smiled. “Which is Kevin? The weaker or the stronger?”

“You probably know the answer already. I don’t want to break your heart”, he said and kept walking. “But he’s powerful. That’s what makes him misbehave”

“Wait!”, she said and stepped closer. “How about Bucky? Stronger or weaker?... ‘cause I have heard awful things about him and it’s something anyone should stay away from… including Kevin”

Gray nodded. “I have heard things too… but if there’s one hit I never hesitate to fight back, it’s one taken by a friend”

…… (Previous Day) ……

“You were withdrawn through the whole thing”, Gray said, staring up at the darkness. The lights were out, already, and he could barely see the ceilings. He tilted his head and glanced at Connor’s bed. He could see the long white drape laying over Connor, uncomfortably still and silent. “What happened here after school? Why was the key in the keyhole when I walked in? Why were you sweating and cowering?”

“You’ve taken a lot of beating, Gray”, Connor said and grinned. “I shouldn’t be saying any of this to you”

“Just talk, already, Connor. What happened? Who beat you? And why?”

“I told you about what happened to the previous owner of that bed, did I?”, Connor retorted. “That might just happen again if we keep talking about this…. Considering how stubborn you are, it might just be a sadder story when the next person walks through that door.”

Gray sighed. “You didn’t tell me about the previous owner of this bed”, he replied, calmly. “Will you tell me now?”

“His name was Rodney”, Connor said. “He was a funny guy. He easily got in trouble but he always found a way to slip out. We were both victims of the bullies but he never acted as a loser. He was so free with everyone. He never actually got scared. Not till Bucky had eyes on him”

“Bucky. Who’s Bucky?”

“He’s the huge guy. You have seen us together in the hallway”

“Yea”, Gray muttered. *He’s the guy I collided with at the door*

“Was he the one that beat you?”, Gray asked.

“Don’t talk like you can take him on”, Connor said. “When Rodney realized Bucky’s folly, he knew it was nothing for him to joke about. Rodney avoided Bucky with unconcealed fear and when Bucky knew what he was doing, he saw it as a game and made Rodney his primary focus”

“What do you mean by Bucky’s folly?”, Gray asked. “What could have made Rodney afraid of Bucky?”

…… {Rodney’s Story} ..….

“Hey, Rodney”, Connor walked in and closed the door. “Rodney?”

He glanced down at Rodney, staring confusedly. Rodney sat on the floor, with his legs folded and his head buried in his thighs. His skin was extremely sweaty.

“Rodney? What happened?”, Connor stepped closer.

Rodney raised his head, slowly. “Where is he? Is he gone?”

“Who? What are you talking about?”

Rodney stood up. “Bucky”, he said. “He’s not going to do it, right? Can he do it?”

“Do what?.... What did Bucky do?”

“He showed me the pictures. He can do it”, he said. “And I can’t report. He is protected…. Just like Kevin”

**★**

*He never said exactly what it is… but I’ll find out. I swear I will*

Bucky showed up, just in time, and their eyes met. Gray stared back at him, daringly, and turned around, walking away.

………..

“… I heard you joined the basketball team”

“Uh”, Gray muttered, reluctantly, pressing the telephone on his ear. He had wanted to keep that a secret. “Yea but not really”

“That’s not even a possible option. I warned you against this. It’s only going to bring more attention”

“It won’t, really. I think it’s the best way to keep me busy from the attention, Dad”

“That’s not a thing. You went for basketball because you love basketball”, his dad said, over the phone, and sighed. “When you start seeing signs of it happening again, tell me.”

“I am being the worst of me, as much as I can, Dad… there’s not going to be a third time”

“Being the worst can bring attention too, you know”

“Alright. I’ll try to keep the balance”, Gray smiled. “Best, today, worst tomorrow”

“Alright, son”, his dad grinned. “I pray it stays funny as it is now. When it happens, it won’t be”

Gray nodded. “It’s not going to happen…. Bye, Dad”

“Bye. Love you, son”

“Same here”

He dropped the telephone and stepped into the principal’s office. “You’re done?”

“Yes. Thank you, sir”

“What did he say? Hope you have him nice reviews about the school?”, the principal rambled. “The nice hallways, basketball team, basketball pitch, great rooms and bathrooms, nice girls… I didn’t say nice girls, by the way”

“Yes, you didn’t”, Gray smiled. “He only asked about my wellbeing. That’s all”

“Alright…. Just in case he asks about the school, you know what to do”

**★**

Gray jogged into the court. “Sorry I’m late, guys”, he said, quickly. “Good day, Coach”

“Good day, Grey”, the Coach said hastily and faced the team. “The pri-“

“This guy’s still with us?”, Wilson said, disgustedly. “This sucks-“

“Shut up, Will”, the coach cut in. “You interrupt me again and you won’t be playing for the next ten years… you don’t seem like the type to graduate anyway”

Gray chuckled, covering his mouth. The coach shot a questioning stare at him. “Sorry, coach”

“No, it’s totally fine… the truth is just not funny, sometimes”, the coach said. “Now, the principal complained about a reduction in available power, over the night. I happened to have overheard the conversation and, in my mind, I was judging already. I was like ‘they never manage our resources well. Just change all of them’, all in my mind…. And then I got here and found out, the mismanagement was coming from here.”

The ballers stared blankly at one another. Gray wasn’t even listening. He wasn’t officially a part of them yet so he definitely had to be excluded from whatever blame was being shared.

“Now, which of you left the light on in the court?”, the coach asked, staring at each face.

Gray paused and let the words sink in. *f**k!*

“Come on, Brad. You were the last to leave the court”, the coach said. “So who did? You?”

“No way”, Brad replied, quickly. “I closed the door and I made sure the lights were off. Terrence saw me. Even Gray was there”

“Me?”, Gray exaggerated. “I’ve been to many places. I’m not sure about dark ones. All I saw was light”

“What the f**k are you saying? You were right there, last night, when we closed the door… Say something, Terrence”

Terrence stared, funnily. “All I have to say is this is paranormal”, he muttered, dramatically. “Only God understands. God’s work cannot be explained by mere-“

“Twenty pushups, Terrence”, the coach said.

“Pushups are not even a part of basketball!”

“Twenty pushups or you’re out of here”

“Alright”

Gray laughed. “Your name’s Terrence? Looks like we have something in common”

“Probably”, Terrence said and laid down for the pushups. “That guy’s a jerk”

“You want to join him, Gray?”, the coach asked. Gray shook his head quickly and stepped closer. “Good. Let’s begin the training. We have a competition coming up”

Kevin slammed a ball at Gray’s head. Gray held his head, quickly, as the ball bounced off. “What was that for?”

“You couldn’t catch that? Sorry, man”

Gray heard a soft laugh. Chloe and Lena were seated, watching the ballers play. Their seats were far apart, like he expected.

…….

“Hi, Lena”, Gray ran towards her. “How was I, out there?”

“All I know is Carson was better”, she replied.

“So you admit you like him now?”

“Wait! I didn’t already admit that?”, she exclaimed, confusedly. “Oops. Whatever”

“When are you going to tell him?”

“You don’t think it’s weird to tell a guy I like him?”, she laughed at the idea. “Come on, he’d probably freak out… or he’ll think of me as one cheap b***h… or he wouldn’t even like me”

“You’re beautiful. Anyone should like you if you weren’t a critic of the high class bullies”

“Aww! You think so?”

“You could just tell him as a joke, the same way you did around me”, he said. “I almost fell for it… or I actually fell in love but the door was closed”

“Lol. So you love me now?”

“I never said that”

“Hey, Lena”, the coach called. “Come over. I haven’t seen you in a while”

“I’ll be back”, she muttered and tapped Gray’s shoulder.

“So your girlfriend fell for another?”, Chloe walked up to him. “That’s pretty sad”

“She was never my girlfriend. You want to take the spot?”

“You keep joking with trouble?”, she smiled. “I saw you last night, you know?”

“I saw a lot of things, last night”

“I wonder who left the lights on in the basketball court… and what you’d be doing so late at night”, she said with folded arms.

“You are a detective”, he smiled. “But the court was already locked. There is no way I got in without permission”

Jake walked quickly into the court, as if trying to escape someone.

“What’s it, Jake?”, Gray asked, stepping closer.

Jake exhaled, calming down. “It’s fine now. I thought Bucky was following me…. He can’t come in here”

*Bucky again?*