The Return of Money
1464 Words
Marcus Tran's name hung in the air like smoke.
Alvin stared at his phone, his hands shaking. Marcus. The shooter who'd mocked his passes. The one who'd said "Who?" when Derek posted about him. The one who'd tried to destroy his confidence in the conference tournament.
But that was high school. That was supposed to be over.
He's been watching me for years, Alvin thought. He's been sabotaging me since junior high.
Michael grabbed his arm. "Marcus Tran. The guy from Brookhaven?"
"The same."
"Why would he do this? You beat him. You moved on. He moved on."
"Apparently he didn't move on." Alvin stared at the screen. "He's been watching. Texting. Trying to destroy me."
"We need to tell someone. Kari. Coach Bradley. The police."
"Not yet." Alvin's voice was cold. "I want to confront him first."
"Alvin—"
"I want to see his face when I tell him I know."
---
The next morning, Alvin called Marcus.
Not a text. A call. He wanted to hear his voice.
Marcus answered on the third ring. "Hello?"
"Marcus. It's Alvin Chen."
Silence.
"Alvin. I haven't heard from you in a while." Marcus's voice was careful. Measured. "What's up?"
"I know about the texts."
More silence.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't lie to me. I know it's you. I set a trap, and you walked right into it."
Marcus laughed — a hollow, nervous sound. "You're paranoid, Chen. I haven't texted you in years."
"Then why did you respond to a private message about my injury? A message only the team received?"
"I—" Marcus paused. "I heard it from someone else."
"Who?"
"I don't remember."
"You're lying."
"Even if I was texting you—" Marcus's voice dropped. "—so what? It's just texts. It's not like I did anything."
"You tried to destroy my career. You leaked plays. You sabotaged my confidence. You threatened me."
"I didn't threaten you."
"You said you'd be watching. You said I'd fail. You said I didn't deserve what I had."
Marcus was quiet for a long moment. "I was jealous, okay? You got everything. The championship. The scholarship. The attention. I got nothing."
"So you tried to take it away?"
"I just wanted you to feel what I felt. Invisible."
Alvin's chest tightened. Invisible. The word echoed in his skull. He knew that feeling. He'd lived it for three years.
"Where are you?" Alvin asked.
"Why?"
"I want to talk. Face to face."
Marcus was quiet again. "I'm in Vegas. Playing for a semi-pro team. We have a game tonight."
"I'll be there."
"You're coming to Vegas?"
"I'm coming to Vegas. Don't disappear."
---
Alvin told Michael his plan.
"You're flying to Vegas to confront a guy who's been trying to destroy you for years?"
"Yes."
"That's insane."
"Probably."
"Can I come?"
"No. You have practice. You have to stay healthy."
Michael's jaw tightened. "If you're not back by tomorrow, I'm coming after you."
"Fair enough."
---
The flight to Vegas was three hours.
Alvin stared out the window, his mind racing. Marcus. The texts. The years of watching.
Why would he do this? Why would he waste so much time on me?
The answer came to him as the plane descended.
Because I was invisible. And he wanted to keep me that way.
---
Marcus's team played at a small arena off the Strip.
The crowd was small — maybe two hundred people. Marcus was warming up, shooting threes. He looked the same as high school. Same lean frame. Same quick release. Same arrogant smile.
But his eyes were different. Tired. Defeated.
Alvin walked onto the court. Marcus saw him and froze.
"You came," Marcus said.
"I said I would."
"I didn't think you'd actually show up."
"I'm here."
Marcus looked at the empty stands. "This is what my life is now. Semi-pro in Vegas. Barely making rent. No scouts. No future."
"And whose fault is that?"
Marcus's jaw tightened. "Yours."
"How is any of this my fault?"
"Because you took everything. The championship. The scholarship. The attention. Everything I wanted. Everything I worked for."
"You didn't work for it. You shot threes and talked trash. You didn't pass. You didn't defend. You didn't lead."
"I was good enough!"
"You were good. But you weren't great. And you never tried to be."
Marcus's eyes went wet. "I hated you. I hated you so much."
"I know."
"But I also wanted to be you." Marcus sat on the bench, his head in his hands. "You had everything. The passes. The vision. The way people looked at you. I wanted that."
Alvin sat next to him. "I was invisible for three years. No one looked at me."
"Everyone looks at you now."
"It took work. A lot of work. And it took people who believed in me."
Marcus looked up. "I don't have people."
"Then find them."
"How?"
Alvin thought about it. "Start by telling the truth. To everyone. To yourself."
---
Marcus was quiet for a long moment.
"I'm sorry," he said finally. "For the texts. For trying to destroy you. For being jealous."
"I know."
"Are you going to report me? Press charges?"
"I don't know yet." Alvin stood up. "But I'm not going to destroy your life. Not like you tried to destroy mine."
Marcus wiped his eyes. "Why?"
"Because I've been where you are. And someone gave me a chance."
---
That night, Alvin called Kari.
"Marcus confessed," he said. "He was the one behind the texts."
"I know."
"You knew?"
"I had a suspicion. But I needed confirmation. He's been watching you for years, ever since high school. He couldn't let go."
"What do I do?"
"That's up to you. You can press charges. You can let it go. You can do whatever you want."
Alvin thought about it. "I'm going to give him a chance."
"A chance?"
"A chance to change. A chance to move on. A chance to be better."
Kari was quiet for a moment. "That's a risk."
"I know."
"But it's a risk you're willing to take?"
"Yes."
"Then I support you. But if he ever texts you again—"
"He won't."
"How do you know?"
"Because I'll be watching him."
---
Alvin flew home the next morning.
Michael was waiting at the airport, his knee wrapped, his face tired.
"You're alive," Michael said.
"Barely."
"Did you confront him?"
"Yeah."
"And?"
"He confessed. He was jealous. He wanted what I had."
"Are you going to press charges?"
"No. I'm giving him a chance."
Michael stared at him. "You're insane."
"Probably."
"But you're also the best person I know."
Alvin almost smiled. "That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."
"Don't get used to it."
---
The next week, Alvin received a text from Marcus.
Marcus: I'm sorry. For everything. I'm going to get help. Therapy. I need to figure out why I did this.
Alvin: That's a good start.
Marcus: Will you ever forgive me?
Alvin: I don't know yet. But I'm not going to hate you.
Marcus: That's more than I deserve.
Alvin: Maybe. But it's what you're getting.
---
The next month, Alvin heard that Marcus had quit basketball.
Not because he was forced to. Because he wanted to.
Marcus: I'm going back to school. Community college. I'm going to get a degree. Start over.
Alvin: That's a good plan.
Marcus: I still love the game. But I can't play it anymore. Not the way I was playing.
Alvin: Then find another way to be part of it.
Marcus: Coach?
Alvin: Maybe. You have a lot to teach.
Marcus: I have a lot to learn.
Alvin: Don't we all.
---
The next practice, Alvin played better than ever.
His passes were sharper. His shots were cleaner. His confidence was higher.
Coach Bradley noticed. "You're playing different, Chen."
"I am."
"What changed?"
"I let go of something I was carrying."
Coach Bradley nodded. "Good. Now carry something else."
"What?"
"Your team."
---
That night, Alvin sat in his dorm room, staring at the ceiling.
His phone buzzed.
Observer (Maya): I heard about Marcus.
Alvin: How did you know?
Observer: I know everything.
Alvin: He's going to get help.
Observer: Good. That's what he needs.
Alvin: I gave him a chance.
Observer: That's what you do. Give people chances.
Alvin: It's what you taught me.
Observer: I taught you a lot of things.
Alvin: I know.
Observer: What now?
Alvin: Now I focus on Northwood. On the season. On my team.
Observer: Good. Because the season starts in two weeks.
Alvin: I'm ready.
Observer: Are you sure?
Alvin: I'm sure.
He put the phone down. He closed his eyes.
The season was coming. The real season. College basketball.
He was ready.
- Writer
