The Cursed Alpha and the Cursed Omega

CHAPTER 3

The whole ride back to the university felt like torture.

Despite the sheer fact that we won a very important game, I could sense that the majority of my teammates weren’t genuinely happy at the outcome—not the winning part, but because I was crowned as the Most Valuable Player and the Rookie of the Year. The air inside the bus felt tight, seemingly constricting my ability to breath. It was clear as day that they were avoiding my gaze, not wanting to throw any congratulations towards me. Instead, they were all celebrating on their own while I watched them at the very back row of the school bus.

“You know, I’ve been noticing that you’re spacing out a lot lately.” Danaerie spoke beside me, pulling me out of my own train of thoughts. “What’s the matter, lover boy?”

I turned to look at him, only to find that he wasn’t even gazing at my direction, but at the front. “I’m not sure either. Something just doesn’t feel right.” My voice was low and almost like a whisper, not wanting for the others to hear our conversation even though there weren’t any players that sat two rows in front of us. Not that I think they would hear us since the radio’s music was blasting so loud inside the bus and there were others who were singing along with it.

Danaerie is the first ever friend I made at the university, and he’s my neighbor as well so it wasn’t really that hard to open up to him. Although, at this particular moment, there was something stopping me from fully disclosing what happened to me earlier. Not because I fear that he might think that I’m weird, but because it felt like it was the right thing to do—to not tell anyone what truly transpired earlier.

I heard voices—not mine—in my head. The second anyone finds out about this, I feel like I’m going to be called crazy.

Things aren’t really good for me in the university, I don’t want to add any fuel to the fire that I’m receiving.

“Well, maybe things aren’t just sinking into your brain yet. Even to me, this all seems unreal. Who would have thought a mere rookie would be the one who’ll bring home the bacon for the team?” We both laughed at his sarcastic comment, knowing full well where I stand in the team.

He wasn’t exactly a rookie like me, but we’re both freshman students. Danaerie joined the try-outs to the team almost a year ago, and I joined six months later. I was the latest addition to the team and no one joined after that. Never did it even cross my mind that I would be accepted to the team since they’re not allowed to accept try-outs knowing that the University Basketball League was nearing. It takes a lot of time and effort for the training alone and it was a miracle that I was able to catch up with all of it.

Danaerie must have noticed that I was silent for too long so he nudged me by the shoulder. “Don’t worry too much, lover boy. The results are what matters the most. You shouldn’t get swayed by what the majority of the team feels.”

“It’s clear that they weren’t happy that I was the MVP or the Rookie of the Year. You’re the only one who congratulated me from the team aside from Coach Luis.”

“Obviously, they’re just jealous because a newbie freshman was the one who got the spotlight and not them who are basically older and more experienced than you,” he mentioned, a hint of mockery laced in his voice. Danaerie wasn’t mocking me, but the other players of the team. “They lack sportsmanship and it shows. They couldn’t even congratulate you for what you did for the team and for the university.”

Gazing through the bus and on the back of their heads, the rest of the team were all engrossed in talking with one another with wide smiles on their faces. Not until James’ came into my line of sight. Unlike the others, he didn’t involve himself in any conversation and was leaning his head onto the window.

My eyes were big as saucers when all of a sudden he looked back, and our eyes locked. It felt like cold water was splashed over me as I was surprised because of the timing. Of all the times that he would have looked back, he did it when I was directly looking at his direction. This should be my cue to look away and break eye contact, but I was compelled not to.

Instead, I waited for his next course of action after finding out that I was looking straight at him as well.

There were no emotions etched on his face and his eyes were void of anything. I don’t have any idea what’s going through his mind right now. After a full minute, he was the one who averted his gaze and leaned his head back on the window.

Danaerie released a deep sigh beside me. “s**t, that was intense as hell.” He must’ve seen that James and I were caught in a staring competition. “It felt like he was ready to punch a hole in your face,” he added, wanting to stir the moment.

I punched him on the arm. “Stop overreacting you fucker.”

“Man’s probably into you and wanted to kiss the s**t out of you.” His comment earned another punch on his arm as the two of us laughed.

Knowing Danaerie, he really likes to throw jokes every now and then, no matter how serious the situation is. His personality is very different from mine, but we end up getting along well.

“James’ not gay like you, Dan. He’s straight like a ruler.”

“We’ll never know. Maybe he’s falling for you now, lover boy.”