Welcome back🏀
1951 Words
The next morning..
The campus café was already buzzing with students, sipping coffee,chattering and getting projects done.
Sunlight poured through the windows, warming the tables scattered across the room.
Ethan, Jamal, and Luca sat in their usual corner, laptops open, and half-empty coffee cups sitting between them.
Ethan was focused on his assignment.
Jamal had one earbud in while studying
Luca, however, wasn’t doing either.
He sat there smiling at his phone.
Ethan looked up.
“Bro… isn’t your assignment due this afternoon?”
Luca didn’t answer.
Jamal glanced over and smirked.
“Who are you texting that got you smiling like that?”
Luca smiled even wider.
“It’s Maya.”
Ethan frowned.
“Wait… Maya as in your ex?
I thought you guys broke up.”
We uh…got back together yesterday, Luca said with an awkward smile.
Jamal giggled. “again?”
Ethan shook his head, “bro she had you listening to frank ocean for weeks and posting depressing quotes like I’ll never love again on your public story”
How many times have you guys gotten back together now? Four? Jamal asked
Luca smiled “Five”.
You guys have been doing this since sophomore year. You sure it’s all good this time?
Before Luca could answer, the café door opened.
Maya walked in wearing a flowery mini dress with cowboy boots. Her brunette hair bounced as she scanned the room. The moment her emerald-green eyes landed on Luca, her face lit up.
She smiled mischievously, raised a finger to her lips, and silently mouthed,
“Shh.”
Ethan and Jamal exchanged amused looks but stayed quiet.
Maya quietly walked behind Luca and gently covered his eyes.
“Guess who?”
Luca smiles
“…Maya?”
She gasped dramatically.
“How did you know it was me?”
He chuckled, “your voice”
oh that’s it? maya folded her arms with fake disappointment.
“Oh oh and because you’re the only person I know who smells like vanilla my queen.”
She smiles proudly.
“Good.”
“Good?”
“Because no other girl should ever be covering your eyes, ever!”
yes ma’am, Luca giggles.
Jamal whispers to Ethan,
“Five breakups suddenly makes sense.”
They chuckled.
She leaned down and kissed his cheek.
“How did you know I was here, Luca asked?”
“I saw your Snap and figured I’d come see you.”
He smiled at her.
“I love you.”
She grinned.
“No… I love you.”
Only then did she turn to the others.
“Hey, boys.”
“Hey, Maya,” Ethan replied.
Jamal grinned.
“Nice seeing you again… and again… and again.”
Maya rolled her eyes. “Very funny.”
She leaned down, kissed Luca properly this time, then squeezed onto the small bench beside him.
The bench was only meant for two people.
As she shifted closer—
“Ow!”
Jamal slid straight off the edge of the bench and landed on the floor.
Ethan laughed
Jamal sighed dramatically, got to his feet, brushed himself off, and walked over to the chair beside Ethan.
Meanwhile…
Luca and Maya had already disappeared into their own little world.
She absent-mindedly played with his hair while he held her hand, gently kissing her wrist. They smiled, whispered, laughed, and talked as though nobody else in the cafe existed.
After watching them for a moment, Ethan glanced at Jamal.
“uh should we go? or.”
Jamal nodded. “Yes.”
He looked over at the couple.
“We’ll leave you two alone. Don’t be late for practice Luca.”
Without taking his eyes off Maya, Luca simply lifted one hand and gave them a lazy wave.
“Yeah… later.”
They exchanged a look before walking away.
Jamal laughed.
“The way those two go from hating each other to acting like they’re the only two people on earth cracks me up.”
Ethan chuckled.
“Every single time.”
The walk back to the dorms was loud as usual. Students filled the sidewalks, while others sat beneath the trees, hanging around in small groups.
Jamal walked beside Ethan, shoving his hands into his pockets.
“So…” he smirked. “How’s tutoring with Elara going?”he said trying to tease him.
“It’s been good,” Ethan said trying my very best to not let it get to him. “I’m actually learning a lot.”
“Hmm.” He bumped my shoulder. “That’s good.”
“Thanks… I guess.”
“You know what’s crazy?”
“What?”
“Elara’s Instagram.”
Ethan looked at him.
“Bro… what about it?”
“It went from like seven hundred followers to over three thousand.”
“That’s probably because of the fashion showcase.”
“Not just that,” Jamal said, shaking his head. “People just like her. She’s hot.. I gave him a side eye so he rephrased, I mean she’s beautiful, has an amazing style and so much aura. People notice that.”
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
“Why are you checking her i********: again?”
He looked away.
“…No reason.”
“Bro.”
“Whatever.”
I laughed, shaking my head.
“So… how’s swimming?”
His face lit up immediately.
“Oh, don’t even get me started, man. I’m killing it this season.”
“Here we go again.”
“No, seriously. Coach made me captain, and he’s even letting me train the junior swimmers.”
“Really?”
He nodded proudly.
“I guess he finally realized talent when he saw it.”
“Or maybe he just couldn’t find anyone else.”
“Shut up.”
Ethan laughed.
“What about basketball?”
“It’s going well,” I said. “Coach still has me on tryouts, but I’m hoping he’ll officially put me back on the team.”
“Oh, he will.”
“You think so?”
He shrugged.
“Yeah… eventually. You’ve been working too hard for him not to notice.”
Ethan smiled.
“Yeah… I guess.”
They reached the point to part ways.
“See ya, man”
He started walking backward with a grin before blowing Ethan a kiss.
During this time of the week thry were usually too busy with classes and practice to see much of each other.
“And tell Miss Elara I said hi!” he shouted.
“Get lost!”
Still laughing, they headed in opposite direction.
The afternoon sun beat down on the basketball court as practice was already in full swing.Coach Marshall watched from the sidelines with his whistle hanging around his neck.
Ethan was focused on his drills when someone came jogging onto the court.
Coach glanced at his watch.
“You’re twenty-six minutes late, Luca.”
Luca slowed to a stop, slightly out of breath. “Sorry, Coach. I got… held up.”
Ethan smirked.
“Held up?” He called out. “Weren’t you with Maya?”
A few of the guys laughed
Luca scratched the back of his neck and let out an awkward smile, refusing to defend himself.
Coach shook his head with a sigh.
“Whatever the reason was, don’t let it happen again. Get warmed up.”
“Yes, Coach.”
Luca grabbed a basketball and jogged onto the court. As he passed me, he bumped my shoulder.
“Not cool” he smirked as he made a shot.
Ethan grinned.
“Show off”
Everyone split into small groups, taking turns shooting.
Ethan dribbled the ball a few times before sinking another clean shot.
“Not bad, Grayson,” Asher said as he caught the ball that rolled toward him.
Ethan rolled my eyes.
“Yh it wasn’t.”
A smirk spread across his face.
“Watch.”
He spun the ball on his finger tip, bounced it beneath his knees, stepped well beyond the three-point line and launched it.
The ball sailed through the air before dropping cleanly through the net.
“Let’s go!” one of the guys shouted.
A few of the boys clapped and nodded in approval.
Asher looked over at me with a smug grin before tossing me the ball.
Ethan caught it.
Then, he took two quick steps backward, creating even more distance Asher had, bounced the ball a couple of times, crossed it from one hand to the other, spun past an imaginary defender
He rose into his shot.
The ball left his fingertips in a smooth arc.
Swish.
The court erupted.
“OHHHH!”
“No way!”
“Grayson!”
Several of the guys clapped and murmured.
Luca jogged over with the biggest grin on his face.
“My boy!” he laughed, ruffling his hair. “Thank you for putting him in his place.”
Ethan chuckled, pushing his hand away.
“Get off.”
Asher caught the ball again and let out a small scoff.
“You got lucky.”
Ethan smirked.
“Whatever helps you sleep at night bro.”
Coach Marshall blew his whistle, bringing the chatter on the basketball court to a stop.
“Alright, boys .”
In one hand was a clipboard. Draped on his shoulder were three Auburn University basketball jerseys.
Ethan was nervous.
Coach looked around at the five boys including me who had been on tryouts over the past month.
“They’re only three spots in the team and I’ve chosen three out of you six that have shown me commitment, hard work, skills and devotion since the beginning of tryouts till now. Even though you all worked hard, only three have earned their place on the team.
The court fell silent.
Coach looked down at his clipboard.
“The first person is… Jake Morrison.”
A round of applause broke out as Jake stepped forward with a huge smile. Coach handed him a jersey.
“Thank you, Couch” he said
“The second person… Desire Hayes.”
Another wave of applause followed. Desire grinned from ear to ear as he accepted his jersey.
Ethan swallowed hard.
There was only one spot left.
Coach glanced up from the clipboard.
“The final person joining this team is…”
For a second, He had stopped breathing
“…Ethan Grayson.”
“Yes!” he shouted before I could stop myself.
The team erupted into an applaud
Luca wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulling me into a quick hug.
“I told you man!” he laughed, ruffling hid hair. “Honestly, I still don’t know why Coach even made you try out. He knows your one of the best”
Ethan laughed, shaking his head.
“Shut up.”
Even Asher clapped. His smile looked forced, but he clapped anyway.
Coach stepped toward me, holding out the jersey.
“Congratulations, Grayson It’s good to have you back. Welcome back to the team. Make me proud.”
Ethan shook his hand firmly, “i will”
“Thank you, Coach.”
Coach smiled.
Ethan looked down at the jersey in my hands, running my thumb across the Auburn logo stitched onto front.
“I am back baby!” He yelled
Practice was over, and everyone began leaving the court.
“Asher!” Ethan called.
He turned around.
He smirked. “You can stop trying so hard to be my rival now.”
“We’re teammates.”
Asher rolled his eyes.
Luca and Ethan laughed quietly as he walked away.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out my phone.
He couldn’t wait to tell his mom I had made it back into the team.
- Writer
