Tyler
The ball slammed hard against the ground with a sharp echo.
“Again!” Coach barked.
I caught the pass from Aaron and dribbled toward the free-throw line, my shoes squeaking against the polished floor.
The ball slipped out of my hands for the third time and landed with a loud thud, rolling past my foot.
“Sinclair!” Coach’s whistle shrieked through the gym. “You planning to play basketball today or just audition for a circus act?”
Low chuckles rippled across the court.
“I got it,” I muttered, jogging after it even though I clearly didn’t.
Normally, practice was the one place my head stayed clear. The one place where everything else faded, and it was just the ball, the hoop, and the court.
But my brain refused to cooperate today.
The gym smelled like sweat, rubber, and the fa
