The crowd was still roaring, but the tension was thick enough to cut through. The game wasn't over. Not yet. Orlando still had one last chance.
With just 10.2 seconds on the clock, the Orlando Hoops were in full attack mode. They needed one possession to win, one clean shot to break Vorpal Basket's hearts.
Alec Storm, the team's star, stood at the top of the key, breathing heavily. His eyes were fierce, his muscles coiled like a spring. His teammates were set.
He wasn't going to lose. Not after everything that had happened.
Ethan and Lucas were guarding him tightly, but Alec's eyes scanned the floor, looking for an opening, looking for a way through.
Mason Hayes, in the paint, had the ball. His hands were trembling slightly as he bounced it, waiting, hesitating for the final call.
5 seconds left.
Ethan wasn't going to give up on him that easily.
"Defense!" Ethan shouted.
Mason passed the ball to Alec. With one powerful dribble, Alec faked left, then turned right, using all his body weight to push past Lucas's defense.
Alec Storm made his move.
He took off towards the basket, eyes locked on the hoop.
Ethan stayed close behind, anticipating every move. Alec shifted his body, ready to go for the layup, but just as he was about to take the shot— Ethan lunged!
The moment felt like it lasted forever.
Alec could feel the pressure all around him—the intensity, the heat of the game.
He jumped, lifting the ball for the layup.
The crowd was on their feet, screaming, holding their breath.
But then—
Ethan's hand shot out.
He tipped the ball.
The basketball spun away, just inches from Alec's fingertips.
Ethan Albarado dove for the ball, and Lucas was there to back him up, jumping to recover the deflected pass. Alec cursed under his breath.
But it wasn't over.
As The ball was loose. It was going to be a scramble.
Mason was charging in, desperate to keep the play alive, but Ryan Taylor slammed into him, forcing him off balance.
Evan Cooper was already streaking down the court, eyes locked on the ball. He didn't hesitate.
The final buzzer sounded.
The ball hit the floor.
Vorpal Basket had done it.
The gym erupted.
Vorpal Basket – 103
Orlando Hoops – 102
The crowd was deafening.
Ethan stood there, chest heaving, eyes wide. He couldn't believe it. They had done it.
Evan dropped to his knees, overwhelmed with emotion. The weight of the game, the team, the season it all came crashing down on him. He couldn't hold back his tears anymore.
Coach Fred couldn't help but smile, a sneaky glint in his eyes as he looked at his team.
Alec Storm stood frozen, his heart heavy. He had pushed himself, given everything he had, but in the end it wasn't enough.
As Alec stood there, still processing the loss, his eyes locked on Rhiana, who stood in the corner, watching the final moments of the game. His mind raced with a thousand thoughts. "(I failed you)" he thought, feeling a pang of guilt. He had given it everything, poured his heart into every dribble, every shot, every play. But it hadn't been enough. Not tonight.
He wanted to win for her. For himself. But mostly for Rhiana to show her that he could come through when it mattered. But now, with the game slipping away, all he felt was the weight of failure.
Then, Ethan approached.
His footsteps were steady, calm. No one could have blamed him for feeling the adrenaline rush, but Ethan's expression was composed. He had been the catalyst, the anchor of his team, and yet his demeanor never betrayed the intensity of the game.
Alec looked at him, ready for the typical praise, maybe even some sarcastic remark about how much better Ethan had played. But what Ethan said next caught him off guard.
"You gave it everything, Alec," Ethan said, his voice calm, without a hint of mockery or arrogance. "You're an amazing player. But tonight… we're just lucky we won."
Alec blinked, processing the words. For a moment, the words hung in the air like a weightless truth.
"Lucky?"
Alec thought, confused for a second. Was Ethan downplaying their victory? Was he saying it wasn't because of skill but chance? But then it hit him. The look in Ethan's eyes wasn't one of arrogance or condescension, it was… understanding.
Ethan continued, his eyes never leaving Alec's. "We might have won, but you played your heart out. And that's all that matters. It was a battle, Alec. And you were a part of it. We got lucky with the break, but you don't need to apologize."
The words struck Alec harder than any loss could have. He had expected the typical victory speech, a sense of triumph. But what Ethan offered was something different, a kind of acknowledgment of the effort, the fight, the grind.
Alec nodded slowly, feeling the weight in his chest shift just a little. "I guess we all fight," he muttered under his breath. "But we can't win them all, can we?"
Ethan gave a small, understanding smile. "No, we can't." But then his voice took on a more serious tone. "But you don't have to win every game to matter, Alec. What you did tonight—it mattered. To your team, to your fans, to everyone who watched. You showed what it means to fight until the last second."
Alec looked at Ethan again, a faint flicker of understanding passing between them. It wasn't about the victory or the loss. It was about the effort. The heart. The battle. And in that moment, he realized that maybe Ethan was right.
The two of them stood in the middle of the court, as the rest of the team celebrated, their voices blending into the background. Ethan's words were simple, but they carried weight. Alec didn't need anyone's approval he knew now that what truly mattered was that he had given everything. That was the mark of a true player.
And though he didn't win this time, he wasn't finished.
Alec took a deep breath, and for the first time since the buzzer, the weight in his chest felt lighter. "Thanks," he said quietly, his voice soft but sincere. "I guess I needed this."
Ethan gave him a nod, turning back to his teammates. "Anytime." he replied simply, his focus now shifting to the celebration around them. But the understanding between the two was clearit was a moment that transcended the game.
They may not have won every battle, but they had each other's respect. And for now, that was enough.
Then Ethan looked around the court, watching his teammates celebrate.
Each one had their own way of showing it—smiling, yelling, hugging.
It was their moment.
Lucas, the energetic spark of the team, was practically bouncing off the walls. His joy was contagious, spreading like wildfire. He couldn't contain himself, his arms shooting up into the air in a triumphant gesture. His laughter echoed loudly, a sound of pure, unrestrained happiness. As he jumped up and down, his energy was almost overwhelming, and he shouted, "Yes! We won!!!" His voice rang through the gym, and it felt like the very walls were vibrating with excitement.
Evan, usually calm and reserved, was almost unrecognizable in his happiness. He was pumping his fists, grinning from ear to ear. It was a rare sight—one that spoke volumes about how much this victory meant to him, to them all.
Ryan stood nearby, his eyes burning with pride. His fist was raised high in the air, still vibrating with the adrenaline of the game. He had worked hard, sacrificed his body, and now he was feeling the weight of the win. The team's effort was evident in every part of his body language.
Brandon, always the first to share the glory, was enthusiastically giving out high-fives to everyone in sight. His energy was infectious, and no one could resist the contagious joy that came with his gesture. Even Josh, the injured benchwarmer, couldn't help but grin despite the pain in his ankle. He had been sidelined but had always been there, offering support and encouragement, and now it was his moment to share in the victory, even if he hadn't played.
But the celebration didn't stop there. Coonie Smith, usually more composed, had tears in his eyes. His face was a mix of disbelief and elation. It wasn't just a win—it was the kind of win that felt like it had been a long time coming. His voice cracked a little, and he muttered, "We won... for fucking years this is the first time we won in a serious match."
His words hit everyone like a wave. It wasn't just a victory on the scoreboard. It was a victory for all the hard work, all the struggles they'd endured. It was the culmination of everything they'd sacrificed, everything they'd given, just to get here.
Kai Mendoza and Jeremy Park, equally overcome with emotion, immediately rushed to Coonie. They enveloped him in a tight hug, lifting him off the ground in their shared joy. "Coonie, we won!!" they both exclaimed in unison, their voices filled with pure excitement.
But Coonie, overwhelmed by the emotion and a little embarrassed by all the attention, tried to shove them away. "Get off me, you duffos!" he said, though there was no malice in his words. His voice still wavered with emotion, and his attempt to act tough only made the moment feel more real—like they were finally allowed to let their guard down, to embrace the victory that had eluded them for so long.
…
But while the team reveled in their success, Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing, something important that loomed just beyond the horizon. The victory was sweet, no doubt. It was hard-earned, and it felt like they had crossed an impossible threshold. But deep down, he knew that this game wasn't the end.
"We did it." Ethan murmured, the words escaping almost as a whisper, as if he were trying to convince himself.
Lucas, standing beside him, beamed a smile so wide it almost seemed to light up the entire gym. His face was full of joy, but there was something about the way he looked at Ethan that felt different. It wasn't just a shared victory; there was a silent understanding, a bond forged through everything they had been through.
"We did it," Lucas echoed, his voice full of pride, his eyes sparkling. Then, with a grin that showed his true spirit, he held out his fist toward Ethan. "Partner."
Ethan looked at Lucas, taking in his enthusiasm, his genuine joy. He could see how much this meant to him. It wasn't just about the win, it was about all the hard work, the sweat, and the effort that had led them to this moment. But there was more to it than that, something that came from deep within.
Ethan smiled back, a rare moment of pure, unguarded warmth. It wasn't easy to let his guard down, but in this moment, with Lucas and the rest of the team, he didn't need to. They had fought for this together.
"Yeah, we did it…" Ethan said, his voice steady but with a flicker of something deeper. Something that told Lucas, and anyone paying attention, that Ethan wasn't just talking about this game. He was talking about the journey. The path they had walked, side by side, not knowing what the future held but stepping forward anyway.
Ethan's thoughts momentarily drifted. This wasn't the end...I knew what will happened in the novel. There is something more coming, something that would challenge them all even further. But for now... for now, they had earned this moment.
Ethan looked at Lucas one last time, a knowing glance shared between them. There was more to their partnership than this one victory, and they both knew it. The road ahead was uncertain, but as long as they faced it together, they would be ready.
And for tonight, that was enough.
To be continue