Back in his half, bouncing the ball, Evan looked calm, but he was anything but calm on the inside. While he was on the floor, he watched as Thomas passed Ryan within 3 seconds, setting him on the floor as he sped towards Edward.
Evan closed his eyes as he cursed himself for picking Edward; he had never seen him even touch a basketball. But it wasn't really Edward's fault; he just got dragged along with him.
He was hasty. "I should have picked one of my basketball teammates, but what's done is done," Evan muttered to himself, knowing he was only making excuses.
Tak!
Slapping both cheeks, which stung and became red, Evan took a deep breath and strode towards his half.
"Just once, I only have to score once," Evan reminded himself, clearly feeling the pressure. He was somewhat relieved that the crowd was not completely against him.
"Oh man, that Thomas guy, what a show he put on."
"Yeah dude, that was sick. He completely caught everyone totally off guard."
"Damn man, so he has to score 4 more times to win?"
"Yeah, I mean it sucks, but he should've given himself more favorable odds."
"Look at Evan; he's having none of it. I bet he'll go all out and put the game to bed as soon as possible."
Listening to the conversations of the students, Evan knew that what Thomas pulled on him and his team was definitely due to an element of surprise.
Sure, it worked wonders, but it was very risky. What if he failed? Evan would've won, and Thomas would be the laughing stock of the school. Even considering the odds he had given himself, he'd still be known for being delusional for challenging Evan.
Evan stopped bouncing the ball as he held them firm with his hands and got into position, facing Thomas, who seemed to completely ignore him as if he wasn't even there and tended to the cheers of the crowd.
Gritting his teeth, Evan waited for the referee to blow his whistle to start the game, while he spoke to his teammates in a low voice.
"I am going to dribble past this bastard, but be careful and make sure to not leave any openings if things go south. He likely used his trump card last round, but we don't know what else he's got up his sleeves."
"Y-Yeah, man," Ryan replied as he glared at Thomas. "Things won't go his way this time."
While Edward looked at his teammates, busy trying to burn holes into Thomas with their eyes, he wasn't too sure. He glanced at Thomas, still busy waving his hands, tending to the crowd. 'This'll get really ugly,' he thought to himself.
***
As the student referee blew the whistle signaling the start of a new round, Evan rushed towards Thomas, who now took a defensive stance, smirking as if he had already won the game.
"I'll wipe that smirk off your face," Evan growled, his anger palpable as he charged at Thomas with the ball, determined to put him in his place.
"Hmm? Did you forget the lesson I taught you?" Thomas replied, not bothering to take Evan seriously.
"What?" Evan seethed, unable to contain his fury any longer. This was the last straw for him.
Now, Evan didn't care about getting past Thomas; all he cared about was scoring. To him, the wall in front of him didn't matter, and he was willing to do whatever it took to break through.
Stopping dribbling, he pushed forward with the ball in his hands, rushing at Thomas like a bull, disregarding any concerns about fouling.
Nearby students in the crowd observed Evan's aggressive approach, not surprised by his behavior.
"Is he out of his mind?" one student asked.
"I told you he wasn't backing down. He'll probably try to foul Thomas, maybe even injure him, just to secure a win later," another replied.
"Damn, that's brutal."
But as they anticipated the whistle for a foul on Thomas, there was none.
The group of students turned their attention back to the court, shocked to see Evan sitting on the floor with wide eyes as Thomas, with unbelievable speed, rushed past Ryan once again.
Caught off guard, Ryan couldn't keep up with Thomas's speed and was left behind once more.
Now, like before, Edward stood alone, guarding his team's hoop.
"What just happened?" the student who expected Evan to foul asked.
"Well, apparently when Evan collided with Thomas, it wasn't considered a foul," another student explained.
"What do you mean?"
Pausing, the student furrowed his brows before replying, "I think Thomas is stronger and sturdier than Evan."
Thomas now faced Edward, who remained expressionless, his eyes locked on Thomas, watching everything unfold.
Slowing down, Thomas searched for openings, but he knew they might be traps set by Edward.
In a deadlock, Edward removed his glasses and yawned before pocketing them. Then, he spoke, "You could've gone past me," glancing briefly at the ball in Thomas's hand.
"Or you can't?" Edward added.
"Heh, don't bet on it," Thomas retorted, scowling. Confused, he realized Edward might have caught on to his strategy.
Looking at Edward again, Thomas felt a chill. Edward had never focused on the ball; his attention was always on Thomas, studying him like a lab rat.
"Crazy bastard," Thomas muttered, considering that Edward might be an exceptional basketball player. However, he was interrupted by Evan and Ryan charging towards him.
"Don't let him score!" Evan yelled as Ryan rushed at Thomas. Smirking, Thomas began to respond, but Edward's voice cut through.
"I think not," Edward interjected. To Thomas's astonishment, he realized he had lost possession of the ball.