"Pass it to me!" Dylan shouted to his teammate, who quickly threw him the ball.
Flynn immediately tried to block him, but Dylan was too skilled—his dribbling fast, his control sharp and precise.
He dribbled the ball back beyond the three-point line, took aim, and released a clean shot. The ball flew straight through the hoop.
"So? Think you can still keep up?" Dylan said proudly, smirking at Flynn.
"Don't get too happy yet. You're only two points ahead of us," Flynn replied with a grin, bouncing the ball effortlessly as he prepared his move.
He faked left, dribbled past his defender, and went for a layup—clean shot. The score was tied again. Flynn turned to Dylan, flashing a triumphant smile.
From the bleachers, Nathan was watching their game. He couldn't help but feel a little uneasy watching the two of them. The game looked more like a flirtation than a tryout. The way Dylan smirked, the way Flynn reacted—it was almost ridiculous.
Flynn and Dylan were currently trying out for the basketball team under the regular department. Each department had already started organizing their activities and sports teams for the upcoming Foundation Week.
Even though Flynn had no plans to join, Dylan managed to convince him—and Amanda had also made it a requirement for their class to participate in at least one event this year.
As the game continued, Flynn's team took the lead, needing only five more points to win.
Dylan, however, wasn't guarding Flynn too seriously. He was letting him score on purpose. Deep down, Dylan knew that even if his team didn't win, he'd still be chosen for the lineup.
His teammates began to notice what he was doing, irritation growing among them.
Jack, one of his teammates, suggested they switch marks. "Let me guard him," he volunteered to guard Flynn himself.
Jack was a huge guy, towering over most of the players, with broad shoulders and a confident swagger that made him look a little cocky, a little mischievous—like he thrived on causing trouble on the court.
The atmosphere quickly turned tense. Jack was extremely competitive and hated losing. His defense was tight and aggressive, leaving Flynn barely any room to move.
Flynn leapt for a layup, but Jack met him in midair, intentionally using his size and power to knock him off balance. It wasn't an accident—he wanted to assert dominance on the court.
Flynn was thrown off balance and crashed to the floor, his face slamming against the metal pole of the basketball post. The loud impact made everyone freeze in shock.
From the bleachers, Nathan immediately rushed toward Flynn, followed by Dylan, who looked pale with panic.
When they helped Flynn sit up, Dylan's face burned red with anger. Flynn's nose was bleeding, and there was a fresh scrape across his cheek.
Before Dylan could storm toward Jack, Flynn grabbed his arm, stopping him. He knew exactly what Dylan was capable of when angry.
"Let it go, Dylan. It was an accident," Flynn said, his tone firm but calm.
"An accident? Did you even see how you looked when you fell?" Dylan snapped, his voice rising.
"Can you just calm down? Don't start a fight. It's part of the game. Stop acting like a kid," Flynn replied, frowning.
"Acting like a kid? I'm the one worried about you, and somehow I'm the bad guy now?" Dylan shot back, frustration boiling over.
With that, he turned around and walked off the court.
"What was that all about?" Nathan asked, confused.
"Just leave him," Flynn muttered, a hint of irritation in his voice.
"Come on, let's get you to the clinic," Nathan said, helping Flynn to his feet before the two of them headed out of the gym.
After the first aid, Flynn and Nathan returned to the court to await the results of their tryout.
When they arrived, Dylan was already there. The moment he saw them, he immediately approached.
"How's your injury?" Dylan asked, concern clear in his voice.
"I'm fine. And can you not overreact? I'm not a child that you have to coddle over something this small," Flynn replied, a hint of annoyance in his tone.
"I'm not overreacting. It's obvious that giant Jack purposely rammed you in the air," Dylan said, his eyes flashing with anger.
"Even so... I don't want any trouble. Maybe you forgot what happened last time. I don't want it to happen again," Flynn reminded him.
"Yeah, yeah. But if he tries to do it on purpose again, I can't promise you I'll hold back," Dylan said firmly.
Flynn let out a quiet sigh and didn't respond. He knew Dylan wouldn't back down, no matter what.
"Okay everyone, line up!" Justin, the team captain of the regular department, shouted to announce the results of the tryouts.
He called out the names one by one, and both Dylan and Flynn made it in. Dylan landed a spot on the main lineup, while Flynn was placed as a sub.
"Wait... why is Flynn just a sub?" Dylan asked, a hint of disappointment in his voice.
"It's okay, Dylan. Honestly, I didn't really care about joining. I'm only here because of you," Flynn replied calmly.
"Based on the game earlier, Flynn was slightly behind compared to the others," Justin explained simply.
"You, Dylan, will be the point guard. I expect you to show up for every training session," Justin added firmly.
Dylan nodded, and the rest of the team applauded—everyone except Jaks, whose bitterness was written clearly across his face.
"Wow, man. Point guard, huh? Congrats," Nathan said, clapping Dylan on the shoulder.
Dylan just nodded and turned his gaze toward Flynn. "Are you really okay being a sub?" he asked quietly.
"No problem with me. Honestly, it's probably better this way. At least it's not a total loss if I change my mind later," Flynn said.
Before Dylan could reply, Lexie suddenly approached him with a grin.
"Congrats, Dylan! Point guard really suits you. You looked so good out there on the court," she said, dabbing the sweat from Dylan's face.
Lexie leaned in close, her lips brushing against Dylan's ear as she whispered, her voice low and teasing. "You know... you really impressed me out there."
Dylan stiffened, feeling heat rush to his cheeks. Before he could respond, her hand trailed lightly over his shoulder, then down his chest, tracing a daring path along his abs. She leaned even closer, her breath warm against his neck.
"When you have time... and want to have some fun... don't be shy," she murmured, her tone playful yet suggestive. "Just come find me."
With a final lingering touch, she pulled back, leaving Dylan frozen in place, staring after her as she walked away.
"Looks like Lexie is totally into you. So... are you okay with her?" Flynn teased, grinning.
"I don't like that kind of girl. Too vulgar, too forward," Dylan said, waving him off.
"Don't tell me you weren't turned on by what she did?"
"Nope. Not a chance. What about you? I heard she flirted with you before. Did you... score?" Dylan asked, smirking.
"Haha, I didn't like her either. Besides, I had a girlfriend back then, so I ignored her," Flynn replied with a casual shrug.
Flynn and Dylan packed up their things, ready to head home, while Nathan had already returned to their classroom to grab his own stuff.
As they stepped out of the court, they noticed a commotion nearby—students were gathered in a chaotic cluster.
Dylan and Flynn ignored it at first, continuing toward the parking lot where Dylan's scooter was parked.
"You flirtatious girl! Who do you think you are, touching my boyfriend like that, huh?" Stephanie shouted, yanking at Lexie's hair. Lexie was sprawled on the ground, her hair tangled, clothes disheveled, knees scraped and bleeding from the fall.
"What boyfriend? Who are you? You don't even go to this school!" Lexie protested, trying to push Stephanie away.
"Don't get smart with me. I saw how you were flirting with Dylan earlier," Stephanie snapped, slapping Lexie again. Lexie crumpled further to the floor, barely able to rise.
Before Dylan could start his scooter, he heard his name shouted over the chaos—he recognized the voice immediately.
"Shit. Flynn," he muttered, eyes widening in shock.
"Why? What's wrong?" Flynn asked, confused.
"That's Stephanie," Dylan replied.
"Stephanie? Your girlfriend? What's she doing here?"
"I don't know," Dylan said, and they hurried toward the commotion.
When they arrived, Stephanie was standing beside Lexie, who was still slumped on the ground, struggling to get up.
"Stephanie?" Dylan called out.
"Dylan!" Stephanie's face brightened immediately when she saw him.
Dylan grabbed her arm gently and guided her away from the scene.
Flynn glanced back at Lexie, who was being helped up by her friends, before following Dylan and Stephanie.