Dylan had only one thing in mind, and that was to push him and his team to an official victory. Even if the wild applause from the spectators became a bit of a distraction, the eighteen-year-old athlete became so focused in achieving his goal that he even overlooked his girlfriend's optimistic ovation from her seat. Thirty minutes remained in the game, and Dylan felt determined to add another achievement into his ever-growing stats. He just had one setback to get rid of.
Anthony, the Korean-American star player for the visiting team, had plenty of evidence for showing off his physical talents. The eighteen-year-old senior stole the ball with perfect timing, made several three-pointers even with up to three opponents surrounding him, and passed the ball behind Dylan's back without warning when cornered, which resulted in Dylan experiencing brief confusion before disposing of his investigation. He had played against Anthony several times before, and he already acknowledged what he was capable of.
When a timeout had commenced, Dylan tried to keep his composure. As Anthony had become the star player for the visiting team, Dylan held the same amount of high regard from his own school. Dylan's hard-fought eminence wouldn't have been on the line had it not been for Anthony spoiling his fun by trying to embarrass him in front of everyone. With a brief discussion with his coach, Dylan remained unfazed by Anthony's current performance. His coach reminded him of some cunning maneuvers which could very well become a challenge for Anthony and his team, the Summerdale Jaguars.
With fifteen minutes left on the clock, Dylan and the rest of the Kenwood Firebirds prepared to take back their lead. They were now down by six points, and all they needed to do was demonstrate their own brand of crafty offense. It seemed to have worked for the next few minutes. Dylan faked out Anthony's defense by passing the ball between Anthony's open legs before it had been snatched up by another Firebird. The other players used their hidden talents to their advantages by either stealing the ball in a swift but proper manner or flying past the Jaguars to make their own three-pointers.
With sixty seconds left on the clock, both teams were tied. The spectators stood up and cheered as they anticipated their victory against the Jaguars. The coach had a few words for his team. But while the players listened to his every word, one of them looked away for a few moments. Dylan spotted Anthony hearing a few words from his own coach. The Korean star player gave him a sidelong glance before forming a little smile on his face. Dylan could have felt a little more suspicious than usual, but the smile didn't give off any hints of a conceited demeanor. It appeared more intimate than devious. Dylan looked back at his coach. He felt certain that Anthony tried to pull a few more tricks of his own, and he didn't want to give in.
As soon as the two coaches finished their pep talk, the players returned on the court. The referee blew his whistle and threw the ball to Dylan. The wild applause from the spectators echoed all across the entire building. Dylan took a deep breath as he dribbled the ball and ran across the court. All of a sudden, Anthony came up from behind him and pushed the ball right out of his metrical formation and seized it. The Jaguar ran the other direction while the Firebirds dashed toward him. The spectators held their breath with each second passing by.
Anthony reached the other side of the court and was about to perform a slam dunk until he spotted two Firebirds about to intervene. With meticulous planning in such a short time, he passed the ball behind him where one of his teammates anticipated yet another pass. The one who grabbed the ball moved backwards to make a three-pointer. Dylan's heartbeat picked up speed. He had to make a quick decision. He nodded to his teammate, who hurried toward the Jaguar with the ball. The Jaguar moved to his left to avoid the Firebird's interference, but at that exact moment, Dylan came from behind and stole the ball from the Jaguar. Three seconds remained on the clock. Dylan stopped halfway on the court and threw the ball up in the air, hoping it would reach the hoop in time. The buzzer boomed all across the building. The ball bumped against the rim before it plummeted down the basket. The spectators jumped up from their seats and gave a loud cheer, their vocal inclinations at their highest volume for the night.
Dylan and the rest of the Firebirds celebrated their win while their coach personally congratulated every single one of them. He placed his hand on Dylan's shoulder and complimented him on his ability to end the game on a high note. Dylan nodded before the coach walked away. The young athlete turned his head to see the visiting team leaving the building in a solemn manner. One of them didn't look so overcome with sorrow. Anthony gave him a brief glance and gave him the same small smile as before. Its friendly appearance didn't change at all. When the opponents left the building, Dylan looked away. He had never met Anthony before. This silent interaction between the two didn't seem to spout common sense, especially since the two teams were supposed to be a part of a lifelong rivalry. Dylan just shook it off since it most likely meant mutual respect and nothing more. His girlfriend ran up from the bleachers and hugged him. Her enthusiastic attitude helped him forget what could have been a deceptive tactic from the Jaguars' star player.
* * *
One week after the game, Dylan had already selected the image of Anthony's facial expression as a proper afterthought. He spent the late Friday afternoon alone in Kenwood High School, practicing in the same basketball court. Since he had very few homework assignments to finish on the weekend, he decided to keep his momentum impervious to any pessimistic disposition that disrupted his routine. He wore a black sleeveless shirt and dark blue shorts for his time of leisure. Dribbling the ball and making three-pointers became his primary focus for the next ten minutes. He kept a clear mind for it. It took him several months to train himself to keep his attentiveness intact. Now, he constructed his confidence with a stable foundation unaffected by outside forces.
He made another three-pointer and was about to make one more, but a distant noise from behind kept him from performing his next move. He turned around to see someone at the other end of the court clapping his hands. Dylan could see who had just entered the building. Anthony had the image of a pro even with his street clothes on.
The Korean star player, who wore a black t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans, stopped clapping and cried out, "You're good! Keep it up!"
Dylan picked up his basketball but didn't throw it anywhere. "So is that some kind of sarcastic remark or what?"
Anthony stepped closer. "I'm just trying to boost your morale. That's all."
Dylan eyed him from top to bottom. The Firebird couldn't deny that his sole opponent held a charismatic exterior which would make girls his age swoon without even trying. Dylan himself had the look of succulent eye candy because of his brown hair and healthy body. It may have been luck, but they rightfully deserved their steady reputations.
Dylan asked, "What brings you here? You know you shouldn't walk on enemy territory when you're famous like me."
Anthony chuckled. "Just because I live in Lancaster doesn't mean I should stay in Lancaster. I'm just here to congratulate you on last week's game. You really had me a little flabbergasted for a few days."
Dylan nodded. "Thanks, but is that the only reason why you're here?"
Anthony brushed away a few strands of his black hair away from his face. "You'll have to excuse me. I think I've made a dumb decision on my part."
Dylan remained suspicious as he kept calm and carefully selected words from his current vernacular. "Please tell me you're going to quit basketball and become a politician."
Anthony laughed. "I'm not THAT dumb."
"You better tell me why you're here or else I'll have to MAIL you back to Lancaster."
"You're well-adjusted for self-defense. I like that about you. In fact, I like everything about you."
"Oh, you do?"
Anthony eyed him from top to bottom as he kept his composure. Without his athletic apparel on, he seemed to have captured a slick personality quite well.
He started to circle around Dylan and remarked, "I've seen you play every time we're paired against each other. You've got some major skills there, my friend."
"Thanks, I owe it all to myself."
"I have to say that I really admire you. With the way you play, it makes me want to envy you. But I was already jealous at the very beginning."
Dylan held his breath for a moment. "Why should you feel that way? You're as smart and tough as I am."
"I know, but I think you have the upper hand sometimes."
Anthony stepped even closer. "When I'm in here trying to beat you to it, it makes me admire you whenever you win. Sometimes, I like you so much that I'd do things a bit differently."
"Be a little more specific."
