24 Injured

Lance looked at his leg especially his knee and calf which is now covered in a bandage. He suddenly sighed when he thought of how careless he could be forgetting that he can get injured if he pushed himself too far.

The doctor at the side checking his record spoke.

"Do not worry it's just a sprain but please do mind not to get careless. May I ask what have you been doing in these past few days."

Lance looked at the doctor and remembered what he had been doing inside his apartment.

"I was jumping..."

"?"

"... a lot..."

The doctor looked at Kevin who is also standing the side and continued, "Well, I heard you were playing basketball before you came here."

"Yes..."

"You must have landed in the wrong way when you jumped or jumped in the wrong way."

"Ok."

The doctor looked at the records once again before saying, "Well, that's all. Just tell us if you felt like something is wrong."

Then the doctor left along with the nurse who was assisting him.

Lance looked at Kevin.

"Thank you for helping Mr. ..."

"... It's Kevin."

"Sorry... Thank you, Mr. Kevin."

"*sigh*, I was shocked when you suddenly fell on the ground after you tried to block Allan's dunk earlier. You suddenly cried in pain while holding you're knees. I almost panicked because of you, kid."

"Sorry for being a bother."

"No, it's alright."

Kevin looked around and continued. "You play really good. How long have you been playing?"

Lance looked up to Kevin and pondered on how to respond. The truth is he has only been playing for a couple of months and mostly by himself and training by himself. He only learned how to play by watching games in his past life but other than that he has no actual experience.

He had only been relying on his instinct and the theories he has developed while watching others play. And actually, as much as the other people watching him are amazed it is more so for him as he plays. In all of the people who were amazed by his skills and talent, he himself is the one who is most astounded by the things he could do.

Looking at Kevin one more time he found it troublesome to find the words to say. He can't say that he had only been playing for a short time. That would be bragging.

So he can only lie.

"Since I can remember..."

"No wonder. You've got moves rarely seen in your age. I tell you, you have a great future ahead of you."

"Thank you."

Lance tried to stand up and slowly move his leg. He can feel pain when he moved his knee but it wasn't unbearable.

While he was trying to walk, Kevin finally noticed his height and remembered that he was small.

He was amazed because Lance is only 5 foot 7 inches tall but he could contend against his nephew's towering dunk and block it.

He did not say anything and just smirked.

Suddenly, Lance remembered something and looked at Kevin.

"Mr. Kevin, where is Allan?"

"Now that you reminded me, where is he?"

Kevin looked around and tried to find Allan but couldn't see him in the end.

...

In a room with one small bed, Allan had his face facing down while sitting on the bed. He kept recalling the game he had with Lance.

'We couldn't even tell who won...'

He thought as he remembered how Lance blocked his dunk head-on.

It was as if the world suddenly stopped in front of his eyes as layers of disbelief fill his eyes that someone blocked his dunk.

Although the ball went in, in the end, it was all because of luck that when the ball was blocked it hit the rim and bounced off the backboard before rattling into the hoop.

Somehow Allan felt conflicted that he felt like he lost but at the same time delighted that there is someone who can play against him despite his towering size.

He clenched his fist and stood up. He looked at the bedside table and the picture of his mother on the picture frame.

...

Kevin is now walking with Lance out of the hospital.

They were talking about Allan.

"... A son of a basketball player?"

Kevin was dumbfounded by looking at Lance's Lackluster reaction. He was expecting that Lance would be surprised but it seemed like what he said did not even enter Lance's head.

"You are not surprised?"

Lance looked a Kevin and replied.

"I am."

"Hey listen here. Allan's mom, my sister, is not your regular basketball player! She is one of the best in the women league's history! Have you not heard of her name? Michelle Morrey?"

"Michelle Morrey?"

"Yes."

Lance tried to recall anything he heard about the name but could not remember anything.

'Is she good?' He thought.

He doesn't watch and read news about the women's league so it isn't a surprise that he does not know but everyone who watches the women's league knows who Allan's mom is.

Lance looked at Kevin and remembered his father while wondering who Allan's mom is, who Michelle Morrey is.

'... So Allan is similar to me, huh.'

Suddenly Kevin's phone rung and he answered it. He excused himself and left Lance for a while.

Lance tried to walk and move his knees. He could still feel pain every time he moved it but he can still walk in limited motion.

"How am I going to play now?"

...

After a while, Lance was discharged as his injury is not severe. Kevin helped him take a cab to his apartment. Lance wanted to pay for the fare Kevin insisted because Lance and Allan are classmates he said.

While looking at the window, Lance fell in his thoughts and remembered his thoughts in the past few days.

He looked at the driver and said, "Excuse me, can you bring me to the mall or sports sore in the area. Do not worry I'll pay for the rest."

"... Mall? Sports store? Ok."

Lance arrived at the nearest sports store.

He looked at the store and was amazed by how huge it was.

He dragged his legs and crutch inside and looked around. He quickly went to ask the clerk and asked them.

"Do you have hoops for basketball? One that I can install inside my apartment I guess?"

The clerk showed him what he needed and asked what else he wanted.

"... Do you know the one used in measuring your vertical jump?"

"A Vertec, sir?"

"Yes, that one. Do you have them here?"

"Yes, we do have some in stock. Please wait I'll show you, excuse me."

Lance then bough them and asked for delivery as he has no way to carry them all by himself. He provided his contact number and address.

"Do you take a check?"

...

Lance returned home just before the storm reappeared. Heavy raindrops once again hammered down his windows and their rhythmic patters slowly drew patterns on the glass.

From where he is standing, the city view got blurry and darker as the storm continued to get worse.

"Thankfully, I got home early or else..."

Then he looked at the clock and saw that it is already 5 pm. He doesn't plan to do anything tonight so he decided to prepare for dinner early and get a good night sleep.

Along with his sizzling pan, his phone once again began to ring. He turned off the stove and quickly answered the call.

"Aunt?"

[How are you?]

Lance did respond immediately and slowly glanced at his knee.

[What's with the sudden pause?]

"Uh!? No, it's nothing. I was just looking at the kitchen. You suddenly called while I am looking."

In the end, Lance decided to keep his sprained knee a secret while looking at his leg. He could only imagine what will happen when Liza knew what happened.

Lance slightly trembled at the thought of it.

[... Is that so?]

Lance returned to the kitchen to cook while he pressed his phone on his ear with his shoulder.

"So why did you call me?"

[... Is it bad to worry about your nephew?]

"... No..."

Lance turned off the stove and went to plate the steak while it sizzles.

[Is the storm still bad in there?]

Lance took a waft of the steak's appetizing aroma before looking at the window which is being bombarded by heavy raindrops. Deep down he felt like the glass is going to break in any moment due to how heavy the raindrops are and how strong the wind is blowing outside.

"... Still bad."

[You mean Bad bad?]

"... so bad."

[Is that so?]

Lance slowly walked towards the window and held the phone near it to let his aunt hear how strong the storm.

[That is BAD...]

"Yeah, it is."

[You have to take care then... And pray a lot that you won't be harmed by anything.]

"Yes, I will."

[Good!]

Lance returned to the kitchen and took his dinner towards the table.

[And also, I'll be visiting you next month I think. We have a game near your city so expect that I'll be visiting you.]

"Okay."

[I'll be hanging up.]

"Bye"

[Bye.]

The call ended. Lance looked at the time and dragged himself towards the fridge to get a drink.

While moving he felt a slight pain from his knee and decided to be careful.

He looked at his tasty dinner and prayed before eating.

He prayed in a low voice with his head bowed down.

"... Please protect me and this food from the storm."

...

The alarm went off beside Lance's bed and woke him from his sleep.

He sat on his bed and hurt his knee in the process. He hoped that the sprain would heal faster.

While looking at the time he couldn't but grieve for the opportunity to train.

He closed his eyes and can still hear the storm not letting up.

"Is there even a storm that lasts for a week?"

...

Lance ate his breakfast and stretched his body a little while being careful not to hurt his knee.

He did light exercise but it mostly involved his upper body.

And then, the doorbell rang.

It was the items he bought yesterday from the sports store.

The installer installed them in his living space according to his instruction and left after having him sign some papers.

Lance looked at the newly installed hoop in his living room and vertec he smiled in satisfaction.

Only after a moment did he remember that he can't play with like he wanted to because of his injury.

He looked at his knee once again and sighed.

"My knee is not yet fit to do the things I want so what should I do?"

Lance's eyes landed on the hoops and the ball on the ground.

"Shooting the ball won't hurt right?"

Then he began to spend the day shooting the ball unto the hoop but he found it hard.

"Usually when I shoot I use the momentum coming from my whole body from the ground up to the fingertips.

But now that I am avoiding the use of my knees I couldn't help but rely on my upper body.

Now that I think of it, isn't this a good training to practice myself doing formless shots?"

'But... still...'

He looked at his injured knee and murmured, "What a bad luck..."