On The Way Home

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~~~(POV: Ulysses Kennedy)~~~

~~~(Date: October 28th, 2025)~~~

~~~(Time: 6:02 PM)~~~

~~~(Location: Bus)~~~

I spread my body across two entire seats, and my legs are blocking the Isle. I finished with 55 points, 12 assists, 15 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 2 steals. I shot 100 percent from everywhere. My team, on the other hand, struggled pretty badly.

I had to hit a clutch 2-pointer to end the game with 0.6 on the clock. Coach Rodgers is currently chewing out the rest of the team. I think they're going to take this game seriously.

The only reason we won was because of me. Real basketball players don't like the thought of being carried. My teammates care about the game too much.

My phone goes off, and I notice that it's a message from James Monroe, my agent. It says that my performance tonight is going up on ESPN tomorrow, and NBA teams that aren't in the playoff picture are confirming live that they're going to tank to get a better shot at me.

The team with the best chance right now is the Knicks. While I don't mind playing for the Knicks, I'd rather have a team that treats their players and fans better.

I text him back that it's all good on my end. My only job is to play basketball. James' job is to take care of the rest.

I hop on Twitter, and my highlights from the game are being posted everywhere related to basketball. There are NBA Highlights too, but mine are better than the ones that are also being posted.

I see notable talk show people @'ing me and trying to ask me questions. I think I should humor them. I go on my personal Twitter and decide to make a post. I've rarely ever done so.

I proceeded to write that I had a fun game. Looking forward to the next time I play Nicholas-John High School. I hit the post button, and I'm instantly getting retweets.

I close the app before I can read any of the responses. I don't know how people are going to react to this tweet. In every sense, it's sportsman-like and innocent.

However, the news will do what it does and blow it way out of proportion. I decided that I should check in on Hannah. I go to my messages and immediately start texting her.

She gets back to me and says that she's in trouble. I stand up in my seat and have my legs in the aisle. I ask her what's wrong. She proceeds to tell me that I'm not there and that she misses me.

The girl almost gave me a damn heart attack. I watch as she sends an emoji of a little yellow head with his tongue sticking out.

Before I could respond, she called me. "You're not funny." I immediately hear her giggling on the other side. I'm having a hard time hearing her over Coach Rodgers constant yelling.

I get up and move further into the back of the bus as it's driving. She tells me that everything went great at the Gymnastics meet today back at Holden.

I still have a 2-hour ride to get back. I would've liked to go with Ellie, but I decided to stay with my team.

We spend some time talking, and now it's time for the question I've been avoiding. "How have your first MMA classes gone?" She's determined to learn how to fight after getting laid out by Payton, the cheerleader.

Her pride was at an all-time low after that, but she's slowly getting it back. She finally convinced her parents to let her learn. Well, more like her mom.

Her dad was on board from the beginning, but mom wasn't having it. They both finally convinced her, and she had training today before I left and before her gymnastics meet.

It was a 30-minute intro class.

It still counts in my book, though. "It went awesome! I can't wait to learn more Monday! After a few months, It's payback time against that Bitch!" I don't want her fighting Payton, and while I can't stop her. I can be by her side when she loses.

Cause she'll lose. We both found out that Payton has been training her entire life and is a top prospect for the women's division in junior MMA.

There is no way Hannah will learn enough to beat in her a few months. I'll be there to help her, though, support her when she needs it after she loses.