“he’s joining the team and that’s final…”

Tyze stood still and cleared his throat as the team came closer. His eyes remained fixed mainly on Darius, the player's name clearly visible on his jersey, and he exuded an aura of self-assurance with every step he took towards them. His dark skin glistened with a sheen of sweat, and his short, closely cropped hair revealed a sharp jawline and prominent cheekbones. He was actually a very handsome guy.

Darius led the group, his arm holding the ball against his hip. His piercing brown eyes seemed to make him look even more intimidating to Tyze as they walked up to him and Joe.

"How's it going, boys?" Joe asked as the players halted, their faces neutral, but Tyze sensed a flicker of curiosity behind their eyes as they all each took a hood glance at him from head to toe.

Darius spoke up, his deep voice smooth, "Hey, coach, you're late... again."

Joe's eyes widened with a joyful expression as he gestured to Tyze. "Yeah, I know I said I'd be early... again, but it was all worth it. I've got a new player to introduce, and I think he's going to make a big impact."

The players turned to Tyze, their faces a mix of curiosity and skepticism. Darius's eyes narrowed as he passed the ball to the guy by his side; his arms crossed over his chest.

"I know some of you are thinking, 'Why replace Mikey?' He's a great player, and we all wish him a speedy recovery," but we've talked about this, and we must agree that we don't have time to spare on our side anymore," Joe said, his voice filled with sincerity.

"And the truth is, Mikey's injury is more serious than we thought. He's out for the finals, and we need someone to fill his spot."

Darius scowled, his expression disbelieving. "So, this is the guy you wanna replace Mikey with? You're fucking kidding me, coach? I ain't even seen this guy play ball, and I already know he sucks," Darius said, as the others erupted in laughter.

Tyze tried to hide his reaction, but his eyes widened slightly, and his jaw clenched as he let out a deep breath. He forced a neutral expression, but his eyes betrayed his unease.

Steve, a lanky guy with a messy blond haircut, spoke up. "Yeah, coach, do you take Mikey for a joke? You know what he means to this team. Why take such a little thing so seriously? He's just got a knee injury... and besides, he says he can manage to run defense. I think his legs are healing fast."

Joe's face turned stern, his voice firm. "Defense?!! That lad's got a dislocated knee, boys! There's no way he's playing for the finals. That's a risk for us winning, and also for a fall back on our ranking. What do you think's gonna happen when you've got a defender with only one active leg, huh?"

"We need someone to fill in for him, and you guys know it too," Joe replied, pointing to the ground, his tone slightly pissed. "And do I need to take permission from you guys to coordinate my team, huh?"

Joe continued, moving closer to them. His words and expressions seemed to move the whole team, except for Darius, who kept a neutral glance at him.

"He's joining the team, and that's final. Do you guys understand?" Joe added, as the team replied, "Yes, coach." Except for Darius, who had an irritated expression towards Tyze.

"I'm sure you didn't even seek his opinion on this, did ya?" Darius asked, looking at Joe with a daring glance.

Tyze observed, "This Darius guy seems to be a tough guy."

Joe asked again, but this time with a more threatening tone, "Did I make myself clear, young man?"

Darius nodded repeatedly, evidently trying to compose himself, as he scoffed.

Joe's expression remained firm, but for some reason, he calmed down and tried explaining again. "I've seen his game, boys. He's got potential."

"Potential... really?" Darius snorted, his eyes flashing with annoyance. He aggressively bounced the ball against the smooth pavement, grasping it back immediately with a sharp, slapping sound. Tyze felt the vibration, as he stepped back a little.

"Okay, let's see how this guy does if you've got so much faith in him," Darius said, his voice laced with sarcasm. He threw the ball against Tyze, who caught it, the impact moving him a step back surprisingly. Just a pass had so much force in it, Tyze thought, as he swallowed hard.

The group watched, their faces neutral, as the room fell silent. Darius gave way to the hoop at the other end of the court. Tyze's eyes met Darius's gaze at him. He really doesn't want me on his team, does he? But if their absent player is really injured, what's his problem with me? We ain't even met before; he could at least give me a chance.

Tyze thought, as he took two steps forward into the rebound area, when, "Stop. Right there," Darius said, looking Tyze in the eye as he pointed at the lane. "From here, the ball goes into the hoop. Simple."

Darius's neutral expression seemed to imply that he already believed Tyze couldn't make the shot.

"What's the use of all this now?" Joe asked, but didn't get a response from any of them, so he just stood and watched.

Tyze, on the other hand, held the ball with both hands as he jerked to make a throw. Darius scoffed again, "Really, coach? This is the guy you want to replace Mikey?"

Darius said, as he snatched the ball from Tyze, facing Joe, backing away with a mocking grin. He threw the ball from behind, and the atmosphere fell silent, everyone's eyes on the ball as it soared across the court. Although not with a perfect arc, the ball still made its way with a soft thud into the net. As the team's faces lit up with a proud smile, the group fell silent, their eyes fixed on the hoop.

Joe's expression remained firm, but a hint of satisfaction crept into his eyes. Darius turned to face Tyze, his smirk faltering for a moment.

"Look man, you don't fit in this team, in case you don't know. You're taking someone else's spot, and where I come from, that's not

"A cool step to make," Darius said, his voice laced with disdain. Tyze finally raised the courage to speak, having had enough of Darius's taunts. "I didn't want to do this, but I'm doing you a favor," Tyze said, his eyes locked on Darius, finally looking him straight in the eye.

Darius didn't flinch, his expression unyielding. "You would have agreed with me if you had any words or usefulness in our team. So, don't call it a favor," he replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Just then, Coach Joe intervened, his voice firm and authoritative. "Darius, that's enough!! Get out!!" Joe screamed, seeming more serious this time. "I don't want to see you here unless I call you back."

The room fell silent, the tension palpable as Darius's eyes locked onto Coach Joe's, a spark of defiance flickering before he turned and stormed out of the courtroom.