Chapter 38: Old Rivals

Wilt yawned as he opened his eyes. He soon regretted it as rays of light hit his face directly. Why did he forget to draw the curtains shut?

He rose from bed and rubbed his teal eyes.

Wilt got out of bed and walked over to the window. He drew the curtains shut, shielding his room from the harsh morning light.

He turned toward his closet, pulling out a pair of shorts and a loose t-shirt. He changed out of his pajamas and into his workout clothes, ready to start his day with a jog around campus.

Quickly splashing his face with water and ruffling his red hair, he grabbed his headphones and phone. He stepped out of his room, locking the door behind him.

Wilt whipped himself some green juice before he left the dorm. It was part of his mourning training ritual.

Once outside, he started off at a brisk pace. The campus was quiet this early in the morning, the calm before the storm of students.

As he turned a corner, he noticed another figure jogging ahead of him. The figure was tall and muscular, with a familiar gait. As he got closer, he recognized the person. It was Drew.

"Drew!" he called out, picking up his pace to catch up with him. But Drew didn't turn around. Wilt realized that he had his headphones on.

With a grin, Wilt decided to surprise him. He sprinted, quickly closing the distance between them. As he reached Drew, he reached out and tapped his shoulder.

Drew turned and glared at him.

"Aww, you didn't get scared," Wilt said, frowning.

He scoffed. "Like I would be scared by that."

Wilt sighed. "One day, I will spook you."

Drew crossed his arms and chuckled. "Good luck trying. I'm not one to get scared easily."

Wilt smirked at Drew's confident response. "We'll see about that."

Drew just shook his head, popping his earbuds back in. But not before giving Wilt a challenging smile. "Bring it on."

With that, Drew picked up his pace again, leaving Wilt jogging behind. Wilt watched him for a moment before grinning and sprinting to catch up. He might not be able to spook Drew today, but he was nothing if not persistent.

As they continued their jog, the campus slowly began to come alive. Birds started chirping, students began trickling out of the dorms, and the cafeteria started its early morning hustle and bustle.

By the time Wilt and Drew finished their jog, Wilt was feeling hungry.

"Alright, I'm off to grab breakfast," Wilt announced, slowing down to a stop. He bent over, hands on his knees as he caught his breath.

Drew, who had also stopped, pulled out his earbuds. "Already? We barely ran five miles."

Wilt straightened up and laughed. "Some of us have a healthy appetite, Drew."

Drew hummed. "Then I'll join you."

He grinned at Drew's response. "Great. More the merrier."

As they made their way to the university cafeteria, Wilt looked around. The morning rush had started, students lining up at the various food counters. The aroma of fresh coffee, pancakes, and bacon filled the air.

They stood at the entrance, taking in the myriad of food options. The cafeteria was essentially a food court, different restaurants having their own counters. There were options for every palate - an all-day breakfast place, a sandwich bar, a pizza joint, and even a sushi place.

"So, what are you in the mood for?" Wilt asked Drew, looking at him.

Drew rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I could go for some eggs and bacon."

Wilt sighed. "You lack a sense of adventure. If you want eggs and bacon, just make them back in the dorm. Let's try something new. Like sushi."

He stared at him. "That's not exactly new for me. My high school offered sushi for lunch."

He scoffed. "Right, you went to a well off school. Bet you're loaded, huh?"

"Not exactly. Middle class."

Wilt laughed, patting Drew on the shoulder. "Well, let's live a little, shall we? Sushi for breakfast. It's basically a different experience."

Drew rolled his eyes, but he was grinning. "You're ridiculous, Wilt."

"Maybe," Wilt admitted, leading the way to the sushi restaurant in the food court. "But at least I'm never boring."

As they reached the sushi counter, the scent of fresh seaweed and rice filled their senses. Despite his initial resistance, Wilt noticed Drew's eyes light up as they scanned over the selection of sushi available.

The sushi chef, a friendly looking older man, greeted them with a warm smile. "Good morning, boys. What can I get you today?"

Wilt ordered a rainbow roll, while Drew, after some hesitation, settled for a Sunrise roll.

The chef didn't take too long to finish their food.

As they took their trays and found a table, Wilt turned to Drew, a question on his mind. "So, tell me more about Red Bird High. I heard it's like a mini-university."

Drew chuckled, picking up his chopsticks. "Well, it certainly felt like one at times. We had a pool, a full-sized gym, and a lot of other facilities that you'd normally find in a university."

Wilt raised an eyebrow, impressed despite himself. "A pool? And a gym? Wow, your school was really well funded."

Drew shrugged, a hint of a smile on his face. "Yeah, I guess it was. But it's not like we were spoiled or anything. We worked hard for our grades."

Wilt nodded, understanding. He'd met plenty of kids from well-off schools before, and while some definitely coasted on their parents' wealth, others, like Drew, took their education seriously.

As they dug into their sushi, Wilt thought about his own high school experience. While his school wasn't as well-funded as Drew's, it had a solid sports program that he was particularly proud of.

"But then again," Wilt said, grinning at Drew. "We had a pretty great sports program at my high school, so I can't complain."

Drew smiled faintly. "They got lucky with you."

Wilt laughed. "You flatter me. But I couldn't have done it without Jake and the rest of my guys."

He stared at his cup of water. "You really are something, Wilt. That stunt you pulled after the finals especially. Why stand up for talentless losers?"

He stood up. "Don't call them talentless losers."

Drew turned away. "It's what they are. My own team had several too. They just coasted on my coat tails."

"Maybe your team members did, but not mine. We all supported one another. Anyway, I'm out!" He walked off, leaving behind an expressionless Drew.