Living with Hope ✓ [ boyxboy ] [ Completed ]

05 | CAPTAIN CULTURE

05 | CAPTAIN CULTURE

There's no "I" in TEAM. Well, there's no "us" either. 

Ivan's POV

"Hey Petrov," Donovan says in the middle of  basketball practice. "There's a movie about you that's coming out. It's called The One and Only Ivan."

Michael Williams and Ezra Langer snicker. I roll my eyes. The One and Only Ivan is a movie about a gorilla called Ivan who plans to escape from activity with his best friend Ruby, who's an elephant. Needless to say, I haven't watched the movie. I read the movie's synopsis and decided not to go anywhere near the movie theatres as long as this film was running. 

"Why don't you all go watch it," I deadpan. "You guys might learn something for once."

Langer looks like he's going to reply, but Coach Lincoln cuts us off. "Boys!" he calls. "You can't spend all day gossiping like those Highschool movies."

"We're not gossiping." Williams pouts.

Coach asks us to assemble and we all circle up around Coach Lincoln. Tyler Ziegler squeezes in next to me and quietly asks if everything's okay. I nod as slightly as I can and turn my attention back to Coach.

"This Friday, we're playing Jensen High. Don't take them lightly, they've been putting some good results on the board."

"We thrashed them last season," Langer counters. He's right, the last time we played them, our half-time score was greater than Jensen's final one.

"They've got some new players on the team," Coach continues. "And their coach has changed too. They've been unbeatable this season."

"And so have we," Donovan says, his voice edged with pride. Of the five games we've played, we won all of them.

"Yes," Coach Lincoln agrees. "And if you'd like to keep it that way, there are some things you need to focus on." He turns to me. "First, Petrov. It's not enough if you pass your exams, you have to pass to your teammates on the court."

Donovan laughs. I glare at him.

"I do, sir," I say.

"Like ten percent of the time you get possession?" Coach Lincoln turns to Coach Merton, our assistant coach. "What were the numbers again?"

Coach Merton recites a few stats off his book and it's clear I'm not passing enough.

"You guys need to play as the Wildcats. Not Ivan on one side and the rest of you on another," Coach Merton says.

"Every time I pass the ball, we miss a shot," I defend myself.

"Not true," Donovan retorts. "In the Bulldogs game -"

"The Bulldogs game was the only time where I didn't completely regret making a pass. Even then, Williams got a two-pointer when he could've gotten us a three."

"So you're blaming me now?" Williams bursts. "You're the one who made a faulty pass!"

"That was a bloody good pass." My hands ball into fists. "You received it-"

"Language, Ivan," Coach Merton cuts into my sentence. Honestly, who looks at bloody as a bad word?. "And I'd like to talk to you. Alone."

He gets a nod of approval from Coach Lincoln. Groaning, I walk along with my assistant coach to the other side of the gym.

"What's going on?" Coach Merton looks at me with concerned eyes. His lips are pressed to form a firm line.

"Nothing, Coach."