[Old Version] Playing for the Other Team [Old Version]

Chapter 1.

"Good practice, boys!" The basketball coach called out, and waved his hands towards himself, making sixteen tall teenage boys jog back to form a half circle around him. "Banner, you need to work on your footwork." The coach said and patted a blond guy on the shoulder. The teen nodded and replied with a 'yes, coach'. With a satisfied nod, the coach gave his team a smile. "Great job today, hit the showers, guys." He said, and the boys jogged off to the locker rooms. "Bone." The coach called.

One of the boys - the team's captain - slowed down, glancing over his shoulder to hear the coach out. "Good hustle out there. Keep that up." The team captain rose a hand in a small wave before following his team into the locker rooms.

The locker room showers were cramped and loud as usual. Too many bodies in a way too small space, but the teenage boys didn't seem to notice - or maybe they just didn't want to acknowledge that it was extremely awkward - and acted as if it was nothing.

Nathan used to be just as neglecting and careless as the rest of his team, just another body crowding the showers. But lately, he just couldn't pretend like there wasn't a huge amount of awkward hovering over them. Things certainly didn't get better when he realized that he was gay. It was a slow, awkward time in his life, and eventually, he had to simply accept that he liked boys instead of girls.

Telling his teammates weren't exactly a priority. In fact, they didn't need to know. They didn't know, and Nathan wasn't very keen on telling them, or anybody for that matter. He was doing just fine - in the closet, and not in the showers.

However, it wasn't impossible to deal with the uncomfortable shower situation. He'd stay out of the showers until most of his friends were done, and go in after, avoiding most of the awkward. His closest friends - oblivious to his 'big secret' - had more than once told him to hurry, or get his things together. Nathan would hurry up and mentally curse his impatient friends.

Now, he was standing with a towel around his hips with his back turned against the others in the locker room, digging through his bag for a pair of clean boxers. He tugged them on before getting his jeans on and searching for his shirt.

"Hey, Nate. Bro." His friend - Josh Davis - said, slinging a wet arm around Nathan's shoulders. He wasn't wearing anything but a towel. "You're already getting dressed? Did you even shower?" Josh asked, laughing into Nathan's ear.

Nathan frowned, chuckling stiffly and pulling a hand through his damp, chestnut colored hair. "Yeah, man." He said. "I did, but... I guess you were too busy with the whole competition thing to notice." He grinned.

Another boy - known as Oliver Smith - appeared behind Josh. "That you, by the way, lost. Mine's way bigger." Oliver laughed, ruffling Josh's hair. Nathan sighed when Josh threw a punch after the blond, missed, and then chased after him when he left. Nathan took the opportunity to put his shirt on and leave the locker room.

He made his way to his school locker and put his bag away and got his books. He sighed when he closed the locker door.

"Ni, Nate." Two girls who were passing by him said. They were so synchronized that it was almost scary and waved at him when he turned to look at him. They giggled and whispered excitedly when he offered a smile and a wave back. He was the popular guy in school. The hottest piece there was.

The rest of the day went by slowly. Nathan met up with Josh and Oliver after a few classes. They waved happily at him when they came walking, and Josh tackled Nathan in the side, making them both almost tumble to the floor.

"Hey, Nate! You know that one girl? The hot one? Wendy?" He asked. "She's been asking for you," Josh said and shoved Nathan in the side. "Yeah?" He winked.

Nathan nodded. "Yeah, okay." He said, pushing his immature friend away. He was a little frustrated with how energetic and jumpy his friends were that day. They didn't even notice the boy that came walking in the opposite direction.

Moments later, Nathan, Josh, and the other boy were all on the floor. Nathan groaned, rubbing his shoulder - that Josh had landed on - and sat up. "Hey! Watch it, you idiot!" Josh hissed, jumping up on his feet and shoving the boy that had shakily made it back up on his legs. He quickly shied away from Josh, scrambling to pick his bag up.

"Sorry." he blurted out before turning on his heels and hurrying down the hall and running up the stairs. Nathan looked after him, watching him take two steps at the time up the stairs.

"What a little nerd..." Josh muttered, sticking a hand out for Nathan to grab. "You okay, man?" he asked. Nathan grabbed Josh's hand and got up from the floor.

"Yeah." He nodded, brushing some dust off his jeans. "I'm fine," he mumbled and looked over at the stairs again.

"Man, the next time I see that kid, I'm gonna beat the shit out of him." Josh clenched his hands into fists.

Nathan shook his head, looking at his angry friend. "Come on, Josh. It was an accident." He said.

"Yeah, it was your clumsy ass who walked into him in the first place." Oliver grinned.

Once again Josh chased after Oliver, threatening to strangle him. Nathan seriously thought about stopping them, but that mean a whole lot of effort to catch up with them, and he wasn't in the mood for that. He took his time, walking to his next class without hurry.

Nathan Bone rarely went unnoticed. Anywhere he went people waved, or called his name. Many times he stopped to return a fist bump, flashed a quick smile, or briefly replied to a question. There was probably not a single soul in the school that didn't know who Nathan Bone was. For all, he knew he was the soul of the school since everything and everyone seemed to be circling around him. Not something he asked for.

He wasn't even entirely sure why. Was it because he was so good looking? Maybe because he was the basketball team's captain? Or maybe because his dad was rich, and owned half the town?

For a seventeen - almost eighteen - year old guy Nathan had a thing or two to brag about. Not that he did, anyway.

After school, Nathan yanked his sports bag out of his locker. As usual, Oliver and Josh were with him, never going too far away. "Hey, Nate." Josh leaned against the lockers. "We're heading downtown. You coming?" Oliver asked.

"Nah, I've got some homework to take care of," Nathan said, waving his books around.

Josh scoffed. "Study?" he snorted. "What the hell does that even mean? Just skip it, no one cares," he said, taking Nathan's books and putting them back into the locker. Nathan sighed, grabbing the books again.

"Josh, seriously." He sighed. "I have to study. Good grades don't come on their own." He closed his locked and turned the lock.

"Whatever. That's lame." Josh groaned. "I'm so out of here." He said and walked towards the stairs.

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Yeah, don't listen to him, Nate." He said. "You know he isn't the brightest star in the sky." He said with a sheepish smile, Nathan couldn't do anything but agree, and gave a light chuckle.

"Yeah, I'll see you around then." He said, waving at his friend before heading the library.