Wolf Heart

Chapter 31

Rayan stepped back into their territory, blocking the opposing Vanguard from making the approach. They know Rayan's our main scorer, they're going to do everything to stop him.

James adjusted his netbat while the carrier rushed forward. Cleats planted, he pushed into them and slipped his netbat across the ball. It detached from their net to roll against his own, but they pushed deeper to battle for control, and James scowled when they created a fumble, and it used its single bounce, which they scooped into their netbat.

All they need to do is pass it to Rayan...

James checked in with Jon and the wing batliner as they stopped the new carrier. The opposing frontliner stopped with a glance at Rayan, then raced back to him.

They fell for it.

Another fumble, with their backline picking up the ball, James readied himself when the wing backliner passed it to him. Free of an opponent, he caught it, and readied the long pass. As he spun it with the net, he released it as a shadow rushed straight for him. He grunted when a hard object cracked into the back of his helmet and sent him to his knees with ringing in his ears while the crowds cringed in response.

"James!" Jon called in a faded distance. "Baral, check on him!"

James pushed his fellow backliner out of his way as he shambled to the edge of his area of play. He planted himself while everyone trained their attention on Rayan, who caught his long pass and rushed for the other end. Edges blurred, with his helmet pressing deeper against the sides of his head. He shifted the settings of his netbat, and waited while the world pulsed.

"James," Baral said somewhere from all around him. "What are you doing?"

"Winning us this stupid game." He knocked the end of his netbat into Baral's side before returning to his stance while the time ticked down closer to the end, and a draw was unacceptable.

Rayan slid into the backliner's territory, while the ball spun with purple blues. He twisted back to face the scattered frontliners.

His temples throbbed to the back of his neck. Come on... just need to hit it. I'll let everyone else worry about it...

Rayan spun it through the net, and pitched the ball straight for their end. James took a small step back, though the world spun with the ball. Fingers wrapped around the bat, he aimed, focused on the goal, and took the shot. He swung with the approaching ball, where it vibrated his arm from the pressure, but it launched off his bat as he held it to his side while it whizzed across the pitch, and through the second half of the goal as the score changed, and the bell dinged.

He took his helmet off and threw it and the ground to release his head from the pressure while people cheered in faded white noise. Rayan ran straight for him, tossing the netbat to the side. Everyone else disappeared as he focused on the molten golds. He took one step, another as Rayan reached him, arms forward.

He slipped into the darkness.

So much for that stupid helmet...

James tore open his eyes while the team rushed to his side, along with Coach Jora. "James?" Rayan said while the team remained uncertain whether to celebrate or coo over him in concern. James held on tight to Rayan's arms as he tried to shake out the incessant buzzing out of his head.

"I made the shot."

"Yes, you did—"

James closed his eyes and slumped into warmth. Voices rolled around his mind as the heat persisted. From loud, brain-melting cheers to soft beeps. He breathed deeply in the cool air, but opened his eyes again. Jon, Rayan, and the entire team loomed over his bedside, along with Ava, who kept close to his side with a worried expression.

He sat up with a wince when it spread through his shoulders.

"Don't get up," Ava said with insistence. "Lie back down."

"Did we win?" he bleated to avoid her rage.

Jon bounced in place. "We won! I'm afraid the team celebration will have to... uh... wait for a little while. We'll celebrate at the camp-out!"

Ava rolled her eyes and brought a hand to her face.

James found his other hand clinging to Rayan's forearm. "I've... had worse Starcross injuries." He squeezed Ava's hand. He rubbed the back of his head, and tugged his fingers back at the prickling soreness. "Ow..."

"I don't know whether I want to strangle or kiss you two," Jon said with a glare at Rayan. "You know, the whole point of a team game is communication."

Rayan shrugged with a mischievous smile.

Ava blinked, then turned to the Starcross team while James grabbed the ice pack to press it to the back of his head. "Can I have some time alone with my brother?"

"Oh!" Jon leaped. "Sure! Let's go. I've got some post-game plans to talk about for the summer!"

"He never gives up." James let go of Rayan, who smiled at him and caught him at his worst moment. "Go celebrate, Ray, we won because of you."

"No, we didn't." Rayan patted him on the shoulder before leaving him alone with the one person he constantly burdened with his stupidity. James bit down on the dam when the pain centralised over his eyes. James brought the icepack over his eyes to hide the tears slipping down his cheeks.

"I'm so sorry," Ava whispered.

"You're sorry?" he rasped while the sob grew in his throat. "I should be the one apologising."

Ava's arms wrapped around him. "James, are you... crying?"

He shuddered and tore the ice pack off his brow. "No, this just hurts like a mother—" He hid behind it again, where Rayan's warmth remained around his shoulders, but he lost his grip on the chance he had. He peeked at Ava, who frowned at him before lifting her arm closer to his neck. "Everything sucks."

"You're so dramatic," Ava said with a soft smile and rubbed his back. "The nurse said you might have a possible concussion. We'll get you to Dr. Matthey. You need to lie down."

James switched his grip onto her. "Ava, look, I-I didn't tell you because—"

"James, can't this wait until you're not in pain? We can talk about it when we're home," she murmured. "Besides I... It's not my place to berate you for it. If it's what you want to do."

I don't know what I want anymore!

He held her tighter. "Ava, I would've loved to join your exploration team, but... it's your dream. It's yours. I don't... I don't want to wheel in on that," he rasped through a painful laugh. "Like... how I don't want to butt into your relationship with Rayan." He winced, and rested against her and tried not to cry at his own stupidity. "I don't know what I'm doing half the time, but I wanted..." He swallowed in tears. "I want you to be happy above all else, because I know you won't care about yourself. Celestials, I didn't... I didn't want you to hate me because I've been a stupid, stubborn hypocrite."

Because I love...

Ava embraced him. "James, you need to rest. You won our school the game," she said with a forced smile. "I mean, I'd rather you didn't get hurt but... I mean, if that's fun, I guess." Her eyes rolled slightly with another smile. "And, how could I ever hate you? You're my brother. We came into this world together." It softened. "If this is what you want to do, I'm happy for you."

James held on. "Okay... and I also need to talk about Jon as to the reason why the other team always seems to want to beat the shit out of me." He widened his eyes at her, causing her to purse her lips. "It's because I'm pretty, isn't it, Ava?"

Ava scoffed. "Good to see you're back. Lie down, stupid. I need to call Dad and tell him we need picked up and you need to sleep. We'll all be here when you wake up, so don't give Jon a reason to pull you into celebration when you can't stand up straight."

James lied back down, and closed his eyes into a soft autumn world of painted pictures and frozen moments.