The Fallen |BxB| ✓

08 | The Imprints

↞[Ken]↠

Dribbling the ball past Reika and Michael, I scored another shot. Basketball going through the hoop and rebounding against the floor. George was frozen in front, he blinked a few times then shrugged his shoulders.

"Yaah! That's hot," Michael shouted, making me cringe involuntarily.

"Boo, Michael. Say that line again, and I'll stick a printout of the dislike button on your forehead," Reika said to which Michael pouted.

I was dripping with sweat, and the front of my jersey kept sticking to my abdomen. Staying in school after the last bell sucked. After thirty minutes of try-outs, being scrutinized by Brandon, and previous class being physics, all I wanted was to head home and bury my face in pillows.

"Yo, coach, Jacky Chan's killing it. Can we go home now?" George shouted. I ignored the racist comment, knowing if I reacted to it, I'd be seen as over-sensitive.

The PE teacher slapped my back and praised me. It wasn't so bad here. Expect Brandon shooting daggers at me from the bleachers, everyone had been nice. It came off as a surprise. Back in Rosewood, the coach had contempt for minorities. So being Japanese-American really sealed the deal for me. The only reason they kept me around was that I played better than most on the team. And who knows if that reason would've sufficed if I were out of the closet in my previous school.

The practices were called off, and everyone began exiting the gymnasium. Michael high-fived me before turning to Reika to wrap his arm around her. The PDA served as a reminder to the date I went on with Luke. My first date with a guy. First time where I wasn't pretending to be straight. And I opened up too much. But if I made myself vulnerable, so did he.

As I picked up a towel, I saw Brandon walking in my direction with a sickly smile. Hurriedly, searching for an escape, a relieved sigh raked my nerves when I saw coach on the front bench, talking on his phone. He's not going to try something in front of the teacher. Hopefully. A bandage covered his wrist—the one that I broke.

I gulped when he swung his arm over my shoulder, and said, "Heeyy, welcome to the team, bro." He squeezed it hard, and I began struggling to get out of his grip.

"Hey! No roughhousing, boys!" the teacher shouted, to my relief.

Brandon's hand slipped off, and before leaving, he said, "See you in the practices, twink."

I flinched at the slur, grating in my ears, as I saw his back exiting through the gym's double doors. The downside to being seen with Luke Raynott—everyone saw you. The worse part was that I didn't even know my place beside him. It's been a day, what the fuck am I expecting?

Making my way up the stairs to fetch my school-bag, a nagging ensued in my head. Did I forget anything?

"Ken!" Emily called out. She was sitting on the last bench on the very backside. Another guy was sitting on the seat above her. She stayed back for her band practices. As I made my way to her, I noticed the big smile plastered on her face and a twinkle in her blue eyes as she talked to the guy.