Showdown Pt 2

He was panting, I wasn’t. That was good, right!

‘But then how come he’s blocking me so much. He’s reading me like a book!’

Sure I could turn it up a notch and use my superior jumping to easily dunk on him but I don’t want to reveal too much of my powers. Yet!

‘This world isn’t too kind to mutants or Superpowered people.’ I thought.

I run left and then use my body to shield myself from his hands trying to steal the ball. He’s so damn tired and he still plays defense like a madman.

*THWACK*

He swiped the ball away from me.

He caught me lacking for a second and took advantage of it!

‘Goddammit!!!!’

I try to get the ball back but he’s closer to it. This game would be so much easier if I could use my full speed!

‘I don’t understand how he can be so fast even when he’s so tired.’

“Good job Will!” his father exclaimed from the sidelines.

‘Wasn’t he yawning before? Guess he’s more invested in the game now.’

He tried to pull the same stunt as before with the quick shootaround three pointer.

I didn’t let him shoot it uncontested this time though! I raised my hand and ran up to him at full speed.

From the corner of my eyes I could see the surprise in the coach’s eyes at my sprint.

BRICK!

The ball hit the rim and bounced off. Iron unkind to Will.

“Yes!” I screamed but my joy was short-lived when he ran past me again and grabbed the rebound and slammed it inside the basket.

‘Dammit pay attention idiot!!! Don’t get swept away by the moment.’ It felt like ages since I played basketball, in fact it’s been a literal lifetime, I’m making the rookie mistakes all over again.

“That’s my boy!” The irritating coach yelled out.

‘Shut up you annoying pest.’ I thought

‘If I had even played a game of pickup to brush up my skills I would be crushing your son right about now!’

“The score’s 10 - 8 in my favor. Didn’t you say something about taking my place? Was that all just talk? Is your resolve that cheap?” He mocked with derision.

Uncle Ben coughing up blood and Aunt May tending to him, those were the thoughts that came to me when he belittled my determination.

I didn’t say anything back to him, instead just returned the ball when he ‘checked’ it.

“Nothing to say I guess, Talk that trash now!” he yelled out

I didn’t say anything, fully focused on his movement. Tracking him like a hunter did to a wild beast.

He suddenly transitioned the ball from dribbling to almost holding the ball to get into his shooting form.

‘If he makes one more basket then I will have to leave!’

I ran like I’ve never ran before. My jeans slowed me down and my shoes weren’t the best for mobility but I have to stop his shot. I can’t let him win, no matter what.

I almost reached him.

‘Shit I’m not gonna get there in time!’

I jumped with both my legs to cover the distance.

POV - William Sharpe Jr

He took the bait. He lunged at the Will like a goddamn lion but it was too late!

‘This game is mine, stranger.”

To an amateur it must have looked like I stopped and was about to shoot but that was the trap.

This kid might have the speed, the strength and even Basketball IQ but he lacks the most crucial thing when it comes to the game; Experience.

‘I’ve played and won against stronger players. I’ve played and won against faster players. This is the first time I’ll win against a player both stronger and faster than me. Take pride in that stranger”

The thing that William Sharpe Jr so unstoppable was his insane work ethic. When everyone was partying around and wasting their time, he was in the gym working on his free throws and three.

When everyone in the team did100 suicide drills, he did 1000. Even if he didn’t have the height or the strength of typical Nba players he would surpass them all with his incredible grit!

That’s how you become one of the top high school players in the country. That’s how you become a prodigy.

‘Unfortunately for you, even the most experienced players fall for my pump fake! In the end you lost because you chose the wrong opponent! Just bad luck on your end I guess.’

The strange Kid zoomed past him with incredible lightning speed but after years of playing the game at high level Will wasn’t phased by any of this.

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He calmly did a single dribble and sidestepped to his left.

He was completely open now and the one thing everyone knew about William Sharpe Jr was that he never missed open shots. That’s how he got the name ‘Sharpe Shooter!’

His father trained him ever since he could walk on two legs to shoot and shoot dangerously good.

‘It’s too late now, this game is mine.’ A cruel smile appeared on Will's face.

It is said that one of the greatest feelings in the world is to completely crush your opponents hopes. Some may even call that feeling blissful.

Will jumped up, his aim at the white square painted on the board. Everything was perfect: his jump, his arm position, his vision. This one was going in!

‘I just wished I could see the look on your face right now!’ He snickered at the thought,

However, just as the ball was about to leave his hands and into the hoop. He felt a heavy weight on the basketball. He was starting to fall back, gravity pulling his body down. Yet the damn ball refused to leave his shooting hand.

‘What…..Why? Why isn’t-’

The answer became very clear to him as he turned his head.

It was him. He jumped up and blocked the shot from behind.

‘Jesus Christ how can he jump so-’

His hand was heavier than a rock, he couldn’t even move the ball around.

‘What is with that grip..?’

Once again, he couldn’t finish the thought as his opponent surprised him by grabbing the ball from his hands in midair.

After stealing the ball from Will, the boy took the ball back to the outside of the three point line.

“Check.” He said with no emotion, no joy or excitement.

“You got quite the hops.” He gave out a genuine compliment to this stranger but the boy didn’t say anything back to him. Instead only being content with getting the ball back from the ‘check’

‘Something’s changed, I can feel it in the air.’

Perhaps it was the aforementioned experience of dedicating his entire life to this game, perhaps it was his prodigal instinct sharpened through various tough wins and losses, maybe it was just his opponent’s fiery gaze. Whatever it was, it told him that he was in deep trouble!

‘He’s taking this game seriously now!’

The stranger palmed the ball with one hand, He didn’t look like an amateur anymore!

‘Wait a minute, I know that form…’ But it was too late he shot the three pointer before Will could even move an inch.

‘What, why would he do that? Did he think he would get lucky-’

*Swish*

William Sharpe couldn’t stop his jaw from hitting the floor,

‘Did he just copy……my shooting…form?’

“Score’s tied. The next one to score wins this bet of ours.” the stranger said emotionlessly.

There was no trash talk, no pointless boasting.

Will recognized the look in the strange boy’s eyes. He was hungry for a victory!!!

POV - Peter

“Check” I wasn’t playing around anymore. All my senses were tuned to getting the next basket.

Making the Basketball team was all that mattered. Even if I have to reveal ‘my powers here’, beating this guy here is paramount. I need to-

*RIINNNNGGGGG*

The class bell rang.

‘Huh if that bell rang then that means it's 8:30 right now, I’m gonna be late to Mr White’s class again if I don’t finish this game fast enough.’

“Time to end this.” I said with finality.

‘No more Mr nice guy, no more holding back!’

I don’t care what happens to my body anymore, I’m gonna drive in and slam it inside the basket. He’s tired enough for it to work, it would be the safest way to win a point and the game. It would attract the wrong kind of attention but winning here matters more.

“That’s enough!” The coach said out loud, he was sweating bullets.

“Father-”

“No……No, Will don’t argue with me.” He reprimanded his son and then turned to me.

“You wanted to join the basketball team, fine. I’ll allow it.”

I internally sighed in relief, ‘That’s all that I wanted in the end.’

Not wasting any more time I gently placed the ball on the floor.

“Hey where’re you going, we have to finish this game. Don’t you care-” Will got agitated but I cut him off.

“No, I don’t! I got what I wanted. I’m sorry for talking shit to you! It wasn’t personal.”

“Hey language!” Oh that’s right the coach was still a teacher.

“I’m sorry, coach.” I put my head down and turned to walk.

“Practice starts at 6 in the morning. Don’t be late. Oh and next time don’t forget your basketball shoes and the sports application form!” He said with a stoic face, trying to reclaim his lost composure.

“Yes, sir!” I almost saluted unconsciously. Old habits die hard. Once in the army, always in the army!

He nodded and gave me permission to leave.

I walked out of the gym, ‘Damn that was intense!’

I couldn’t keep the smile out of his face, ‘That was really fun too, much preferable to beating up people at least!’

I pumped my fist at achieving the first part of my plan.

“Anyways step one of the plan was done, now for the hard part. Becoming the #1 ranked high school basketball player in the entire country!!!!”

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

POV - William Sharpe Jr

“You okay?” the coach asked.

“I’m good sir.”

Maybe the coach could see Will’s hands trembling, maybe it was the huge grin on his face, perhaps it was the fact that Coach Willie knew his son better than anyone!

Maybe that was why he asked the next question,

“You’re excited aren’t you!”

“If we have him. We’ll be unstoppable! He’s really good, maybe even better than me.”

The coach scoffed, ‘You’re a Five star recruit, he’s a nobody. He was just lucky that you were exhausted from practicing from three in the morning!”

“That’s true, If I was fresh he wouldn’t stand a chance!”

“See I told-”

“But he was wearing jeans and terrible shoes. He didn’t even warm up. If we were making excuses it can go both ways.”

‘Also in some possessions I felt like he was physically holding back.’

The coach’s humph was loud.

“Coach, why did you stop the game, I would have won that one.”

“Because of all the reasons I listed before idiot, you’re dead tired.”

He smiled, his father rarely showed love or said a word of encouragement but he was always there for him!

Even if he wouldn’t be caught dead saying it.

“Besides, even if you won, you would have recruited him into the team anyways and even if you lost I’m not gonna replace my team’s Captain and Superstar with some random nobody.”

“I’m not as principled as you are!” Coach remarked!

‘You also forgot to mention that I was your son, Dad.” He smirked.

“Stop smiling and go shower fast! You’ll be late for class.” He said with the harshness only a coach could have.

“Yes, Coach!”

While jogging to the shower room, his mind raced to the possibilities of having a player of that guy's caliber.

‘Green Horns, you guys are in for a surprise if you think our game will go like last time!’

“Huh…..” his smile went away. Will scrunched his face and said out loud,

“Wait a minute, what was that guy’s name again?”