The next day, Marcus woke up early to take a shower before he went to school. He thought he had gotten used to the fact that his body was changing, but he still felt uncomfortable every morning when he looked at himself in the mirror. When he turned around, he could see the determination in his eyes. Whenever this happened, Marcus hated to look in the mirror because he always saw an intimidating stranger staring back at him.

But today, Marcus had something else on his mind. He quickly got dressed, grabbed his backpack, and headed out the door. As he walked towards the school, he felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. Today was the day that the list of who made the basketball team would be posted on the bulletin board.

Marcus' parents were already awake and in the kitchen when he entered. His mother was preparing breakfast while his father was reading the newspaper.

"Good morning, Marcus," his mother greeted him with a warm smile. "Are you excited for school today?"

Marcus nodded, still feeling the butterflies in his stomach. "Yeah, I am. Today is the day that they're going to post the basketball team list on the bulletin board."

His father put down the newspaper and looked at him. "Well, we hope you made it, son. But even if you didn't, we're proud of you for trying your best."

Marcus smiled, feeling grateful for his parents' support. "Thanks, Dad. I'm feeling pretty good about it, though."

After a few minutes of chitchat, Marcus finished his breakfast and grabbed his backpack. "I'm going to head out now. See you guys later!"

"Good luck, Marcus!" his mother called out as he walked out the door.

When he arrived at school, Marcus went straight to the bulletin board. A small crowd had already gathered around it, eagerly scanning the list. Marcus could feel his heart pounding as he made his way through the crowd.

Finally, he saw his name on the list. Marcus let out a sigh of relief and a huge smile spread across his face. He had made the basketball team!

There was more information on another round of tryouts for those who didn't make the initial cut and the first official practice was set for the following day after the week long tryouts.

As Marcus turned to leave, he found himself face to face with Ryan, one of the guys who he saw made the team.

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Hey, man," Marcus said, trying to sound friendly.

"Hey," Ryan replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

There was an awkward silence between them for a few moments. Marcus shifted his weight from one foot to the other, not knowing what to say. Ryan seemed to be edging away from him, as if he wanted to put as much distance between them as possible.

Marcus couldn't help but think that Ryan was funny. He seemed so timid and nervous, always edging away whenever Marcus got too close. Despite Ryan's awkward behavior, Marcus decided to give him a chance and be friendly towards him. After all, they were now teammates and would be spending a lot of time together.

As Marcus walked away from the bulletin board, he made eye contact with Ryan again. This time, Ryan didn't look away or edge away. Instead, Marcus gave a small smile and a nod.

Marcus walked down the hallway of his school, feeling relieved and excited after seeing his name on the basketball team list. As he passed by classrooms, he peeked inside to see his classmates already seated and ready for the day's lessons. Marcus felt a sense of nostalgia and familiarity as he walked to his first class of the day, English.

He took his seat next to his friend, Jason, who gave him a nod of acknowledgement before turning his attention to the front of the classroom. Their English teacher, Ms. Thompson, was already standing at the whiteboard, writing out their first assignment of the day.

Marcus listened intently as Ms. Thompson went over the assignment, jotting down notes in his notebook. He glanced around the classroom and saw his classmates, some taking notes while others chatted with their friends. He saw a group of girls in the corner giggling and whispering, and it made him smile. Marcus was glad to see that some things never changed. Marcus spent the rest of the day attending his classes and interacting with his classmates.

Finally, the school day came to an end. Marcus packed up his bag and walked out of the classroom, feeling content with the day. As Marcus walked out of the school building, he saw his parents waiting for him in their car. He waved at them and jogged over. They asked him how his day was, and Marcus grinned and told them all about it. He talked about his friends, the classes he enjoyed, and the basketball drills he had planned to do.

When they got home, Marcus went straight to his room and changed into his basketball clothes. He headed out to the backyard and started doing some of the drills he had remembered. He worked up a sweat, but he was determined to keep going until he completed each one.

As the sun began to set, Marcus headed back inside. He took a shower and changed into his pajamas before sitting down to do some reading. He had picked up a new book at the library earlier that day and was eager to start it.

As he lay in bed, Marcus thought about the day he had just had. He felt content and happy, grateful for the new opportunities that had come his way. He drifted off to sleep, feeling excited about the future and all the possibilities that lay ahead.

Marcus spent the entire week training for the upcoming basketball season. He practiced dribbling, shooting, and passing in his backyard every day after school. He also ran laps around the block to build up his endurance. In the evenings, he studied game tapes and read books on basketball strategy.

A week later, Marcus arrived at the gymnasium for the first practice of the season. He felt a mix of excitement and nerves as he made his way to the locker room. When he got there, he saw that some of the other players were already changing into their uniforms. Marcus quickly changed into his own uniform and joined them on the court.