It’s been 19 hours since the end of the Trio Tryouts yesterday. Within this timespan, the academy’s dodgeball committee now decides the roster spots based on the performance of the teams and its players taking into account. Meanwhile, Teddy Walker has missed all of school today due to his injuries last night. He slowly wakes up with his returned vision and his jammed finger now on a finger splint brace. His sudden awakening catches the attention of the nurse monitoring the process.

“Oh good, you’re finally awake!”, the nurse then asks, “How many fingers am I holding up?” She holds 2 in one hand and 4 in the other.

“24.”

She is unamused. “Very funny, Mr. Walker. How many fingers am I holding up?” She’s probably not in the mood for such antics.

“6.”

“Good lad. There are many people expecting you. You miss all of class today. I’ll call them up one at a time, okay? We don’t want you overwhelmed.”

Some of the people who come up are concerned teachers wondering how a student could sustain an injury like this. Marcus and Veronica saying their hello and Marcus providing a copy of his homework for Teddy. Then there was the last group of people.

“Come on in, Mr. Juggernaut.” The door has the massive man who could barely fit into the door frame entered with two other individuals that were very familiar despite Teddy’s messed-up sight the other night. Taigen Takahashi and Amelia Bailey. Possibly the winners of last night, but no way Teddy would have any way of knowing. He was conked out.

“It’s nice to see you better, son.” Mr. Juggernaut has a slight smirk on his face. It never gets easier seeing athletes hurt even from minor instances. Teddy’s quick recovery is a great surprise to them all. “I came here to let you in on some news before the rest of the school is aware. Could you let us be for a while Nurse Zakharova?”

“That would be no problem, Mr. Juggernaut.” The nurse leaves Teddy’s patent room. Taigen then passes a paper to Juggernaut who then passes it to Teddy. Written on it is a list of kids, all who are registered student-athletes. Teddy sees his name. Before anything comes out of his mouth, Juggernaut speaks.

“Congrats, son. You made the team.”

The news for Teddy was of no shock for him, he highly expected himself to make the roster. What surprised him was how he got the news earlier than he would think. The academy truly knows what it wants out of his team. Looking closer at the roster list, it seems Marcus and Veronica were placed on the practice squad, meaning they were with the roster but we have to prove themself to be called up during games. All it really was is to improve their potent skills to the expected level of the academy, nothing new there.

“I want you to come to my office after school tomorrow. Get better soon, son.” With that, Mr. Juggernaut left the room, leaving Taigen and Amelia there with the newly recovered man.

“Okay you two, I have just one question?”

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“What is it?” Amelia wondered.

“Where is Raymond on the roster? Isn’t he the top guy on the team?” It would be weird to not have him on the squad, he was playing fine in the tryouts.

There was silence. Until…..

“.........He chickened out and left the academy,” Taigen said. “The Trio Tryouts are required for all student-athletes in the school wanting to participate in dodgeball, it is the academy’s way of testing out new talent while gauging where people from last year stand with their skills.“

“And so lemme guess despite his big predator talk, his skills were poorly underdeveloped leaving him to get swallowed by bigger (and better) players?”

“.....correct, although we don't know where he is now, we are assuming he packed up quickly. School administration found his co-dorm room with nothing relating to him, not of his existence left……”

Is it really that easy to leave the school? He must have some influence among the school staff, teacher, principals, board of directors, who knows. It did not matter to Teddy, he one-upped him, that's all that mattered.

“Well anyway, we look forward to playing together with you, Teddy! I gotta head back to my dorm! Get better soon, ya hear?” Amelia quickly states back after Taigen’s remarks. She quickly headed out the door.

There is now significantly more silence in the room now that Amelia left. Taigen is obviously the less sociable type, but it would be nice for him to speak a bit more Teddy thought to himself. As if he was reading his mind, Taigen reaches his hand out for a handshake.

“I’ve taken quite an interest in you, Teddy Walker. I think you and I can do some great things together.”

“Uh….thanks.” Teddy reaches out and they shake their hands together.

“Now then, I sent you an email on the school app. There is a list of things you’ll need. I’ll be on my way then, see you tomorrow.” Taigen leaves.

Two and a half hours pass and it is now 5:45 PM. Just then a nurse comes over. It’s Ms. Zakharova, the nurse from before.

“You’re all good to go! I’ll have you come in the office from time to time for a medical report.”

“Okay, have a great rest of the day ma’am.”

And so, Teddy leaves the Nurse’s office to head back to his dorm. As he leaves the academy’s medical facility, he takes a view of downtown from a window. The lights illuminated from the city feel so surreal, as the electric eyes of the building fill the town across every corner. Something about it feels so majestic. At this moment, Teddy Walker felt at ease. The school was his second home and he was going to enjoy every moment of it.

Heading back into his dorm, he comes across Marcus and Veronica at the door, seemingly awaiting his arrival.

“Hey there, Ted-Man.”

“Glad to see you’re better!”

Without waiting a second, he immediately grabs them into his room. With awaited breath, he screams.

“WE MADE IT!!!!!!”

Unaware of what Teddy is talking about due to not receiving the roster news yet, the duo starts questioning what he is talking about.

“What?” Both ask and ponder on what their eccentric friend is trying to say.

“Heh. Let’s just start working on getting in shape for the season!

“Do you have memory loss or something? We don’t know what you are referring to.” Marcus explains.

“We’re on the team.” Silence falls, followed by excitement from Marcus and Veronica who both hug and cry tears of joy over the news.

“Ah, I think I should emphasize. You guys are on the practice squad. I’m on the main roster.”

Like a glass shattering into pieces, so did their excitement.

Truly, this was going to be an interesting season for the three.