Chapter 24

This was one of the most relaxing things I knew of. Sweating, running around the court, roughly bumping into people, jumping to heights that are pretty much impossible unless you have the right amount of adrenaline pumping through your veins. Shouting, panting, shooting the ball, the seconds you have to wait before the ball goes through the hoop. Your breath ragged, your heart pumping hard, the sweat cascading down your face and then the cheers, the smiles, the laughs after the ball goes through the hoop.

I sip my water still panting from all the running I’ve done and smile at Austin as he walks towards me the baggy white tank top and shorts making him look adorably short.

“Damn daddy, that was some good game” Austin says wiping the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand.

“Oh yeah?” I smile and he nods “I like making my baby happy” I wink at him.

“Ugh I’ve already had enough you two” Drew joins us with a huff “Cut the crap” he adds with a chuckle, panting next to me me like a thirsty dog, his back against the wall, and head thrown back.

“Had enough of what?” Austin gets defensive.

“He’s just jealous I’m getting appreciated” I tease Drew then look over at Aus.

“Come on baby, come dance for daddy” I chuckle as Austin walks closer to me and bends stretching his long, masculine arms to his knees and twerks. “Hell yeah, twerk for daddy!” This has Drew shaking his head in mock disappointment.

“Yeah, and be careful not to drop your balls while at it” Drew chuckles standing upright from his previous position and Austin looks back at him and flips him off.

“You’re just pissed you lost the game already before the first half… Sore loser” I wag my eyebrows at Drew then spank Austin’s ass forcing him to stand straight.

“Ow! Seriously?”

“I thought your gay ass would like that” Drew smirks at Austin then gestures for me to throw him the water bottle in my hand.

“Oh, come on, I say once that I’m exploring my sexuality and you’re already labelling me?” Austin smiles his pretty wide grin, where even his blue eyes join the party while shaking his head.

I throw the water bottle at Drew studying them both.

“Don’t get offended bud-” Drew winces as he leans closer to Austin raising his hands in defense before slapping Austin in the back and they both burst into laughter for some unknown reason.

I smile studying them closely. Austin’s loud laugh with his mouth half open, his long canines showing, his eyes half closed and Drew’s hand over his mouth with his low laugh that sounds like an old man dying of hiccups. I scoff to myself.

How would I survive without these dumbasses?

The whistle is blown and we run back inside the court with a word. Basketball might be one of the only reasons I’m still in school. It makes me feel alive.

**

“Okay, so as I was saying…” Austin clears his throat pointing the piece of paper he had scribbled on “Popularity, and good sponsorship to get better machines and more people are two of the things that could boost Cainaniar.”

“So, we advertise the gym? ” Drew mutters.

I close the refrigerator door then look outside at the sky. The sun was just about to set and the view from Drew’s condo was magnificent. All the colors painting the sky making it look magical. It was as if the sun fairy took a painting brush and decided to play around with its colors and test out her creativity.

“Hey, Nine!” I turn to find Aus snapping his fingers at me “Get your head in the game.”

“Hmm?” I raise my eyebrows.

“Great. You’re not even listening” Austin sighs, rubbing circles on his forehead before slipping his glasses off.

“You need to take this seriously, Cain” Drew narrows his eyes at me and I grunt and lean against the wall.

“Guys are you sure this isn’t just a waste of time? ” I ask “I mean do you know what this man makes in even a week? And you think my stupid gym can make as much as he makes in a month?” I scoff. It was pointless and Nik knew that when he made the bet. It’d just be stupider to play this stupid game with him.

“Damn it” Austin slaps the counter top a frown taking over his face “Are you seriously already giving up on us?”

“I’m not… I just don’t see the need to play a game I know I’ll lose” I shrug my eyes scanning the sky one last time before Drew takes all my attention.

“So what? You’ll go back to him? Work for him? Get your hands dirty again?”

“Cain-” Austin mutters sounding defeated and I look over at him “You were fucked up when we found you, remember?”

“To be fair, Hayley had fucked me up too-” I mumble.

“Ugh fuck that whore” Drew frowns. “You had just run away from your old man, started building a life, and he still had the guts to buy off the gym from its previous owner just to torture you. It’s when you took that dumb modelling gig, remember?” Drew points me forcing me to reminisce about the good old day. “To buy the gym from him, and even when you did he’s still threatening you” he spits anger clear in his voice.

I nod, recalling how desperate I was to have control over my life. I was desperate enough to take a modelling gig for fuck’s sake.

“You would lack sleep from all the nightmares and literally just sit in the dark. You had so many scars, both physically and mentally that you still can’t talk currently. But we can all agree that that man isn’t safe for you” Austin speaks and I can hear all emotions in his voice, the anger, the uncertainty, the worry.

I absent mindedly trace the top of the yoghurt bottle in my hand staring unblinkingly at the wall ahead of me.

“You can give up and act like a little brat, but we remember how fucked up you were and we won’t allow you to go back there” Drew speaks and I turn and look at him, meeting his harsh glare with mine. I look over at Austin who has his big, nerdy glasses back on and is leaning against the counter top watching me.

The fact that I’m willing to give up this quick and they’re holding it all together for me says a lot, doesn’t it?

“What were you saying about sponsorships?” I smile and Austin slaps the counter top.

I mean if they put it that way, then I guess it was worth a try to fight. At least I had people by my side this time and if not giving up would make them not give up on me then I’d try.

“That’s more like it. Get your ass over here and let me expand your mind” Austin speaks with his exaggerated hand gestures “This is a project I’ll take more seriously than my own life.”

“You better” I point at him and hop on the counter sitting on it with my legs crossed.

“That’s the fucking spirit” Drew cranes his neck from behind Austin to look at me.

“Okay so as I was saying, we hold an event and this one’s parents…” Austin juts a thumb in Drew’s direction “Know rich people.”

“I myself know people, I have connections” Drew defends.

“That’s just it, you know people. We want rich people, not just people” Austin points him and Drew rolls his eyes.

**
I wasn’t being strong for me at the moment. The only reason I could laugh or smile was because of my friends. I couldn’t let them give up on me like I had on myself, so I gave them hope.

Walking down the hall acting like a normal student with minor problems like exams and parties, was what I was doing. Laughing at the silly jokes, punching them when necessary, winking at some random female who turned out to be one of our lecturers after I studied her well.

Oh well, who doesn’t like a MILF.

Then my eyes land on that kind of beauty that demands your attention once we get to the parking lot. That beauty that attracts even the blind. It was felt, not seen.

There she was, laughing with some guy, her laugh loud and smile as bright as the sun and moon combined. She looked so warm and welcoming. Her aura was like a magnet and I was a metal. She was pulling me to her without even knowing it.

Holy shit, Sparks.

“Heyyy, no” Austin Snaps his fingers at me as he enters the driver’s seat of his car and I look at him for a second as he shakes his head at me, then look back to Sparks.

Our eyes meet and I smile and wave at her but she looks back at the guy in front of her and completely ignores me.

Damn, is she still pissed? I thought time heals. What the fuck?

“What did we agree on, Cain?” Drew chuckles climbing into the passenger seat next to Austin and I roll my eyes pushing my hair back, but my eyes still stuck at Sparks.

How the sun was kissing her skin, how clear and beautiful her eyes were. She deserved better, what the fuck did I even want from her anyway? Fuck it.

“Hey, I’m driving!” I yell hitting the roof of Austin’s car and he glares at me already in the driver’s seat.

“No, not my car, get in the back” he points the back seat and I sigh.

“So what? Drew will call shotgun every time?”

“I didn’t have to you were busy drooling over your-” he stops when I glare at him then looks the other way and whistles animatedly.

“Ugh” I huff and give Sparks one last look because I can’t help it. This time, I find her looking at me already and I give her a small less eager smile.

“Get in the fucking car!” Austin whines and I notice Sparks return my smile even if it was just for a moment before she looks away again and I have to come back to my senses.

“Okay! Fuck” I yell back at Austin and get in the back.

**

Hiiii, comment and vote to help Cainine out of this situation will you?