Chapter 10 - Playing behind the scenes

After playing for a long time, we entered a chat and started to talk to MyBallingGod.

[That was great, man. Maybe we should check our agendas so that we play live for my channel. I know it sounds like I want the profit, I do, but it will be a lot more fun. Trust me.] MyBallingGod wrote.

"What do you think? I also thought about starting a channel, maybe we could do a channel each." I said looking at Mike.

"Sure, but I'm not into creating my own. I can show up to your videos, though." He replied.

"Okay."

[Sure, but we have the State Championship, yet. We hit you after.] I sent in the chat room.

[Shit, you guys are from high school?] MyBallingGod wrote, showing his surprise.

[No, middle, actually.] Mike wrote this time.

5 minutes went by. 10 minutes. 15 minutes. And finally, MyBallingGod answered.

[You are trolling, right? I mean, what's the meaning of my life if 12 years old kids are beating the crap out of me, a 24 years old? Shit!!]

We laughed seeing his reaction.

"Maybe we should tell him that we are 10, to see if he will survive through it?" Mike said jokingly.

"Naah. He will have a heart attack probably." I said laughing.

After that day, nothing important happened. The rest of the day I spent normally.

The next day, when it was practice time, we headed to the court.

We entered the court and saw about 10 people who we never saw before. After looking at them, they should be a basketball team as they were all using practice clothes, similar to ours, and wearing basketball shoes.

I looked around to find coach Kyle and saw him talking with a middle-aged man. I approached them to prob the situation.

"*Cough, cough* Excuse me, coach Kyle. May I know what is happening here?" I asked him directly.

"Ohh, Jay. Good you guys arrived." He said as he pulled me to a corner.

"Listen, that is coach Lawton. He is a nut head. He arrived here earlier with some SNAB's managers and said we have to play against his team. Just like that, out of the blue. I don't even know why should I obey them." Coach Kyle said, lost about the situation.

"Let me talk to him." I said as I directly walked to coach Lawton.

"Hello, sir. I am Jaylen Bowser. Player of this school's team. May I know, why have you come here today?" I said politely, looking in his eyes. My expression was serious, like a lawyer talking to a judge.

"Ohh, hello. Is your school missing their employes, so they are sending the students now?" He said with a hint of mocking.

"Haha, no, sir. It's actually the opposite. They don't have time to spend with impudent coaches that appear at the gate's step. Now, if you don't mind, please explain why are you here." I said in the coldest tone the other party ever heard. And the end even smiled as I saw his expression.

He thought about arguing with me about my rudeness, but decided not. Honestly, if he did, I don't know how could a person be so hypocrite.

"I came here to challenge your school. We have the same conditions and we are also located in the same city. I don't see a reason why the association chose this place." He said showing his displeasure, which didn't make me even flinch.

"And on what basis are challenging us? The association never said anything about possible challenges. And if you are here without their support, I assume you are actually trying to disrupt the competition, as means for revenge for not being chosen." I said, not really hoping to make him change mind. But to make him show the reason behind his confidence.

"Revenge? We deserve the spot. And I also have the authority." He said as he turned around and called a guy dressed in a businessman suit talking on the phone. The name he called was Gabriel.

Gabriel soon finished his phone call and came in our direction.

"This here is Gabriel, one of the managers in the association. He is here to validate the challenge." He said with a condescending smile on his face.

"Please, Mr. Jones. That is your fault. And may I know who are you?" He asked looking at me.

"I'm Jaylen, a player of the team." I replied.

"Actually, the team captain." Mike said, as he approached with coach Kyle.

Mike did this because it gives me better control of the situation, and I understood this as I gave him a nod in acknowledgment.

"Well, Mr. Jaylen. May I speak with you in private for a second?"

I gestured for him to lead the way. As we were apart from the other people, he said.

"As I can see you are the one that has the best control over your team. So please, cope with this man." He said pointing at Lawton. "I don't know how, but he has connections with the higher-ups, my only way out is if the district Director helps me out. I have already got in touch with him, but it's going to take a while so that he can fix the situation. So about 40 minutes for you guys to beat them."

"I have one condition, though. I want to talk to the District Director." I said, looking with a cold face at Gabriel.

"This..." He stuttered.

"Look, you only have one way out." I said.

"Okay." He conceded.

As the call was answered, I started to talk with the Director. And the result of this conversation will make a big profit for me in the future.

After I was finished, I gathered my teammates.

"Guys, listen up. We are going to play this game, and most of all, I want the whole team in assassination mode. Play all you got. Make them suffer. I want dunks, posters and a rain of 3-point shots. I will make everyone get the ball, no one gets out with less than 10 pts today. And after this, I have a surprise for you guys, that is going to happen before our first game."

They were lost on how to react. But they know me for a year, and that year counted a lot for them.

I called coach Lawton and said.

"Mr. Lawton, you will have your match. I just want one thing. You guys can't give up in the middle of the way." I said looking in his eyes.

"Huh, as if we would need to." He sneered.

We all got dressed as quickly as possible. All this talk and we getting ready took about 2 minutes, so we still have time to massacre them. The only ones that aren't at fault are the ones who will suffer the most. The players.