Mixed Tensions

Chapter 4

I am not afraid. I am not afraid. Noah kept repeating the phrase over and over again while he stood outside the Sport's Hall entrance. Although he's been playing basketball for 10 years, this was the first time he was playing with a completely new team where he knew nobody. Well, he now knew the Power Forward a little bit, but Noah didn't want to restrict himself to only being friends with Caleb.

'You going in or what, Hunter?' Speak of the devil. Noah didn't have to turn to know who the presence was. 'Come on, let's go in together.' Before Noah could protest, Caleb opened the door and eight faces met their own.

'Hey everyone, I'm Caleb and this is-'

'Noahhhh, you're even smaller than your stats say.' A tall intimidating Nigerian boy finished. Is everyone here going to be huge? Noah internally thought while his eyes darted between Caleb and the boy.

'I'm Oba and this is...' Noah half listened as he was introduced to the rest of the team. Honestly, he could learn the names while he played, he just wanted to get onto the court.

'Great! You've all been all introduced.' A voice sounded behind them. A middle-aged man with brown hair walked towards them with a large bag. 'Here are your kits, get changed and I want you five' He indicated to Noah, Caleb, Oba and two other boys. 'To get on court and play against the rest.'

Noah felt his heart jump in excitement. Finally, he thought, now I get to do what I came to do. While he took off his top to replace it with the school kit, he saw Caleb do the same. They made eye contact and Caleb abruptly averted his eyes and went onto the court. Noah could only watch puzzled because he had no idea what he'd done to receive that reaction.

'Come on Noah let's go.' Oba urged, he was bouncing on the balls of his large feet while swinging his long arms.

'Yeah coming, let's play some basketball!' 

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'WHAT THE HELL HUNTER?!' The door slammed and Caleb spun to face his smaller roommate. 'YOU LITERALLY COULD HAVE MADE THE SHOT WHY DID YOU-'

'NO, I COULDN'T HAVE OKAY? OBA WAS MUCH CLOSER'

'YOU MADE 3 POINTERS ALL GAME AND THEN YOU JUST STOPPED?' Noah did not want to tell Caleb the real reason behind the last shot. Before taking aim Noah remembered what Caleb had said in his sleep the night before and the moment they had in the morning. Certain parts of his body remembered better than others and he could not raise his arms, so he passed the ball. The worst thing to him would be if the whole team remembered him as 'boner boy'.

'Look I'm sorry Rosen but Oba made the shot – and a dunked which is even cooler – so can we just drop it.'

'Fine.' Sighed Caleb, 'I need a shower anyway.' Noah sat on his bed and let his head fall into his hands. Why couldn't he just have roomed with Oba or one of the other boys? This arrangement was becoming more trouble than it was worth and he hated it. Friends, he internally laughed, there was no way that was going to happen anytime soon. 

Roommates and teammates that was it. No more, no less.