Love, Basketball and Demons

Chapter 6: First Date?

The amber shine of the pub's lights cast a warm haze over the worn wooden floors. Patrons laughed and clinked glasses, their conversations melding into a pleasant hum. Zack glanced around as he entered Pub on King, noting the familiar scent of beer-soaked wood. He spotted Deb sitting at a booth with Ahmed and Boon, who were animatedly discussing the last basketball game.

"Hey guys," Zack greeted, sliding into the seat next to Deb. "So, is there a pool table available?"

"Of course!" Boon declared, his eyes gleaming with excitement. " I reserved a table in advance. We're doing teams: you and Deb against me and Ahmed."

"Sounds fun," Zack said, trying to sound enthusiastic despite his inexperience with pool. He noticed Deb's confident smile and wondered if she was any good.

As they approached the pool tables, Zack couldn't help but feel a little intimidated by the rows of cues and the serious-looking players hunched over the green felt. He picked up a cue stick and tried to mimic Deb's stance, but the awkwardness of it all made him feel even more out of place.

As the game progressed, it became clear that Deb and Boon were the superior players, while Zack and Ahmed struggled to keep up. Boon seemed to take particular delight in needling Zack about his performance.

"Didn't you say you were a great pool player, Zack?" Boon taunted after Zack missed yet another shot. "I guess you thought we were talking about a swimming pool."

Zack clenched his jaw, feeling his frustration grow with each barb from Boon. Deb, noticing his irritation, pulled him aside for a moment.

"Hey, don't let them get to you," she whispered. "Just relax and focus on the game. After all, it is just a game."

"Thanks, Deb." Zack tried to put her advice into practice, but still found himself struggling. Boon's leering gaze and annoying comments, left him focusing more on controlling his powers than having fun.

"Here's a tip," Deb said, leaning in close. "Imagine me naked. That should help take your mind off the pressure."

Zack's eyes widened at her suggestion, and he could feel his blood pressure rise. "Wait wha... What" Zack stammered.

Deb laughed "You are too tense, you need to relax your shoulders and not hit the ball so hard. "

He glanced over at Ahmed and Boon, who were smirking at each other, and then back at Deb. Her playful smile was all he needed. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.

As Zack opened his eyes, he felt his powers shifting within, almost achieving a balance for the first time. His hands steadied as he gripped the cue stick, and he focused on where he wanted the ball to go before taking his shot. To his surprise, the ball sunk effortlessly into the pocket.

"Whoa!" Ahmed exclaimed, watching in shock as Zack continued to sink shot after shot. "What happened to you?"

"Deb just gave me some pointers," Zack replied, his newfound confidence evident in his voice. It also helped to have his powers working for him, instead of against him for the first time.

"Nice work," Boon grumbled begrudgingly, clearly annoyed by Zack's sudden improvement.

"Thanks." Zack couldn't help but feel proud of himself as he continued to dominate the game, the image of Deb in his mind raising his heart rate, allowing him to tap into his vessel abilities without anyone suspecting a thing.

Ahmed narrowed his eyes at Zack's sudden increase in skill. It was impossible to get that good so quickly, and he couldn't help but be suspicious.

"Hey, what pointer did Deb give you exactly?" Ahmed asked, his voice laced with curiosity. But Zack was too focused on the game, sinking another ball into a pocket without so much as glancing in Ahmed's direction.