Against the Edge

The Celebration at Ethan's Mansion

Later that evening, the sprawling driveway of Ethan's mansion was packed with cars, with groups of students walking up the marble steps leading to the double doors. The house itself was massive an elegant colonial style mansion with tall white columns, French windows, and soft lights glowing from the inside. Ethan's parents were out of town for their business, giving him free rein to throw the biggest victory party of the semester.

Inside, the place was decked out for a celebration. A DJ was spinning beats by the pool, multicolored lights reflecting off the water, and waitstaff moved around with trays of gourmet appetizers and drinks. The atmosphere was electric, laughter and conversation echoing through the house and garden.

Miguel arrived with the team, Blanca by his side, and his eyes widened as they took in the scene. Though he was used to Ethan's place, each visit reminded him of just how different their backgrounds were. But tonight, he pushed that aside it was a night to celebrate.

"Pretty impressive, huh?" Blanca nudged him playfully, her smile bright.

Miguel laughed, squeezing her hand. "Understatement of the year. Ethan really knows how to throw a party."

Ethan greeted everyone like family, making rounds to check in with classmates and teammates alike, ensuring they all had food and drinks, and cracking jokes with each one of them. He spotted Miguel across the room and jogged over, throwing an arm around his shoulders.

"Having fun, bro?" Ethan asked, grinning as he handed Miguel a drink.

Miguel grinned back. "More fun than I've had in months! You really went all out here, MVP."

"Oh, the best is yet to come," Ethan said, glancing over his shoulder with a mischievous look. "But first, let me show you my 'special prize' for tonight's MVP." He led Miguel to a grand hallway and threw open the doors to a theater room with a massive screen displaying a reel of their best plays from the season.

Miguel laughed. "You're unbelievable, man."

The mansion's pool was a focal point of the party, lit up with blue underwater lights that made the water glow like crystal. Max had been bragging for most of the night about his "unbeatable swimming skills." By now, he was already in the water, doing laps to prove his prowess to the crowd gathered around.

Ethan, spotting his chance, whispered to Miguel, "We need to humble our champ here."

Miguel grinned, catching on instantly. Together, they waited for Max to do a big showy lap from one end of the pool to the other. Right as Max turned around, Miguel took a running start and cannonballed directly into the pool, creating an enormous splash. Water surged everywhere, completely soaking Max, who spluttered and wiped his eyes, laughing as he caught on to the prank.

"Alright, alright, I admit defeat!" he yelled, throwing up his hands. But before he could react, Ethan took his turn and jumped in, creating another wave that nearly washed Max into the shallow end. The onlookers roared with laughter, egging them on as Max tried in vain to dodge their endless splashes. Finally, Miguel and Ethan pulled him back in, dunking him one last time before letting him catch his breath.

As the night went on, Miguel found himself surrounded by friends, laughing and talking with Blanca by his side. There was a deep warmth in him, a sense of belonging that he hadn't felt in a long time. He was surrounded by people who cared about him, friends he could trust, and a girl who made him feel like he'd found a true partner. For once, the weight of his responsibilities felt light, and he let himself enjoy the moment.

As the party began to wind down, Miguel found Ethan sitting by the pool, staring out at the city lights. He joined him, and the two sat in comfortable silence for a while.

"Thanks for this," Miguel finally said. "For everything."

Ethan grinned, leaning back with a nod. "Anytime, man. We're a team, on and off the court." He clinked his drink against Miguel's and added, "Here's to more wins—and more nights like this."

As they sat together, surrounded by the happy chaos of their friends, Miguel felt grateful to have someone like Ethan at his side. And deep down, he knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, he wouldn't be facing them alone.