Beyond the Boundaries

6

PART TWO

Through the Nets of Lies
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6 - The Champion of the Eastern Affluent Basketball League

Milo Hexen. Some call him the best player in the Eastern Affluent Basketball League, while others look down at him—they haven't played him yet, or even managed to look him in the eyes.

He hits every shot, every layup—practicing until he perfects something he does wrong even one time.

Such a tiring aspect of his life, yet something he enjoys in the end of it all. Winning, that's all Milo is focused on. What he's blinded by. Nothing else but that score in the game. He controls himself, he isn't cocky with anything. But he knows once he steps on that gym floor, he's going to come out a winner.

"That announcement was crazy last night!" Mako, one of Milo's teammates, had said to him.

"What announcement? I probably can't hear it. You know how I lock in when it comes to balling. You probably heard it 'cause you skipped the game and were at home snackin'." Milo scoffed, shooting the ball on the three line.

"You could barely hear that one go in." Mako whispered, "You just get better and better every time, eh?"

"I'm older than you, experience. Don't switch the topic now. What was it about?" Milo dribbled the ball in anticipation for Mako to speak. Mako had just been sitting there with his ball, dribbling. He hadn't made not one shot in the midst of his entire team practicing for half an hour. He didn't want to embarrass himself.

"This kid, Jayden Blake, I think his name was. He was over on the Penurious side, then got moved over here for some reason." Mako finally shot the ball, airballing it. He held up his finger in the air before turning around—but upon hearing the ball touch the ground, he already knew he was far off.

"A little more strength. You got it." Milo smirked. He knew how to play with Mako's feelings.

Mako blushed, stomping over to get his ball. "Can you stop?" He insisted. "See, this is why I don't shoot!"

"That sounds interesting though. Never heard about that happening. Must've been something serious that happened. You know?" Milo questioned Mako. For the first time in a long time, Mako had missed his shot, as the ball bounced off the rim. He had pushed it off his hand a bit too hard.

Nice and smooth, that's what the coach said. Milo thought to himself. Follow through.

"The announcer said something, specifically to Jayden. Though, the entirety of Utopia could hear it. Like a not-so-secret secret. Something about knowing secrets, knowing how much Jayden suffers here and wants out. How he had become the monsters he so hated—us. He wanted to go up the stairway to heaven." Mako explained.

Milo paused for a moment. He was about to jump up in the air, but the ball fumbled out of his hands. His sneakers squeaked on the ground as the ball bounced away, eventually turning into a roll and hitting the gym wall. He held his shooting position, and sighed.

"I would too, if I was over there in that trash dump. None of us understand how it is to live like them. Personally, I don't know how they do it. Life's perfect over here, but if Jayden sees something different, no matter where he is... It really makes me doubt." Milo confided.