Prodigy

College

"Zane! Come here a moment!"

Zane looked around from the court, catching the ball in his hands as the head coach called to him, waving a piece of paper.

The others glanced at Zane, who shrugged and tossed the ball to one of his teammates before jogging off the court and following Coach into his office.

Dropping into the seat on the opposite side of the desk to the coach, Zane watched as he took his seat and held up the folded page.

"What's that?" Zane asked.

"This is an invitation to an American college's winter training session. They sent it to me to outline the details and explain their intentions and will be sending you a formal invitation shortly."

"Awesome, which college is it from? You need to help me choose which I visit first, you know?" Zane said, reaching for the page.

Coach pulled it out of Zane's reach and Zane raised an eyebrow.

"Zane, it's not just any college asking you to visit."

Zane frowned at Coach for a moment, then his stomach tightened, knotting his core, the effort it took to suppress his sudden hope and excitement turning him cold.

"Not just any college?" he asked, slowly.

"It's Them."

Zane's raised hand dropped to his lap, limp, eyes wide.

"Them?" he breathed.

"Them."

Zane's breath hitched in his throat and he took a moment to swallow and calm himself before he held out a hand for the letter. Coach presented it like a medal of honour, placing it in Zane's palm and he carefully unfolded it, as if moving too fast could tear the page and ruin this chance forever.

His eyes scanned the page, taking in the words. Then they scanned again.

It was Them.

The college he wanted.

The college who hadn't shown much interest in him until now.

But now... They were inviting him to the winter training session over the holidays. Offering him the chance to train and compete with their university students, to show that he was made for that school.

He folded the letter up, looked at the coach and they both suppressed screams of excitement.

"Alright, alright, I will send message to say I received the email and you will be accepting their invitation," Coach said, quickly calming the atmosphere.

"But why? They barely showed interest," Zane said, sitting forwards, "Why would they suddenly be inviting me to their training camp?"

"Who knows? Word of talented players spreads quickly, especially if they knew who else has their eye on you," Coach said, turning to his computer. "Will you be able to fly over soon? I will inform them of schedules and school holidays so they don't interfere with things and they know you're training for a tournament. But we'll sort everything out."

"Yeah, I can go whenever."

"And your mum, will she be alright with this?"

Zane nodded. "Yeah, we've been discussing all the different schools for ages. I think she wants me to go even more then I want to."

Coach nodded, smiling slightly. "Alright then, we'll start planning for your trip. However, for now, get back to practice, I need you training twice as hard now, you're one of my success stories, remember?"

Zane chuckled as he stood up, then paused.

Coach glanced up when he saw that Zane was stood there and Zane held out a hand. Coach looked at it in surprise, then looked up at Zane before taking it.

"Thank you," Zane said, shaking it, "For everything and getting me to this point."

Coach smirked and waved him off. "Too early for thanks yet. You can thank me when I get to boast that my boy is an NBA payer, one of my finest pupils."

Zane chuckled and headed for the door. "Alright then, I'll say thanks in a few years then," he said before he walked out and closed the door behind him.

~~~~~

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