𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𓇬 𝘬𝘦𝘶𝘮𝘪

𓇬 𝐎𝐍𝐄

𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚; 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙇𝙚𝙚

Currently in the middle of junior year, I made the team once again. Varsity then, varsity now. We've been winning our games since the season started, thanks to me. After school I had practice three times a week. Which I never miss, by the way. I wish I could say the same for regular class.

I walked into the boys locker room, gave my teammates a high-five, and went into a stall to change into my athletic uniform. Just by the number 02 on my jersey, everyone would know who it is.

I walked out with my best friend Jeno out on the court. The team did a couple of drills and exercises. Coach Sooman tells me he's never had a team like us before, and honestly I can't blame him. When you got someone like me on the team, expect yourself a couple of wins.

Since the court was literally two gyms big combined, the cheerleaders practiced on the other side. I could see Yeri doing her routines. The second I stopped to take a glance at her, the ball was stolen. Damn, I should've seen that coming.

"Lee! Concentrate!" Coach yells. I snapped back into reality while frozen like ice. Next thing I knew Chenle just scored a layup. I shook my head at my distracted self and got my head back in the practice game. I looked back to Yeri, who was giggling at the sight of Coach scolding me. I gave a smile before I ran for the ball.

After practice, Coach Sooman came over to where I was sitting on the bleachers.

"We're bound to get into regionals this year. You, Jeno, Chenle, are my strongest players. You won't let me down, right, Lee?" He said.

"I won't let you down, Coach." I said. I took my towel and wiped my forehead. I put my things back into my bag and walked to Jeno.

"Someone was distracted today." Jeno said jokingly.

"That was one time, Jeno. I couldn't help it, Yeri just looked so pretty." I said.

Jeno was putting his things back in his bag. "So you gonna ride with me today or dropping off Yeri? Let me know so I can go catch up with Chenle."

Mark crossed his arms. "Really, you're hanging out with Chenle?" I scoffed.

Jeno shrugged. "He's not a bad guy. Basketball skills as good as yours, except his ego is lower." Jeno said, playfully punching my shoulder. I couldn't tell if he was serious or not.

"Are you serious? Chenle got nothing on me, bro." I defended.

"That just proves my point." Jeno said. "Anyway, seems like Yeri's walking over here right about now so I'm gonna go with Chenle." Jeno eye smiled and nodded. I sighed, and turned around to meet my girlfriend.

"Did I distract you during practice?" Yeri asked flirtatiously.

"Come on. Not you too." I laughed.

"Next time, I won't be so eye catching then." She joked.

"Nah, you're fine. I'll just have to focus harder."  I slung my arm over her as we walked out of the gym. I drove her home and gave her a kiss before she walked to her door. I drove home, opened the door to run into the kitchen. My stomach was roaring for food. I still had money in my wallet so I decided to get something to eat, as I knew my mom will probably say there's food at home even if I do ask.

I ordered some food and waited for them to prepare it. I waited in my car, but received a text. It was from Jeno. I sighed, what does he want now?

jenojam

bro ur fucked

tf do u mean

did u forget today was progress
report day

just got the mail and somehow
someway im passing with 2 c's
and the rest are b's

just warning you b4 mom goes crazy
tiger parent

oh shit

and u know she expects u to
be a prodigy

i am

bro u have d's and c's u are
not passing ☠️

im not the prodigy she wants me to
be but i am a basketball one so

u might wanna think about that

u know the requirement of grade point
average and grades to be in sports

if u wanted to do basketball u shouldve
thought about ur classes first

ok smartass ill think of something

thanks for telling me

np

I have to admit, I completely forgot about progress reports. And now I'm screwed. I drove back home, hoping and praying my mom didn't get the mail yet so I could avoid her lecture. I pulled up on the driveway, and opened the door. Unfortunately, she was there, on the living room couch, sitting seriously. I sighed, knowing I was good as over. I sat in front of her, seeing that my report card was sprawled on the glass table. I sighed, accepting my fate.

"Mark, what do you have to say about this?" My mom looked at me with her stern look.

I avoided eye contact. "I'll fix them—"

"It's the middle of the school year! What happened? Your first semester you were passing, now you have not a single B in your classes! What's going on?" She looked at me with intense eyes.

I sighed. "Things in class is harder, that's all."

She looked at me with suspiciousness. "I know what this is. You're distracted! You and your sports! It's taking too much of your time you have none left for academics!"

"It's not that! Classes are getting harder, it's not my fault I'm not smart enough to get through it." I decided to skip the part where I missed a couple of classes.

My mom shook her head in this disappointment. "If you had more time to study your grades wouldn't end up like this! I'm pulling you from basketball—"

"You can't do that!" I jerked up from the couch. "You can't take me out of basketball."

"It seems like I need to. For the extra two hours you're at school throwing a useless ball, you could be at home preparing for tests. I don't see why not." She crossed her arms.

"Mom, come on. You can't take away the thing I love to do." I begged her.

"If it means getting your grades up, then I will." She hardened her stare.

"Mom, please, don't do that. It's the only thing I have going for me." I tried to convince her desperately.

She sighed, and closed the report card. "'Maybe if you had studied more, you would have something else going for you." She said as she walked upstairs. I knew she was disappointed. But I was angry. She couldn't force me to get out of basketball. I won't let her.