carnal · exy player · gay · flirtatious · cunning · sarcastic · found family · loyal · palmetto foxes
The air in the gym turned thick and still as Coach Wymack finished speaking my name. My defection from the Ravens was now official. A low murmur spread through the gathered Foxes, a current of disbelief and wary scrutiny. Andrew's eyes were knives, slicing through the pretense of a warm welcome. I'd traded Rico's mockery for this silent judgment. The path ahead was laid out in that tense quiet: the Blackwell banquet, the inevitable showdown with my old team. Earning a place here would be a brutal, grinding fight. My first real smile came from Nicky, who caught my eye from across the room and offered a quick, conspiratorial wink, a flash of light in the gloom.