Chapter 15 - Basketball again…

The next day, I'm still nursing my wounds from Captain Rahim's wrath. But as I head downstairs, I'm greeted by a surprise: Dad's actually acting like a dad!

He's busy making breakfast, while Mom's getting ready for work. Sam's sitting in his high chair, munching on some toast. The atmosphere's surprisingly cheerful.

Dad turns to us, a serious expression on his face. "Alright, kids! You guys go ahead and make sure you learn something today, not just play around, got it?”

I stare at him, shocked by the 360-degree turn. But at least the house feels more like a home now.

Mom chimes in, "And Alex, since Dad's here to look after Sam, you should focus on your studies.”

I nod, trying to sound enthusiastic. "Got it!”

Hana grins mischievously. “Gotcha!!!"

Maya just smiles and says "Emm!" - I'm not sure if that's a real smile or not.

Mom turns to Sylvia. "Remember what I told you before, okay?" Sylvia just nods and smiles, leaving me wondering what's going on.

Dad picks up Sam and says, "I've got to go help my brother with his business. Looks like he needs some help.”

Mom and Dad share a lovey-dovey moment, making me roll my eyes in disgust. Hana and Sylvia look on in amazement, while Tama just looks confused.

"Is this how people get married?" Tama asks, oblivious to the awkwardness.

Mom and Sylvia try to explain, but I tune out, focusing on getting ready for school. Dad approaches me, a serious expression on his face.

"Be careful driving, okay?”

I nod, smiling at him. "Thanks, Dad.”

He ruffles my hair. "At least you're growing up to be a man.”

For a moment, I feel a sense of hope. Maybe, just maybe, our family's finally healing. The brokenness of last year seems to be fading away, replaced by a sense of warmth and connection.

As I head out the door, I feel a sense of gratitude. Maybe destiny's giving us a second chance.

I hop on my bike, with Sylvia instantly jumping onto the backseat, wrapping her arms around my waist. She's beaming with excitement, her voice filled with enthusiasm.

"Umm!!!! Wow, I feel so awkward! Your dad is actually being a dad, and the house feels like a real home! I love it!!”

As we ride to school, Sylvia fills me in on the details. "Your dad's been helping out with all the chores, and he's trying to mend things with Steward and me.”

I smile, feeling a sense of hope. Maybe our family's finally on the mend.

Just then, my phone buzzes. It's Jackson. "Hey, captain! Coach is looking for you!!!"

I sigh, knowing what's coming. "Uh... maybe later.”

Jackson's tone turns serious. "Trust me, you'd better show up."

I frown, wondering what's going on.

We arrive at school, and I'm relieved to finally sit down in Ms. Sahara's class. Ah, peace at last.

But my tranquility is short-lived. A shadow blocks the sunlight, and I look up to see Frankie standing in front of me, Coach David by his side.

"Captain... we need you," Frankie says, his voice firm.

Coach David's smiling, his eyes hopeful. "We need you again, captain!!”

I shake my head, trying to brush them off. "Nope, you've got the wrong guy.”

Ms. Sahara intervenes, her voice calm. "Umm... we have class. Maybe you can pick him up after class, okay?”

Coach David's expression turns determined. "He'll run away again if we let him."

Ugh, he's relentless!

I raise my hand, seeking permission from Ms. Sahara. "Excuse me, Ms. Sahara... may I take a temporary leave?”

Ms. Sahara looks up from her notes, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "Is everything okay, Alex?”

I nod, trying to appear nonchalant. "Yeah, everything's fine. I just need to... uh... take care of something.”

Ms. Sahara's expression turns skeptical, but she nods anyway. "Alright, Alex. But don't forget to catch up on your notes.”

I smile, relieved. "Thanks, Ms. Sahara. I owe you one.”

As I step out of the classroom, I'm immediately surrounded by Coach David, Frankie, Thiru, and Devison. They're all looking serious, and I can tell something's up.

Coach David takes a deep breath, his expression grave. "Alex, we've been chosen by the league, but we've got a major problem. Half our team is out with injuries."

I frown, concerned. "What happened?”

Coach David's face turns grim. "Danish broke his arm, Mikhail's still recovering from pneumonia, Chong Lee's got an abdominal injury, and Peter Holsby, our new ace, was in a car accident…"

I whistle, shocked by the severity of the injuries. "That's some bad luck.”

Coach David's eyes narrow. "It's not just bad luck, Alex. We've got reason to believe that SMK Bahang, the new school that entered the league, is behind these ‘accidents'."

I smirk, playing hard to get. "Uh huh... so... you need me again…?"

The guys all nod in unison, looking like a bunch of eager puppies.

I chuckle, shaking my head. "Alright, alright. But I've got one condition: I want to investigate SMK Bahang.”

As I walk away with the guys, I start talking to myself. "Shinji's case... what's really going on?... and now SMK Bahang's targeting our players?”

I frown, my mind racing with possibilities. "Is Shinji connected to SMK Bahang? And what's the motive behind these ‘accidents'?"

I stride back into class, ready to face whatever Ms. Sahara has in store for me. But as I walk in, I'm immediately put on the spot.

"Ah!! You're back! Since you're here, how about you answer this question?" Ms. Sahara asks, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

I glance up at the blackboard, and my eyes widen as I read the question: "Explain the main difference between mitosis and meiosis in cell division, and why is meiosis important for genetic diversity?”

But I'm not fazed. I've done my homework, and I'm ready to shine. I take a deep breath and launch into my answer.

"Mitosis is like a photocopy machine that creates identical cells, while meiosis is like a genetic shuffler that mixes and matches genes to create unique cells with half the number of chromosomes.”

The classroom erupts into chaos. Everyone's jaws drop, and they stare at me like I'm some kind of genius. Ms. Sahara's chalk slips from her fingers, and she looks like she's about to faint.

"IS THIS EVEN ALEX!!?" someone yells.

"HOW THE HELL DOES HE KNOW ALL OF THIS!!?" another student asks, looking like they're about to lose their mind.

Amin, that bastard, chimes in, "HONEY, IS THIS OUR BRO?! HAS HE BEEN SECRETLY STUDYING WITH EINSTEIN?!”

Mariam, not to be outdone, adds, "HELLO, EARTH TO ALEX! WHERE ARE YOU? DID EINSTEIN POSSESS YOU?!”

Ms. Sahara tries to restore order, laughing nervously. "Everyone, calm down! Yes, that is the correct answer... even I haven't explained it that well... ehe…"

I look at Ms. Sahara, confused. "Uh, thanks, Ms. Sahara? But... why are you looking at me like that?”

Ms. Sahara's expression is still a mix of shock and amusement. "Oh, Alex... I think you might be more than just a lucky guesser…"

I raise an eyebrow, intrigued. What does she mean by that?

I respond back and said to them “fine let me show you all what I mean” I walk over to the blackboard, feeling a bit self-conscious about the commotion I've caused. "Okay, let me try to explain it in a simpler way.”

I pick up a piece of chalk and start drawing a simple diagram of a cell.

"Okay, so mitosis is like a photocopy machine, right? It creates an exact copy of the cell."

I draw a simple picture of a cell dividing into two identical cells.

"But meiosis is different. It's like a genetic shuffler. It mixes and matches genes to create unique cells with half the number of chromosomes.”

I draw a more complex diagram of meiosis, showing how the chromosomes pair up and exchange genetic material.

The class looks at me in shock, and then bursts out laughing.

"HA! Alex, you're such a genius!" Amin teases, chuckling.

I look around, feeling a bit uneasy. Something doesn't feel right. The guys are laughing a bit too hard, and Ms. Sahara's smile seems a bit too wide.

"Uh, guys, I didn't do anything special," I say, trying to downplay it.

But they just keep laughing and teasing me. I start to feel like they're messing with me, and I get a bit annoyed.

"Come on, guys, knock it off," I say, trying to sound calm.

But they just keep going, and I start to wonder if I've somehow become the joke of the day.

I walk into the math classroom, ready to face whatever challenges Mr. Tanaka has in store for us. But as soon as I sit down, I'm bombarded with expectant stares.

"Okay, Alex, please answer the question," Mr. Tanaka says with a sly smile, writing the equation on the board: 2x² + 5x - 3 = 0.

The whole class erupts into a chorus of "Oohs" and "Aahs", like they're expecting some kind of magic trick.

I raise an eyebrow, feeling a bit annoyed. "What's the big deal?”

But before I can even start answering, Amin pipes up, "Yeah, Alex, show us your genius!”

I shoot him a dirty look. "Shut up, Amin. I'm only answering this because I have to.”

I take a deep breath, focus on the equation, and start scribbling down the quadratic formula.

As I work through the problem, the class falls silent, watching me with bated breath.

Finally, I arrive at the solution. "Okay, so I've got two solutions: x = (-5 + 7) / 4 = 1/2, and x = (-5 - 7) / 4 = -3.”

The class erupts into chaos again, with everyone shouting and cheering.

Mr. Tanaka holds up his hands, laughing. "Okay, okay, settle down! Good job, Alex.”

But the class is having none of it. They start bombarding Mr. Tanaka with questions, demanding to know how I managed to solve the equation so easily.

"IS THIS EVEN ALEX?!" someone yells, for the millionth time.

Mr. Tanaka chuckles and shakes his head. "I think Alex has had enough attention for one day, don't you?"

Ugh, my head is still spinning from that math class. I'm starting to think that I somehow managed to tap into my inner genius.

"That question was easy..." my inner voice, Frederica, says, sounding smug.

I think to myself, "Shut up, Frederica. You're not helping.”

Just then, Tama and Hazlan approach me, looking mischievous.

Tama grins and says, "Alex, Sylvia go home.”

Hazlan chuckles and adds, "Yeah, we're walking her home.”

But then Sylvia speaks up, "Actually, I think I'll stay with Alex for a bit.”

Tama and Hazlan exchange a surprised glance, but then Hazlan shrugs and says, "Suit yourself, Sylvia.”

As they walk off, I'm left standing there with Sylvia, feeling a bit awkward.

"Uh, thanks for staying, I guess," I say, trying to sound casual.

Sylvia smiles and says, "No problem, Alex. I wanted to talk to you about something anyway.”

I raise an eyebrow, feeling a bit curious. "What is it?”

As they walk off, I'm left standing there with Sylvia, feeling a bit awkward.

Just then, my little sister Hana pops up out of nowhere, looking up at me with big, serious eyes.

“Big brother I’m watching!" she says, holding up a warning finger.

I chuckle and ruffle her hair. "What's wrong, Hana?”

But she just glances at Sylvia and then back at me, before turning and running off.

I watch her go, feeling a bit puzzled. "I wonder what that was about..."

I sigh, feeling a bit overwhelmed. "Right, right. Let's go.”

As we head to the meeting, I'm surprised to see that everyone's already there... and they're all bandaged up!

"CAPTAIN!!!" they shout in unison, rushing towards me.

I hold up my hands, feeling a bit overwhelmed. "Uh... I think Frankie's the captain now…"

But Frankie just smacks me on the back, grinning.

"Shut up! You're the captain!!”

I sigh, feeling like I'm stuck in some kind of crazy dream.

"What's going on here?" I demand, trying to restore some order.

But it seems like no one's listening...

I stood on the outdoor basketball court, the sun beating down on us. Coach David let out a deep sigh, rubbing his temples as he stood at the podium.

"Looks like we need to rebuild the team again…"

I face-palmed, feeling a sense of déjà vu. "Not again... What the hell am I supposed to do? I'm not a miracle worker!!”

Just then, Sylvia sashayed onto the court, her short black bob bouncing with each step. She plopped down on the bench next to the podium, looking like a supermodel on a catwalk.

My jaw dropped, and I felt my eyes glaze over. "F-fu...focus, Alex…"

But it seemed like I was the only one struggling to keep my cool. Thiru's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he stared at Sylvia.

"WHOA, CAPTAIN! WHEN SHE'S UP CLOSE, SHE'S EVEN HOTTER THAN I THOUGHT!!”

The other guys started drooling, their eyes fixed on Sylvia like she was the only girl in the world.

I jumped up, feeling like I needed to protect Sylvia from these hormonal monsters. "Hey, hey, hey! Eyes on the prize, guys! We're here to rebuild the team, not to ogle Sylvia!!”

Thiru looked sheepish, rubbing the back of his neck. "S-sorry, Captain…"

I shot him a stern look. "Just remember, Sylvia is like my little sister. Anyone lays a finger on her, and they'll have to answer to me!!”

Sylvia gazed up at me, a sly smile spreading across her face. "Thanks, Darling…." She batted her eyelashes, and I felt my heart skip a beat.

The other guys glared at me, their faces twisted with envy. "Fucking...lucky bastard...why the hell does he get all the girls...?" they muttered among themselves.

Coach David's stern voice cut through the tension. "Okay, settle down! We need to practice again, and we only have one week to prepare for the next game!”

We gathered the remaining team members, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. Our team was a mess, with half of our players injured.

The current senior members were:

We also had a few new members joining us from the Form 1 batch:

I looked at our new recruits and couldn't help but feel a sense of hope. Maybe, just maybe, we could turn our team around and make it to the championships.

But for now, I had to deal with the drama unfolding before my eyes. Sylvia was still gazing up at me, a flirtatious glint in her eye.

I felt my face heat up, and I quickly looked away, trying to composed myself. This was going to be a long week.

We began our training with a grueling warm-up session - a 1-hour lap of suicide runs. I watched as our senior members handled it with ease, but our new recruits were struggling to keep up. Subramaniam was already gasping for air halfway through, while James and Wong were surprisingly keeping pace. Adam was average, but I could see the determination in his eyes.

As we moved on to the next intense 25-minute suicide run, most of the team was panting and gasping for air. I, on the other hand, was still going strong, not a single bead of sweat on my forehead.

Frankie stared at me in awe. "Shit, Captain...even when you're not active, you're still as fit as ever…"

Thiru chimed in, "Damn, man...you're a freak of nature…"

Devinson added, "Wow, Captain...you're a machine…"

The first-year students looked on, their faces filled with a mix of admiration and intimidation.

Adam approached me, still trying to catch his breath. "I've heard rumors about the intense training in this team, but I never expected it to be this tough…"

I smiled wryly. "This is just the warm-up. There's a reason why we train like this…"

Coach David stepped in, a serious expression on his face. "Alex is our previous MVP, and he'll be leading us to victory again this year. Our goal is to qualify for the national league and win the state championship…"

I gazed at the new recruits, my eyes narrowing. "Everyone has a chance to prove themselves here. There's no such thing as a bench warmer...I won't give anyone a chance to slack off…"

With our warm-up session complete, I began to divide the team into smaller groups for a mock practice match.

Frankie raised an eyebrow. "What's the plan, Captain?”

I grinned, a strategy forming in my mind. "Let's do this...We'll divide into two teams and have a friendly match…"

The first-year students looked excited, and I began to assign positions.

"My team will be...Adam Hamil as shooting guard, Subramaniam as centre, Wong Leong as forward, James as power forward, and me as point guard…"

I turned to Frankie. "You can be the referee, and Coach David can handle the scores..."

Thiru's team consisted of Fredickson as centre, Devinson as point guard, Thiru as power forward, Jackson as forward, and Long Man as forward.

As we huddled up, I could see the nervous energy emanating from our new recruits.

Wong spoke up, his voice trembling. "Uh...this is only a practice run, right? Just a practice run…?"

I chuckled. "That's right, Wong. Just have fun out there…"

I turned to Adam and whispered, "Just shoot, okay? Don't worry about missing. Just make sure it hits the board or the rim..." Adam nodded, determination etched on his face.

I turned to James and said, "This is your chance to practice rebounding. Just grab the ball and pass to anyone who's open. I'll make sure they're focused on me..." James nodded, his eyes shining with excitement.

I turned to Subramaniam and said, "Hey kid, just focus on guarding the back line, got it? Make sure you're not too far from the mid-court. Just stay within the 2-point area..."

Subramaniam nodded, his face set in determination.

With our strategy in place, we began to play.

The scorching evening sun beat down on us, casting a golden glow over the basketball court. The air was electric with anticipation as we began our training.

Subramaniam and Fredickson stood tall at the centre of the court, their eyes locked in a fierce stare. They were waiting for the signal from Frankie, their bodies coiled and ready to spring into action.

Frankie raised his whistle to his lips, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Ready...set...BEGIN!!!"

The whistle pierced the air, and Subramaniam and Fredickson exploded into a frenzy of jumping and flailing arms. The crowd erupted into cheers as our friendly match began.

I grinned, my heart racing with excitement. This was it. This was our chance to prove ourselves, to show the world what we were made of.

The game was on, and we were ready to give it our all...