CHAPTER 9

 

Kyle stood grinning on the court, his teammates gathered behind him. A crowd had gathered to watch the game, eager to see how it would play out. Kyle could hardly wait for the moment he would crush Tedmond.

“Isn’t he coming?” Kyle asked impatiently. Tedmond was two minutes late. “Don’t tell me he backed out at the last minute. Maybe he couldn’t find a team.”

His teammates snickered.

“He must’ve run home,” one of them said, shaking his head. “Oh wait, he doesn’t even have a home to run to.”

The others burst out laughing.

“He better not have backed out,” Kyle stated. “We should find him.”

Just as one of Kyle’s teammates offered to search for Tedmond, he appeared with his four friends. They were dressed in matching uniforms, their hair slicked back, looking like college heartbreakers. Tedmond wore an expressionless look as he stood a few feet away from Kyle.

“Here I am,” Tedmond said. “What made you think I fled?”

Kyle’s lips curled. “Eager to be a slave, aren’t you?”

“Not really. I could say the same for you,” Tedmond replied coolly.

“This isn’t the time for talk,” Liam interrupted. “Let’s get this over with.”

Kyle noticed Tedmond’s team wasn’t made up of players he recognized. This worried him; he wouldn’t be able to bribe them if he needed to cheat.

“Where’d you pick your team from?” Kyle sneered. “The trash can?”

Tedmond ignored him. “Let’s start the basketball match.”

“I see you’re eager to lose,” Kyle mocked. “Let’s go then.”

Kyle’s smirk deepened as he signaled his team to gather. The crowd around the court grew louder, their murmurs filled with anticipation. Most expected an easy victory for Kyle, confident that Tedmond had no chance.

“Alright, let’s get this over with,” Kyle barked, stepping forward. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you—this’ll be over quick.”

Tedmond stood unfazed, his eyes fixed on Kyle. “We’ll see.”

The referee, a student chosen for the event, blew the whistle, signaling both teams to take their positions. Tedmond and Kyle faced off at the center for the tip-off. Kyle’s eyes gleamed with overconfidence, while Tedmond remained cold and composed.

The ball was tossed into the air. Kyle jumped with all his strength, but Tedmond, surprisingly agile, outmaneuvered him, tapping the ball toward Liam, who quickly passed it down the court to Noah.

The crowd gasped. They hadn’t expected Tedmond’s team to be so quick on their feet. Kyle’s grin faltered briefly before he recovered.

“Get on them!” Kyle barked at his teammates.

Noah dribbled skillfully, weaving past one of Kyle’s defenders, then passed to Oliver, who was positioned near the three-point line. Without hesitation, Oliver took the shot, and the ball swished cleanly through the hoop.

The crowd erupted in surprise. Tedmond’s team had scored first. No one had expected that.

Kyle’s face twisted in anger. “Lucky shot,” he muttered, grabbing the ball to begin his team’s counterattack. He passed to a teammate, and they rushed down the court. Tedmond’s team quickly fell into defensive positions, but Kyle, desperate to show his dominance, took a risky shot from the free-throw line.

The ball hit the rim and bounced off.

Tedmond caught the rebound and, in a swift, coordinated movement, passed to James, who sped down the court. Kyle’s team scrambled to catch up, but Tedmond’s group was fast—faster than anyone had anticipated.

James faked a pass to Liam, confusing one of Kyle’s defenders, then drove toward the basket. He leaped into the air and slammed the ball through the hoop with a resounding dunk.

The crowd roared, and Tedmond’s team exchanged high-fives. Their confidence was growing with every play. A faint smile crossed Tedmond’s face—he had trusted his team’s skill, and they were delivering.

Kyle, now visibly furious, called for a timeout. He stormed over to his team, glaring at them. “What the hell are you guys doing? We can’t let them get away with this!”

His teammates, panting and disoriented, nodded, but the fear in their eyes was clear. Kyle’s plan to crush Tedmond wasn’t going as smoothly as he had imagined.

“We have to win, even if we have to cheat,” Kyle whispered. “Break one of their legs if you can. Especially Tedmond’s.”

His team nodded in agreement.

On the other side of the court, Tedmond’s team huddled up.

“Keep the pressure on,” Tedmond said calmly. “We’re not just here to win—we’re here to make Kyle regret ever challenging us.”

Liam grinned. “Let’s keep embarrassing him.”

When the timeout ended, Kyle’s team returned to the court with renewed determination to cheat their way to victory. Kyle, desperate, threw himself into the game recklessly, trying to overpower Tedmond’s team with brute force.

But it wasn’t enough. Tedmond’s group played with perfect synergy. Their passes were quick and precise, their defense impenetrable, and every time Kyle tried to break through, he was met with resistance.

As the clock ticked down, the score gap widened, and it became clear to everyone that Kyle’s team was outmatched.

Despite their efforts to injure Tedmond’s team, they couldn’t even get close enough to make a difference.

With only a few minutes left in the game, Tedmond caught the ball once more, dribbled past Kyle with ease, and approached the basket. He jumped and dunked the ball with such force that it left no doubt who the victor was.

The final whistle blew. Tedmond’s team had won.

The crowd erupted into applause. Kyle stood frozen, disbelief and humiliation etched across his face.

Tedmond walked up to him, his expression as cold and emotionless as ever. “Looks like you’re the one who’s going to be a slave now. You have to fulfill your part of the deal.”

Kyle clenched his fists, his face red with anger, but there was nothing he could do. The deal was sealed, and everyone knew it.

“How dare you ask me to—” Kyle began, but Tedmond cut him off.

“Now,” Tedmond said, placing a hand on Kyle’s shoulder, “call me Master.”