PAMPERED

216 Last five seconds of the game

At the start of the fourth quarter, Max tried his best to widen the gap. Whenever he stole the ball or got his hand on it, it would go straight to the ring. No matter where he was in the court, it was always a score. At this point, he accepted that he was on his own.

Therefore, even if he got the chance to pass the ball, he wouldn’t. He treated his own team as non–existent. If they didn’t want to help, then he would prove to them he could win on his own. His pride in showing everyone he was capable of fueled him and eventually entered the zone.

However, just as he was on for another point, Hugo suddenly appeared in front of him. The two of them had been on head–to–head since the start of the fourth quarter. Hugo was the reason the

gap between their scores hadn’t moved until now.

Every time Max would score, Hugo would also score right after. Both teams‘ scores actively moved because of this.

Now, facing each other, the tension in the court rose. Even the crowd went quiet for a second.

Their eyes were sharp and glinting and, for some reason, the audience couldn’t help but imagine a tiger and a fox over them gnawing at each other.

Dribbling the ball, Max took a step and Hugo timely moved in a defense position.

“Tch,” Max snickered and was about to bolt past him, only to catch the smirk on Hugo’s face. This brief distraction opened up an opportunity for the school basketball team to steal the ball from him. “Shit!”

“Two points for the school basketball team!”

“Kyahhh!!!”

“Nice one! Just five more points!”

“Hugo, I love you!!!!! Marry me after this game!!!”

“Kyaaaah!”

The crowd cheers erupted in the court, this time, wilder than it ever was. Even those who weren’t into sports couldn’t help but feel exhilarated by the intense battle between the teams, especially Hugo and Max. They were both

amazing in their own way to the point they were

inspiring more people to grow an interest in sports.

Surely, right after this game, their fan clubs would grow more than ever.

“Tch!” Max clenched his teeth, gazing at their scores that now have a five–point difference. Glaring at his teammates, he felt bitter in his heart.

His teammates seemed happy that Hugo scored, but more than that, they were enjoying themselves. After all, they started defending seriously and giving Max the chance to score. But even with that, it only proved to them that this game was a real team play.

No matter how amazing Max was as an individual player, his chances of winning without any trust in his team or the other way around were low.

216 Last five seconds of the game

As the referee whistled in the court once more, Hugo dribbled the ball with his other hand raised. His finger was pointing up, signaling to his team this would be their score. Hence, all players on the court went to their positions, eyes on the ball.

“I won’t let you.” Just as Max took a step, the captain of the school basketball team appeared in front of him.

The captain of their team was a big guy and with him guarding Max, the latter was aware they were determined to score.

And in a beat, Hugo started jogging with the ball dribbling in his hand.

Max tried to go past the captain’s defenses, but he got him in a deadlock. Thus, when he saw Hugo run past them, he clenched his teeth and panicked. If Hugo shoots that, the five–point difference would be three. That was too short of a gap.

However, Max couldn’t find a way to go past the captain without risking a foul. Therefore, he expected that this would be an easy point. But alas, when Hugo was near the ring, Max’s. teammate appeared in front of Hugo to block him.

When Hugo jumped to make a shoot, the other man also jumped just as high.

Max almost heaved a sigh of relief, but he caught the smirk on Hugo’s face. Instead of shooting, he passed it to someone else.

“Oh, no kid!” another from Max’s team timely blocked the student who held the ball now. But when he tried to make a steal, the student grinned and threw the ball down, making it bounce past in between the man’s feet without looking away from him.

“Sorry, my i

idol!”

“Sorry, my idol!”

“Hey!” the one guarding Hugo yelled as the latter already bolted past him. “The kid!”

Before the other player could even process that, Hugo suddenly appeared behind him and got the ball. From there, he jumped once more and tossed the ball to the ring.

For a moment, everyone’s mouth fell open at the intense gameplay the school basketball team had displayed. Even the professional players were equally in disbelief and awe.

“Wow…” one of the professional players awed, cycs on Hugo, who was biting the collar of his jersey. “That kid is a monster… really.”

“Now that I think about it, I think our team was poaching him to our team.”

Meanwhile, the crowd erupted into a loud roar, making the floor shake and the walls vibrate.

“Kyahhh!!!”

I’m in love!!!”

“Hugo, marry me!!!”

“Nice defense captain!!”

The current score was now a three–point difference and there were still five minutes left. Max’s panic was evident now, unable to hide it anymore. His disturbed peace made him fail to score

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216 Last five seconds of the game

when he finally got the ball.

As a result, someone on the basketball team made a perfect three points.

Max froze as he watched their scores, now a tie.

This wasn’t good.

+163 ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Checking the time, there was only one minute and a few seconds left. If Max could make a score or stop them from scoring, then there would be another few extra minutes for him to turn things around.

Calming himself down, Max kept a clear head and told himself not to make the same mistake again.

The pressure was high for both teams. Max was decided for an extra time if the game ended with a tie, or score at least one.

The school basketball team, on the other hand, didn’t want an extended time. They were all tired, especially Hugo, and with how those professional players were guarding him, they knew it would be harder.

Just one more point.

One.

This would be over.

This time, the ball was in Max’s hand once again, and as he dribbled, two from the other team tried to block him. Hugo was being guarded by another two. Hence, Max carefully tricked them. into doing a three–point, only to jump low and sprint past them.

Seeing this, Hugo did the same thing, but with three professional players now guarding him, het was stuck.

“This is mine… this is…” Max’s eyes lit up the closer he was to the ring, jumping to make a shot. But just as he did, another from the opposing team jumped just as high in front of him.

“As if!” said the other player, smacking the ball as hard as he could, and the ball flew back from its supposed destination.

As the ball bounced once, everyone shifted their eyes on who caught it. None from Max’s team felt the need to rush, as there were only seven seconds left. All they had to do was make sure

the other team wouldn’t score.

Much to everyone’s surprise, the person who caught the ball was Atlas.

And seeing him holding the ball, his own teammates’s hearts sank. As for Max, he felt relieved that that pathetic fifth member caught the ball. Even the crowd gasped in horror – Penny and Slater, especially as soon as their eyes were on Atlas.

–

Of all the people who could catch it, why him!?

Atlas slowly lifted his eyes and blinked ever so slowly. He glanced at the time; five seconds left.

He pressed his lips and, by logic, even if there was someone he could pass the ball to, it was

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