The late-morning air inside the gym was warm and rowdy. The sharp squeak of rubber-soled shoes rang out against the wooden floor. After the incident with the torn class fund ledger, Kevin vented the last of his irritation by dribbling the basketball aggressively.
"Okay, everyone, listen up!" shouted Mr. Gunawan, Angkasa High School's sports coach, clapping from the sidelines. "Today we're simulating a three-on-three game. Kevin, you're on a team with Dimas and Tio."
"Yes, sir!" Kevin called back loudly. He glanced toward the bleachers and found Nayla sitting there watching. "Relax, sir. This'll be easy."
"The opposing team is Aris, Budi, and..." Mr. Gunawan glanced at his clipboard, then pointed to Rey, who had just finished tying his shoelaces at the edge of the court. "Rey, you're joining Budi's team."
Kevin let out a soft hiss, then flashed Dimas a crooked smile. "See that, Dim? The new kid wants to play basketball. Think he can actually play?"
"I heard he was on the basketball team at his old school too, Vin," Dimas whispered, lightly bouncing the ball in his hand.
"Probably just a hobby," Kevin scoffed casually. "He better watch out. I'm gonna make him regret stepping onto this court."
The whistle blew. Kevin's team took possession of the ball first. Kevin moved nimbly as he dribbled across the half-court line. Rey immediately took a defensive stance in front of him, arms spread wide and eyes fully focused.
"Pass it to me, Vin!" Dimas shouted from the left corner, wide open.
Kevin ignored him. He deliberately performed a crossover in front of Rey to show off his skills. "Check this out, new kid! Which way are you gonna get past me?"
"You rely too much on flashy moves," Rey muttered coolly without taking his eyes off the ball.
"Flashy moves that score!" Kevin tried to drive quickly to the right, intending to get past Rey with his speed.
But Rey read the move perfectly. In a matter of seconds, Rey's hand shot out and slapped the ball from Kevin's grip.
TAP!
"What?!" Kevin cried out in shock as his hand suddenly came up empty.
"Thanks for the ball," Rey said flatly.
Without wasting any time, Rey turned and took the ball toward the opposing side. Kevin, feeling his pride crumble, spun around and chased after him, breathing hard.
"Don't even think you're making that layup!" Kevin yelled from behind, preparing to jump for the block.
Rey suddenly stopped outside the three-point line. The abrupt movement sent Kevin leaping past Rey before he could even touch the ball.
"Too eager," Rey murmured casually.
Just as Kevin landed back on the floor, Rey fired off an incredibly clean jump shot. The ball arced beautifully through the air, sailed over Kevin's head, and swished into the net without grazing the rim.
SWISH!
The trembling net was accompanied by thunderous applause from the bleachers.
"That was awesome, Rey!" Nayla shouted from the bleachers, clapping excitedly. "A three-pointer right off the bat!"
"Damn, that shot was so smooth!" Dimas exclaimed, stunned.
Aris, standing near the basket, merely pushed up his glasses. "Shot accuracy: one hundred percent. You got crushed, Vin."
Kevin stood frozen in the middle of the court. His face turned bright red, caught between embarrassment and disbelief at what had just happened right in front of him.
Rey casually walked past Kevin and patted the Captain twice on the shoulder, wearing an utterly innocent expression.
"Focus, Captain," Rey said in an incredibly calm yet cutting tone. "It'll be even more embarrassing if the Class President is watching."
"You... you just got lucky!" Kevin shot back, the veins in his neck bulging. "A fluke shot like that won't happen twice!"
"Then let's try again," Rey challenged, deftly spinning the ball on his index finger. "That way, you'll be even more convinced it wasn't just luck."
"You just wait!" Kevin yelled in frustration, clenching his fists tightly while Dimas could only smack his forehead at his Captain's behavior.