Juggling between things, moving back and forth from kitchen to the dinning table trying to set a decent meal, his mom yelled: -
"Henry!! You gonna be late for your college."
When there was no respond, she storms into his room filled with trophies, medal and award received during his childhood, Henry was still asleep.
"wake up and start getting ready, its your first day. I'll be waiting downstairs."
"Okaay mom…I'll be there."
Half-awake he walks toward bathroom, grabs his toothbrush and stares at the mirror with excitement practices his walking style, the way he talks just so that he appears to be cool.
"Henry!!! It's been 20 minutes, aren't you ready yet?" shouted his mom.
"be there in a minute, mom"
Henry walks down the stairs wearing well fitted navy blue shirt perfectly matching his gray jeans holding a black jacket and carrying backpack on his one shoulder.
"Good morning little bro."
"Henry, I'm running late for my shift. Can you drop Peter to school?"
"Mom! What about Dad?"
"He's already at the restaurant, said he need your help there after college and I think Jordan will look nice with your outfit."
"Thanks Mom."
"keys on table and hurry up you will run late. Bye, love you boys."
"love you too, Mom." Said both brothers.
"get your bag buddy, we gotta go."
Just a few blocks away from Peter's school where they struck in traffic 'PE…PEEPS' trying to grasp the time Henry repeatedly checks his phone sighs "I'm so gonna be late."
"There you go buddy. Be a good boy and love you little one."
"Bye Henry, love you too."
Soon after his brother enters the school gate, he puts the car in reverse and rushes to his college talking to himself.
Entering the college, he notices the diversity of students, social clubs, sports all around the campus giving him a new experience in his life. Already being few minutes late he frantically searches for his classroom.
Knock-knock, "Excuse me Sir, is this mathematics for freshmen?"
"Yes, and you are?"
"I'm Henry Thompson, I will be taking this class and uh…umm I'm late."
"You won't repeat this. Right Henry?" said professors John.
"Sorry sir, I won't be late again."
"Alright then, please take a seat."
Henry was lost in his dreams while the classroom hums around the students with a distant voice of professor teaching his lesson.
Getting frustrated at day one when most of the student weren't paying attention, professor john calls out the most distracted student and asks: -
"Henry? If you are here, can please solve this?"
Points at the equation [find x if 3(2x-5) =4x+7] written at the board.
Henry: - "3(2x-5) can be simplify as 6x-15.
The equation can be written as 6x-15=4x+7,
Equating left hand side and right-hand side we have 2x=22,
Therefore, we have the value of x, which is 11."
Professor john: - "that's right, everyone must pay attention in the class. Do you hear me?"
"Moving forward, we were discussing ..."
As the class continue as it should, humming of student and the non-stop tutoring the professor when the bell rang.
"Okay, that's all for today. If you have any question, please come forth. If not, I'll see in next class."
No soon after the professor leaves the class and the students becomes alive. Chair scraping softly against the floor as they stand up and the sound of zipping backpack fills the classroom when few of his classmates walks up to him: -
"Hi, I'm Dave. This is Austin, Leo and Sean." Introduces from left to right accordingly.
"Nice to meet you guys. And I'm Henry."
"We were planning to hangout at my place today. Dave, Austin and Sean will be coming so hum… I was wondering if you like to join us?" asked Leo.
"I would definitely love to join you but I got basketball practice and gotta help my dad at our restaurant so my schedule is bit of tight today."
"I can't but thank you for inviting guys." heads for college's gymnasium.
Entering the lively gymnasium of the college full of basketball player and cheerleader and those of who came for tryout, Henry searches for the coach.
Among the cheerful and energetic young blood, he spots a man demanding player's best performance, emphasizing on rules, punctuality and their routine, wanting nothing but absolute results. Figuring out that he might be the coach Henry approaches him.
"Hi, I'm Henry Thompson and I'll be joining this club as of this moment, Sir."
"So, you came to this college?" exclaimed head coach Cooper.
"Yes sir." Answered Henry.
"I was informed that you might be coming today."
"Glad to be part of this team, Sir."
"Team!!! Gather around."
Satisfied but tired, players jog up to the coach. Their jersey is wet from the sweat, slightly messed up hair and their faces turning into red from their physical effort. Clearly exhausted but eyes full sprit, gathers around them.
"Coach, who is he?" asked the team's captain.
"This is Henry Thompson. He joined this college on scholarship and he will be joining the team." Declared coach Cooper.
The team doesn't want the newcomer easily but not daring to rise a word against the player starts bickering among themselves. The coach with a deeper judgement and making a quicker decision said: -
"Let's have a practice match. Henry, you will on blue team. Change and get on the court."
The gymnasium becomes busy with the movement and noise as the player starts picking up cones and clearing the court while the captain runs to the storeroom and brings out the practice jersey.
Changing into his clothes, Henry walks to the coach after completing his warmup and announces he's ready to play. Handing Henry a blue jersey and says: -
"Liam, James and Oliver will be with Henry on blue team."
"Maverick, Asher, William, Noah and Wyatt will be on red team."
"umm…. Who's the fifth member blue team?" wondered Noah.
"Lucas, the captain will be on the blue team." Replied the coach.
The teams are positioned in their place and the coach blows of his whistle marking start of the practice game. With the traditional jump ball, the red team wins the tip-off putting blue team on defense.
Blue team guarding their area tries to stop the attack but fails when the Noah makes three-point shoot. Lucas clearly to see Henry's skill and talents passes the ball right from start.
Henry dribbles till the half of the court and passes the ball to Liam who was left unmarked. Scoring from Henry's pass blue teams closes up the difference in point between them and the score board reads: -
Blue Team: Red Team
2 3
Trying to show his superiority, William cuts toward the basket but however doesn't score. The ball gets deflected from the hoop and Henry jumps toward the ball getting first rebound of the game. Lucas getting full court pass from Henry scores a basket, putting their team on leading score.
The game continues with the score going back and forth, neither team being able to pull ahead by 6 points. Both the team wanting to show dominance over other, displaying their best of the best game.
Nearing its end, the game became so intense that even cheerleader stops practicing their dance and starts enjoying the match. Henry receiving the ball, does cross-over Asher and dives right between Noah and Wyatt scoring a beautiful lay-up. Within a minute of Henry's score, the coach blows final whistle and the score board says: -
Blue Team: Red Team
78 84
Having played a wonderful, friendly rivalry game all player was thrilled to have Henry. Coach with satisfaction leaves the court saying just: -
"Great game."
"Okay Boys, we know the drill." Shouted Lucas.
Making a circle, they start doing their cool down stretches when a nonchalant Mavericks praised: -
"20 points, 4 three-pointer and 6 rebounds. Not bad kid."
"No offence but Sir I think its all because this game was played around me." Said Henry.
"Yo man…I think you should take it as it is coming from Mavericks." Said Asher.
"Thank you but I think I have to up my game just to fit in this team, th…this is well coordinated that a game is not played around a single player." Said Henry and added: -
"I mean other were struggling to make play around me. Even today, I think we lost because we didn't have coordination."
"HAHA…. You guys lost because we were better." Mocked Asher.
The gymnasium echoed with the clattering among some player and some player already returning home when Henry was captivated by a girl walking toward them from across the court, Hair bouncing with each step.
A pretty girl with sleeveless tops, pleated shirt and athletic shoe holding pom-poms on her hand congratulated them: -
"Nice Game, Boys."
She walks pass Henry, as if she didn't mean anything but yet her eyes fixed on Henry and kept other awing.