The next morning, Axiom stood in front of the high school gates, staring up at the building in silence.
"…This is a high school…?"
It was huge.
Way bigger than the one he went to when he was younger.
The campus stretched wide, multiple buildings connected together, large glass windows reflecting the morning sun, banners hanging from the front entrance showing sports teams, academic awards, and championship titles.
He scratched the back of his head.
"The high school I went to looked like a middle school compared to this…"
Students walked past him, some in groups, some alone, most not even noticing him.
He took a breath and stepped inside.
Leo said they'd be here.
But he didn't say where.
Axiom walked down the hallway slowly, looking around.
Lockers lined the walls.
Trophy cases.
Posters for clubs.
Normal.
Everything looked normal.
But he knew better now.
He stopped walking.
Closed his eyes slightly.
"…Alright…"
Sense.
He let his Dama spread just a little.
Not enough to be noticed.
Just enough to feel.
The world around him became sharper.
Footsteps.
Voices.
Movement.
Energy.
Most people felt normal.
Calm.
Flat.
No Dama activity.
Then…
Two.
Faint.
But strong.
Different.
He turned his head slightly.
"…There."
He started walking in that direction, following the feeling.
The closer he got, the stronger it felt.
Not controlled.
Not trained.
Just natural.
Wild.
Alive.
He turned a corner.
Then another.
Then he heard it.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
The sound echoed through the hallway.
A basketball hitting the floor.
Fast.
Rhythmic.
Controlled.
Thump—thump—thump—thump.
He stopped for a second and listened.
He could hear shoes sliding across the court.
Quick steps.
Running.
A jump.
The sound of the net moving.
The ball hitting the floor again.
Thump.
Bounce.
Catch.
Turn.
Run.
Even without seeing it, he could picture the movement perfectly.
Someone was practicing.
No.
Two people.
He could hear both of them.
One heavier step.
One lighter.
Fast.
Precise.
He followed the sound until he reached a pair of large double doors.
GYMNASIUM
The sound was louder now.
Thump.
Thump.
Sneakers squeaking on the polished floor.
A jump.
The ball hitting the backboard.
Swish.
Axiom smiled slightly.
"…Found you."
He pushed the doors open.
The gym was huge.
Bright lights above.
Rows of bleachers on both sides.
The sound echoed across the empty space.
Only one court was being used.
At the far end.
Callie and Cammy.
Just the two of them.
No one else.
They were playing one on one.
Callie dribbled fast, her movements sharp and aggressive, her body low as she moved forward, the ball hitting the floor with perfect rhythm.
Cammy moved in front of her, light on her feet, her steps quick and precise, her eyes locked on the ball.
Callie pushed forward.
Cammy stepped sideways.
Callie jumped.
Cammy jumped with her.
The ball hit the rim.
Bounced.
Cammy caught it mid-air, landed smoothly, turned, and ran the other way without losing speed.
Axiom's eyes widened slightly.
"…Yeah… that's definitely Dama…"
They didn't even know it.
Every step.
Every jump.
Every reaction.
Their instincts were guiding them.
Natural users.
As he stepped inside, the doors closed behind him with a soft sound.
Both of them froze.
Not because they heard the door.
Because they felt him.
Callie stopped dribbling.
Cammy stopped running.
Both of them turned at the same time.
Their eyes locked on him instantly.
They didn't know what Dama was.
They didn't know what Sense was.
But their instincts reacted.
Someone strong just walked in.
Callie lowered the ball slowly, spinning it once in her hand.
"…Hey."
She tilted her head slightly.
Recognition hit her face.
"…Wait."
She walked toward him confidently, the ball tucked under her arm.
"You're that guy from the college."
Cammy followed a few steps behind, quieter, but watching him carefully.
Callie stopped a few feet away.
Hands on her hips.
Smirk on her face.
"How are you?"
Small pause.
"…And what are you doing here?"
For a moment, Axiom didn't answer.
He just stood there looking at them.
This was the first time he had really been this close to them, standing face to face instead of watching from the bleachers.
Up close, they felt different.
Not just strong.
Not just athletic.
They had a kind of presence that was hard to explain.
Callie stood with one hand on her hip, the basketball tucked under her arm, her posture confident without even trying. Her hair was tied back loosely, a few strands falling around her face from moving so much, and there was a light shine of sweat on her skin from practice. It only made her look more alive, more energetic, like she was always ready to move.
Her eyes were sharp, focused, the kind of look someone had when they loved competition more than anything else.
Cammy stood just behind her, quieter, her breathing still a little fast from running, but her movements calm. Her hair fell around her shoulders naturally, slightly messy from practice, and her expression was softer, but her eyes were just as alert.
She didn't say anything yet.
Just watched him carefully.
Both of them were beautiful.
Not in the same way Beth was.
Beth had a calm, storybook kind of beauty.
These two felt different.
More real.
More alive.
Like they belonged on a court, under bright lights, moving faster than everyone else.
Axiom blinked once and snapped himself back to reality.
"…Right."
Callie raised an eyebrow.
"You okay?"
He nodded.
"Yeah."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"So… this is gonna sound kinda stupid."
Callie smirked.
"I like stupid."
Cammy covered her mouth slightly, smiling.
Axiom sighed.
"Yesterday… the guy from the basketball team came back."
Callie frowned a little.
"The captain?"
"Yeah."
He nodded.
"He came into my class with a bunch of his teammates."
Cammy's eyes widened.
"In class?"
Axiom nodded.
"Yeah."
He crossed his arms.
"They tried to jump me again."
Callie let out a small laugh.
"…And you dodged everything again?"
Axiom smirked.
"…Pretty much."
He continued.
"The teacher called security… then the superintendent showed up… the coach showed up…"
Callie blinked.
"…Wait, what?"
Axiom shrugged.
"It got out of hand."
He pointed at himself.
"And somehow…"
Small pause.
"…the captain got removed from his position."
Cammy tilted her head.
"…Removed?"
Axiom nodded.
"And now… I'm the captain."
Silence.
Callie stared at him.
Cammy stared at him.
Then both of them spoke at the same time.
"…What?"
Axiom raised both hands.
"I know."
"I know."
"I don't even play basketball."
Callie burst out laughing.
"No way."
He nodded.
"I've played like… twice."
Cammy laughed too, softer, but she couldn't hold it in.
"You're serious?"
"Very."
He sighed.
"The match is in three days."
Callie laughed even harder.
"In three days!?"
Axiom nodded.
"And I have to at least not embarrass myself."
He looked at them seriously now.
"That's why I came here."
Callie stopped laughing, but the smile stayed on her face.
"Oh?"
He pointed at the court.
"I watched you two when you played at the college."
Her eyes sharpened slightly.
"…You did?"
He nodded.
"The way you move… the way you react…"
He hesitated, then said honestly:
"I've never seen anyone play like that."
For a second, both of them felt it.
That small pulse again.
Not strong.
Not obvious.
Just his sincerity.
They didn't know it was Dama.
They just felt that he meant it.
Cammy looked down for a second, smiling a little.
Callie smirked.
"…Go on."
Axiom took a breath.
"I want you to teach me."
Silence.
Callie blinked.
Cammy blinked.
He continued.
"I need to learn the basics."
"How to move."
"How to play."
"How to not get destroyed in three days."
He scratched his head.
"And… I figured…"
"…if anyone can teach me fast…"
He looked at both of them.
"It's you two."
For a second, neither of them spoke.
Then Callie laughed again, but this time it wasn't mocking.
It was excited.
"In three days…"
She spun the basketball on her finger.
"…You wanna learn basketball in three days."
She grinned.
"I like that."
Cammy smiled softly.
"That sounds… kinda fun actually…"
Callie looked at him.
Eyes sharp.
Confident.
Alright.
"I like a challenge."
She bounced the ball once.
Thump.
"Let's see what you got, captain."
The way Callie said it—
"Let's see what you got, captain."
For some reason, that one word stuck in Axiom's head.
Captain.
He didn't know why, but hearing it from her made something inside him feel… excited.
Not nervous.
Not pressured.
Excited.
Like he actually wanted to live up to it.
He scratched the back of his head, trying not to smile too much.
"…Alright."
Callie spun the basketball in her hands.
"So where do we start, captain?"
He thought for a second.
"…First… I just wanna watch."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Watch?"
"Yeah."
He pointed at the ball.
"I wanna see how you dribble. Like… just move around."
Callie smirked.
"You sure?"
He nodded.
"Yeah."
She bounced the ball once.
Thump.
"Alright then."
She stepped back onto the court.
Cammy moved to the side, leaning against the wall, arms folded, watching with a small smile.
Callie lowered her stance.
The moment she started moving, Axiom felt it again.
That same feeling.
That natural flow.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
The ball hit the floor in a steady rhythm as she moved left, then right, then forward, then back.
Her feet barely made sound.
Her body stayed low, balanced, ready to change direction at any second.
She dribbled between her legs.
Spun.
Switched hands.
Moved backward without looking.
Then suddenly—
She stopped.
Raised the ball like she was about to shoot.
Her whole body shifted into position.
Perfect form.
Then—
She dropped back down instantly and started dribbling again, fast, changing direction like the shot never happened.
Axiom's eyes widened slightly.
"…That's a fake…"
Callie smirked.
"You noticed."
She moved again, faster this time.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Then suddenly she grabbed the ball and threw it at him.
Fast.
Really fast.
To a normal person, it would've hit their chest before they even reacted.
But Axiom's body moved before he thought.
Focus.
His Dama shifted.
Not to his arms.
Not to his legs.
To his eyes.
His vision sharpened instantly.
The world slowed down.
The ball spun through the air.
He could see the rotation.
The angle.
The speed.
His hand moved.
He caught it clean.
Smack.
Callie froze.
Cammy blinked.
Callie tilted her head slowly.
"…Oh?"
That was not the reaction she expected.
She walked closer.
"You've played before."
Axiom shook his head.
"No."
She narrowed her eyes.
"I threw that fast."
He shrugged.
"I saw it."
Cammy pushed off the wall, walking closer too.
"That throw usually takes people a while to get used to…"
Callie crossed her arms, looking at him more seriously now.
"…Even our vice captain took months to catch that right."
Axiom smiled a little.
"Guess I'm a fast learner."
Callie smirked.
"…We'll see."
She stepped back again.
"Alright, captain."
"Copy me."
She dropped into stance again.
This time, Axiom focused harder.
Focus.
His Dama gathered again.
Into his eyes.
His vision sharpened even more.
And this time—
He saw it.
Not just her movement.
Her aura.
A faint yellow-gold glow flowed around her body, almost like heat in the air, moving with her every step.
It wrapped around her legs when she moved.
Around her arms when she controlled the ball.
Around her body when she shifted direction.
Natural Dama.
Completely instinctive.
He watched carefully.
Every step.
Every shift.
Every fake.
Between the legs.
Left hand.
Right hand.
Back step.
Forward.
Fake shot.
Drop.
Spin.
Dribble again.
He memorized all of it.
Callie stopped.
"Your turn."
She tossed the ball lightly this time.
Axiom caught it.
Took a breath.
Lowered his stance.
He tried to move the same way she did.
Dribble.
Thump.
Too stiff.
He adjusted.
Between the legs.
Almost lost it.
Caught it again.
Step back.
Fake shot.
Drop.
Turn.
Move forward.
Not perfect.
Not smooth.
But not bad.
He kept going.
Trying to remember every detail he saw.
When he stopped, he looked up.
"…How bad?"
Callie stared at him for a second.
Then laughed once.
"…Not bad at all."
Cammy nodded.
"You copied most of it."
Callie walked closer, pointing at his feet.
"You're stiff here."
She tapped his shoulder.
"And here."
Then she smirked.
"But your reflexes are crazy."
A short pause.
She crossed her arms.
"You've got the skill."
"You just need control."
Cammy smiled softly.
"And speed."
Callie spun the ball again.
"And timing."
She tossed it to him.
"Good news, captain."
Her grin widened.
"You might actually survive this game."
The next couple of hours passed faster than Axiom expected.
Callie didn't go easy on him.
Not even a little.
"Lower."
Thump.
"Faster."
Thump.
"You're thinking too much."
Thump.
"Move."
Thump.
The sound of the basketball echoed across the empty gym again and again, mixing with the squeak of shoes on the polished floor.
Axiom dribbled.
Lost the ball.
Picked it up.
Tried again.
Callie circled around him like a predator watching prey.
"You're stiff."
"I know."
"You're slow."
"I know."
"You're thinking instead of moving."
"…I know."
Cammy laughed softly from the side.
"You're doing better than most people would on the first day…"
Callie tossed him the ball again.
"Don't encourage him."
He caught it clean this time.
That alone made Callie's eyebrow lift slightly.
"…Okay, that part is still weird."
They kept going.
Dribbling drills.
Footwork.
Turning.
Stopping.
Starting.
Changing direction.
Jump shots.
Layups.
Passing.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Sweat started to run down Axiom's face.
His breathing got heavier.
But his body didn't feel tired the way it should have.
Forge.
His Dama was still flowing through him naturally.
Not full power.
Just enough to keep his muscles sharp.
Callie noticed.
"…You don't get tired, do you?"
He smirked.
"I do."
She narrowed her eyes.
"…Not like normal people."
Cammy tilted her head.
"You move like you're used to fighting."
Axiom froze for a second.
"…Fighting?"
Callie nodded.
"Yeah."
She spun the ball once.
"You don't move like someone learning a sport."
"You move like someone learning how to use their body."
He didn't answer.
Instead, he asked:
"…What do you feel when you play?"
Both girls blinked.
Callie frowned slightly.
"What do you mean?"
He gestured toward the court.
"When you move."
"When you react."
"When you know what the other person is about to do."
He looked at Cammy.
"You move before they even move sometimes."
He looked at Callie.
"And you change direction before they can react."
Small pause.
"…What does that feel like?"
They looked at each other.
Neither of them answered right away.
Callie scratched her head.
"…I don't know."
Cammy spoke first, quietly.
"It's like… you don't think."
Axiom looked at her.
She continued.
"You just… know where to go."
She moved her hand slightly, like tracing a path in the air.
"It's like the court is smaller."
"And everything is slower."
Callie nodded.
"Yeah."
She bounced the ball once.
Thump.
"It's like your body moves before your brain does."
She dropped into stance.
"You don't plan it."
"You just feel it."
She stepped left.
Then right.
Then forward.
Then stopped instantly.
"And you just… go."
Cammy added softly:
"It's like… you can feel the space around you."
Axiom's eyes sharpened.
"…Feel it?"
She nodded.
"Like… where people are."
"Where the ball will go."
"Where you should move next."
Callie laughed.
"Yeah, like the court tells you what to do."
Axiom went quiet.
Inside his head, everything clicked.
So that's how it feels… when it's natural.
No control.
No technique.
No awareness.
Just instinct.
He looked at his hands.
Maybe that's what I'm missing.
He had control.
He had Dama.
He had training.
But they had instinct.
He took the ball again.
"…Show me one more time."
Callie smirked.
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
She moved again.
Fast.
Low.
Sharp.
Fake.
Turn.
Drive.
Stop.
Shoot.
Swish.
Axiom watched carefully.
This time, he didn't focus on her body.
He focused on the feeling.
The rhythm.
The flow.
The way her movement never stopped.
The way she didn't think.
She just moved.
He closed his eyes for a second.
Then opened them.
Dama flowed.
Not just Forge.
Flow.
Sense.
Focus.
He stepped forward.
Dribble.
Thump.
Lower.
Step.
Turn.
Between the legs.
Back.
Forward.
Fake.
Spin.
Drive.
Stop.
Shoot.
The ball hit the rim.
Dropped in.
Callie froze.
Cammy froze.
Axiom caught the rebound.
Moved again.
This time smoother.
Faster.
More natural.
Not perfect.
But closer.
Callie's eyes widened.
"…Wait."
He moved again.
This time his steps were lighter.
His turns sharper.
His reactions quicker.
He combined their instinct…
with his Dama control.
Cammy whispered:
"…He's getting better…"
Callie shook her head slowly.
"No…"
She stared at him.
"…He's adapting."
Axiom stopped, breathing heavier now.
Sweat ran down his face.
But his eyes were focused.
Alive.
Callie walked closer, looking at him like she was seeing him for the first time.
"…You're weird."
He laughed.
"I get that a lot."
Cammy smiled softly.
"You move like you've been playing for years…"
Callie crossed her arms.
"…No."
She looked straight at him.
"You move like you learn too fast."
A short silence.
Then she grinned.
And for the first time, there was real excitement in her eyes.
"…I like that."
Cammy nodded.
"…Me too."
After another thirty minutes of drills, Callie finally clapped her hands once.
"Alright, break."
Axiom dropped the ball and bent forward, hands on his knees, breathing heavier than before.
"…Finally."
Callie laughed.
"You wanted to learn in three days."
Cammy walked over, holding a water bottle, and tossed one to him.
He caught it easily now.
That alone made Callie smirk again.
"…See, you're already getting used to reacting fast."
Axiom twisted the cap and drank.
Cold water never felt that good.
They sat down on the edge of the court near the wall, the big empty gym quiet now except for the faint echo of the air system running above them.
For a moment, nobody said anything.
Just breathing.
Resting.
Callie leaned back on her hands.
"…You're weird, you know that?"
Axiom looked at her.
"I've heard that a lot today."
Cammy giggled softly.
"You really learn fast."
He shrugged.
"I have good teachers."
Callie smirked.
"Yeah, yeah."
She spun the ball on her finger lazily.
"So, captain…"
He looked at her.
"What?"
"What do you even want to do?"
He blinked.
"…What do you mean?"
She stopped the ball and held it in her hands.
"Like… in life."
"What do you wanna be?"
Axiom hesitated for a second.
He wasn't expecting that question.
Before he could answer, Cammy spoke first.
"We already know what we want."
Callie nodded immediately.
"Yeah."
She leaned forward a little, elbows on her knees.
"We're going pro."
Axiom raised an eyebrow.
"Pro?"
Cammy nodded, smiling.
"WNBA."
Callie grinned.
"That's the plan."
She bounced the ball once lightly.
"We've been playing since we were kids."
Cammy nodded.
"Elementary school."
Callie pointed at her.
"She used to cry when she lost."
Cammy blushed.
"I was little!"
Callie laughed.
"And now she's faster than everyone."
Cammy looked down, smiling a little shyly.
"We've been on the same team almost every year."
Callie leaned back again.
"We said we're not stopping until we make it."
Axiom looked at them.
"…Together?"
Callie nodded without hesitation.
"Together."
Cammy smiled.
"We wanna play on the same team in the WNBA."
Callie smirked.
"At least for a few years."
Cammy added softly:
"Then we'll see what happens after that."
Axiom watched them for a second.
They weren't joking.
They weren't unsure.
They had decided that a long time ago.
"…That's actually pretty cool."
Callie looked at him.
"What about you, captain?"
He looked down at the floor for a moment.
"…Honestly…"
He laughed quietly.
"Until yesterday, I thought my life was gonna be pretty normal."
Callie raised an eyebrow.
"And now?"
He shook his head slightly.
"Now… a lot of opportunities opened up."
They both looked at him, curious.
He continued.
"I like animation."
"I like stories."
"I wanted to make anime one day."
Cammy's eyes lit up.
"Really?"
He nodded.
"Yeah."
Callie smirked.
"That fits you."
He laughed.
"But now…"
He looked at his hands.
"…I don't know."
Callie tilted her head.
"You don't know?"
He shook his head.
"It feels like… there's more than one path now."
Cammy asked softly:
"…Is that bad?"
He thought for a moment.
"…No."
He smiled a little.
"Just confusing."
Callie stood up and stretched her arms over her head.
"Well, whatever path you pick…"
She looked down at him.
"You'll be fine."
He raised an eyebrow.
"You sound pretty confident."
She smirked.
"You caught my pass on the first try."
Cammy smiled too.
"You kept up with us on the first day."
Callie crossed her arms.
"And you didn't run away when we pushed you."
She pointed at him.
"You'll be a good captain."
Cammy nodded.
"…Yeah."
Axiom blinked.
For some reason…
Hearing that from them felt different.
Not like when Leo said something serious.
Not like when Beth complimented him.
This felt…
Real.
Callie picked up the ball again and tossed it to him.
He caught it clean.
She grinned.
"Break's over, captain."
Cammy stood up too, smiling.
"We still have a lot to teach you."
Callie dropped into stance again.
"And you only got three days."
Training continued for another hour.
At first, Axiom was just keeping up.
Then he started improving.
Then he started adapting.
Callie dribbled.
He copied.
Cammy moved.
He reacted.
Callie sped up.
He adjusted.
Cammy changed direction.
He followed.
His movements weren't perfect yet, but they were getting smoother, more natural, less stiff.
Callie wiped sweat from her forehead and laughed.
"…Okay, that's actually scary."
Axiom caught the ball and spun it once in his hand.
"What?"
"You weren't even able to dribble this morning."
Cammy nodded.
"And now you can keep up with us…"
Axiom shrugged.
"Good teachers."
Callie smirked.
"Flattery won't make training easier."
He laughed.
"I figured."
They kept going.
Pass.
Run.
Turn.
Drive.
Shoot.
Swish.
The rhythm of the gym filled the air again.
Thump.
Sneakers squeak.
Breathing.
Movement.
Then—
The double doors opened.
The sound echoed across the gym.
All three of them stopped at the same time.
Five guys walked in.
Tall.
Athletic.
Wearing the school football jackets.
The one in front stood out immediately.
Broad shoulders.
Confident walk.
The kind of guy who knew everyone in the school knew his name.
Jonathan.
Captain of the football team.
Callie sighed quietly under her breath.
"…Great."
Cammy muttered softly.
"They're early…"
Jonathan stopped a few steps in, then smiled when he saw Callie.
"Well, well."
He walked closer.
"I thought I heard someone using the gym."
His eyes stayed on her the whole time.
"You're here early again."
Callie bounced the ball once, not impressed.
"We were practicing."
He nodded.
"Yeah, I figured."
Then his eyes moved.
To Axiom.
He frowned slightly.
"…Who's this?"
The other guys looked at him too.
Axiom stood relaxed, holding the ball.
Callie answered casually.
"He's a friend."
Jonathan raised an eyebrow.
"Friend?"
Cammy spoke softly.
"We met him at the college game."
Callie added:
"He came to visit."
Jonathan's expression changed just a little.
Not angry.
Not yet.
But definitely annoyed.
He looked Axiom up and down.
"…I haven't seen you here before."
Axiom shrugged.
"I don't go here."
Callie smirked.
"He goes to the college."
Jonathan looked back at her.
"You're hanging out with college guys now?"
She rolled her eyes.
"We're practicing, not dating."
One of the football players laughed.
Jonathan didn't.
His eyes stayed on Callie.
"You could at least tell me when you bring someone new around."
Callie stopped the ball and looked straight at him.
"I don't need permission to talk to people."
A short silence.
Cammy shifted slightly, sensing the tension.
Jonathan forced a small smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.
"…Yeah."
Then he glanced at Cammy.
"You're quiet today."
Cammy smiled politely.
"I'm always quiet."
One of the guys behind him laughed.
Jonathan leaned closer to Callie.
"You know, you should come watch practice later."
She shook her head.
"I'm busy."
"With him?"
She didn't even hesitate.
"With basketball."
Jonathan's jaw tightened slightly.
He looked at Axiom again.
"…You play?"
Axiom answered calmly.
"I just started."
Callie smirked.
"He's learning."
Jonathan scoffed.
"Learning?"
He stepped forward onto the court.
"From you?"
Callie crossed her arms.
"Yeah."
He shook his head.
"…You don't teach just anyone."
Callie looked at him flatly.
"I teach whoever I want."
The other guys exchanged looks.
They knew that tone.
Jonathan looked at Axiom again.
Longer this time.
Then he smiled.
Not friendly.
Not really.
More like a challenge.
"…Alright."
He walked to the middle of the court and grabbed another ball.
"If you're learning…"
He bounced it once.
Thump.
"…Let's see what you got."
Callie frowned.
"Jonathan, don't."
He ignored her.
He pointed at Axiom.
"One on one."
Full court.
Silence.
Cammy's eyes widened slightly.
"…Jonathan…"
Callie stepped forward.
"He just started."
Jonathan shrugged.
"Then it'll be easy."
He spun the ball in his hands.
"Unless…"
He looked straight at Axiom.
"You don't want to."
The gym went quiet.
That kind of quiet that felt like something was about to happen.
Callie looked at Axiom.
"…You don't have to."
Cammy nodded.
"He's really good…"
Jonathan smirked.
"What, you scared?"
Axiom didn't answer right away.
He looked at the ball.
Then at Jonathan.
Then at Callie.
Then at Cammy.
Inside, his Dama stirred slightly.
Pressure.
Challenge.
Conflict.
Exactly the kind of situation Leo talked about.
He exhaled slowly.
Then smiled.
"…Full court?"
Jonathan grinned.
"Full court."
Axiom bounced the ball once.
Thump.
"…Alright."
Callie blinked.
"…Wait—"
He looked at her and smirked a little.
"You said you like challenges, right?"
She froze for a second.
Then slowly smiled.
"…Yeah."
Cammy whispered:
"…This is gonna be bad…"