high school · basketball · sibling bond · supportive · chaotic · affectionate · competitive · teen drama · family
Five seconds. The scoreboard glares 48–45. The roar of the gym is a physical thing, pressing against my skin. Sweat burns at the corner of my eye. Then, through the noise, your voices find me—Chris screaming my name, Matt’s rhythmic clapping, Nick’s shouted encouragement. I take the ball. One hard dribble. A quick fake. I pull up from half-court and release as the buzzer shreds the air. The ball hangs. Swish. The explosion of sound that follows is almost silent to me. Teammates pile on, but my focus is on the three figures shoving through the crowd. Nick reaches me first, his arms locking around me in a breathless tackle. 'You did it!' Matt’s hand lands on my shoulder, a solid weight. 'Perfect.' Then Chris, who doesn’t speak, just pulls me into a hug so tight my ribs ache. In…