Game Above Game

The air in Coach Hale's office felt heavy, thick with the smell of old leather and stale coffee. Trophies lined the shelves behind his desk, and framed photos of past championship-winning teams stared down from the walls. The faint ticking of a clock was the only sound in the room.

Jaden sat in one chair, his arms crossed tightly over his chest, knuckles still raw from the fight. Tyler sat in the other, his split lip swollen and dark. Neither of them spoke.

Coach Hale stood near the window, his back to them, hands clasped behind him. For a long moment, the silence was unbearable.

"When I said 'Don't let Tyler get in your head,'" Hale said finally, his voice low and steady, "I didn't think I'd have to clarify that it didn't mean punch him in the face."

Jaden's jaw tightened. Tyler smirked faintly, the corner of his bruised lip pulling upward.

"Wipe that look off your face, Crane," Hale said sharply, turning around. Tyler's smirk vanished instantly.

Hale's icy blue eyes swept over both of them. "This isn't streetball, Hunter. And this isn't your personal fan club, Crane. You two are supposed to be teammates. Champions in the making. But what I see in front of me is a couple of children throwing tantrums."

Neither Jaden nor Tyler responded.

Hale walked around his desk and leaned against it, arms crossed. "You want to embarrass me? Fine. But you're also embarrassing your teammates, this program, and everyone who ever put faith in you. That's not what Ironwood stands for."

He exhaled slowly, running a hand through his salt-and-pepper hair.

"You're both suspended from team practice for the next two days. Conditioning drills only. You'll run until you hate the sight of this gym. After that, you'll sit on the bench for the first half of our next game. Both of you."

Jaden's stomach dropped. Tyler's face twitched, but he said nothing.

"Get out of my sight," Hale said coldly.

Both boys stood and walked to the door. As Jaden reached for the handle, Hale's voice stopped him.

"Hunter."

Jaden froze.

Hale's eyes locked onto his. "You're better than this. I know it, and you know it. Don't make me regret believing in you."

Jaden nodded stiffly and walked out.

---

The locker room was dead silent when Jaden stepped back inside. The team was scattered across the benches, tying their sneakers or stuffing gear into gym bags. All eyes flickered to Jaden as he entered.

Ethan was the first to approach, arms crossed over his chest.

"What the hell were you thinking, Jaden?" Ethan's voice was low, but there was sharp disappointment in his tone.

"He crossed a line," Jaden said flatly, his eyes flicking to Tyler, who was leaning against the far wall with a smug look on his face.

"And you think throwing fists solved anything?" Ethan said. "Now you're both suspended, and we're down two players for the first half of the season opener."

Jaden's shoulders slumped slightly. He knew Ethan was right.

Tank walked over, his massive frame blocking part of Jaden's view. His expression wasn't angry, just tired.

"Silk, man… you gotta keep your cool," Tank said quietly. "We need you out there. Not sitting on the bench watching us lose because you and Tyler couldn't let it go."

Jaden's chest tightened, and he nodded. "I hear you, man."

Leo, leaning against his locker with his arms crossed, finally spoke.

"You're not the first guy Tyler's pushed, Jaden," Leo said softly. "But you might be the first one to actually take the bait."

The weight of those words hit harder than any punch Jaden had thrown.

Without another word, Jaden grabbed his bag and walked out of the locker room.

---

The courtyard outside the gym was quiet in the late afternoon light. Students were scattered across the grassy lawn, laughing and studying in small groups.

Jaden found a bench near the edge of the courtyard and dropped onto it. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, staring at the ground.

"You know, sulking isn't a good look for you."

Jaden glanced up to see Ava Martinez standing nearby, camera bag slung across her shoulder, a slight smirk on her face.

"I'm not sulking," Jaden said flatly.

"Sure," Ava said, taking a seat next to him on the bench. "And Tyler's not an egomaniac."

Jaden let out a small laugh, despite himself.

"So… what happened?" Ava asked, her voice softer now.

Jaden hesitated. He wanted to brush it off, make a joke, pretend it didn't matter. But the weight of everything—the fight, Hale's words, Ethan's disappointment—was too much.

"He said something about my mom," Jaden said quietly.

Ava's face softened. "That's low. Even for Tyler."

"Yeah. And I shouldn't have let it get to me. But… I couldn't stop myself."

They sat in silence for a moment, the sound of distant laughter and the rustle of leaves filling the air.

"You know," Ava said after a while, "Coach Hale wouldn't have suspended you if he didn't think you could bounce back from this. He's tough, yeah, but he's not cruel."

Jaden nodded slowly. "I just… I feel like I'm letting everyone down. My mom, the team, myself."

Ava leaned forward, her hazel eyes locking onto his. "Jaden, listen to me. One mistake doesn't define you. What matters is what you do next."

Jaden looked at her, and for the first time all day, the tight knot in his chest seemed to loosen just a little.

"Thanks, Martinez."

"Anytime, Silk." Ava smirked, standing up. "But hey, next time you decide to throw hands, make sure I'm around with my camera."

Jaden laughed softly as Ava walked away, her ponytail swinging with every step.

---

That night, the Ironwood outdoor court was empty and quiet under the pale glow of the campus floodlights.

Jaden dribbled a basketball, the sound echoing across the empty space. Each bounce felt like a release, each shot like an apology he couldn't quite put into words.

His phone buzzed in his pocket.

It was a text from Marco Reyes.

"Yo, bro. Saw the fight clip. You good?"

Jaden stared at the screen for a moment before typing back.

"Yeah, I'm good. Just gotta figure some stuff out."

Marco's reply came almost immediately.

"You'll figure it out, man. You always do. Pinehill's still watching. Don't forget that."

Jaden exhaled slowly and pocketed his phone.

He squared his shoulders, adjusted his grip on the ball, and took a deep breath before launching a perfect jumper into the hoop.

The swish echoed through the night air.

Jaden knew one thing—he couldn't afford to lose focus again.

This wasn't just about him anymore.

////////please give some power stones they are much appreciated/////