~RIVALRY AND FRIENDSHIP~

~Sports don't build character. They reveal it~

- John Wooden

Song - Traitor by Olivia Rodrigo

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Sophie walked into the dorm room, dropping her bag on the floor. Aubrey was lounging on her bed, a cigarette dangling from his lips, as he played a game on his device.

Sophie's eyes almost bulged out of its sockets. Not because she was surprised that Aubrey smokes, but because he was doing it on her bed. Even after making an agreement to quit smoking, he still went back to it without hesitation.

"Aubrey, I thought we agreed no smoking in the room," she said, trying to keep her tone light. "It's disgusting."

Aubrey looked up at her, taking another long drag. "Ah, come on Sophie. Just one little cigarette won't hurt anyone."

Sophie's eyes flashed with annoyance. She hated it when Aubrey smoked, and she hated it even more when he did it in their room. The smell always made her nauseous.

She spotted a pillow on the armchair and, without thinking, she picked it up and threw it at Aubrey.

The pillow hit Aubrey squarely on the head, making his cigarette fall out of his mouth. He looked up at Sophie, a grin spreading across her face, as she had both hands on her waist in a sassy manner.

"Oh, it's on now," he said, picking up a nearby pillow and hurling it back at Sophie.

Sophie squealed, dodging the pillow with ease. She grabbed another pillow from the couch and threw it back at Aubrey. The pillow fight was on.

For the next ten minutes, Sophie and Aubrey hurled pillows at each other, laughing and shrieking with delight.

As the pillow fight raged on, Sophie and Aubrey stumbled around the room. Pillows were scattered everywhere, and the air was filled with the soft, fluffy feathers that had escaped from the torn pillowcases.

Sophie, in her enthusiasm, didn't notice the pillow that laid on the floor in front of her. She tripped over it, her legs flying out from under her.

Aubrey, seeing her fall, rushed to catch her by grabbing her hand. But he was too late. Sophie's arms flailed wildly as she tried to regain her balance. She crashed to the ground, with Aubrey on top of her.

As they hit the floor, Aubrey's arms wrapped around Sophie, holding her close. For a moment, they just lay there, catching their breath and laughing.

But as they looked into each other's eyes, the laughter died down, and the atmosphere in the room shifted. The air was charged with a newfound tension, a sense of awareness that had never been there before.

Sophie's heart was racing, and she could feel Aubrey's chest rising and falling against hers. His arms were still wrapped around her, holding her close, and she didn't want him to let go.

Aubrey's eyes locked onto Sophie's, and he could see the spark of attraction there. He felt it too, a sense of connection that went beyond friendship.

For a moment, they just lay there, frozen in time, the only sound their ragged breathing. Then, slowly, Aubrey's face began to move closer to Sophie's, his lips inches from hers.

Sophie could feel her heart pounding in her chest. She knew that if Aubrey kissed her, everything would change. Their friendship would never be the same again.

She couldn't afford to fall in love.

Sophie cleared her throat, causing Aubrey to draw his head back. "I think we've had enough pillow fighting for one day," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I think we can both agree that was the most epic pillow fight ever," Aubrey chuckled, shaking his head as he got off Sophie and helped her up.

Sophie nodded, her eyes sparkling with mirth. "Definitely. But next time, can we please just use words?" She laughed.

"Where's the fun in that?"

Sophie rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "You're impossible."

Just then, Aubrey's phone chimed, breaking the moment. He pulled it out of his pocket and glanced at the screen.

"Hey, I've got basketball practice," he said, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

Sophie smiled. "That's right! Goodluck."

Aubrey changed into his jersey. "Thanks, Soph. Want to come watch me practice?"

Sophie shook her head. "I've got some work to do, but good luck! I'll be rooting for you."

Aubrey nodded, grabbing his basketball gear. "Alright, see you later."

He headed out the door, leaving Sophie to her work. As he arrived at the basketball court, he could feel his excitement building.

He sprinted down the court, his feet pounding the polished wood floor. He was in his element, the thrill of competition coursing through his veins. The coach was putting them through a series of drills, testing their skills and endurance.

As Aubrey paused to catch his breath, he noticed a familiar figure across the court. It was the star student, the one who had sneered at him the other day, saying: "Lucky shot." Aubrey's eyes narrowed, his competitive spirit flaring to life.

The coach blew his whistle, gathering the players around him. "Alright, let's play a game. I want to see how you all work together." He began to call out names, pairing players off against each other.

Aubrey's heart sank as he heard the coach say, "Aubrey, you're up against Tyler." Tyler was the star student, the one who had been sneering at him.

Aubrey's eyes met Tyler's, and he could see the arrogance and confidence radiating from him. Tyler was used to being the best, and he didn't take kindly to competition.

The game began, and Aubrey quickly realized that Tyler was not going to go easy on him. Tyler was fast, agile, and had a mean streak a mile wide. But Aubrey was not intimidated. He had been practicing, and he was determined to show Tyler that he was a force to be reckoned with.

The game was intense, with both players giving it their all. Aubrey was surprised to find that he was actually gaining the upper hand. Tyler was getting more and more agitated, his face reddening with anger.

As the game neared its end, Aubrey could hear the others cheering him on. They were chanting his name, urging him to make the final shot.

"Goooo, Aubrey!" Aubrey's eyes scanned the room, seeing Sophie cheering him on at the bleachers. He was surprised she came to watch him play, even after saying she had some work.

Tyler, on the other hand, was getting more and more desperate. He was fouling Aubrey left and right, trying to disrupt his concentration.

But Aubrey was not to be underestimated. He was focused, determined, and he could feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins. He dribbled the ball down the court, Tyler hot on his heels.

As he approached the three-point line, Tyler made a split-second decision. He reached out and tripped Aubrey, sending him crashing to the floor. The crowd gasped in shock, and the coach blew his whistle, calling a foul. Sophie gasped and rushed over to the court to help Aubrey.

Aubrey sprang to his feet without help, his eyes blazing with anger. "What was that?" he demanded, his voice low and menacing.

Tyler remained quiet, raising his hands in the air to feign innocence. But everyone saw what he did.

"You tripped him on purpose," Sophie yapped, slapping Tyler on his chest without hesitation. Tyler gripped Sophie's hands, shoving her aside. Thankfully, she fell in Aubrey's arms.

He pushed Sophie! That got Aubrey balling his fist, as he marched towards Tyler. He punched him, causing Tyler to stumble backwards with his hand on his cheek.

Aubrey shook out his hand, wincing slightly at the impact. Some guys intervened, pushing Aubrey back and pulling Tyler.

"Aubrey!" Sophie shrieked, grabbing his hand to see the bruise on his knuckle. Aubrey, on the other hand, didn't even care about the pain he felt.

Tyler marched towards Aubrey, shoving the guys who were in his way.
Aubrey also released his hand from Sophie's grasp, walking to Tyler.

Tyler sneered at him. "You think you're so much better than me? You think you can just waltz in here and steal the spotlight?"

Aubrey's face was inches from Tyler's, their noses almost touching. "I'm not trying to steal the spotlight," he growled. "Bitch-ass-nigga."

The coach intervened, stepping between the two players. "That's enough," he said firmly. "Tyler, what the heck was that? And Aubrey, seriously?"

Tyler's eyes didn't leave Aubrey's. He gnashed his teeth in annoyance, and reluctantly faced the coach. "I'm sorry, coach."

"I didn't expect that from you," the coach said to Tyler, pushing him backwards. He turned to Aubrey, "You okay, kid?"

Aubrey nodded, still seething with anger. "Yeah, I'm fine."

The coach nodded. "Alright, let's finish up with practice."

As they resumed practice, Aubrey could feel the tension between him and Tyler. He knew that this was far from over.

Sophie on the other hand, sat on the bleachers, glaring at Tyler who sat across the room. He got sent out of practice.

As the practice came to a close, the coach gathered them around him. "Good job, guys. I like what I see. Let's keep up the good work."

Aubrey grinned, feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment. He knew he still had a lot to prove, but he was ready for the challenge.

He sat on a bench, grabbing his stuff and tying his shoe lace as he tried to catch his breath. He took a swig of water from his bottle, feeling the cool liquid soothe his parched throat.

Just as he was starting to relax, a guy came up to him and sat down beside him, grabbing his own bag. "Hey, sorry about what Tyler did out there," he said, nodding in sympathy. "I saw the whole thing. He can be a real jerk sometimes."

Aubrey looked up at the guy, surprised by his apology. "I figured," he muttered, grimacing at Tyler, who grabbed his bag and stormed out the door.

"Thanks, man. I appreciate it."

The guy smiled and held out his hand. "I'm Jake, by the way. Jake Jackson."

Aubrey shook his hand. "Aubrey Wellington. Nice to meet you, Jake."

Jake leaned back against the bench, looking relaxed. "So, Aubrey, what do you think of Coach Harrison's drills? Pretty tough, huh? Though, you're a good player."

Aubrey nodded, taking another swig of water. "Yeah, they're definitely challenging. But I like it. It's pushing me to be my best."

Just as Jake was about to respond, a frantic voice cut through the air. "Aubrey! Oh my god!"

Aubrey turned to see Sophie rushing towards him, looking frazzled. "Hey, Sophie."

Sophie skidded to a stop in front of him, panting. "I'm sorry I couldn't handle that jerk well! I would've cut out his manhood, I swear," she gritted her teeth.

Aubrey guffawed at Sophie's cute gesture. She was short, and the way she acted tough cracked Aubrey up.

He shook his head, feeling a sense of relief. "It's okay, Sophie. I'm just glad you're here now."

Jake stood up, nodding at Aubrey. "Well, I'll let you two catch up. Nice meeting you, Aubrey."

Aubrey nodded, watching as Jake walked away. "Thanks, Jake. Likewise."

Sophie looked at him curiously. "Who's Jake?"

Aubrey smiled. "Just a guy who happens to bear your surname."

"Jackson?" Sophie asked, shouldering Aubrey's bag.

"Yeah," Aubrey uttered, standing up and towering Sophie with his height. "He apologized for what Tyler did during practice."

Sophie's eyes narrowed as a groan escaped her lips. "That jerk. I'm so sorry he did that to you."

Aubrey shrugged, placing his hand around Sophie's shoulder as they walked out of the court. "It's okay, Soph. I can handle myself."

Sophie smiled, her eyes shining with admiration. She stretched out her fist and Aubrey knew what that meant. They both fist bumped and intertwined their pinky fingers before letting out a small laugh.

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