Volume 1: The Story Of Their Life

Chapter 1: A Not So Good Start...

I crumpled onto my bed, burying my face in the sheets, my mind unraveling in a way it never had before. Rolling over and gazing emptily at the ceiling, I realized there was no chance of sleep after the tumultuous day I'd just experienced. A sigh escaped me as I replayed the events of that insane day.

March 19, 2081,
(The final school day before spring break.)

I lounged beneath the tree near the cafeteria as usual when a call jolted me awake. "Lex, it's time. Everyone's waiting," Scarlett whispered urgently the moment the connection was made. Inhaling deeply, I brushed aside the strands of hair that clung to my face and tucked them behind my ear.

"I'll be there in five minutes," I replied, stretching drowsily. Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I picked up my hoverboard and rode my way to the auditorium which was buzzing with an expectant crowd eagerly awaiting the Hover-ball team results. I hopped down my board, placed my bag on the side, and walked in.

I'm not usually one to get worked up, but strangely, my heart thudded louder than ever, shaking off the remnants of drowsiness. Sure, I was confident we'd make the team, so my anxiety stemmed from another source.

You see, I held the captaincy for the Hover Ball team during my junior years (Freshman and Sophomore), which is sorta a big deal in SASS. Now that I come under the HBSD (Hover-Ball Senior Division), my chances of retaining the position were a little bit at stake due to the high competition, but I was ready to accept it.

"I thought you were getting the boys..." I murmured, settling into my seat next to Scar.

"Sorry Lex, I don't think they are coming." She replied as a sigh escaped my lips.

Shortly, after some words of encouragement, the players and their positions in the team were announced and as expected, we were there on the list. Scar and I mounted the stairs leading to the stage along with our team while the auditorium echoed with thunderous applause. I positioned myself next to the *Scorers while Scar took her place beside the *Attackers. Things seemed pretty chill, up until that very moment.

A surge of intense pressure swept through me when the once roaring crowd abruptly fell silent, collectively holding their breath for the impending announcement of the captains. The countdown echoed, the audience joining in the suspense. In a matter of moments, the screen shifted to the next slide, unveiling the name of the *HBSD Girls captain.

"No way," I muttered, my eyes widening in disbelief. The crowd erupted in cheers as Scar hurried over, wrapping me in a tight hug. The thing I'd hoped for had come true, yet for some reason, I struggled to express anything. With a humble bow, I accepted my armband, with internal delight and lowered myself to one knee as the countdown commenced for the boys' captain announcement. I looked around, wishing the boys somehow made it, given that it was Dheeran's moment. However, when the results were revealed, the air of anticipation in the crowd quickly morphed into sheer astonishment.

"Wait, Aiden? Aiden Brook? The new guy from 11-B?" murmured one of my teammates. Silence hung in the air for a brief moment until a tall, fine-looking guy with golden-brown hair gracefully shouldered through the boys' team, offering a respectful bow to the crowd. Indistinct murmurs rippled through the audience, but despite the initial uncertainty, the gathering erupted into a hearty applause.

Scar and I exchanged glances as Aiden picked up the armband and waited, hesitantly looking at it before kneeling in front of his team. The oath-taking ceremony unfolded, and as I stole glances over my shoulder, a sense of familiarity with the guy crept in. "Nah, it can't be him," I denied to myself. "There's no way that idiot looks that good."

In an awkward moment after he caught me staring, the teams were directed to convene in the school arena by day's end for a brief meeting.

"He just joined the school. How is he the captain? Something doesn't add up..." Scar complained, doubtfully. "Lex, we need to do something," she urged, turning to me as I sighed and looked at the armband in my hands.

"Alright," I replied. " I'm gonna talk to Coach. I don't think it's gonna make much of an impact but I'm still gonna try." I handed her my bag, thrusting my bottle in. "Don't tell anyone about it. I'll catch up later."

"Not even the boys?"

"Especially, the boys."

I positioned my hoverboard by Coach Williams's cabin, tapping gently on the door. He glanced up, and I offered a slight wave through the glass. Unlocking the door with a remote, he welcomed me with a smile, to which I reciprocated with a respectful bow.

"Hendrix... What brings you here?" he inquired, multitasking and updating the team details.

"Coach, you know I never doubt your decisions, and I'm truly honored you picked me as the SDC. But..." I paused.

He looked up from his tablet, sensing, "This is about Dheeran, isn't it?"

"Yeah, coach," I admitted without any hesitation. "I just wanted to know why he wasn't chosen. As the consecutive captain for 3 years, he's more than qualified. You know that. I don't see why you handed it to someone new. I mean I don't know much about him, but he just joined the school."

Coach closed the tab, placed it aside, and sighed. "I do, but there's nothing I can do on my side when the entire faculty is against him after what happened. On top of that, Aiden transferred from VSA and he was the MVP in the Hover Ball team there." He revealed as my eyes widened in disbelief.

"Victor Sports Academy?" I repeated, taken aback. "But that's like the best academy for athletics in the country. They've been winning the league for years. Why would he quit?" Coach responded with a slight shrug.

"But coach, Dhee—" I stopped mid-sentence and took a deep sigh knowing that it wasn't going to change anything. "So, no?" I asked finally, and his lips formed a straight line as he shook his head indicating a no.

I dismissed the class reminder that popped up on my watch and got up to leave after a thank you note. It was then that my gaze landed on a visitor leaning against a wall outside the cabin, hands in pockets and a headphone wrapped around his neck.

"What's up with the captains today?" Coach muttered. The person outside raised his face, noticing my presence and we shared a brief moment of eye contact until the door slid open. "Come in, Aiden," Coach called, as he shifted to the side, making way for me to step in. Up close, he seemed even more familiar. His face, his name, his look—everything about him reminded me of HIM. Yet, at that moment, I didn't dwell on it much and departed with a slight bow.

"It was a flop," I muttered as I sat down beside Scar, dropping my head on the desk, letting out a big sigh. "Aiden was apparently the MVP in VSA before he transferred here. Guess the competition for Dheeran was higher than we thought." I continued, noting Scar's wide-eyed reaction—understandable, considering VSA is a dream for athletes, and it seemed awfully weird that someone would turn it down. I mean SASS is equally awesome, but we've never gotten a chance to beat them when it comes to sports. "Coach said that the faculty isn't taking the issue very well," I added, pulling out the safety equipment from one of the shelves as we worked on the experiment alongside the AI's instructions, chatting quietly like always.

Shortly after our classes, Scar and I suited up and decided to grab something to drink from the cafeteria in the spare time we had. Just as we were leaving, Mel, (Goalie- HBSD), darted inside the cafeteria, gasping for breath. I knew something was off the minute I saw her face.

"There's..." she began, pausing to regain her composure. "There's a fight in the arena..."

"What? Why?" I asked, a wave of alarm washing over me.

"I... I'm not sure..."

I sighed. "Isn't Dheeran there yet? Does he know?" Mel looked at me, hesitant.

"He... He's the one who's fighting."

"The heck..." Scar muttered, clutching her boba in hand, as I stood by the counter receiving my order.

Dropping everything, I urged her to take a breather before bolting to the arena alongside Scar. Our minds swirled with a mix of uncertainty and worry, the suspense of the situation intensifying with each step we took.