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jt

I t’s game night and I am feeling a mixture of nerves and excited energy. Our archnemesis, the Southside Devils, made it into the grand final against us, but as we are the higher ranked team we have the home court advantage.

The stadium is packed with our friends and family in a sea of silver and navy, and I’ve already spotted quite a few of the school staff in the stands. Even Mr Peters is sitting there beside Mr Allan, waving a school pompom, and I try not to choke on a laugh.

I’m out on court running drills, but my attention keeps drifting to the stands where I spot Quinn squeezing through the crowd to take a seat beside my grandparents and Trey’s family. But happy as I am to see Quinn, I am completely floored to see Amy right beside him, gently guiding an older woman with a shock of white hair. I can only assume this is Quinn’s gran.

Something about seeing those two ladies there in the stands to support me causes something indescribable to tighten in my chest. Something that feels suspiciously like love — the kind you have for family that is. Uncle Alec is shaking hands with Amy and Gran and making introductions along the row. I catch Quinn’s eye, and he shoots me a wink.

I can’t believe Quinn’s family are here to support me. Not even my own family are here tonight. But then again, I was the one who made the decision not to tell them about the game and it’s not like they would ever ask. They have chosen to not give a damn about me and the one thing I love most, other than Quinn, so I have decided to respect that. At least this way I can’t be constantly disappointed by them anymore.

Coach is wearing a charcoal suit and looking real dapper as he paces on the sidelines, and I think I detect a hint of nerves from him too. He calls us in early and we huddle around him, Trey and Marco boxing me in on either side.

Coach usually loves the theatre of the game, but he keeps his pep talk simple. “There’s a lot of love in the stands for you boys tonight. Use the energy of the crowd but don’t let it distract you from what you have to do. Focus on the prize. Sterlings, you have full permission to bring chaos ball to the court tonight. Let’s go have fun and play the game of your life, boys,” he says before he sends us out onto the court.

Trey is at my side, and we exchange our pre-game fist bump before settling into our positions around Vince in the centre. We’ve been here before. We know what to do.

The siren sounds and the referee throws the ball up. Vince gets the jump, and the ball lands in my hands.

It’s game on.

***

The final siren blares at the end of the last quarter and the Dukes seal the win! We’re ahead by a razor-thin two points in what has easily been the hardest-fought victory of my career. The lead must have changed at least eight times, and I’m pretty certain half the crowd might be needing treatment for heart attacks.

But none of that matters because we are the Division One champions, and it feels amazing.

Trey leaps onto my back, nearly crushing me under his weight as the five of us dive on each other before the bench and Coach are there with us too.

Our families and supporters descend the court, but I only have eyes for Quinn. We somehow manage to find each other in the crowd where he pulls me into a hug, lifting my feet off the ground.

“I’m proud of you,” he says into my ear just before I’m ripped away from him by my grandparents with hugs and cheers.

Somewhere in the whirlwind of celebrations, the championship trophy and player medallions are brought out onto court. One by one, we’re presented with our premiership medals, draping them proudly around our necks.

Then the head of the league steps forward, microphone in hand, and announces my name as the Division One MVP. For a second I’m frozen, barely processing the words as my teammates erupt around me. I accept the extra medal, feeling slightly dazed as my fingers brush over the cool metal. But it’s not until I find Quinn in the crowd, his bright, proud eyes locked onto mine, signature crooked smile in place, that the moment truly sinks in.

I walk straight to him and he hugs me tight, and then Amy is there to give me another hug and I am feeling so on top of the world I hardly have words.

“JT, this is my gran,” Quinn introduces, running his arm around the back of the frail little old lady at his side.

“Hello,” I say, trying to hide the sudden attack of shyness.

“Well, hello, JT,” Gran beams back at me. “What a game you just played.”

“Thank you, Gran,” I say, not sure how to refer to her as Quinn didn’t give me any other name. But she doesn’t seem to mind and neither does Quinn as he shoots me a smile that is entirely soft.

“And you’re just lovely too, aren’t you?” she adds, squeezing my hand between hers. “Much better than that last one.”

“Okay, thank you, Gran,” Quinn cuts in, but I want to hear more about the other one now that Gran has brought him up.

“What? He was horrible,” Gran digs in. I can’t stop the grin spreading on my face.

“I’m not denying that but there’s a time and a place,” Quinn returns with a sigh.

“I think now’s a great time,” I cut in, sharing a delighted smile with Gran.

“Oh, I like him,” she says to Quinn. “Don’t you let him go, grandson.”

“Not planning on it,” Quinn says, sending me an indulgent smile.

“I expect you young ones will want to go out and celebrate the win,” Gran comments.

“That’s certainly the plan,” I agree.

“Come on then, Mum,” Amy cuts in. “I better get you home before I rush off for my shift. Congratulations again, JT.”

“Thank you so much for coming out to support us,” I say. “It means the world to me.”

“I know, darling,” Amy replies as she pulls me in for one last hug before she guides Gran out of the stadium.

It’s just me and Quinn then, plus a sea of Dukes supporters, but I see nobody but him. I never do. He’s smirking at me, that half smile I am so in love with out in full force on his beautiful face.

“You look fucking hot by the way,” he says in a deep undertone that shoots thrills down my body.

“What, all hot and sweaty like this?” I grin, knowing exactly how much he likes me like this.

“Exactly.”

“Well, you know I was just named MVP of the league,” I mention, looking up at him from under my lashes. “Do I get a reward for that?”

“I’ll give you anything you want, baby,” he promises, his words sending my blood positively boiling. I never understood that expression about undressing someone with your eyes, but I got it then.

“Wait for me,” I order, noting most of the team have already headed to the locker room. I head there now, needing this shower to cool my blood for reasons entirely unrelated to the game we just played.

The locker room is in a celebratory mood, Trey and Vince belting out the school song from the showers and making me laugh as I strip off and duck under the water.

I’m pulling my blue jeans on, soaking up the atmosphere when Vince calls my name from the other side of the locker room.

“Hey, ah, I know you’re the league MVP and all that but just wondering if you mind if I take a shot at Chanel tonight?” he asks. He’s pretending nonchalance but I see under that bravado to the nerves he’s concealing.

“Course, man,” I assure him. “You know there was never anything between me and Chanel.”

“So you keep saying but there was a little something, right?” Vince presses, head cocked to the side.

“Maybe something one sided but not from my side,” I admit.

“So, I won’t be stepping on any toes then …” Vince asks cautiously.

“I promise there is no stepping on any toes. You have my full blessing,” I assure him. Vince lets out a nervous whoosh of air and I feel kind of pleased that it seems maybe this thing with Chanel can finally be put to rest where it belongs. But in its place is something else edging up inside me, something that wants me to stake my claim on my true feelings — which are becoming impossible to hide.

I glance at Trey, noting the quiet interest in his eyes as he watches my conversation with Vince, and I know that now is the right time for this. I clear my throat, nerves instantly flying to my gut which are a hundred times worse than the pre-game jitters.

“Actually, there’s um, something I wanted to tell everyone,” I say, wishing the nerves out of my shaky voice. The guys all look up at me expectantly, all of them here including the full bench, so this announcement will be more widely publicised than I probably intended. I feel Trey butt up against my shoulder and I know why he is there. I take no small measure of confidence from the fact I have him at my back. Quite literally in this case.

“I um, wanted to tell you all that I’m, um, dating Quinn,” I say, getting the words out before my confidence fails. There is a beat of heavy silence before Kye and Marco whoop and Kye pats me on the shoulder, the one not currently being guarded by Trey — who no doubt is eyeballing the rest of the team for their responses. But I see nothing but smiles and thumbs up from most of them while Vince is scratching his head, looking slightly lost.

“Happy for you, bro,” Kye says.

“About time you told us,” Marco adds.

“Wait, you knew?” Vince asks, eyes bouncing between me and Marco.

“Yeah, duh,” Marco scoffs. “Quinn Dayton didn’t just become the Dukes’ number one ticket holder because of your impressive layups.”

“JT’s ball handling skills on the other hand …” Trey drops into the conversation and everyone laughs.

“Hey, I thought you were on my side,” I say with mock indignation.

“Course I am,” Trey laughs, arm draped over my shoulder. “I’m always on your side, cuz.”

“I know,” I tell him, everything feeling so perfect and so right, like this was the moment my life had been heading towards all along. This is fast becoming the best day of my life but I know it’s not even over yet. Not by a long shot.

Look at me, quietly stepping outside of the closet I’ve been shoved into all my life to openly claim the boy I love with all my heart.