I watch in complete confusion as the ball is tossed here and there, to and fro, all over the court.

It’s such a fast sport, with people running everywhere, arms and legs and hands and feet all tangled together in a whirlwind of insanity.

How does Kris do it?

It makes me feel like my wushu skills are for naught. All those years, all that time spent learning the same pattern of moves over and over again.

Sure, my hand-eye coordination is better than most but still… awkward.
I am forever awkward Tao.

“Tao, are you watching the game?” Luhan asks me.

I’m sitting with him, Baekhyun, and Kyungsoo. We kind of made Lay and Suho go and get the food… because we’re all staring down at our boys.

I have to be quite honest here; I never knew Sehun played basketball. I just assumed it was tutoring he went to every other afternoon after school. Guess I was wrong.

Apparently Luhan’s been fawning over him every match, under the guise he’s supporting his friend Kris.

To me, it’s obvious.

“I don’t think I can concentrate very well,” I mutter to Luhan, looking down.

“I mean… those shorts,” I say, as if it explains everything.

“Hmm, know how you feel,” Luhan hums. He turns his head, staring at Baekhyun.

Someone got a crushed nose, and now Chanyeol’s walked onto the court, his face frozen in a grin, perfectly straight teeth shining for all to see.

Hopefully he won’t get hit in the face by the basketball and lose said teeth.

“So when are you going to pack the courage up to ask Chanyeol out?” Luhan asks.

I gasp, loudly. A few heads turn around us, but it is mostly left unnoticed in the din and flashing lights of the game.

“You like Chanyeol?” I splutter.

“Yeah…” Baekhyun sticks a finger to his face, fixing up his fringe. He grabs a mirror out of his pocket and examines his eyeliner, smiling as he finds it perfectly straight.

I didn’t think guys were ever this preoccupied with their faces.

Guess I was wrong.

“So, you like Chanyeol and Chanyeol likes you,” I say excitedly.

“You mean he likes me?” Baekhyun asks. I nod.

“Isn’t it obvious? Did you never notice him following you around like the friggin’ paparazzi with that camera of his?” I ask pointedly.

Baekhyun shakes his head, eyes widening.

“You mean that was all just him? I thought it was for the school newspaper or something… I mean I am totally hot after all…”

For emphasis, Baekhyun reaches into his ‘manbag’ and takes out a chapstick, running it across his lips, pouting at me playfully. I give him a disgusted look.

“Whatever man. But after the game, you should ask him out.”

We all turn back to the game, watching as it plays out. Kris seems to dominate, and every now and then he slips the ball across to Kai, who’s quick to get it around the other tall people and into the line of the basket.

Kris is the shooter of the team. Every time they get close, it is him that the ball gets thrown to, him that lands it in the basket; sometimes from afar, sometimes with a jump that exposes his gorgeous stomach.

“God he’s so hot,” I breathe.

“Keep it to yourself,” Luhan says, gesturing down.

Oh.

alert.

Tao, think of an old woman with long, low, saggy s…

gone.

“Sorry,” I mumble.

“Oh, it’s quite alright,” Luhan responds, glancing across at Sehun.

“You’re not the biggest I’ve seen.”

I quirk an eyebrow.

“What?”

“Sehun’s is massive. But not as big as Kris’. Oh no.” I choke, almost falling out of my chair.

“You saw…?”

“Yeah, I accidentally walked in on him in the shower,” Luhan explains. He gives me a smirk.

“Dude. You’re gonna get impaled by that thing.”

I am left gasping like a fish out of water. Baekhyun giggles really girly-like from his seat, fiddling with his nails. They’re perfect ovals.

I realise Byun Baekhyun is a diva.

“Oh my God!” Luhan yells, pointing downwards.

There’s a massive pile up on the court, and some of the players begin to start staring each other down, yelling obscenities and getting into each other’s faces.

It looks like Chanyeol…

“Hey, is that…?” Luhan starts.

“Chanyeol!” I yell.

Baekhyun looks up, dazed.

“What?”

One of the players from the opposing team, a really tall one at that, has Chanyeol in a headlock. Chanyeol’s flapping his arms about wildly, trying to get his head out of the vice grip.

“Oh my God, Chanyeol!” he shrieks.

Luhan, Baekhyun and I jump over the banisters, running out onto the court. I throw a glance behind me, and it’s absolute anarchy in the stands. People in red and white (our school colours) are getting into massive verbal fights with those draped in yellow and blue.

“Well ,” I whisper.

Luhan’s already found Sehun, both uninjured, and they’ve both escaped off to the locker rooms. I glance around.

Oh Lord…

Baekhyun’s walked up to the guy with Chanyeol in a headlock, with his usual level of sass. He snaps a finger in front of the guy’s face, catching his attention. The guy laughs.

“What the is this?” he laughs loudly.

“A school with gays? So the reputation of this place is true!”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Baekhyun asks, slapping the guy on the shoulder.

“You better get off my friend Chanyeol!”

The guys raises an eyebrow, laughing even harder.

“You gonna fight me?” he asks with a smirk.

“I suppose you look enough like a girl. I’d do you.”

The guy pushes Chanyeol to the floor and grabs Baekhyun’s arm, pulling it harshly behind his back. Baekhyun lets out a cry as the guy’s hand closes around on his stomach.

“Hey!” Chanyeol shouts.

The guy turns, meeting Chanyeol’s fist in his face.

“Get off my Byun Baekhyun!” he screams like a banshee. The guy howls and takes a swing, but it seems Chanyeol’s hit his nose so hard he’s broken it.

“You’ll pay for that!” the guy screams.

“ENOUGH!” The referee yells, standing between them.

“YOU! EJECTION!” he shouts, pointing to Chanyeol. The other guy smirks.

“YOU TOO! EJECTION! YOU’RE OUT FOR THE NEXT SEASON!” The guys lets out a strangled sob, running off the court into the arms of his girlfriend.

“Are you OK, Baekhyun?” Chanyeol asks. Baekhyun looks him up and down, blushing.

“Yeah…” Baekhyun leans forward, standing on his tiptoes. Chanyeol stares with wide eyes.

“What-”

Baekhyun silences him with a kiss on the lips. Chanyeol goes a furious red, but nevertheless kisses back awkwardly. Baekhyun seems to laugh at this, and runs his arms around Chanyeol, clasping his shoulders.

It’s a really comical sight because Chanyeol’s half hunched over and Baekhyun’s so stretched it can’t be sane. What a ridiculous height difference.

I scan the court, looking for Kris. Soon I find him, sitting by himself on a bench to the side, head in his hands. He’s sweating like a pig, and I can’t help but want to his face.

No Tao. Awkward.

“Um, hey,” I call across the court.

“Hey…” Kris responds moodily.

“What hap-”

“I got ejected! That’s what!” Kris cuts me off, fuming.

“Just because I punched some guy in the face? He was going for me first!” he complains loudly.

“Um… OK?”

Kris sighs, picking himself up from the seat and walking into the locker room. I follow sheepishly behind him.

“Don’t talk to me,” he seethes, when I go to open my mouth. I scowl.

I follow him silently all the way back to the dorm rooms, but he slams the door abruptly in my face when I finally pack up the courage to get a word in. I stand, flabbergasted.

“I’ll talk to him,” Kai says, brushing past me. I have nothing to say.

Kris is a sore loser.