Pitch

6:30 PM - Home

The rain had finally slowed to a faint drizzle by the time Elle and Ryker stepped into their house. The air inside was warm, carrying the comforting aroma of home-cooked food. Their mother stood near the kitchen counter, dressed in her work uniform, hurriedly packing the last of her things before her night shift. The dining table was already set-steaming plates of rice, stir-fried vegetables, and grilled chicken waiting for them.

She turned to them with a tired but warm smile.

"How's school, guys? Did you enjoy your first day?" she asked, her tone light but expectant.

Ryker froze mid-step, his damp hoodie still clinging to his skin. His chest tightened.

He wasn't prepared to tell her.

He couldn't tell her that the basketball tryouts hadn't just gone badly-but for the worse.

That his dream of making varsity, of securing a scholarship through his favorite game of basketball, was gone.

Elle, still standing beside him, sensed his hesitation. Without missing a beat, she smiled and casually answered, "It's fine, Mom. The basketball list hasn't been posted yet."

A blatant lie.

A small one. But enough to buy Ryker time to manage his emotions as well as his thoughts.

Their mother nodded, satisfied. "Good. I know you've been working hard for it, Ry. I'm sure you'll do great." She reached for her bag, glancing at the clock. "I need to go now before I'm late. Eat while it's warm, okay?"

She kissed Elle on the forehead and squeezed Ryker's shoulder before heading out the door. The second it clicked shut, silence settled over the room, except for the rhythmic ticking of the clock.

Elle turned to Ryker, with her eyes worrying. "So I'm asking again, what happened to you after you saw the list?"

Ryker let out a slow breath, walking toward the table but not sitting down. He dragged a hand through his still-damp hair. "I'm still figuring it out."

Elle didn't react immediately. She pulled out a chair, sat down, and rested her chin on her palm. "Darn. "

Ryker let out a humorless laugh. "Yeah. Coach didn't even hesitate. Felt I wasn't what they were looking for." He clenched his jaw, looking away. "I don't know why I even thought I had a chance."

Elle stabbed a piece of chicken with her fork and chewed thoughtfully before responding. "So, what now? You gonna try again next year?"

Ryker hesitated. His hands tightened into fists at his sides. "I don't know, maybe. . ."

Elle tilted her head, watching him carefully. "You don't know? Or you don't want to?"

Ryker opened his mouth, then closed it. He had been thinking about it all day, ever since he found that football form in his hands. The idea of joining another sport, of completely shifting his focus, felt...wrong. But at the same time, a part of him felt drawn to it.

"I. . . I was thinking of joining the football club." The words felt strange coming out of his mouth.

Elle's eyebrows lifted slightly. "Football? Seriously?" shocked but at the same time excited for his brother.

Ryker shrugged, leaning against the counter. "I don't know. I was looking at the team today. They need players. And, I don't know, maybe it's a way to-" He exhaled sharply. "-to prove I'm not a complete failure."

Elle's gaze softened. She had always known how much basketball meant to him, how much pressure he put on himself to be good enough-not just for himself, but for their mom.

"Kuya Ry, you're not a failure."

He didn't respond, just stared at the floor. Looking down on himself as to how pathetic he is.

Elle put down her fork and leaned forward. "Look, if you really want to try football, then do it. No one's stopping you."

Ryker let out a bitter chuckle. "Mom is."

Elle sighed. "She just wants what's best for you. You know that."

"She wants me to be on the basketball team. She wants me to get a scholarship."

"She wants you to succeed." Elle corrected. "And maybe football is your way to do that."

Ryker stayed quiet, his thoughts tangled in a vortex of emotions and mental stress.

Elle nudged his plate toward him. "Eat. You're gonna need the energy if you're gonna be a football player now."

Ryker smirked slightly. "Haven't decided yet."

Elle grinned. "Sure. Keep telling that to yourself."

As they ate in silence, the storm outside finally passed. But inside Ryker, the battle was only just beginning.

The Next Day, Saturday no classes.

The morning sun penetrates through the clouds, casting golden light through the blinds in Ryker's room. He lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, the football club application form sitting on his desk.

He hadn't filled it out yet.

Did he really want this? Or was he just desperate to latch onto something-anything-after basketball was taken away from him?

A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.

"You up?" Elle's voice came from the hallway. "Moms gonna be here soon."

"Yeah."

She pushed the door open and leaned against the frame. "So... what's the plan?"

Ryker sighed, rubbing his eyes. "I don't know, Elle. I'm not just gonna magically wake up as a football player, might as well think about it over the weekend."

"No, but you could at least show up for practice, I think they have one this afternoon for the new recruits."

Ryker hesitated.

"What if I suck?"

"You will. Probably." She smirked at his unamused look. "But that's kind of how trying something new works, dumbass."

Ryker let out a half-hearted chuckle. "You make it sound so easy."

"Because it is. Either you go or you don't. That's your choice."

She tapped the doorframe before walking off. Ryker sat up, staring at the form again.

Maybe Elle was right.

Maybe it really was that simple.

"Don't worry I'll tell mom you went to basketball practice." Elle made a thumbs up grining at him.