Basketball is great.

So long as you aren't competing against an absolute asshole and his team of bitches.

And if you're smart enough to watch your back around him.

I did compete against him, and I didn't watch my back.

Now, I'm in the nurse's office with an aching arm, adrenaline diminished. It's not the bearable ache either. It's the kind that makes you want to rip your bones out and your head spin.

The school nurse, Matthew Zinnia, kneels, carefully applying a hard cast to my arm.

"This is the fourth time this week you've been here," he says.

I wipe my nose with my free arm. "So?"

He looks up at me briefly. "Kids don't get bruised noses randomly."

"I do."

He sighs. "And every time I ask about your home life---"

"There's nothing to talk about. Everything's fine, so quit worrying," I say, and wince when he bumps my arm.

"Sorry," he says.

There's a stretch of uncomfortable silence while he finishes my cast.

He stands and dusts his hands off. "You'll have to wear that for a good eight-to-nine weeks. Knowing you, probably nine."

I look at him. "Wait. You mean I won't be able to play for two months?" That would only leave a month for tournament preparations.

"That's just how long you'll have the cast. It could take half a year to heal completely."

"Half a year?!" I stand. "I can't wait that long. My tournament---"

"Will have to wait," Matthew says, turning back to me. "You won't be doing anything with that arm. You broke it, for God's sake."

I groan and rake a hand through my hair. This won't do. If I'm not there, my team will have to resign.

Matthew pats my shoulders. "Sorry, son. That's just the way things go."

"Yeah, when your opposing team plays dirty," I mutter under my breath.

The coach might not have caught it, but I know Juniper tripped me in that court.

"So, you know who did this? Or did you just fall?" Matthew asks. He puts a couple bottles in the cabinet.

I scowl and wipe my nose again. "No. I just fell."

Matthew sighs again. "I was hoping you'd tell the truth this time. Get on home. Your mom'll be worried."

If she's sober, I thought.

"Bye." I do a peace sign and leave.

I walk down the hallway, my arm still aching like hell. Voices hit my ears and I duck behind the wall.

"I mean, come on, really?"

My basketball team. I go to stand, but the next sentence stops me in my tracks.

"I don't even know why they let that Italian scum be the captain of our team anyway."

The others laugh.

"Alright, guys, that's enough." Evan. "You know how seriously this school takes discrimination."

Their voices fade into the distance.

My breathing picks up and I can feel tears prick my eyes. Evan was the one I trusted, and he's betrayed me.

I clench my teeth and stand. I do the only thing I've ever known. I ran.

Ran to my favorite spot in the world.