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Maverick’s pov

Basketball, it’s my life, it’s what I like best. I always liked basketball ever since I was young. Maybe ever since I could walk and talk. I can’t remember but it’s been an awful long time.

I’m a part of my school’s basketball team but there are plenty of guys that are a part of the team. I’m just one of them but actually, I’m not. I’m more than that. I’m not just a player. My name is known and everything but I’m sure you all still have no clue who I am.

Well, I’m Maverik Campbell, not just a 15-year-old teenage boy, no, I’m my school’s basketball captain on the Spitfires of Rochester High.

Captain? At 15? Impressive no? I’m only 15 and a sophomore and I have already attained exceptional status. It’s not my fault that I’m so good and that I’m the best leader.

Ok, I’m boasting off my ego. I didn’t magically become the captain. I had to work hard all those years to attain it.

I think I have some explaining to do on how my team works. Rochester High might have some funding and glory but for some reason, it didn’t translate into the Spitfires.

Why? Well, because there weren’t enough players, they decided that all players, regardless that they were a freshman or seniors will be on the same team. Complicated and unfair right? Reason? Their basketball team was awful and the other teams of Rochester High were good.

Regardless, I ignored all of that and signed up for it. It was the best decision ever. Of course, they were bad but they quickly realized that I was good, like I had real talent, unlike the other guys.

Sure we haven’t made the playoffs last year but I can’t make miracles either.

Their captain was a senior last year and he graduated, so as they consider me, exceptional talent and wanted to make sure I would stay, they named me captain at the start of the year even though I was 14 at the time.

I might seem like perfection just like my looks suggest but I have a little issue that basically no one knows. It’s not a big deal but I’m color blind. I’ve been so since I was young and never realized it. I got used to it but recently there was a colour-blind text online that got popular and I did it, that’s how I knew I was colour-blind.

The colours I have trouble seeing are well, red and green, the most common type, so not shocking.

That fact is not a big deal but it’s that. Yeah, I never got the test done because how could I? No one will believe me, Maverick Campbell is seen as perfection.

So, yeah, that’s basically who I am.

Today, it’s another morning in March and I have a game after school.

Before I get ready to head to school my brother draws me to school, by the way, I hate it but I can’t do anything about it. I have to make myself look good. As much as I don’t want to put some time into my looks, I’m still popular and I’m the face of the school. I’ve got no choice but to look my best.

And that starts with taking a shower. Well, I already did but that’s beside the point, I get out of the shower with only a towel on. I check myself in the mirror and I decide to shave.

Sure, I don’t have a full-on beard but who wants to see a beard on a teenage guy like me? Come on, even I don’t want to see that.

That’s the bad side of puberty and teenage years. At least, I don’t have acne like a lot have. Even if it’s that, it’s still annoying that lately, I’ve been growing an unwanted moustache.

After I shave, I take care of my hair and my face. While I do so, I hear a knock on the door.

“Hey! What’s taking so long over there?! Why is it taking as long as a girl?!” Ugh...my brother Thomas.

He annoys the sh*t of me and we don’t really get along. I’m the youngest and he’s in his senior, even worse. Even if I am the school’s basketball captain, he still sees me as a loser. Why go huh?

“Yeah, yeah! I’m almost done!”

“You better make it fast ’cause I need to shower too! I can’t afford to be late because you’re a slow poke.” I roll my eyes and get dressed immediately. Then, I get out.

“Finally! What took you so long?!”

“None of your business,” I say annoyed and he just glares back at me.

“Yeah, go on like that.” He rolls his eyes and I decide to leave.

Eh, it’s not like my brother matters to me, he’s not the one that’s surrounded by popularity, so he might as well go f**k off because I bet he’s just jealous.

Through it’s not my brother the worse, it’s my parents. My family seems like a cute family at the first end especially because they support me in basketball but we’re not.

The thing is my parents are actually hypocrites that only care about themselves and their images. My brother isn’t better, he’s just a huge asshole.

For instance, this morning they only talked to me about my game tonight and my well-being, well being healthy enough to play.

They never care about how I’m doing other than basketball and never generate talks with me. So this morning wasn’t a first. They only do so if it concerns them or makes them look better. If I didn’t play basketball I would be nothing to them.

Even if it’s that, I suck it up because besides there’s worse than my parents and I’m lucky they still treat me that way despite my secret. They certainly wouldn’t want to see me again. Yeah, they don’t know but yeah, I have a secret. A huge nasty one and I wish to not mention it.

It’s been hard coming to terms with it. So, I wish to forget that it exists...Yeah...I can’t forget that.

Anyways, I dreadfully head into my brother’s car. Yeah, my brother has a car. I can’t wait till I can finally drive in peace.

My brother doesn’t bring me to school because he wants to but more like he’s forced to. Our mom wants us to look like the perfect brothers that get along, the thing is, we don’t.

He would rather die than drive me to school and I would rather have one of my older teammates pick me up but hey what can I do? Can’t go around my mom, can I?

“Come on, get in loser.” See? I’m a loser to him.

“Yeah, yeah,” I say annoyed as I open the passenger seat as get in.

He starts his car and we go to school.

Gosh, I can’t wait to get out of this car...

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*For those that didn’t read the story notes, here’s a reminder of the sort of rules for this novel.

First off, I know how tempting it is to read only the chapter you want but I would prefer it if the chapters are read in order, not read just a specific chapter. If you read a random chapter, you won’t understand what is going on and remember the novel’s storyline’s goes in order. Besides, it’s not fair for the other characters. All sexualities and gender identities represented are important.

For instance, what happened in the first character’s pov will be followed into the second characters’s pov and so on. It is after all a narrative story. I don’t want it to seem rude or anything, I just wanted to precise it as some of you might think this a novel where you read the character’s pov you’re interested in based on the sexuality or gender identity represented. This novel is made to be read in order, not random order. Through, you’re allowed to favor a specific character or chapter, just once the chapters beforehand have been read. You have been warned. Thank you for respecting this, each character matter to me.