1
Not a day went by where Cooper wasn't practicing. He had to; his dad was the coach, so he was always pushed to do his best. It paid off though, he was one of the best basketball players at Central Heights High School, and freshman year hadn't even started.
Before, he would sometimes help his dad with practice by running drills with the team. He impressed everyone. His dad was proud. The end goal was to go pro, and if he stayed on the path he was on, he would surely make it.
Every year, the high school organization held a faux practice and scrimmage. It was two days of teams watching each other to see what they're going up against, and on the second day, they scrimmage.
"Are you nervous about tomorrow?" Cooper's dad asked, getting into position.
"No, not really. Are the other teams good?" Cooper wasn't nervous, but he always liked to be mentally prepared for anything.
"Well, all I can really tell you is that Concordia won last year's Championship."
Cooper rolled his eyes, "Why did they have to let the private schools in this year?"
For the first time, the program had to let in the local private school, Concordia Academy, because they got kicked out of their organization for recruiting players from around the world. Playing with public schools was basically a punishment for them. Cooper personally thought that was stupid.
Why would you mix public and private schools together? They were just going to make fun of us for being below them
, Cooper thought.
They were definitely below them.
"Hey, don't worry about it, I know you think it'll be tough, but it's nothing you can't handle. Now go left."
Cooper does so and shoots, "I know, but I barely know my team. We haven't practiced much, and yet here we are."
Catching the ball, he goes to dribble while his dad starts to guard him, "Think about it this way, they're in the same position as you. You're going up against another Freshman team who barely know each other too. It's a regular practice, but you need to impress; you're going up for captain, so you need to show your teammates your leadership and skills. I know it, but do they?"
Smacking the ball out of his hand, his dad goes to shoot and score.
"I know." He said, starting to feel nervous.
______
The next day, he and his dad got there early to do his coach duties and get ready.
Looking around, he saw the different teams getting their assigned shirts with their school colors. He goes to the bright red table that read Central Heights High School to get his.
While he started getting ready, he heard his friends come up to him.
"You ready to play against some stuck up rats?"
That was his friend Miles; they've been friends since kindergarten and have been captain and co-captain since middle school.
"I don't know about y'all, but I'm ready to cook them up some next-level fire!" His other friends Jason and Parker chimed in.
"Next level fire? Chill out; man, save the fire for your nonexistent girlfriends."
Cooper just laughed them off, focused on stretching.
"Alright," The coach claps his hands and yells for all the boys to gather around on one side of the court. "I need JV and Varsity on one side and freshman on the other, so I can do roll-call! For the next two hours, we're going to be doing what we usually do during practice, but this time you all will be conjoined. This will give you a perspective of what practices will be like once the year starts. Also, be prepared because you will be picking your captain and co-captain at the end!"
Cooper noticed his dad glance at him while saying that. He kind of hated how he knew he was going to get it. It was a given; everyone knew since their very first practice that the role was going to him. He didn’t know if it was going to him because he had what it took to be captain or because he was the coach's son.
"Varsity Captains take it away!" His dad says before blowing the whistle loudly.
...
Thirty minutes later, everyone was out of breath, "Dude, what the hell? This progressed so fast." Complains Parker.
"Jesus, I know! I can't feel my legs!" Jason says while trying to catch his breath.
"Guys, the actual practice just started." Cooper laughs at them while finishing the last lap, their groans being heard behind him.
He too was starting to feel the effects of the five laps they were doing but didn’t want to discourage them by slowing down.
An hour later, they're midway finished with their practice, and Cooper notices a bunch of guys walking in and going up to the maroon table. Concordia guys.
"Is that them?" Miles asks.
Cooper, noticing they're carrying more bags than a basketball player usually does, chimes in, "Yea, but I don't think that's the basketball team, though." All four boys are now staring at the snoots.
Hearing the whistle, they snap out of their stares and run to finish up their practice.
After the practice is over, Freshman chose their captains; of course, guess who it went to? "I'm going to take the longest shower and nap known to man," Jason says, dramatically starting up his goodbye.
“You want to hang out? I finally got the new Halo game.” Miles asked while putting his bad over his shoulder.
“Yeah, I don’t want to be stuck here for the next three hours.”
He was about to get up to leave when his dad called him over to the maroon table. "Coop. This is coach James; I went to high school with him. James, this is my son, Cooper."
Cooper shakes hands with the tall man while he praises him, "You know, I saw you on the court; you're pretty good. They should let you on Varsity!" Coach James said, patting his dad on the back.
Cooper lets out an awkward laugh, "Oh, thank you."
The coach explains that he's the lacrosse coach for Concordia and that their practice is about to start on the field. "You ever seen a lacrosse game?" He asked, nodding at Cooper with his arms crossed.
Confused, Cooper shakes his head, "Um, no, I haven't, never really understood it."
The coach breathed out a laugh, "Well, then you should definitely check out our basketball practice, you know we won the championship this last year. If the coaches were to see you play, it could open a lot of doors for you."
His dad quickly chimed in after hearing that, "I think Cooper is fine where he is, he's about to start his freshman year and is excited to play in the same old gym I did." He puts an arm around Cooper, who senses some tension.
"Well, alright then, hey, let me introduce you to someone. Brooks!" He calls over a tall guy with brown wavy hair and blue eyes. "Cooper, this is River Brooks, he's the best player on the lacrosse team. Been on varsity since he was a freshman and Captain since junior year."
Both boys extend their hands to shake. The guy, River, smiled at him, showing his dimples.
He's really tall.
Actually Coopers just really short, standing only at 5'5.
"River’s planning on receiving best player for the season. Those usually go to the captain that scored the most points. This would be his second time getting it. A perfect way to end his senior year, right?" Cooper notices coach James rubbing River's shoulder with his hand and giving him a pat on the back.
Weird.
"River can teach you a few things you need to know about being captain-"
Cooper's dad cuts him off, "That won't be necessary, I’m sure you’re a great guy and a good captain, but Cooper has it all under control. This isn't his first rodeo." He said patting Cooper on the shoulder and giving a smile.
James nods slowly, and sticks his hands in his pockets, "Very well then, I must get going, I have to set up the field. Nice meeting you Cooper, I wish you the best of luck, and I hope to see your team in the finals. Of course, that's if you win throughout the season. River, I'll see you outside." With one last wave and smile, he leaves the gym.
His dad pats him on the back, and says "Don't worry about it," then goes off to talk to the other coaches.
Cooper doesn't know what to think about the conversation that just happened.
What the heck was that?
"Lots of pressure right?" Cooper looks over to the voice, it came from the giant lacrosse player. "Um, yea. Is he always that weird?"
River looks down and smiles, "He just wants our school to be the best. Weird seeing as how he went to Heights. Don't worry about him though, that's probably the last you'll see him." Cooper nods thinking this conversation is over, but River keeps talking, "So you're a freshman? That makes you what, 15?"
This guy was kind of nosy.
"14." Cooper replied short.
River nodded his head slowly, “I'm sure it's nice having your dad as the coach. You get to learn all the ropes."
Shrugging, Cooper answered him honestly, "Eh, it has its perks." He looked down at the floor kicking his foot on the court lightly.
"Like getting captain?"
What the heck.
Taken aback, he looked up to meet the guys blue eyes. "Uh no actually, the team votes for who they want the captain to be." There was a little attitude in his voice which made River look at him with raised brows.
What was this guy's deal?
"Well good luck, I hope to see you around sometime." River ended with a smile.
"Yea, sure." Cooper said weirded out before going back to his stuff.
Private school kids are so weird.
____
If you were concerned or uncomfortable about his age I highly suggest reading the next part :)
Somewhat of an odd chapter, but hopefully, this will get the ball rolling. Cooper kinda has some sass.
I decided to write this book first rather than go back and forth with then and now. Why don't we stay with freshman Cooper for a while and get to know handsome River :)
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