Chapter 20 - District Tryouts
District tryouts arrived.
Trent’s suspension had ended, but Coach Harper imposed conditions.
He could participate.
No captain role.
No guaranteed minutes.
Elias was medically cleared for limited non-contact evaluation only.
He could not compete in full live scrimmage.
That meant he could not earn a tournament roster spot yet.
He knew.
Still, he attended.
Some students thought that was pointless.
It wasn’t.
He wanted to stand in the gym under his own terms.
Trent played.
Badly at first.
Too tight.
Trying to prove everything.
Coach Harper pulled him aside.
“What are you doing?”
“Playing.”
“No.”
She looked at him.
“You’re auditioning for your father.”
Victor was not in the building.
Still true.
Trent exhaled.
Returned.
Played simpler.
Passed.
Defended.
Stopped forcing shots.
He performed better.
Elias watched from the sideline.
No jealousy.
Some.
He admitted it.
That was normal.
At the end, Trent made the district roster.
Elias did not.
The universe did not arrange poetic justice.
Talent still mattered.
Medical clearance mattered.
Trent’s consequences did not require losing every future opportunity.
Elias hated that for ten minutes.
Then respected it.
Coach Harper approached.
“You okay?”
“No.”
“Good answer.”
He laughed.
“I wanted it.”
“I know.”
“Do you think I would have made it healthy?”
“Yes.”
That mattered.
“Next season?”
“If your knee says yes.”
Elias nodded.
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His body now got a vote.
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