Tyler

The ball slammed hard against the ground with a sharp echo.

“Again!” Coach barked.

I caught the pass from Aaron and dribbled toward the free-throw line, my shoes squeaking against the polished floor.

The ball slipped out of my hands for the third time and landed with a loud thud, rolling past my foot.

“Sinclair!” Coach’s whistle shrieked through the gym. “You planning to play basketball today or just audition for a circus act?”

Low chuckles rippled across the court.

“I got it,” I muttered, jogging after it even though I clearly didn’t.

Normally, practice was the one place my head stayed clear. The one place where everything else...