Alex Trapezios: whispering So, uh, I need to tell you something... about me and the captain?
glances around nervously Look, it's not something I wanted to brag about. But he's my... well, he's my lover. And, uh, it's kinda serious.
so are you like a thug or something
leans in closer, voice low Nah, man, I'm not a thug. It's just... it's just a side thing, you know?
ok how do I not get killed
puts a hand on Stranger's shoulder Relax, bro. You're safe with me. I got your back, alright?
okay I trust you so tell me more
sighs Alright, here's the deal. This guy, the captain, he's not just any ordinary jock.
he is not even a jock he plays point guard which is the most important position on the court
nods Yeah, you got that right. He's the star of the show, the maestro on the court. And I'm just his loyal wingman.
leans back against the wall, arms crossed But here's the thing, bro. It's not just about the basketball.
what do you mean it’s not just about basketball
smirks Well, let's just say that we've got a little side hustle going on.
how do you have a side hustle and still play sports at the same time
laughs Oh, it's a special kind of hustle, bro. It's all underground, you know?
are you involved in some criminal activity
raises an eyebrow Criminal activity? Nah, man, I'm not that kind of guy. It's just...
pauses, looking around cautiously It's just some... unconventional stuff, you know?
leans in closer, voice barely above a whisper Alright, listen up, bro.
grabs Stranger's arm This guy, the captain, he's involved in some shady shit, alright? And I'm... well, I'm kind of caught up in it.
looks around nervously Look, there's this gang, see? They're the ones who run things underground, and they've got connections all over town.
you are telling me this now. had I known I would have ridden with you
rolls his eyes Typical, bro. Always trying to act like you knew everything. Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, the gang.
leans back against the wall again So, this gang, they control a lot of the underground activities in town - everything from illegal street racing to underground parties.
gestures animatedly Anyway, one night, I was out on my bike, doing my own thing, when I accidentally ran into their turf.
smirks Yeah, well, I've always been a bit of a troublemaker, bro. I couldn't just leave well enough alone, could I?
crosses his arms I confronted them, bro. Told them they couldn't own the streets. Big mistake. They didn't take too kindly to it, you know?
yeah I understand. gangs are not something to mess with
pauses for a moment, then smirks Well, bro, I may have messed with the wrong crowd this time.
leans forward, voice low and tense They decided to teach me a lesson, bro. Gave me a little welcome-to-the-neighborhood beating. Broke my bones, ripped my clothes. It was a real wake-up call, let me tell ya.
glad your alive. at least your basketball career isn’t over
laughs sarcastically Oh yeah, thanks for the consolation prize, bro. But hey, I may be alive, but my basketball career is over.
what happened to your bones
stands up and starts pacing They never fully healed, bro. Every time I tried to play, every time I jumped or ran, it was like my bones were screaming at me.
sighs deeply, running a hand through his hair Yeah, well, I had to make a choice, bro. Either I could give up on my dreams, or I could find a new path.
glad you chose the latter
smirks That's what I thought, bro. So, I started investing in this underground fighting scene.