AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She said nothing as she sat down, spreading her hands over the surface. Positively glowing with malevolent self-satisfaction. It was not a look that boded well for Rane, but he kept his expression impassive as he forced himself to stand.
Even though he was still in pain from last night. Even though he just wanted to go find some water and a shower. He kept himself composed and unaffected as he crossed his arms and looked at her, waiting for whatever brought about that look this time.
Maybe she’d just gotten a new brand deal and was excited about the credz it would bring. Or maybe she’d dreamt up some grand new humiliation or him.
Whatever it was, Rane wouldn’t give her anything. He refused to grant her the satisfaction of knowing she got to him.
“I’ve got good news for you,” she finally started, putting her elbows on the desk and resting her chin on her folded hands.
Rane didn’t respond. He just waited. If he was lucky, that meant that it was a brand deal.
“You are a useless, worthless, lazy son,” she said so sweetly, so happily. “I saw the reports this morning. An orgy? I can’t believe you were dragged out of an orgy. It’s just delicious. You looked like you were on drugs when they were pulling you out too.”
Nothing.
Say nothing. Have nothing on his face. Give her nothing.
Really, what more humiliation could she heap on him that he hadn’t already experienced?
She sighed. “Unfortunately, it seems to have worked a little too well. That was Sal I was just talking to.”
Sal? What did the captain want from his mother?
“They’re thinking of kicking you off the team,” she said bluntly.
Rane stilled. The words were hardly a surprise. He knew the team had been getting increasingly angry with him. The wild nights, the unreliability, the carelessness could only be forgiven so long as he made up for it with victories in the sphere.
And while they had won the last few games, it had been entirely too close. There was no doubt that was his fault as well. Rane was the lead striker. It was his job to be decisive and direct and fast. None of which had been happening.
No, that wasn’t unusual. He rather expected that.
What surprised him was his own reaction to the news.
He felt… relieved?
Rane loved trikball. He had been playing for as long as he could remember. He started in the youth leagues as a youngling, graduated to minor leagues after school, then helped found his team to join the major league shortly thereafter.
They were a great team. Six males that he considered great friends. Playing with them had once been the greatest joy of his life. He got paid to play his favorite game with his favorite people in the champion leagues of trikball. It was a dream most could only fantasize over, that many chased but never claimed. But he did it!
The threat of loss should have been devastating. He should be enraged, despondent, over the very idea of losing all that.
But if it was done, if he was no longer Rane the famous trikballer, then he would finally be able to deprive his mother of something. Take this from her.
Maybe he could be free.
Something must have shown on his face, despite his determination to remain stoic, because Elffa smirked at him.
“Oh, don’t worry, Rane,” she snickered. “I’m not going to let you lose your place that easily. Your monna is always going to take care of you.”
Those words sent dread swirling through his veins.
He’d heard them before. They never meant anything good for him.
“I figured this might happen,” she said, sitting back in the wide chair. “There’s only so long that people will tolerate your kind of behavior, especially when it begins affecting your performance. I’m surprised it took this long, actually. You really are a phenomenal player. But you’ve been missing practice and making sloppy mistakes on gameday.”
Yeah, he didn’t care anymore. What was even the point?
“Fortunately, I planned for this,” she smiled.
